Overboss

Overboss, developed by BlanketGames and Brotherwise Games and published by Goblinz Publishing alongside Maple Whispering Limited, is a digital strategy title that translates the logic of tile-drafting board games into a polished, accessible format. It doesn’t rely on fast reflexes or complex storytelling; instead, it builds its appeal around careful planning, spatial reasoning, and the satisfaction of constructing an efficient, high-scoring map. The experience is deliberately measured, offering a calm but mentally engaging loop that rewards thoughtful decisions over impulsive play. At its core, the game revolves around drafting terrain tiles and placing them onto a personal grid to create a cohesive overworld. Each turn presents a limited selection of tiles and tokens, forcing players to choose not just what benefits them immediately, but what will remain valuable several turns later. The objective is to generate the most “power” by arranging terrain types and units in ways that maximize scoring conditions. This structure gives the game a strong puzzle-like quality, as every placement has long-term consequences and there is rarely a perfect option available. The depth of the game comes from how differently each terrain type behaves. Some reward clustering, encouraging players to build large connected regions, while others benefit from being spaced apart or placed in specific configurations. Tokens such as monsters and bosses add additional scoring layers, further complicating decisions. As the board fills up, the tension increases, and each placement becomes more critical. The game consistently challenges players to balance competing priorities, whether that means committing to a single strategy or adapting to what the draft provides. Pacing is one of the game’s strengths. Matches are relatively short, typically lasting under half an hour, which keeps the experience focused and avoids overstaying its welcome. The turn-based structure allows players to think through their moves without pressure, reinforcing the strategic nature of the game. This makes it well-suited for both quick sessions and more deliberate play, depending on the player’s preference. Visually, Overboss embraces a retro-inspired pixel art style that gives it a distinct identity. The colorful tiles and stylized designs evoke classic dungeon-themed games, while the clean interface ensures that all information is easy to read. This clarity is essential, as the game relies heavily on understanding spatial relationships and scoring conditions. The presentation is not overly elaborate, but it is cohesive and effective, supporting the gameplay without unnecessary distractions. The digital adaptation brings practical advantages over the physical version. Scoring, tile management, and rule enforcement are handled automatically, allowing players to focus entirely on strategy. This streamlining makes the game more approachable, particularly for newcomers, while still preserving the depth of its underlying systems. It also reduces downtime, keeping the experience smooth and consistent from start to finish. However, the game’s reliance on its central mechanic can also be a limitation. While the tile-drafting and placement systems are well-designed, they do not evolve significantly over time. Once players become familiar with the optimal ways to use each terrain type, the experience can begin to feel predictable. Replayability exists through different tile combinations and opponents, but the core loop remains largely unchanged, which may limit long-term engagement for some players. Another aspect to consider is the level of interaction between players. Competition is mostly indirect, occurring through drafting decisions that can deny opponents valuable options. While this creates subtle tension, it lacks the direct conflict found in more aggressive strategy games. This makes Overboss a more relaxed experience, but it may feel less dynamic for players who prefer more interactive competition. Ultimately, Overboss is a well-crafted strategy game that excels within its defined scope. It offers a satisfying blend of accessibility and depth, providing a thoughtful experience that rewards planning and adaptability. While it may not deliver extensive variety or long-term complexity, it succeeds as a focused, engaging title that captures the essence of its board game origins in a streamlined digital form. Rating: 6/10

Хочу написать, что на сегодняшний день игра работает без нареканий. Сыграл уже семь партий и не встретил никаких багов. Сама настольная игра представляет собой смесь Картографов, Лоскутного королевства и Каскадии. Каждый ход мы выкладываем тайлы, а также монстров на эти тайлы, зарабатывая очки по правилам соответствующих тайлов, а также группируя монстров и размещая их на нужные тайлы. Также каждую игру игрок выбирает из двух случайных карт боссов, которые дают особою способность и дополнительное правило для заработка очков. Игра увлекательная, но по одиночке те же Картографы, Лоскутное королевство и Каскадия играются лучше. Но и тут есть над чем поломать голову. В игре есть вполне нормальный ИИ соперник, соло режим, режим кампании, а также мультиплеер как локальный так онлайн. При чём режим кампании являет собой головоломку и сделан специально для цифровой версии.

Game was buggy YES,,,,,Game is patched and like the board game? YES

It's a fun and chill boardgame-esque game to play with others. Campaign is neat, but certainly not the draw. Go in with it with the mindset of a fun boardgame with friends, and you'll be in the right spot for it.

Very glitchy on mac. Problematic with game play, functionality with Boss abilities. Settings wont open. Going full screen the game goes black. Online game play is totally absent.

This game? meh; it's alright. "Boss Monster" is still the better game, compared to this game! Why? "Overboss" is kinda dull. (No offense meant to anyone, that is.)

An incredibly faithful port of the board game. The campaign mode is pretty damned challenging and the other play modes work well. Overall, I'd recommend this game to board game fans, particularly those who like tile drafting/placement games. Also, the little pixel animations are super cute without being distracting.

I've spent a few hours playing and really am enjoying it. I've played the board game and it's a very solid implementation of that. If you are playing on the Steamdeck, it works perfectly fine out of the box with no tweaking needed. I found one issue on the Steamdeck, where the arrow to progress forward in the tutorial is lined up with the purple boarder of the text window, making it hard to see the black on purple. Once you see it though, it works fine. Gameplay wise, I've not encountered any of the bugs some people have reported, at least in solo play. I don't know anyone who has the game, so haven't played mulitplayer online, and can't find a public game (not sure if that's due to lack of players or the game itself). Solo and Campaign are super fun though, and I like how Campaigns have 3 objectives each, but you can achieve 1 or 2 of them and replay them to achieve the 3rd, which is helpful as the tokens/tiles come out randomly in the market. Overall, I've really enjoyed my time with this game. Brotherwise gave me a copy of this to check out, and I am working on a video review as I progress deeper, but after several plays, really happy with it.

Update(12/3/2024): Since my original review, the game has received an update that has fixed most if not all the bugs, and the steam achievements all work now. I appreciate the developer came back to fix this game and not just ignore it. I would recommend the game now and will still be playing it with friends in the future (Original review at time of release): I liked playing this game, the real life one and this one. Though I hope you guys make a video gamer version of the original game, Boss Monsters. While i did enjoy playing this, especially the couple online matches I played against friends, I can't recommend this due to its very buggy state. I didn't notice any bugs in the multiplayer mode, but in solo play there are various bugs that have run into. Manly stuff with the portals, but also many, if not almost all steam achievements seem to be bugged and not triggering. Hope the developers fix and add some new stuff to the game, cause it is very short also, but for the price it is fair. Overall, I had fun and would like to play this more, but in it's current state, i can't recommend.

I didn't read any other reviews, I saw that they were mostly negative, but this is a game I wanted to play and it was at a great price so I made the purchase. I'm glad I did because Overboss is a lot of fun. The games are quick so I don't have lot of playtime so far, and I'm also on Board Gamer Arena a lot playing other games I enjoy, but this game is enjoyable and worth a buy if you like digital board games.