This entry we will look at both the base game and the expansions to Lockup.
LOCKUP: A ROLL PLAYER GAME (2019)
BGG Description
During the Dragul Invasion of Nalos, King Taron’s loyal soldiers throw captured minions into Kulbak Prison, where enchanted gates and Construct guards make escape all but impossible. Once each year, Taron releases the toughest gang of war prisoners into the royal Colosseum.
You command a squadron of these captured Dragul. Gather goons and craft contraband to raise your reputation. Keep your suspicion with the guards low while establishing yourself as the most powerful crew in Kulbak. In six short days, Taron may offer you the chance to fight for your freedom.
Lockup: A Roll Player Tale is a competitive worker-allocation game for one to five players. In the game, players manage groups of minions -- gnolls, kobolds, bugbears, goblins, or insectoids -- locked up in Kulbak Prison.
Each round, players try to keep their suspicion from the guards under control while allocating their crew to different locations within Kulbak. The player with the strongest crew in each location at the end of each round gains the most resources, hires the most powerful crew, and builds the most powerful items, increases their reputation. The player with the highest reputation at the end of six rounds, wins the game.
Lockup is a worker placement game set in the Roll Player universe.
Play takes place over three phases in each round:
1. Roll Call - Players take turns placing their minions in different parts of the prison, some face up showing a unit's strength and some face down, hiding the strength from the other players.
2. Lights Out - Each area with minions is scored based on the strength of each player's crew. Players receive resources and have the opportunity to recruit goons and build items.
3. Patrol Phase - New resources are placed on the gameboard, and the guards patrol the dungeon. Players with high suspicion are raided, and their chambers are searched.
—description from the publisher
Weight 2.33/5
A Little More Info
The last half of the description above provides a good synopses of what happens each round. To add just a little more detail each group of minions have the following six worker tiles they can place: workers with strength values of 2 through 5, a worker whose strength is equal to the number of power cubes you have (the enforcer) , and a worker whose ability is to “ignore” any suspicion cubes at the location you place it in (the lookout).
During the roll call phase you can place any number of workers during your turn, not just one at a time. You also can place two tiles (three in a 2 player game) face down to help you outsmart and outplay your opponents.
What we like about the game
We love that the mechanics are simple in this game with the two major ones being set collection (goon cards) and area majority/influence (placing your worker tiles to control the location). You don’t need an in-depth knowledge of how to use these to play and win the game.
The next thing we like is that the six rounds of play does not take long. The box says 90 minutes to play and with a higher player count I would guess that is the case. Our first game took a bit longer since we were learning but our second game (with the expansion) took about 45 minutes even with the interruption of putting our daughter to bed.
We also like that each player is on a level playing field each round with having the same tiles to place. The only exception is the enforcer’s value gets stronger with each power cube you have. How you manage your resources you collect is up to you and this will play into each individual players strength but keep in mind that during the patrol phase you can only keep five cubes (your storage limit) unless certain item cards provide extra storage.
The last thing that we do like about the game is that the crew boards have the standard side which is the same for everyone (basic game) and an advance side which is used when you play the advanced rules. The advanced rules give you initial bonuses from the crew board and additional bonuses from a single trait card that you select from the two you have drawn as part of set up. We can’t wait to try this next.
What we don’t like about the game
Only a few minor points in this section. The first thing is that suspicion icons on the goon cards are difficult to see. Even with bright lights on you must inspect the card closely to see them. It would be better if there was a “halo” effect behind the icon.
The only other negative is that the player reference cards print is small, even with my glasses on you have to look closely at them to read the text. We understand that having larger cards just for that purpose would not have worked because everything else is on 44x68mm cards for the game.
**Spoiler: read below for the solution to the issue.**
LOCKUP: BREAKOUT (2022)
BGG Description
Everyone in Kulbak has heard rumor of secret passages that run beneath the prison. Ages ago, the catacombs carved into these mountains were used to house fallen heroes. Queen Gimnax built a prison over this sacred site during the Great War, enclosing those ghosts and their treasure behind its walls.
Some say the catacombs lead to the tomb of Khathandor, greatest of the Dragul warriors. Others swear that the real treasure to be found in the tunnels beneath Kulbak is a crack in the prison’s outer wall. To find the truth, you’ll have to send your seeker to explore the crumbling catacombs by lantern light.
New opportunities await you above ground, too, as you influence the legendary characters who inhabit the prison. Strike a deal with Warden Mercy. Make a truce with Masik and his Starlit Door cultists. Commune with the spirit of Khathandor. Gain their favor while you probe the hidden history of Kulbak in search of gold and freedom.
In Lockup: Breakout, players can earn reputation stars in new ways by sending their seekers to explore the catacombs beneath the prison and by dedicating crew to influence the legendary inhabitants of Kulbak.
Gain the most reputation stars over six rounds by crafting items, recruiting goons, influencing legends, and exploring the catacombs — all while avoiding the suspicion of the guards.
As in the core game, the player with the most reputation stars wins!
-description from publisher
Weight 2.5/5
A Little More Info
This expansion adds an additional worker called “the seeker” (strength value of 1) whose main purpose is to get assigned to one of the rooms with the tunnel token so you can advance in your journey through the catacombs.
During the roll call phase you will still only be placing six workers on the game board and the seventh will be placed face down on the legend card in hopes that if you have the highest strength you can reap a nice reward.
Additional cards for each type of card are also part of the expansion including four new types of goons that adds even more variety to the game.
What we like about the expansion
The expansion adds just the right amount of extras to the game. We love how you use the seeker to progress through the tunnels gaining rewards along the way and points at the end of the game (unless you escape which you score immediately).
The various legend cards add another level of excitement because if it is a card you don’t aim to get, you can focus your efforts elsewhere. We do like that most of the cards say the “strongest crew may” do XYZ; meaning that even if you win the card, you don’t have to take the reward/action.
Our favorite of the new goons is the Shapeshifter. His ability can help your game immensely. We can say that we haven’t met a shapeshifter we didn’t like.
The last thing to mention (which was hinted above) is that the player aide cards are full sized, the same size as the legend cards. This eliminated eye squints from the base game.
What we don’t like about the expansion
There is nothing about the expansion we would change. I would not want to add any additional content to the game than this because it would draw the game out more and this game is solid as is with the tunnels.
LOCKUP: KULBAK PACK (2020)
BGG Description
The Kulbak Pack is a 7 Card mini-expansion for Lockup
It features three new goal cards (instant, leader, and end game) and four new tome cards. Simply add these to your existing game to introduce new challenges and strategies.
Was also available as part of the rewards for backing Game Boy Geek 2021 Kickstarter campaign.
-description from publisher
Weight 3/5
A Little More Info
We have not integrated these seven cards into our game play yet. After reading them, it would be fun to at least draw one or two of the tome cards.
FINAL THOUGHTS
If you are looking for an easy game that doesn’t really take long to learn and play, then Lockup would be a great choice. Unlike some of our most recent games from previous articles, this game is not a table hog.
We give this game four thumbs up (you know each hand of my wife and I) and will highly recommend this to be an entry level game covering the four mechanics outline on the BGG page: Area Majority / Influence, Multiple-Lot Auction, Secret Unit Deployment, and Set Collection.
So do you have what it takes to become the baddest minion leader inside of Kulbak prison?
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