Keep the Heroes Out Review – Charming Asymmetric Dungeon Defense
A cozy, card-driven dungeon-defense where you play the monsters protecting their hoard. Asymmetric co-op, local and online play, and permanent treasure loss make every raid tense and personal.
Keep the Heroes Out turns the classic boardgame vibe into a snug digital experience: you play monsters defending loot from invading heroes. If you like tactical, asymmetric co-op where mistakes cost you treasure (but not your soul), this one scratches that itch.

Each player controls a unique monster with its own deck, creature pool and role — crowd-control, tank or support — and uses cards to split actions among monsters on their turn. The icon order on cards is flexible, which leads to nice tactical improvisation: you can move a minion, then attack, then split effects across creatures. After your turn the heroes invade, and while monsters can be resurrected, stolen treasure is gone for good — a neat risk vs reward loop. Levels introduce special rules and quirky scenarios (Olga needs frogs, or a battle of the bands) that keep runs feeling fresh. Deck crafting and loot upgrades add progression between sessions, so the game grows with you. Local and online co-op work well for parties and solo players get a solid experience too — the digital version is a comfortable way to solo the boardgame without setting up the table.

Keep the Heroes Out is a warm, tactical love letter to its boardgame roots — imperfect but highly replayable, especially for friends or solo fans. Worth a try if you enjoy asymmetric co-op and card-driven strategy.




Pros
- Faithful, fun adaptation of a boardgame that shines in solo and co-op play.
- Tactically deep card mechanics with distinct monster roles and satisfying combos.
- Varied scenarios and crafting keep runs fresh; local and online co-op included.
Cons
- Pacing can drag between player turns — downtime shows in larger groups.
- Occasional polish issues online/UI rough edges and some balancing quirks.
Player Opinion
Players repeatedly praise the digital port for being a comfy way to play the boardgame — one reviewer mentioned clocking 20 hours already, and I can see why: the systems click and the monster variety keeps things interesting. Common complaints point to matchmaking and small bugs, but fans value the tactical depth and replayability. If you loved the tabletop or like co-op strategy with a twist, this will likely stick.
