SCG Reviews only recommends this game if you have a lighthearted, non-serious gaming group with a high fantasy affinity- a huge portion of this game’s appeal and replayability is tied up in your enjoyment of and participation in the game’s theme. SCG strongly recommends roleplaying your character if you do play (otherwise, why bother?)
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The Red Dragon Inn is a fantasy skinned competitive card playing game for 2-4 players who assume the role of adventurers passing the time between their adventures over a pint of ale and a bit of gambling among friends.

Players take turns playing cards aimed at influencing two stat values which also make up the games victory conditions: fortitude and alcohol content. Players start with high fortitude, and no alcohol content. As the players “drink” each turn, their alcohol content rises, and their fortitude decreases. Players lose the game when the numbers meet, rendering the player unconscious. Players can also lose if they run out of money to buy drinks and gamble with.

While the gameplay is simple, the game is far more tactical than strategic. Turns and gameplay are largely responsive and reactive, with cards being played to stop actions other players have taken or to impact a player immediately. The game presents minimal if any options for long term strategic play as cards will be drawn randomly from the deck, putting this higher on the ubiquitous RNG curve than we tend to prefer.

Play moves quickly and players will play multiple cards every turn (theirs or otherwise). This facilitates a high player engagement/interaction which is totally undermined by the player elimination mechanic (a player can longer play if passed out or broke).

The real novelty and enjoyment of this game is the skin job and theme, and boy do they lean hard into it. The cards and characters are unique and beautifully done, and to the credit of the designers, each character truly feels different than another. The game does indeed do a masterful job of reinforcing that you are friends sitting around a table at the inn, sharing a pint and a story. This is what makes the game’s decision all the more troubling to have included cards like backstab. Sure, we all try to get our friends to take a bad shot from time to time, but why are creatures who are supposedly friends literally shanking each other?

Lastly, we would be remiss if we did not express disappointment in the fact that this is intended to be a faux drinking game, and players ostensibly win by drinking the least.

Pros:
Rich layered theme
Rousing PVP Mechanics
Consistently Active play

Cons:
No long term strategic element
Player Elimination is Brutal
Random Card Draws can create balancing issues

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