Final Fantasy: Moogle Bounty Mayhem is yet another iteration of Final Fantasy licensed board games, this one driven by cardplay. In the board game sphere, licensed properties range from all-time greats to harrowingly disappointing. A good intellectual property does not guarantee good board game design. Fortunately for Square Enix fans, the developers chosen to work on the RPG titan’s flagship IP have done it right each time. Moogle Bounty Mayhem is not just another notch in the belt for SE, but possibly their best-designed board game in this franchise.
Moogle Bounty Mayhem takes place in Final Fantasy XII’s world and follows the moogle bounty hunters of Clan Centurio. No epic narratives here, just artwork and a palette akin to FFXII’s style. Essentially a love letter to fans, Moogle Bounty Mayhem tasks players with thwarting big bads alongside the ever-present superboss, the holy dragon Yiazmat.
Over a series of six turns—that’s six total card placements—players take turns in a two-to-four-player competition to see who collects the most points. To collect points, players must have the most strength when fighting an enemy that the other players are also vying for. In a two-player game, players pursue three enemies plus Yiazmat. In a three- or four-player game, you compete with your neighbors over one monster, which changes the game slightly. All players compete for Yiazmat, who has the biggest point value.
At the beginning, each player selects a moogle bounty hunter leader with a unique deck and skill. The moogles tend to have single-use abilities, such as playing an extra card face down or choosing a card to exhaust, though some have a few coins they can plop down on a card to increase the strength value. What truly separates the leaders from one another is the decks.
All decks have similar cards, such as a powerful lizard-monster bangaa or bonus-point-yielding, doglike nu mous, but the four unique moogle cards drive the characterization of each deck with some thoughtful cardplay options. One moogle might prioritize aggressively exhausting enemy cards, while others prefer misleading other players by exhausting their own cards for bonus points later. Each deck has a helper card that lets players know what’s in their deck; thus, the truly strategically-inclined player can thoughtfully weigh their options before committing to a decision.
But how strategic is Moogle Bounty Mayhem, and just how much should players chew on every play in a 15-minute romp of six cardplays? Well, that’s up to you, because while this can be a nonsense filler game between multi-hour behemoths on game day, it also has the potential to be a satisfying battle of tactics for the more discerning player. That latter point makes Moogle Bounty Mayhem an even more tantalizing option in the board game space, in which shorter games struggle for strategic might. The depth of design and balance behind this small box of cards is shocking, making it a truly unique title compared to the literal tens of thousands of games out there.
But that doesn’t make it hard to play. Like many great games, Moogle Bounty Mayhem is “easy to learn, hard to master.” Now, don’t get me wrong, this does not stand up to longer games like Through the Ages or Dominant Species, but the strategy-to-time ratio is impressive. While my family, friends, and I have played several instances of Moogle Bounty Mayhem, we still find ourselves making critical errors at pivotal moments that shape the course of the game, and have also started to play some mind games with one another once we’ve learned how each other plays. These are hallmarks of a well-designed game, and I’m so glad it’s also accessible to our seven-year-old daughter.
As a family game, Moogle Bounty Mayhem checks all of the boxes. Don’t be dissuaded by its accessibility if you’re a grizzled gamer looking for a serious game: remember, this is easy to learn, hard to master. The visuals and ease of learning make this a fantastic way to introduce more serious gaming to an intellectually-inclined child or non-board gamer who loves the Final Fantasy universe.
If I were to make a criticism, I could see this being the kind of game someone would play once and dismiss as casual, not worth investing one’s time in. To be honest, I kind of felt the same way when I first played, but like most boards that seem straightforward and simple on their surface, repeated plays revealed depth determined by who one plays against. Other issues include one or two cards that seem inherently weaker than the others from a strategic perspective, which accentuates the luck-based aspect of playing with a deck of cards. That said, each deck is small, and most games will use more than half the cards in the deck, which limits the luck factor.
The components are standard grade cards and some cardboard for Yiazmat: nothing flashy, but enough quality artistry to delight the senses. While the price tag is a bit steep considering what you’re getting ($51 USD as of this review posting), SE fans may be accustomed to the cost of purchasing FF merchandise. Board game enthusiasts harp on the importance of components when making purchases, and although that is indeed a factor, what you’re really getting here is a piece of this universe with fantastic game design.
No matter your skill level, Final Fantasy: Moogle Bounty Mayhem entertains for a considerable amount of time. This will definitely be hitting our table for years to come given its niche fit with our family and friends, and I’m comforted to know that Square Enix is contracting competent designers to treat their chief intellectual property with the care and love it deserves. With Final Fantasy VII Remake Boardgame: Materia Hunter and Chocobo’s Dungeon: The Board Game already under their belt, I can’t wait to see what they come up with next.
This article is based on a free copy of the board game provided to RPGFan by the publisher. This relationship in no way influenced the author’s opinion, and no compensation was provided in relation to coverage. Learn more on our ethics & policies page. Moogle Bounty Mayhem is available through the Square Enix Store.
