The original Divine Right (1979) has long been a source of intrigue for me. Published by TSR to some fanfare, it commands a high price on the collector’s market, especially for a game I am unlikely to ever play. But it looks so goooood.
Thankfully, Pungo Games recently crowdfunded a modern remastered edition that tidies up the original art (with the exception of the box cover, which is a reimagining of the original by Ademir Leal) and rules, but upgrades the materials to contemporary standards. The original board was really a folded, laminated poster, for instance. This is a nice solid board. And these are about the nicest counters I’ve ever encountered. The whole thing is gorgeous and new, but feels old. The map is just fantastic, originally illustrated by Dave Trampier (and brought to new life by Barry Beadman) and I know it isn’t just me and my love of dusty old things. When the game arrived, I laid it out on the table and my kid saw it just sank right into it, making up stories based on the counters and the names.
That’s as close as I’ve come to playing, alas. The two to six-hour play time isn’t a hurdle to play, it’s a wall. This is a game I will relish in a quieter time of my life, I think. You know you’re in for it when there are two copies of the rulebook in the box. It’ll be this and Dragon Pass for days if I ever retire. Which, unsurprisingly, Divine Right is a direct descendant of White Bear and Red Moon, with its massive world, intricate lore and bloody warfare.
That said, it is very much a complex game, but not a complicated one. I expect most games turn into a battle royale about halfway through, lore be damned. And the vast number of variables ensures that while it might always descend into chaos, the journey to the chaos, and the final resolution, will likely never take quite the same path.
A real classic. I’m thrilling its back in circulation again.