Unmatched: Cobble & Fog

Today's review is of the 2020 release, Unmatched: Cobble & Fog. For 2-4 players, it takes 20-40 minutes.

Overview

You are a character of legend taking on another.* Reduce their health to zero first and you win!

Unmatched is a series of games with the same mechanics. In each, you set up the game by choosing a map. Then choose a hero, taking their corresponding minifigure, tokens (if any), health dial(s), and unique deck of 30 cards, shuffling them and drawing five. Your opponent does the same. You place your minifigures and token(s) on the map in the stated areas and play begins, with the youngest player starting. In Cobble & Fog, your hero choices are Invisible Man, Jekyl & Hyde, Dracula, or Sherlock Holmes.

Game board showing Dracula vs. Sherlock Holmes at start

On your turn, you take two actions (you  may choose the same more than once) of the three available:

Three additions to the turn explanation in the above image:

- your "fighters" are your hero and their sidekick(s), if any.

- all cards have a hero, sidekick, or "ANY" printed on them; they must be used in accordance with the printed options

- maneuver action: most cards have a BOOST value encircled on the right-hand side of the card; it is that number you can add to your fighter(s) move.

- attack action: if you choose to attack, your opponent can play a defense card (a purple versatile card or blue defense card) face down in response. Cards are turned face up simultaneously, with the higher value winning (defense wins ties), and damage done to the defender if the attack value > defense value. 

Turns continue until one player's hero is reduced to zero health.

Review

This game is easy to learn and hard to master. You must manage your turn actions, character placement/movement, and hand of cards, with meaningful decisions in each sphere. The decks of cards are asymmetric, leading to a new experience with each hero you try (and each unique matchup). The Unmatched series has seen many releases, and all are fully compatible with the others, expanding the possibilities. Overall, recommended.

Rating: A

*the game has a multiplayer mode, but I will describe the two-player version.