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Description
Grimcoven is a miniature boss battler game for 1-4 players set in a dark Victorian universe where only the hunt matters.
To play, you take on the role of a hunter fueled by lament who has signed a pact with a coven of other hunters to venture on one of many modular boss battles. Every character has a distinct development tree you can use to advance. Build and execute your unique combo, such as teleporting into any space on the map, gathering lament, gaining extra dice, and firing up a devastating attack on the boss. Sometimes a special electricity die will help you power up your armor, while at other times, you will forge magical bullets to be fired at the right moment.
Who and where are you fighting? Each game you choose from multiple arenas, bosses, elites, and possible adventures. Every game is different and exciting. Instead of following a scripted campaign, dive right into a boss battle for an intense 2-3 hour gameplay session. Every boss offers a unique gameplay challenge, and bringing them down will be tactically demanding. You must work together and take full advantage of the arena and its resources to achieve your goal.
During combat, strategically use dice allocation to move around the board, fire up different combos, and gather lament to grow in strength. Build your character in roguelike fashion and try to claim the ultimate prize. Collect too much lament, however, and you may turn into one of the beasts you were sent to hunt, with your fellow hunters unable to help you in time!
Year Published
2025
Featured Videos
Transcript Analysis
Browse transcript mentions, sentiments, pros/cons, mechanics, topics, quotes, and references.
Total mentions: 7
This page: 7
Sentiment:
pos 3 ·
mix 4 ·
neu 0 ·
neg 0
Showing 1–7 of 7
Video R0RVFYEsDW4
Attack general_discussion at 0:00 sentiment: mixed
video_pk 62583 · mention_pk 155301
Click to watch at 0:00 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
mixed
Pros
- High production value and atmospheric art
- Innovative and complex mechanics
- Solid solo mode and tutorial
- Rich variety of enemies and scenarios
- Strong thematic vibe (dark Victorian)
Cons
- Extensive setup with hex tiles
- Deluxe version expensive
- High difficulty can be intimidating
Thematic elements
- boss battle against eldritch covens
- Dark Victorian universe
- grim, atmospheric
Comparison games
- Chronicles of Junogore
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Boss battle system — core loop centered on a single boss with multiple phases
- boss battler — core loop centered on a single boss with multiple phases
- Combat: Dice — engraved dice used for attack/defense outcomes
- Cooperative Game — distinct solo rules and co-op feel
- Dice-based combat — engraved dice used for attack/defense outcomes
- Double-layer boards and deluxe components — deluxe version adds double-layer boards/insert
- Enemy and event card sequences — attack cards for enemies and boss-specific events
- Modular board — board built with large hex tiles and bridges; setup is substantial
- Modular/board setup — board built with large hex tiles and bridges; setup is substantial
- Solo mode and two-player cooperative play — distinct solo rules and co-op feel
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- This is a boss battler game for one to five players.
- very innovative regarding its mechanisms.
- I'm looking forward to checking this out.
- This looks like very very innovative.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video lSkunEYX5Go
Dungeon Dive general_discussion at 0:23 sentiment: positive
video_pk 61232 · mention_pk 153921
Click to watch at 0:23 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- Adds variety with new monsters and events
- Increases replayability and keeps nights feeling distinct
- Compact expansion that fits neatly with the base game packaging
Cons
- Content is modest in scope for a standalone expansion
Thematic elements
- haunted exploration, atmospheric survival
- haunted forest, nights of survival as you attempt to escape
- solo, story-driven, atmospheric
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Card-based encounters — Encounter and monster cards drive combat and exploration within the haunted forest setting.
- Event deck — End-of-night events introduce narrative twists and challenges, increasing variety across playthroughs.
- Events — End-of-night events introduce narrative twists and challenges, increasing variety across playthroughs.
- expansion integration — The expansion adds new cards and items that fit within the base game's packaging and flow.
- level-based monsters — Monsters organized by levels 1–3 provide escalating difficulty and tactical variety.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- Grimgrove is a game that I reviewed recently. This is a super cool little solo adventure game where you are trying to escape a haunted forest.
- these cassettes are not just music — they are expansions for the respective games.
- I would love it if these kinds of things were available on CD.
- these 18 cards do fit snugly into this VHS box.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video 7QWQB0fZxAA
Shelfs game_review at 0:00 sentiment: mixed
video_pk 60631 · mention_pk 153018
Click to watch at 0:00 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
mixed
Pros
- Abundant and varied components (dice, boards, bases)
- Readable, well-coded components and slot-based organization
- Asymmetric hunter designs with meaningful progression
- Dynamic terrain, environment and map elements adding flavor
- Strong table presence and narration flavor
Cons
- Prototype jank: balance and durability concerns
- Front-loaded difficulty and power scaling issues
- Complex turn sequencing leads to potential quarterbacking and downtime
- Starting cards and rogue-like progression underdeveloped in prototype
- Environment cards can be underutilized or hard to spot; setup complexity
Thematic elements
- Corruption, transformation, and power growth through corruption.
- A grief-bound world filled with lament where Hunters battle giant grief-bound bosses.
- Lore-rich narration with a parchment-signing flavor and a narration app.
Comparison games
- Spirit Island
- Cthulhu Death May Die
- Oath
- Kingdom Death Monster
- ISS Vanguard
- Frosthaven
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Action dice allocation — Roll dice during upkeep; place dice into slots with color-specific icons.
- Assist markers — Dice can be slotted to assign an assist marker to another player to improve RNG outcomes.
- Boss attack cards and boss response cards — Boss uses attack cards; removing cards moves the fight; focus effects can be prevented by dealing enough damage.
- boss battler — Boss uses attack cards; removing cards moves the fight; focus effects can be prevented by dealing enough damage.
- Corruption Track — Corruption level causes Hunter tiles to flip to corrupted versions granting power and new options.
- Defense tokens — One-time-use tokens; placed on minis; limited use adds tension.
- Enemy phase with 5 steps — Event deck triggers, minions, elites, boss actions, and time track progression.
- Environment and map tiles — Environment cards slot onto the hex map; they modify terrain and grant effects.
- Hunter phase / upkeep — Upkeep steps before taking turns; corruption affects Hunter tiles.
- Increase Value of Unchosen Resources — Treasure tokens can grant boosts, heals, or additional dice; environment cards can grant significant upgrades.
- Minions and Elite management — Minions and elites spawn and attack; managing them shapes timing and damage.
- Portals and Sprint movement — Portals allow safe repositioning; Sprint is required to move through portals; movement is crucial.
- Stun and burn tokens; cleanse step — Stun blocks turns; Burn deals damage; Cleanse uses magic star dice to remove tokens.
- Tactics tokens and rerolls — Tactics tokens allow rerolling dice; they enable mitigation of RNG.
- treasure and loot — Treasure tokens can grant boosts, heals, or additional dice; environment cards can grant significant upgrades.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- there's an absurd amount of dice included which is so nice for a dice allocation based Action System
- these deluxe version double layered boards with slots for everything are so nice
- Grim coven is hard until it isn't
- the narrative app telling us all about how we signed the parchment and are now going to die
- Final Stand would be way more epic
- Obviously this is all prototype components
- I gave Grim coven a six out of ten
- Grim coven becomes the oath of Boss Battlers
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video p5628X4uUaQ
Dice Tower game_review at 0:12 sentiment: positive
video_pk 60166 · mention_pk 152608
Click to watch at 0:12 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- Very deep cooperative puzzle with high tactical depth and meaningful player cooperation
- Rich, varied content: many characters with distinct mechanics and playstyles
- Innovative leveling-up system tied to evolution cards and die economy
- Clear, tangible dice-driven combat with color-coded symbolism that maps well to actions
- Well-realized thematic atmosphere and consistent box design, with strong endgame payoff
Cons
- Steep learning curve and a notably difficult tutorial
- Large box with storage/setup friction; organization can be challenging
- Not a campaign; some players might crave more narrative progression between scenarios
- Can be punishing for new players or casual groups; victory can require disciplined coordination
Thematic elements
- cooperation under pressure, corruption, sacrifice, and the tension between power gain and risk of becoming a griefbound
- A grim, high-fantasy world where hunters cooperate to purge a corrupting force known as the griefbound, in a non-campaign, scenario-driven environment.
- scenario-based, mood-driven rather than a fixed overarching story; emphasis on atmosphere and thematic flavor over linear narrative
Comparison games
- Spirit Island
- Cthulhu Death May Die
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Assists and token sharing — An assist mechanic allows players to share dice with others, enabling more coordinated team actions.
- Curses, hunger, burn, and cleansing — Status effects (curses, hunger, burn) interact with lamenting and cleansing mechanics; cleansing requires matching die faces and can remove or reduce effects.
- Deck-driven griefbound fight — Defeating attack cards from the griefbound deck reduces its ability to replenish and reveals bonuses when cards are removed; the final attack deck can reshuffle as needed.
- Dice rolling — Players roll colored dice to activate abilities on their character boards, weapons, and armor; dice distribution varies by color, influencing movement, defense, and offense.
- Dice-driven actions — Players roll colored dice to activate abilities on their character boards, weapons, and armor; dice distribution varies by color, influencing movement, defense, and offense.
- Elite and minion economy — The enemy phase includes minions, elites, and occasional new spawn mechanics, managed via a time track and event steps.
- Lament phase and evolution deck — Lament tokens are spent to level up, draw evolution cards, and improve your tableau; you may draw more by spending lament as you cross track markers.
- Terrain and board actions — Board setups feature graveyard terrain, cursed river, forest terrain, and other cards that constrain or enable actions.
- Two-action hunter turns — Each hunter must take two actions per round (or pass); actions include moving, attacking, cleansing, or interacting with board spaces.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- Grim Coven here is the latest big box game from Awaken Realms. It is a boss battle battler. It is not a campaign game.
- I'm coming down at a 10 on this game. I love this game so much.
- This game is one of those games that demands your attention. You cannot be much of a casual fan of Grim Coven.
- I absolutely adore this game.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video XmhO2OC3fc4
The Dice Tower general_discussion at 2:22 sentiment: positive
video_pk 60165 · mention_pk 152607
Click to watch at 2:22 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- highly tactical and deep gameplay
- strong reward for repeat plays
- executed dice upgrade system is satisfying
Cons
- significant setup time
- tough tutorial and onboarding
- unusual for typical Awaken Realms themes
Thematic elements
- cooperative tactical confrontation with dice-driven progression
- Fantasy realm with boss battles
- thinky, deep, highly replayable
Comparison games
- Spirit Island
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- boss battler — explicit focus on boss-centric tactical encounters with limited luck
- Cooperative Game — players work together against a common boss to achieve victory
- cooperative play — players work together against a common boss to achieve victory
- Dice rolling — character dice are upgraded to improve capabilities and balance
- Dice upgrading — character dice are upgraded to improve capabilities and balance
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- Oh, this game is drool worthy. I love it.
- This is a demanding, thinky game from Awaken Realms, but it is not a typical Awaken Realms game.
- Robo ROI is a piece of trash. I hate every moment of it.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video Dkdv65obLQ4
Board Gameco general_discussion at 0:06 sentiment: mixed
video_pk 32742 · mention_pk 97025
Click to watch at 0:06 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
mixed
Pros
- Outstanding miniatures and presentation
- Strong art and sculpt quality with cohesive thematic design
- Deterministic combat and clear planning path
- Rich boss-battler concept with varied boss encounters
- Content-dense with many components and potential for expansions
Cons
- Long playtime with potential for fatigue on repeated sessions
- Complex organization and setup, especially for campaign-style play
- High price point and questions about per-play value
- Unclear depth of player agency and long-term replayability
Thematic elements
- corruption, strategy, sacrifice, survival, hunts
- dark fantasy world featuring covens, hunters, and boss encounters
- campaign-esque, with evolving threats and lore-shaped player impact
Comparison games
- Primal
- Massive Darkness
- Gloomhaven
- Rackbusters
- Rack Questers / Rackers Reloaded
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- boss battler — multiple boss encounters with distinct boards, cards, and boss-specific effects
- boss battles with modular boards — multiple boss encounters with distinct boards, cards, and boss-specific effects
- Combat: Deterministic — design emphasizes planning and predictability over randomness
- Deck building — cards provide powers; upgrading requires dice interactions and strategic choices
- deck-building / ability cards — cards provide powers; upgrading requires dice interactions and strategic choices
- deterministic combat with planning — design emphasizes planning and predictability over randomness
- dice slotting / dice-building — dice are slotted into character boards to power cards and abilities, driving progression
- highly thematic miniatures — top-tier sculpts and presentation contribute to immersion
- map/board assembly and tiles — tiles and boards create varied maps and map-specific challenges
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- Grim Coven is built to challenge and surprise you every time you return to it.
- this is a dice build builder effectively
- I'm here for that. Like, you want to give me a Eurogame boss battle? Like, my favorite boss battle right now is Primal, which is very deterministic to a large extent.
- I want to like this so much. I want a dice slaughter over
- the miniatures are topnotch in this game.
- Everything has a place.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video l_7jo5jUteY
Unknown Channel playthrough at 0:56 sentiment: mixed
video_pk 9618 · mention_pk 112890
Click to watch at 0:56 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
mixed
Pros
- High thematic tension with a dramatic boss encounter (undead general) and escalating challenges
- Companion system adds variety and extra agency for players
- Loot mechanics (coffins, hidden stash) provide meaningful choices and risk/reward elements
- Dynamic minion spawning and river movement create compelling positional decisions
- Two-player cooperative feel with meaningful strategic depth
- Aesthetically engaging moments (camera angles, atmosphere) mentioned by players
- Ability to forge and upgrade equipment (e.g., forged bullets) that scales with combat
- Narrative hooks like Hangman quest and griefbound encounters add story flavor
Cons
- Very steep learning curve and rule complexity; rules interactions can be hard to track
- Punishing damage accumulation and curse mechanics can lead to quick defeats
- Heavy bookkeeping and table-space demands due to many tokens, statuses, and minions
- Relies heavily on randomness (dice, draws) which can lead to frustrating swings
- Two-player balance and fatigue management can be challenging over longer sessions
- Certain mechanics (e.g., curses affecting actions) may feel opaque without frequent rule references
Thematic elements
- Horror, necromancy, survival under siege by undead and minions
- Dark fantasy dungeon with necromantic themes, coffins, rivers, and cursed locations
- Cooperative dungeon-crawl with episodic encounters, random loot, and narrative quests (hangman quest, griefbound encounters)
Comparison games
- Darkest Dungeon
- Arkham Horror (Second Edition)
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Action economy with two actions per turn and refresh mechanics — Players typically take two actions per turn, with options to refresh actions or reposition, creating decision tension.
- Companion system — Gaining companions adds new actions and abilities; companions may relocate and interact with enemies differently.
- Curses, laments, and corruption tracking — The game uses curses and laments to modify player capabilities and trigger stiffer penalties or harder encounters.
- Dice-based action resolution — Actions are resolved by rolling dice with symbolic outcomes (hits, misses, criticals) and limited reroll/upgrade options.
- Event and escalation structure — Event cards spawn new threats, banners, and elite enemies; progress can end in final attack phases if not contained.
- Events — Event cards spawn new threats, banners, and elite enemies; progress can end in final attack phases if not contained.
- Loot chests and coffins as loot/reward structures — Actions can discard to resolve coffin models and draw/resolve a random secret card, creating loot variety.
- Ranged and melee combat with range bands and line-of-sight considerations — Certain weapons operate at various ranges and may ignore line-of-sight; positioning is crucial for damage output.
- River and terrain effects — Minions and heroes move along a river to advance or retreat, with event-driven shifts affecting movement and damage.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- This is going great.
- Darkest Dungeon… but with coffins and a river.
- Tub Thumper… that’s a vibe.
- We’re going to win. We’re fine. We got this.
- It’s a very hard game.
- Two players, two little rat companions, big stakes.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Transcript Navigation
Showing 1–7 of 7