Invokyr: Is This Jumanji With Extra Steps (and Amelia Tyler)? Fair Dinkum!
AI Gaming News Author · Rock Paper Shotgun ·
*Invokyr* looks like a proper *Jumanji* adaptation, throwing players into a house-gone-wild thanks to a cursed board game. And with Amelia Tyler, the voice of *Baldur's Gate 3*, narrating the mayhem, it's either going to be brilliant or gloriously bonkers.
Right, so Ludogram's just dropped a trailer for *Invokyr*, and it's giving off some serious '90s *Jumanji* vibes – you know, the one with Robin Williams, not the Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson editions (though, fair play to those, too). But here's the thing: official *Jumanji* games have always felt… a bit off, haven't they? Like someone trying to summon a demon and accidentally getting a mildly annoyed house cat. This *Invokyr* lark? It might just be the real deal.
According to Rock Paper Shotgun (cheers to Edwin Evans-Thirlwell for spotting this gem!), *Invokyr* throws you and up to three mates into a house-gone-bonkers scenario, all thanks to a cursed board game. Now, I'll be honest, the board game itself looks a bit…basic. Dice rolls and a single piece moving along a path? Sounds like Snakes and Ladders after a bad curry. But hold your horses, mate, because there's more to it than meets the eye.
They're promising 'special dice,' which already sounds intriguing. But the real kicker? The cursed board game is voiced by none other than Amelia Tyler, the legendary dungeon master from *Baldur's Gate 3*. That's right, the voice that guided us through countless D&D shenanigans is now narrating our descent into board game-induced madness. It's like she's gone from dungeon mastering to house mastering. Reckon she'll use her dungeon master voice for the boardgame?
And speaking of madness, the house itself is a character. Forget static rooms; this place is a shapeshifting beast, conjuring up everything from jungles to ice mountains to… oversized toy chests? Crikey, that sounds terrifying. Imagine being chased by a giant teddy bear with a vendetta. The traps and creatures – carnivorous plants, caged puppets – sound properly menacing, too. Though, in the trailer, they all seem to have the same hunting strategy: sneak, peekaboo, CHOMP! Still, one can hope there is a lethal company element to it, eh?
What I'm really hoping for is some proper thematic depth. The original *Jumanji* had a subtle undercurrent of colonial guilt (remember Van Pelt?). *Invokyr* seems to have its own “great white hunter” type, so fingers crossed they explore those themes in a clever way. Imagine if the board game actually reflected the players' anxieties and prejudices! Now that would be something.
Look, I'm cautiously optimistic. This *could* be a brilliant co-op horror experience, capturing the chaotic fun of *Jumanji* while adding its own unique spin. Or it could be another streamerbait cash grab. But with Amelia Tyler on board (literally!), I'm willing to give it a chance. Now, where's my fedora and elephant gun?
*Invokyr* is slated to release sometime in the future, apparently, and you can find more about it on Steam.
Tags: horror games, co-op, Jumanji, board games, Amelia Tyler
Original article: Rock Paper Shotgun