Stats:
No. of players: 2-4
Amount of time to play: 60 min
Age requirements: 10+
Set-up time: 5-10 min

Shadows Over Innistrad is the second expansion for Magic the Gathering Arena of the Planeswalkers. It adds more creatures, spells, terrain and scenarios.

Shadows Over Innistrad Description:

Magic the Gathering Arena of the Planeswalkers continues to grow and add more units and spells for army customization. Shadows Over Innistrad adds more multi-colored Planeswalkers. If you have not played the base game read my overview and review, as this post will focus on the new elements added in the Shadows Over Innistrad expansion.

Unlike the Battle of Zendiakar expansion, this expansion is a stand alone, full-size game. It includes everything you need to play with no need to own the base game or other expansions.

This expansion adds four new Planeswalkers, an updated Jace (blue), Sorin (black/white), Nahiri (red/white), and Arlinn Kord (red/green). Each color of mana, except Black and Green, gets twelve new spells. They get six new spells each.

Some units and one Planeswalker have the ability to transform. When you use this ability you flip that unit’s card over and replace its figure on the board. This gives the unit new stats and abilities.

The new map is double-sided. One side consists of dark terrain and the other side adds road terrain. When your figure moves on all road space they may move three extra spaces. Also new in this set are three Cryptoliths. These 3D spires can be climbed for height advantage or destroyed to remove them from the battlefield.

The new scenarios introduce weirded ground space and nighttime. Weirded ground spaces have different rules based on the scenario. In one scenario when entering or leaving a weirded ground space you roll a d20. Depending on your result you may not be able to leave that space or may even take damage. Nighttime limits all figures’ range to four spaces.

A Quick Review of the Shadows Over Innistrad Expansion:

Shadows Over Innistrad adds more options for army building and spell deck customization. On its own it is fine and is much better when added to the other Arena of the Planeswalkers sets.

The components for this expansion are really nice just like those in the other sets. The rules are organized with all the new rules up front. But the spell cards still have some ambiguity. Like other sets the artwork and the miniatures look really good.

The new weirded spaces, cryptoliths and nighttime rules tweak the game at the scenario level. This nicely adds some small wrinkles to a scenario without creating a ton of new rules to memorize.

Shadows Over Innistrad is pretty fun on its own. When added to the other sets of Arena of the Planeswalkers it really shines. Now you can really start to customize your armies and spell books to create a unique force that plays to your style.

Score and synopsis: (Click here for an explanation of these review categories.)
Strategy 3 out of 6
Luck 5 out of 6
Player Interaction 6 out of 6
Replay Value 4 out of 6
Complexity 3 out of 6
Fun 4 out of 6
Overall 4 out of 6