Monster Healer and an Etsy design aesthetic

Monster Healer Solo IIDX (Monster Healer from here on out) is a solitaire Roll-and-Place game. You don’t have to write anything down. You just have to get dice in specific spaces.

It is another game from the fascinating mind of Alexander Shen. I am a fan of their works. Shen has a real knack for creating quirky games that fit in small spaces and short times. Not all of them work but they always demonstrate a willingness to experiment and a desire to get ideas out into the world.

Monster Healer has you trying to trap monsters so you can heal them. Monsters aren’t keen on that and will either get rid of traps or even try and kill you. One odd bit is that it takes more than one trap to catch a monster.

What the game actually comes down to is trying to lock five dice into specific pips. You get two actions per turn, which include rerolls, placing traps and a couple of special actions like healing yourself. Then the monster gets a go, rolling on a table which includes hurting you, getting rid of traps or just doing nothing.

Monster Hunter isn’t one of the Shen’s hits for me. All the game’s parts work but the odds do seem to be in your favor. The monsters can bug you but you’ll usually win.  The theme carries the game more than the mechanics. It works well enough to make for an amusing diversion but I won’t get it out often.

Over the last ten or so years, Print and Play as a medium has come a long way and gotten some real spit and polish. There are publishers that do nothing but. (I don’t think they’ve quit their day jobs but they can compete)

When I first looked at PnPs, that wasn’t the case. PnPs were much more hobby projects. (Yes, exceptions did exist) Really, when you look at design contests, the hobby level of PnP creation is probably stronger than ever. But back when Fred Flintstone was my neighbor, that was what you were finding.

Alexander Shen feels like a visitor from an alternate timeline where PnP developed differently. Their games have a hobby designer vibe but a modern, professional sensibility. It’s like Etsy as a game designer. (To be honest, itch.io is kind of an Etsy of game design. Which is probably why I spend so much time there)

Back to Monster Healer. I got it as part of a big game bundle on itch.io and I got more than my money’s worth.