Sixty years have passed since the Lightbringers fought against The Darkness, forcing it back into the deep, shadowy places of the world. They thought their job was completed, their mighty weapons no longer necessary, but that is not the case. The Darkness has returned, uniting the uncivilized tribes against the forces of good. Once more, the call is going out to find Lightbringers and to recover those lost relics. This time, it will be a fight to the last.

That is the story behind Massive Darkness from CMON and Guillotine Games. Players must work cooperatively as Lightbringers, mighty Heroes looking to finally destroy the forces of The Darkness. Using the modular game tiles, players will head into the dark caverns and caves, trying to complete different objectives in the name of good and light. It is not only The Darkness that has learned since the last war. Heroes can take advantage of shaded areas on the map. These Shadow Zones let them hide from enemies and leap out with a surprise attack. As they progress through the game’s narrative campaign, Heroes will gain experience, levelling up in their chosen Class and unlocking new powers and abilities. Classes aren’t tied to a specific Hero, letting players customize their character at the start of a campaign. They will also find valuable Treasure, as well as some of the lost relics from the previous war. This new equipment will give them an edge in coming battles. The core box game gives players the opportunity to face off against evil dwarves, goblins, orcs, and six different roaming monsters. However, The Darkness hasn’t stopped there. Using the different expansions, players can customize their games and add new challenges with different sets of enemies. But it’s not only evil that is getting new recruits. New Heroes are available to become Lightbringers, as well as new Classes they can choose to specialize in. The stakes of this war have never been higher!

Enemy Boxes allow players to customize the monsters they will encounter during their games. The Ratlings, Reptisaurians, and Troglodytes Enemy Boxes include two different types of mobs, as well as an Agent, and a Wandering Monster. The Ratlings are best in large numbers, gaining bonuses as they scurry around the dungeon in gangs, much like their smaller cousins. The Reptisaurians, left over from a primordial time, are tough and well-versed in the use of poisons found in their swampy homes. The Troglodytes are an offshoot of humans who never left the caves, giving them an advantage in dark, cramped spaces.

Heroes & Monster sets each contain a new Wandering Monster, three new Heroes, a new Class, and a Treasure card that can be used during games. Players can mix and match the different Heroes with the Classes from the expansions, or with the characters from the base game, as well as the other sets, giving a multitude of new combinations when starting out an adventure. These new Classes include the Bloodmoon Assassin that specializes in melee and stealth, the Noble Warrior that is good at supporting other LIghtbringers, the Sorcerer that lobs magic at enemies from afar, and the Warrior Priest that can heal as well as they harm.

The A Quest of Crystal & Lava set literally expands the area players can explore during a game. However, this is more than just an extra collection of tiles. While it does contain the nine original tiles from the base game, there are also six new tiles, split between Crystal and Lava tiles, that players can use to expand their game maps. This set also includes a six-quest campaign, taking players deep into a still-active volcano, looking to root out The Darkness that has begun to infiltrate these dangerous, yet beautiful, caverns.

With these different expansion sets, players can greatly modify their Massive Darkness games. They may pick a new Class from one set, a new Hero from another, and go on a quest in the Crystal Caves, fighting off monsters from another expansion. Even just trying out new Hero and Class combos can change an entire campaign. All of these expansions are available now at your FLGS of choice. The Darkness is spreading once more, calling upon old allies and recruiting new ones. Is civilization doomed, or will new Lightbringers force it back, defeating it once and for all?

Jason "Polar Bear" Koepp is a Content Producer for CMON and Editor in Chief of the Tabletop Gaming News website. He lives in Atlanta where he enjoys baking and sharing the results with the others in the CMON offices.