Lux Deluxe Review

Lux Delux is for the most part a Risk clone which brings the fun and addicting board game to your PC and adds several intriguing features that make it hard to put down. The gameplay stays rather traditional with players taking turns deploying armies, attacking enemy countries, fortifying your positions, and trading in cards for more units. The ultimate goal is to gain control of every region on the map.

Fast Gameplay and Smart Computer Opponents

The nice feature of moving this style of gameplay to the PC is that games are much faster since there is no set-up time and combat dice rolls occur with just the click of a button. This means that if you play against some of the computer controlled bots it is conceivable to finish a game in only thirty minutes. In fact, the bots are one place where Lux Delux shines since there are a wide variety of them with rather unusual names such as Reaper, Shaft, Killbot, BotOfDoom, Communists, Angry, and Stinky, but what is really interesting is how they each have different personalities and levels of strategy which affect how difficult they are to face. Additionally, you can even download a designer from the developer's site and create your own bots to play against.

Excellent Options Including Map Creation

It is probably the versatility and wide range of options which makes Lux Delux stand out. There are hundreds of different maps which you can download and try out, such as maps with themes like Outer Space, U.S. War Zone, Roman Empire, Castle Lux, or Antartica. There is also a map designer which lets you create and upload your own maps. There is also a rather extensive and active online community which means it is easy to find network games to play and more player-created content. Add all these facts together and there are hours of fascinating gameplay to be found.

Very Few Drawbacks

There aren't many downsides to Lux Delux, especially if you are any kind of strategy board game fan, but there were some slight issues which might put off new gamers to this genre. While playing against the computer can be rather quick and easy, facing human opponents can prolong a game significantly. Even with the option to set turn time limits, a game against other players can take around 3 to 4 hours, if not longer. This may be a bit more of a commitment than some players are willing to put forth and it is fairly frowned upon to leave a game mid-match. Also, the graphics and sound for some of the maps are a bit dull, but the real appeal of this title is the gameplay.

Conclusion - Excellent Risk Style Game

Overall, Lux Delux provides an entertaining and addicting strategic experience that is sure to keep you playing for hours on end. If you are any kind of fan of classic Risk-style action, then you should definitely give this game a try. Plus, the options and community support makes this a great title for new players to sink their teeth into this intriguing genre.