ROOT: THE UNDERWORLD EXPANSION Review: A Steroid Shot Of Content For Root

Last month, I reviewed Root, the 2018 asymmetrical hit that garnered praise from gamers of all kinds, but most specifically strategy lovers who were impressed with the mechanics and the sumptuous design. Then, earlier this month, I sat down to explore what was special about The Clockwork Expansion, which enabled players to run different Root factions as autonomous bots. In the last two years, Leder Games has dramatically magnified the scope of the woodland world and now I’m looking at the latest box of goodies.

The newest addition, The Underworld Expansion, maintains that design direction by introducing two new factions, two new maps, and so many more possibilities when combined with the four main factions from the base game—not to mention the two factions from The Riverfolk Expansion.

Entering into the fray are the Underground Duchy and the Corvid Conspiracy, battling it out on the Lake Map and the Mountain Map.

It’s a double-shot added to an already-potent cocktail.

Let’s talk about why it’s such a strong complement to the base game.

STORY

The Underground Duchy is a subterranean faction looking to stretch their reach from the Burrow into the Woodland, and the group will command warriors while persuading the ministers of the land to support the push aboveground. The industrious moles will focus on burrowing, fighting, and constructing buildings in the Woodland clearings in order to advance their agenda.

On the other hand, the Corvid Conspiracy is a bunch of murdering crows bent on fulfilling dastardly plots while all of the factions are caught up in the forested fight for supremacy. Chaos is preferable. Madness is certain. And these crafty Corvids will need to maintain open plots throughout the woods while also maintaining a presence with their warriors.

And the war for might and right has now spilled over into new terrain, with a ferry-laden lake and a king-of-the-tower mountain under territorial dispute.

GAMEPLAY

I think the factions from The Riverfolk Expansion were quite well-received—I wouldn’t know as I haven’t played with that add-on yet—but the two factions in The Underworld Expansion feel right at home. New and returning players alike will find something to enjoy with these critters.

I really enjoy both the Underground Duchy and the Corvid Conspiracy. The moles remind me of the Marquise, albeit with nuances and restrictions that provide them with a distinct flavor all their won. And the dark and devious birds remind me of a sociopathic Eyrie.

The best part? They’re fairly easy to learn, so they’re not as complex or interconnected a faction as the Vagabond or the Woodland Alliance.

As the Underground Duchy, burrowing into a clearing and swarming the area with warriors feels great. It’s a satisfying way to enter the fight from the Burrow. And the need to sway different ministers using cards forces players to think carefully about how they want to manage their hands and what they want to do each turn. Not to mention the abilities of each of the ministers, which reminds me of the officers from the Woodland Alliance.

But it’s also delightful when you’re able to trap some of an opponent’s force using a Snare plot as the Corvid Conspiracy. Or even better—a Bomb that will wipe out all of the enemy pieces in the clearing.

These factions feel both powerful and sneaky. In ways that are different enough from the previous six factions that The Underworld Expansion boasts some appealing options that avid fans of the game will not want to miss out on.

And that brings me to the Lake and the Mountain.

Out of the two maps, the Mountain is my favorite, easily. While the Lake provides a new venue for Root conflict—and the Ferry is an interesting mechanic that opens up movement—the Mountain creates additional turmoil and mayhem with the central clearing, known as The Pass, with the imposing tower and the territory-control feature where the ruling players scores during the Evening phase. It’s king-of-the-hill in a game that already incorporates so many different elements from its asymmetrical factions.

Including either the factions or the maps in a standalone expansion would be enough for many players to buy The Underworld Expansion, but the inclusion of all four makes this a booster shot of frenzied proportions.

VISUALS

You should also not need an excuse to appreciate all of the lovely artwork from Kyle Ferrin. It’s one of the best parts of Root and the latest expansion only serves to enhance my appreciation for what he’s done with the game.

Colors pop and sizzle and simmer and soak.

The Duchy and the Conspiracy provide even more wooden creature meeples to spread on the board.

And the rules are once again split into the Learning to Play booklet and The Law of Root manual. Both are easy enough to read, though the larger rules index will be more manageable if you’re already familiar with the bulleted, itemized style from the base game. It can be intimidating to the uninitiated.

It’s another well-designed and well-organized package from Leder Games.

REPLAYABILITY

Two factions and two maps. A lot more options for faction mixes using the four total maps with the eight total factions.

The Underworld Expansion is designed with replayability in mind. Given how much I like the Corvid Conspiracy and the Mountain map, this will definitely extend the amount of gameplay I’ll be able to extract from Root before it gets stale (Hint: a lot of gameplay).

I still recommend that you play with four players to get the most out of a game of Root, but I definitely understand that’s not manageable for everyone. This is why The Clockwork Expansion was such a useful add-on for the series.

Regardless of whether you have the other two expansions, The Underworld Expansion is probably my favorite of the three—from what I know about the Riverfolk one—and I’m super pleased with how well everything gels with the base game. The factions blend in nicely with the original ones and the maps are very much in contention for play each time the game makes it to the table.

WHAT IT COULD HAVE DONE BETTER

As I mentioned with Vast last year, I would love to Leder Games to come out with individual rule booklets for their factions in asymmetric games. It would just be so much easier to give other players these references during a game when they had a question. My friends and family have played enough board games to want to check rules for themselves, and it would simplify things if each faction had a reference guide other than a shared rulebook.

This isn’t a dealbreaker, but it’s a functional improvement that I’d love to see down the road.

Otherwise, The Underworld Expansion is fantastic.

VERDICT

If you want more Root, then The Underworld Expansion will abide. It’s chock-full of meddling moles, killer crows, and all manner of dangers in the woods. Might and right will be hotly contested as the warring factions of Root come out of their burrows, their nests, their habitats to seize the day.