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The Resistance
7.6
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The Resistance is a game where players attempt to deduce one another's identities. The setting of...
Roku Ultra
8.3
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The next-generation Roku Ultra is Roku's most powerful player, with a quad-core processor and best...
Timeline: Historical Events
7.5
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Tabletop Game
Timeline: Events is a card game played using 55 cards. Each card depicts a historical event on both...
Timeline: Discoveries
7.2
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Tabletop Game
Timeline: Discoveries is a card game played using 110 cards. Each card depicts an discovery on both...
Purple Phoenix Games (2266 KP) rated Shadow Hunters in Tabletop Games
Jul 24, 2021
Playing board games has enlightened me so much and given me wishes to follow career paths I would not have considered otherwise. One career I would NOT want to take on is that of a Shadow Hunter: the warriors who seek out and destroy beings from the demon realms walking in our midst. I’d rather stay blissfully ignorant to their existence and simply hope we can be friends. However, in board game worlds I will seek and destroy like a good little Shadow Hunter does.
Shadow Hunters is a hidden identity survival card game for groups of 4-8 players. Each player’s drawn persona will belong to the Shadows, the Hunters, or Neutrals (common bystanders). The goals of the players may all be completely different and the game may end at any time due to fulfilling personal agendas. Players may even win when their characters are dead!
To setup place the board on the table and randomly populate the card spaces on the board with the Area Cards. Shuffle the White Cards, Black Cards, and Hermit Cards (why didn’t they just name these the Green Cards?) into their own stacks and place them on the side of the board in their slots. Players choose their preferred colors, take the boards and pieces with that color, and place one of their wooden markers on the No Damage space on the board. The other wooden marker will be used for movement on the board Area cards. Shuffle and deal each player one Character Card to be kept secret from the other players. Determine start player and the game is ready to begin!
On a player’s turn they will be completing at least one task and then possible other tasks. First, the active player will roll both the 1d6 and 1d4 together to arrive at a number between two and 10. The player will place their marker on the matching Area card on the board. Should a player roll a seven they may choose any location other than the space they are on and move. Each location will have an action printed on its card that a player may choose to complete. These could be drawing cards from the White, Black, or Hermit decks, damaging other players, or stealing equipment cards from them. Lastly, the active player may straight up attack another player within the same Area range (the three different areas are two cards linked together, so either the card the marker shares or the one that is linked).
As soon as a character has suffered damage equal to or greater than the HP shown on their Character Card, that character dies. Once a character dies, the owning player flips the Character Card over to reveal the character and, more importantly, their faction to which they belong. If this causes one player to fulfill their character’s goals, they must announce that the game is over. If not, play continues in this fashion until a player’s goal has been achieved to end the game. This could mean the Shadow team or Hunter team wins as a group, or that one player wins alone.
Components. Oddly, this edition of Shadow Hunters is now almost 10 years old, so it fall within the “older games” group. That said, the components are still excellent quality, even by today’s standards. The cards have a faint linen finish, the cardboard components are all thick and matte finished, the wooden player markers are chunky and fun to move around. The only issues I have with components are that I wish the colors matched more on the wooden markers and the player boards. Not a huge deal, but something that makes me cringe just a little inside. The other issue I have is most definitely a personal preference: the numbers on the d4 are on the bottom and I prefer them on the top. I know, purely personal preference and I’m dumb for even mentioning it.
This is a game I love but irks my wife. And not even because she doesn’t like the game. It irks her because of how I play it. Until I use the Hermit Cards to try to help figure out which player is on my team I will certainly be attacking everyone I can every chance I get. That’s not the best way to make friends, and I get it, but I’m not taking that chance of allowing a potential opponent to get a leg up on me. That bothers my wife because many times I’m attacking my teammates. Oh well.
I have played this game so many times with different groups and have had great success with it almost every single time. It’s an easy teach, the theme makes sense, and having different end goals is something that many people can rally behind. I know there are about 3,000 hidden identity games out there, but I consider this one of the best. Even 10 years later it sill holds that sheen and gives us a little different experience than just spamming The Resistance: Avalon every time. Purple Phoenix Games gives this one a hot 17 / 24. Pick this one up if you find it in the wild and want a different feel for your hidden identity collection. I love it and you might too.
Shadow Hunters is a hidden identity survival card game for groups of 4-8 players. Each player’s drawn persona will belong to the Shadows, the Hunters, or Neutrals (common bystanders). The goals of the players may all be completely different and the game may end at any time due to fulfilling personal agendas. Players may even win when their characters are dead!
To setup place the board on the table and randomly populate the card spaces on the board with the Area Cards. Shuffle the White Cards, Black Cards, and Hermit Cards (why didn’t they just name these the Green Cards?) into their own stacks and place them on the side of the board in their slots. Players choose their preferred colors, take the boards and pieces with that color, and place one of their wooden markers on the No Damage space on the board. The other wooden marker will be used for movement on the board Area cards. Shuffle and deal each player one Character Card to be kept secret from the other players. Determine start player and the game is ready to begin!
On a player’s turn they will be completing at least one task and then possible other tasks. First, the active player will roll both the 1d6 and 1d4 together to arrive at a number between two and 10. The player will place their marker on the matching Area card on the board. Should a player roll a seven they may choose any location other than the space they are on and move. Each location will have an action printed on its card that a player may choose to complete. These could be drawing cards from the White, Black, or Hermit decks, damaging other players, or stealing equipment cards from them. Lastly, the active player may straight up attack another player within the same Area range (the three different areas are two cards linked together, so either the card the marker shares or the one that is linked).
As soon as a character has suffered damage equal to or greater than the HP shown on their Character Card, that character dies. Once a character dies, the owning player flips the Character Card over to reveal the character and, more importantly, their faction to which they belong. If this causes one player to fulfill their character’s goals, they must announce that the game is over. If not, play continues in this fashion until a player’s goal has been achieved to end the game. This could mean the Shadow team or Hunter team wins as a group, or that one player wins alone.
Components. Oddly, this edition of Shadow Hunters is now almost 10 years old, so it fall within the “older games” group. That said, the components are still excellent quality, even by today’s standards. The cards have a faint linen finish, the cardboard components are all thick and matte finished, the wooden player markers are chunky and fun to move around. The only issues I have with components are that I wish the colors matched more on the wooden markers and the player boards. Not a huge deal, but something that makes me cringe just a little inside. The other issue I have is most definitely a personal preference: the numbers on the d4 are on the bottom and I prefer them on the top. I know, purely personal preference and I’m dumb for even mentioning it.
This is a game I love but irks my wife. And not even because she doesn’t like the game. It irks her because of how I play it. Until I use the Hermit Cards to try to help figure out which player is on my team I will certainly be attacking everyone I can every chance I get. That’s not the best way to make friends, and I get it, but I’m not taking that chance of allowing a potential opponent to get a leg up on me. That bothers my wife because many times I’m attacking my teammates. Oh well.
I have played this game so many times with different groups and have had great success with it almost every single time. It’s an easy teach, the theme makes sense, and having different end goals is something that many people can rally behind. I know there are about 3,000 hidden identity games out there, but I consider this one of the best. Even 10 years later it sill holds that sheen and gives us a little different experience than just spamming The Resistance: Avalon every time. Purple Phoenix Games gives this one a hot 17 / 24. Pick this one up if you find it in the wild and want a different feel for your hidden identity collection. I love it and you might too.
Purple Phoenix Games (2266 KP) rated Aristotle's Elements and Space in Tabletop Games
Nov 5, 2020
The Cosmos! So many of us dream of flying up into space to enjoy the views and hopes of a better life on another planet. Some would like to study space more closely to unravel its mysteries. Still others would think it’s just kinda cool to be weightless and IN SPACE! I’m a mixture of all these, so when I heard a call for reviewers for a game whose title includes a major philosopher, elements of all matter, AND SPACE I just had to know more and play it. Would Aristotle take pride in this card game’s premise or has it shot for the moon and is now drifting among the space junk?
Aristotle’s Elements and Space is a party style card game for three to five players. Players will be attempting to play elements to triumph over their opponents by using tried and true rock-paper-scissors style play.
DISCLAIMER: We were provided a prototype copy of this game for the purposes of this review. These are preview copy components, and I do not know for sure if the final components will be any different from these shown. Also, it is not my intention to detail every rule in the game, as there are just too many. You are invited to download the rulebook, back the game through the Kickstarter campaign, or through any retailers stocking it after fulfillment. -T
To setup stock the token bag (not pictured) with tokens according to the rulebook suggestions for number of players. Each player will blindly choose three tokens from the bag to place in front of themselves within reach of all players. Shuffle the element cards and deal each player seven. Determine the first Aristotle player and place the Aristotle card facing that player. Shuffle and deal out three Element of Surprise cards face-down within reach of all players. The game may now begin!
Each game lasts seven rounds. At the start of each round players will secretly choose a card from hand to play to the table face down. Once all players are ready all players must simultaneously say out loud, “Aristotle,” while flipping over their cards. When all cards are revealed the Aristotle player will compare cards with the player on their left. Whichever element card played triumphs over the other will win that battle and continue onward clockwise to battle the other players. This continues until one player has triumphed all the cards and taken the trick. The Aristotle card is then given to the next player in clockwise seating to begin a new round. This is how a basic game is played.
More advanced games will include Power Up Tokens and the Element of Surprise Cards. In order to use a Power Up Token a player would first need to have successfully stolen another player’s token during a round of play. To successfully steal a token the player will physically take a token from another player without being touched by that player. Should the defending player touch or slap the offensive player’s hand during the theft, the heist is unsuccessful. Once stolen a token may be used on a subsequent round.
The Power Up Tokens increase the number of elements that may be triumphed using a particular element. For instance, Fire typically triumphs over Earth and Wind, but with the Power Up Token also applied the Fire triumphs over Earth, Wind, AND Water. A most welcome twist! Also, during a round in which a player is acting as Aristotle they may, once cards are revealed, call, “Element of Surprise!,” and choose a face-down card to read aloud to the group. These cards add a goofy rule that must be thenceforth followed, gives prompts for the players to discuss, or has players searching the room/house/wherever for items to bring back to the table first.
Play continues in this fashion until the last round, where triumph rules are reversed. When all cards have been played the winner is the player who won the most tricks.
Components. Again, this is a prototype version of the game. That said, what we received was a bunch of cards and the Power Up Tokens. The tokens are fine – laser cut plywood discs painted on both sides to match the elements they modify. The cards are glossy and feature unique art. The art is, well, just okay for me. It’s not terribly exciting, but it is very colorful and not bad, necessarily. I feel like the art could be improved some, but art is always a personal preference.
The gameplay itself is certainly a hodge-podge of mechanics from other games that, for the most part, are well-used for a very light trick-taking card game. I enjoy playing it using the Power Up Tokens, but for me and my group, we passed on the Element of Surprise cards. They add a different twist to the game that isn’t necessarily Quelf-ish, but also doesn’t add much to the game. They merely add a distraction from the game. I can see many people totally diggin’ those cards, and I probably would use them if converting a game-noob, but for more serious gamers, just leave them out.
If you are looking for a very light and different trick-taking card game, check out Aristotle’s Elements and Space. I am not entirely sure if any components will be updated before going to retail, but even if not, they are pretty decent. The gameplay is quick and easy to teach; I think I will try it with my 4-year-old as well. This is a decent gateway filler that could fit very well in many collections. Give it a look!
Aristotle’s Elements and Space is a party style card game for three to five players. Players will be attempting to play elements to triumph over their opponents by using tried and true rock-paper-scissors style play.
DISCLAIMER: We were provided a prototype copy of this game for the purposes of this review. These are preview copy components, and I do not know for sure if the final components will be any different from these shown. Also, it is not my intention to detail every rule in the game, as there are just too many. You are invited to download the rulebook, back the game through the Kickstarter campaign, or through any retailers stocking it after fulfillment. -T
To setup stock the token bag (not pictured) with tokens according to the rulebook suggestions for number of players. Each player will blindly choose three tokens from the bag to place in front of themselves within reach of all players. Shuffle the element cards and deal each player seven. Determine the first Aristotle player and place the Aristotle card facing that player. Shuffle and deal out three Element of Surprise cards face-down within reach of all players. The game may now begin!
Each game lasts seven rounds. At the start of each round players will secretly choose a card from hand to play to the table face down. Once all players are ready all players must simultaneously say out loud, “Aristotle,” while flipping over their cards. When all cards are revealed the Aristotle player will compare cards with the player on their left. Whichever element card played triumphs over the other will win that battle and continue onward clockwise to battle the other players. This continues until one player has triumphed all the cards and taken the trick. The Aristotle card is then given to the next player in clockwise seating to begin a new round. This is how a basic game is played.
More advanced games will include Power Up Tokens and the Element of Surprise Cards. In order to use a Power Up Token a player would first need to have successfully stolen another player’s token during a round of play. To successfully steal a token the player will physically take a token from another player without being touched by that player. Should the defending player touch or slap the offensive player’s hand during the theft, the heist is unsuccessful. Once stolen a token may be used on a subsequent round.
The Power Up Tokens increase the number of elements that may be triumphed using a particular element. For instance, Fire typically triumphs over Earth and Wind, but with the Power Up Token also applied the Fire triumphs over Earth, Wind, AND Water. A most welcome twist! Also, during a round in which a player is acting as Aristotle they may, once cards are revealed, call, “Element of Surprise!,” and choose a face-down card to read aloud to the group. These cards add a goofy rule that must be thenceforth followed, gives prompts for the players to discuss, or has players searching the room/house/wherever for items to bring back to the table first.
Play continues in this fashion until the last round, where triumph rules are reversed. When all cards have been played the winner is the player who won the most tricks.
Components. Again, this is a prototype version of the game. That said, what we received was a bunch of cards and the Power Up Tokens. The tokens are fine – laser cut plywood discs painted on both sides to match the elements they modify. The cards are glossy and feature unique art. The art is, well, just okay for me. It’s not terribly exciting, but it is very colorful and not bad, necessarily. I feel like the art could be improved some, but art is always a personal preference.
The gameplay itself is certainly a hodge-podge of mechanics from other games that, for the most part, are well-used for a very light trick-taking card game. I enjoy playing it using the Power Up Tokens, but for me and my group, we passed on the Element of Surprise cards. They add a different twist to the game that isn’t necessarily Quelf-ish, but also doesn’t add much to the game. They merely add a distraction from the game. I can see many people totally diggin’ those cards, and I probably would use them if converting a game-noob, but for more serious gamers, just leave them out.
If you are looking for a very light and different trick-taking card game, check out Aristotle’s Elements and Space. I am not entirely sure if any components will be updated before going to retail, but even if not, they are pretty decent. The gameplay is quick and easy to teach; I think I will try it with my 4-year-old as well. This is a decent gateway filler that could fit very well in many collections. Give it a look!
Purple Phoenix Games (2266 KP) rated You Said You Could Draw in Tabletop Games
Apr 23, 2021
Excuse me, title of game, but I NEVER said I could draw. Is it just me or does nearly everyone feel the need to preface every drawing game with a declaration that they are horrible artists and will probably perform disastrously? I have found this to be the case, as least for myself and about 90%+ of the people with whom I play, and it is especially rampant with the tongue-out drawers in the world. But we all still enjoy the old favorites like Pictionary and Win, Lose, or Draw! How about if we add another gimmick to these classics in order to turn the games on their ears? Enter You Said You Could Draw.
In You Said You Could Draw (I will just acronymize to YSYCD) players are attempting to win the game by scoring the most points. The provided score board has space for each player to earn 20 points, though agreements could be made by players to stop at any number of points.
DISCLAIMER: We were provided a prototype copy of this game for the purposes of this review. These are preview copy components, and I do not know for sure if the final components will be any different from these shown. Also, it is not my intention to detail every rule in the game, but to give an idea of how the game is played. You are invited to download the rulebook, back the game through the Kickstarter campaign launching May 8, 2021, or through any retailers stocking it after fulfillment. -T
To setup a game of YSYCD place the score board anywhere on the table and players choose which color board they wish to represent themselves. Players are also given a dry erase marker. The large deck of cards is placed somewhere near the score board, along with the blindfold. Players will roll the die to determine the first player, and the game may now begin!
YSYCD is played in turns until a player reaches the aforementioned ending score. On a turn a player will draw a card, roll the die, then draw. On each card is a list of six prompts to be drawn by the player and the result of the die roll determines which prompt the player must draw. Once the player is ready they will don the blindfold and begin drawing on the large board. When the masterpieces is complete the artist will write the name of the player they believe will guess correctly. Both the drawing process and the name writing are secret – no lookyloos! When the artist reveals their labor each player will secretly write their guess on their player boards, to be revealed simultaneously once all players have finished. The artist reveals their choice and the other players reveal their hilarious guesses. Points may now be awarded.
The artist will receive one point if at least one player has guessed correctly, with a bonus one point earned if the player they wrote on their board guessed correctly. Each player who guessed the prompt correctly also scores one point. If ALL players guess correctly except for one lonely player, the lonely player will earn a painful NEGATIVE two ( -2 ) points!
Players will notice that one prompt on each side of the card includes a star icon. Should this prompt be rolled for the turn the points awarded for the artists and correct guessers are three, versus the typical one. Play continues in this fashion until a player has reached the agreed score threshold and claims victory!
Components. This game boasts two large and eight smaller dry erase boards with eight dry erase markers. The boards are fine, but the markers (at least in this prototype version) are very low quality, especially the erasers. We resorted to using napkins for our erasing needs, as they did not smear as much. The 1d6 is fine, and the blindfold is very comfortable (thank you, JPN Games!). The cards are fine quality and there are 100 double-sided cards, offering 1200 prompt options to draw! I normally also cover art direction and theming here, but there is very little art, with most of it on the box cover. The box cover in this version features two players having a great time playing the game in a color VERY close to our logo’s Volt color. So I’m a fan of that for sure.
The rulebook is a simple folded cardstock that could easily become a duplexed sheet of paper or stock. The rules are incredibly simple to learn and teach, which makes this a great entry for families.
I recently broke this one out to play with my brother-in-law, his wife, and their twin 10-year-old children. When I say that it has been a long time since I laughed so hard while playing games, I certainly mean it. Most drawing games favor the talented artists of the group, but YSYCD offers the great equalizer – that blindfold. Sure, someone could be able to draw an excellent Sonic the Hedgehog (not a sponsor), but once you take away the spacial awareness drawing becomes a lot more difficult. And having a 10-year-old look into your eyes and tell you they drew a Chef instead of your guess of Quasimodo makes for a very interesting adult-child dynamic.
All in all I have had a great time with this game. The blindfold is what makes this special, and rolling the die to select the prompt causes each player to begin their turns on the same artistry level as their opponents. I dig that. A lot. I will be honest here – this is not a game that I would see at a store and be interested in buying or playing. But I gave it a shot with the family and I now have a party game that differs from my other party games in my collection and I am all the happier for it. You Said You Could Draw is not for the hard core gamer. It is for the gamer who needs a break from the brain burning and is able to relax a bit and have fun – even at their own expense. If this sounds interesting to you, I urge you to check out the Kickstarter campaign, launching May 8, 2021. Pick up a copy or two or twelve and give some away. The holidays are always just around the corner. Also, be warned that some children cannot accept that their Chef looks like Quasimodo. I learned this the hard way.
In You Said You Could Draw (I will just acronymize to YSYCD) players are attempting to win the game by scoring the most points. The provided score board has space for each player to earn 20 points, though agreements could be made by players to stop at any number of points.
DISCLAIMER: We were provided a prototype copy of this game for the purposes of this review. These are preview copy components, and I do not know for sure if the final components will be any different from these shown. Also, it is not my intention to detail every rule in the game, but to give an idea of how the game is played. You are invited to download the rulebook, back the game through the Kickstarter campaign launching May 8, 2021, or through any retailers stocking it after fulfillment. -T
To setup a game of YSYCD place the score board anywhere on the table and players choose which color board they wish to represent themselves. Players are also given a dry erase marker. The large deck of cards is placed somewhere near the score board, along with the blindfold. Players will roll the die to determine the first player, and the game may now begin!
YSYCD is played in turns until a player reaches the aforementioned ending score. On a turn a player will draw a card, roll the die, then draw. On each card is a list of six prompts to be drawn by the player and the result of the die roll determines which prompt the player must draw. Once the player is ready they will don the blindfold and begin drawing on the large board. When the masterpieces is complete the artist will write the name of the player they believe will guess correctly. Both the drawing process and the name writing are secret – no lookyloos! When the artist reveals their labor each player will secretly write their guess on their player boards, to be revealed simultaneously once all players have finished. The artist reveals their choice and the other players reveal their hilarious guesses. Points may now be awarded.
The artist will receive one point if at least one player has guessed correctly, with a bonus one point earned if the player they wrote on their board guessed correctly. Each player who guessed the prompt correctly also scores one point. If ALL players guess correctly except for one lonely player, the lonely player will earn a painful NEGATIVE two ( -2 ) points!
Players will notice that one prompt on each side of the card includes a star icon. Should this prompt be rolled for the turn the points awarded for the artists and correct guessers are three, versus the typical one. Play continues in this fashion until a player has reached the agreed score threshold and claims victory!
Components. This game boasts two large and eight smaller dry erase boards with eight dry erase markers. The boards are fine, but the markers (at least in this prototype version) are very low quality, especially the erasers. We resorted to using napkins for our erasing needs, as they did not smear as much. The 1d6 is fine, and the blindfold is very comfortable (thank you, JPN Games!). The cards are fine quality and there are 100 double-sided cards, offering 1200 prompt options to draw! I normally also cover art direction and theming here, but there is very little art, with most of it on the box cover. The box cover in this version features two players having a great time playing the game in a color VERY close to our logo’s Volt color. So I’m a fan of that for sure.
The rulebook is a simple folded cardstock that could easily become a duplexed sheet of paper or stock. The rules are incredibly simple to learn and teach, which makes this a great entry for families.
I recently broke this one out to play with my brother-in-law, his wife, and their twin 10-year-old children. When I say that it has been a long time since I laughed so hard while playing games, I certainly mean it. Most drawing games favor the talented artists of the group, but YSYCD offers the great equalizer – that blindfold. Sure, someone could be able to draw an excellent Sonic the Hedgehog (not a sponsor), but once you take away the spacial awareness drawing becomes a lot more difficult. And having a 10-year-old look into your eyes and tell you they drew a Chef instead of your guess of Quasimodo makes for a very interesting adult-child dynamic.
All in all I have had a great time with this game. The blindfold is what makes this special, and rolling the die to select the prompt causes each player to begin their turns on the same artistry level as their opponents. I dig that. A lot. I will be honest here – this is not a game that I would see at a store and be interested in buying or playing. But I gave it a shot with the family and I now have a party game that differs from my other party games in my collection and I am all the happier for it. You Said You Could Draw is not for the hard core gamer. It is for the gamer who needs a break from the brain burning and is able to relax a bit and have fun – even at their own expense. If this sounds interesting to you, I urge you to check out the Kickstarter campaign, launching May 8, 2021. Pick up a copy or two or twelve and give some away. The holidays are always just around the corner. Also, be warned that some children cannot accept that their Chef looks like Quasimodo. I learned this the hard way.
Purple Phoenix Games (2266 KP) rated Cartographers: A Roll Player Tale in Tabletop Games
Sep 13, 2021
I have often wondered how cartography actually works. How was it that people with primitive tools were able to grasp the lay of the land and sea? And are we complete in our mapping of Earth or are there more secrets we have yet to discover? Thankfully, in Cartographers we aren’t really answering those questions, but other practical questions may arise.
Cartographers is a flip-and-write style game where players are competing to gain the queen’s favor and become the royal cartographer. While the main game focuses on finishing with a greater score than your opponent(s) the solo game is more relaxed. The solo player will be competing against their previous scores and comparing against the queen’s title matrix. Each game will be played over four seasons (rounds) and once the year is over the winner or title is claimed. Can you score 30 or more points to become a “Legendary Cartographer?”
To setup, lay out the Queen’s Edict cards that show A, B, C, and D. Shuffle each small deck of like-backed Scoring Cards and randomly place one from each deck underneath the Edict cards. Remove all the enemy Ambush Cards and shuffle one into the main deck of Explore Cards. Set the Season Cards in order: Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter. Each player will receive one Map Sheet and a pencil. The game may now begin!
Each Season Card will feature a time threshold number that when met or exceeded will end the season. This corresponds to the time markings on each Explore Card drawn from the deck. For example, Spring allows 8 measures of time before it will switch to Summer. Explore Cards will usually show from 0-2 time measures on it, so seasons could change after four or more cards. At the start of each season, the player will flip an Explore Card to reveal which type of map element is requested and of which shape. The map elements are Forest, Farm, Water, Village, Mountain, and Monster. The shapes shown on the cards are reminiscent of Tetris-style shapes and also some others as well.
Once a card has been revealed, the player now will draw on their sheet the shape (or one of the shapes if more than one are shown) and fill it in with the matching symbol for map element type. If during this phase of the round the player surrounds the four sides of a pre-printed Mountain square they will score one coin and mark it at the bottom of their Map Sheet.
Should a Ruins card be revealed the player will flip another card to reveal the next card in line. Whatever shape and element is shown on the card AFTER the Ruins card will be used, with a twist. The shape shown on this card will now be required to encompass one of the pre-printed Ruins squares on the Map Sheet. If there are no legal spaces to place these shapes (or any shape on future cards) the player will be allowed to place a single 1×1 square on their Map Sheet anywhere they wish.
Should an enemy Ambush card be revealed the player will check which corner of the map the ambush takes place and will draw the provided monster shape in the closest area to the corner as possible. These are awarded negative points at the end of the seasons and can make large impacts on final scores.
After the elements have been drawn on the Map Sheet the player will check if the season ends. The season will end if the total number of revealed cards’ time measures equal or exceed the time printed on the Season Card (again, for example, Spring lasts 8 time). If not, then the player resumes another card reveal. If the time threshold has been met or exceeded then the player will score for the season by referencing the Scoring Cards that were placed under the Edicts at setup. For Spring the player scores Edict Cards A and B. Mark the score in the space provided at the bottom of the Scoring Sheet and flip the Season Card to the next season to begin a new round.
Play continues in this fashion until all four seasons have been played. At the end of the fourth season the game ends and the player will tally up their score to compare against the queen’s title matrix at the back of the rulebook. Not to brag, but my first game scored over 30 points, so I began this journey as a Legendary Cartographer.
Components. This game is 100 double-sided Map Sheets, four golf pencils, and a bunch of cards. The sheets and pencils are just fine, and the cards are good quality. What I really enjoy about the components is that this is “A Roll Player Tale,” meaning that many of the components and art hearken back to the original Roll Player game. As I love Roll Player’s art style, I also love that of Cartographers. There isn’t a ton of art in the game, more of graphic design, the art that IS provided is stellar Roll Player fare. I have no complaints about the components here except my wife thinks the pencil erasers could be better.
I skipped backing this one on Kickstarter and have only recently come to acquire it. I am definitely kicking myself in the rear for that decision because this is an excellent game. Obviously, anything that is enjoyable solo AND multiplayer is a huge boon (my wife scored it a 5!), and being able to play it multiple times in a row is a benefit as well.
We both love the decision-making in Cartographers, and when we first played together I had to shield my map sheet from my wife because she was copying! SHE was copying ME! She ended up handing me my booty in that game (of course) but we both had a great time plotting out our map elements. Determining where and which direction a shape should be placed can certainly be frustrating, but seeing your well-laid plans come to life is very rewarding. I am definitely seeing myself needing to download and print off more map sheets in the future because I have a feeling I am going to be playing the mess out of this one.
If you are looking for something special for your collection, check out Cartographers. If you already enjoy Roll Player, this will feel homey to you while offering a completely different style of game. My wife and I love it, and I am not sure I know anyone who would turn their nose up at it. Once we get into the Post-COVID era I plan to play this all the time at game nights.
Cartographers is a flip-and-write style game where players are competing to gain the queen’s favor and become the royal cartographer. While the main game focuses on finishing with a greater score than your opponent(s) the solo game is more relaxed. The solo player will be competing against their previous scores and comparing against the queen’s title matrix. Each game will be played over four seasons (rounds) and once the year is over the winner or title is claimed. Can you score 30 or more points to become a “Legendary Cartographer?”
To setup, lay out the Queen’s Edict cards that show A, B, C, and D. Shuffle each small deck of like-backed Scoring Cards and randomly place one from each deck underneath the Edict cards. Remove all the enemy Ambush Cards and shuffle one into the main deck of Explore Cards. Set the Season Cards in order: Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter. Each player will receive one Map Sheet and a pencil. The game may now begin!
Each Season Card will feature a time threshold number that when met or exceeded will end the season. This corresponds to the time markings on each Explore Card drawn from the deck. For example, Spring allows 8 measures of time before it will switch to Summer. Explore Cards will usually show from 0-2 time measures on it, so seasons could change after four or more cards. At the start of each season, the player will flip an Explore Card to reveal which type of map element is requested and of which shape. The map elements are Forest, Farm, Water, Village, Mountain, and Monster. The shapes shown on the cards are reminiscent of Tetris-style shapes and also some others as well.
Once a card has been revealed, the player now will draw on their sheet the shape (or one of the shapes if more than one are shown) and fill it in with the matching symbol for map element type. If during this phase of the round the player surrounds the four sides of a pre-printed Mountain square they will score one coin and mark it at the bottom of their Map Sheet.
Should a Ruins card be revealed the player will flip another card to reveal the next card in line. Whatever shape and element is shown on the card AFTER the Ruins card will be used, with a twist. The shape shown on this card will now be required to encompass one of the pre-printed Ruins squares on the Map Sheet. If there are no legal spaces to place these shapes (or any shape on future cards) the player will be allowed to place a single 1×1 square on their Map Sheet anywhere they wish.
Should an enemy Ambush card be revealed the player will check which corner of the map the ambush takes place and will draw the provided monster shape in the closest area to the corner as possible. These are awarded negative points at the end of the seasons and can make large impacts on final scores.
After the elements have been drawn on the Map Sheet the player will check if the season ends. The season will end if the total number of revealed cards’ time measures equal or exceed the time printed on the Season Card (again, for example, Spring lasts 8 time). If not, then the player resumes another card reveal. If the time threshold has been met or exceeded then the player will score for the season by referencing the Scoring Cards that were placed under the Edicts at setup. For Spring the player scores Edict Cards A and B. Mark the score in the space provided at the bottom of the Scoring Sheet and flip the Season Card to the next season to begin a new round.
Play continues in this fashion until all four seasons have been played. At the end of the fourth season the game ends and the player will tally up their score to compare against the queen’s title matrix at the back of the rulebook. Not to brag, but my first game scored over 30 points, so I began this journey as a Legendary Cartographer.
Components. This game is 100 double-sided Map Sheets, four golf pencils, and a bunch of cards. The sheets and pencils are just fine, and the cards are good quality. What I really enjoy about the components is that this is “A Roll Player Tale,” meaning that many of the components and art hearken back to the original Roll Player game. As I love Roll Player’s art style, I also love that of Cartographers. There isn’t a ton of art in the game, more of graphic design, the art that IS provided is stellar Roll Player fare. I have no complaints about the components here except my wife thinks the pencil erasers could be better.
I skipped backing this one on Kickstarter and have only recently come to acquire it. I am definitely kicking myself in the rear for that decision because this is an excellent game. Obviously, anything that is enjoyable solo AND multiplayer is a huge boon (my wife scored it a 5!), and being able to play it multiple times in a row is a benefit as well.
We both love the decision-making in Cartographers, and when we first played together I had to shield my map sheet from my wife because she was copying! SHE was copying ME! She ended up handing me my booty in that game (of course) but we both had a great time plotting out our map elements. Determining where and which direction a shape should be placed can certainly be frustrating, but seeing your well-laid plans come to life is very rewarding. I am definitely seeing myself needing to download and print off more map sheets in the future because I have a feeling I am going to be playing the mess out of this one.
If you are looking for something special for your collection, check out Cartographers. If you already enjoy Roll Player, this will feel homey to you while offering a completely different style of game. My wife and I love it, and I am not sure I know anyone who would turn their nose up at it. Once we get into the Post-COVID era I plan to play this all the time at game nights.
Purple Phoenix Games (2266 KP) rated Hit the Silk! in Tabletop Games
Mar 9, 2021
Ok here’s the deal. You and your buddies have gone in deep with the casino and they are out to ice you if you don’t pay up. You have secured the funds to repay your debts and have hijacked the plane needed to get back to settle up. There’s just one problem: there are 3-6 of you and only 2-5 parachutes on board this plummeting aircraft. With whom to ally and can you make it off the plane with enough parachutes and money to make this run worth it?
Hit the Silk! is a semi-cooperative game about hidden information, strong and weak alliances, bluffing, and negotiation in the skies where the plane WILL go down. Players will be trading information with others in order to figure out which players they will unite with and which they will deceive to win the game. Not all players can win, and some players may not even survive the flight. WHO DO YOU TRUST?
DISCLAIMER: We were provided a prototype copy of this game for the purposes of this review. These are preview copy components, and I do not know for sure if the final components will be any different from these shown. Also, it is not my intention to detail every rule in the game, as there are just too many. For this preview I will be describing the Standard game mode. You are invited to download the rulebook, back the game through the Kickstarter campaign, or through any retailers stocking it after fulfillment. -T
To setup, place the Altimeter board on the table and set the needle to the correct altitude per number of players. The card organizer board is setup near the Altimeter with the Flannel cards on the Laundry space, the draw deck on the left space, and the discard pile between the two. Four cards are randomly placed face-down onto the Lockbox space on the Altimeter board, and six cards are dealt to the players. They will choose four to keep and discard the other two. Place all remaining components on the table. A first player is chosen and the game is setup to begin!
On a turn a player may do any or all of the following: Change a card, Take actions, Trade with another player. To change a card the current player will choose one card from their hand, either discarding face-up to the discard pile or to the Laundry if it is a Flannel card, and then drawing a number of cards pertaining to the altitude level on the Altimeter board (the higher the plane the less cards can be drawn). The player chooses one card to keep and discards the others.
Many cards will be action cards, so during a turn the active player can use as many action cards as they wish. To take an action the player simply notes any altitude adjustments printed on the card, adjusts the Altimeter needle by that much, then plays the card for its action. Some action cards allow players to Steal cards from another player (blocked by a Knife card), Spy another player’s hand, Handcuff two players together (or a player to a briefcase of money), use Key cards to unlock Handcuffs or to pilfer one card from the Lockbox on the Altimeter board, Poison another player (cured with the Antidote card), kick a weapon out of a player’s hand by using a Kung Fu card, or blatantly attacking a player by using both a Pistol and a Bullet card. Players will take one wound from the first bullet and will be permanently slain by taking another bullet wound.
The final action that can be taken on a turn is trading with another player. This is a risky action to take as players are not bound by their verbal agreements. Therefore, a player may offer to trade a Bullet and a Knife in exchange for a $10,000 and a Key card. However, neither player is REQUIRED to trade these exact items during the trade, and alliances weaken over trade disputes.
Intermittently throughout the game, as altitude drops, players are given the task to vote whether to keep flying or to hit the silk (which means to jump out of the plane with a parachute in hand)! Should players vote by majority to continue playing the game keeps going as before. If the players vote by majority to hit the silk!, then all players with parachutes reach the ground safely and pool together their money in hopes of reaching the goal amount determined at the start of the game. Those who jump without a parachute sadly perish, but those who are able to stay on the plane without being handcuffed to a jumping player may attempt the very difficult task of landing the plane (which involves the dice shown, but I will let you discover the method on your own).
Should the landing party have gathered enough money to pay the debt, those players win! If the player lands the plane correctly they win! If a player dies, well, they lose.
Components. Again, this is a prototype copy of the game, so components shown are probably going to look differently as the result of a successful Kickstarter campaign. That said, I want to first applaud Escape Plan Board Games for their usage of “eco-conscious production.” The component materials we received are certainly unlike any I have felt or played with in the past. They feel different, and I assume it is due to this new eco-friendly material they are using. I also want to point out the art style of Hit the Silk! It is fabulous and definitely gives off that jetset vibe. I love it! I do hope the dice will be getting an upgrade in the final version, as stickered dice are rarely in style. I have not seen or heard of any plans for upgrades or final components, but I hope a nice eco-friendly upgrade option exists for this game.
So here’s the rub. I truly like this game quite a bit. I do have issues with player elimination games, personally, because for whatever reason I am always the first to be targeted for elimination. While it’s funny at first, I despise having to be left out of the rest of the game. That said, I still very much enjoy this game. Yes, I don’t like being targeted, but I am able to take one for the team, and then ask players to try a different strategy the next playthrough. Being able to make loose alliances and just break trades by giving the other player two Flannels instead of the Parachute and Key is just fun times. I enjoy the ever-decreasing altitude of the plane that stresses players to get things done quickly without having the needle dip too far for comfort. I like that a lot.
I wish the dice were used more in the game (at least in Standard mode), as I love nice chunky dice, but I can look past this because the rest of the gameplay is so solid. I still have yet to figure out the best way to use the Handcuffs, but the weapons and Kung Fu are just so ridiculous and amazing simultaneously that I like using them as soon as I get them in hand. So if you, like me, have a hole in your collection for a game taking place in the skies featuring a gang of casino-chased hoodlums, then I urge you to take a look at Hit the Silk! Just know that if you handcuff yourself to me, you can bet on me making some very inappropriate comments.
Hit the Silk! is a semi-cooperative game about hidden information, strong and weak alliances, bluffing, and negotiation in the skies where the plane WILL go down. Players will be trading information with others in order to figure out which players they will unite with and which they will deceive to win the game. Not all players can win, and some players may not even survive the flight. WHO DO YOU TRUST?
DISCLAIMER: We were provided a prototype copy of this game for the purposes of this review. These are preview copy components, and I do not know for sure if the final components will be any different from these shown. Also, it is not my intention to detail every rule in the game, as there are just too many. For this preview I will be describing the Standard game mode. You are invited to download the rulebook, back the game through the Kickstarter campaign, or through any retailers stocking it after fulfillment. -T
To setup, place the Altimeter board on the table and set the needle to the correct altitude per number of players. The card organizer board is setup near the Altimeter with the Flannel cards on the Laundry space, the draw deck on the left space, and the discard pile between the two. Four cards are randomly placed face-down onto the Lockbox space on the Altimeter board, and six cards are dealt to the players. They will choose four to keep and discard the other two. Place all remaining components on the table. A first player is chosen and the game is setup to begin!
On a turn a player may do any or all of the following: Change a card, Take actions, Trade with another player. To change a card the current player will choose one card from their hand, either discarding face-up to the discard pile or to the Laundry if it is a Flannel card, and then drawing a number of cards pertaining to the altitude level on the Altimeter board (the higher the plane the less cards can be drawn). The player chooses one card to keep and discards the others.
Many cards will be action cards, so during a turn the active player can use as many action cards as they wish. To take an action the player simply notes any altitude adjustments printed on the card, adjusts the Altimeter needle by that much, then plays the card for its action. Some action cards allow players to Steal cards from another player (blocked by a Knife card), Spy another player’s hand, Handcuff two players together (or a player to a briefcase of money), use Key cards to unlock Handcuffs or to pilfer one card from the Lockbox on the Altimeter board, Poison another player (cured with the Antidote card), kick a weapon out of a player’s hand by using a Kung Fu card, or blatantly attacking a player by using both a Pistol and a Bullet card. Players will take one wound from the first bullet and will be permanently slain by taking another bullet wound.
The final action that can be taken on a turn is trading with another player. This is a risky action to take as players are not bound by their verbal agreements. Therefore, a player may offer to trade a Bullet and a Knife in exchange for a $10,000 and a Key card. However, neither player is REQUIRED to trade these exact items during the trade, and alliances weaken over trade disputes.
Intermittently throughout the game, as altitude drops, players are given the task to vote whether to keep flying or to hit the silk (which means to jump out of the plane with a parachute in hand)! Should players vote by majority to continue playing the game keeps going as before. If the players vote by majority to hit the silk!, then all players with parachutes reach the ground safely and pool together their money in hopes of reaching the goal amount determined at the start of the game. Those who jump without a parachute sadly perish, but those who are able to stay on the plane without being handcuffed to a jumping player may attempt the very difficult task of landing the plane (which involves the dice shown, but I will let you discover the method on your own).
Should the landing party have gathered enough money to pay the debt, those players win! If the player lands the plane correctly they win! If a player dies, well, they lose.
Components. Again, this is a prototype copy of the game, so components shown are probably going to look differently as the result of a successful Kickstarter campaign. That said, I want to first applaud Escape Plan Board Games for their usage of “eco-conscious production.” The component materials we received are certainly unlike any I have felt or played with in the past. They feel different, and I assume it is due to this new eco-friendly material they are using. I also want to point out the art style of Hit the Silk! It is fabulous and definitely gives off that jetset vibe. I love it! I do hope the dice will be getting an upgrade in the final version, as stickered dice are rarely in style. I have not seen or heard of any plans for upgrades or final components, but I hope a nice eco-friendly upgrade option exists for this game.
So here’s the rub. I truly like this game quite a bit. I do have issues with player elimination games, personally, because for whatever reason I am always the first to be targeted for elimination. While it’s funny at first, I despise having to be left out of the rest of the game. That said, I still very much enjoy this game. Yes, I don’t like being targeted, but I am able to take one for the team, and then ask players to try a different strategy the next playthrough. Being able to make loose alliances and just break trades by giving the other player two Flannels instead of the Parachute and Key is just fun times. I enjoy the ever-decreasing altitude of the plane that stresses players to get things done quickly without having the needle dip too far for comfort. I like that a lot.
I wish the dice were used more in the game (at least in Standard mode), as I love nice chunky dice, but I can look past this because the rest of the gameplay is so solid. I still have yet to figure out the best way to use the Handcuffs, but the weapons and Kung Fu are just so ridiculous and amazing simultaneously that I like using them as soon as I get them in hand. So if you, like me, have a hole in your collection for a game taking place in the skies featuring a gang of casino-chased hoodlums, then I urge you to take a look at Hit the Silk! Just know that if you handcuff yourself to me, you can bet on me making some very inappropriate comments.
Purple Phoenix Games (2266 KP) rated Rescuing Robin Hood in Tabletop Games
Nov 10, 2020
I have a secret to tell you all. I love the Robin Hood IP, even though my only real knowledge of it comes from the “Robin Hood: Men in Tights” and “Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves” movies. I have never read the story, nor have I ever watched the Errol Flynn movie. So why do I love Robin Hood so much? I really can’t tell you for sure, it just seems like such a fun theme with lots of characters and an interesting central plot. So how does this quasi-deck-builder fare? Faire? I think fare. Let’s find out.
Rescuing Robin Hood is a cooperative card drafting and deck building game with multiple value usage on each card and, at least in my very first play, the humbling experience of having over 20 guards protecting the Sheriff of Nottingham. Players will win once Robin Hood is rescued, but may achieve an ultimate victory by defeating the Sheriff and his guard detail.
DISCLAIMER: We were provided a prototype copy of this game for the purposes of this review. These are preview copy components, and I do not know for sure if the final components will be any different from these shown. Also, it is not my intention to detail every rule in the game, as there are just too many. You are invited to download the rulebook, back the game through the Kickstarter campaign launching November 10, 2020, or through any retailers stocking it after fulfillment. -T
To setup, follow the setup suggestion in the rulebook. The game should roughly look how it is below in the photo. Roughly. The components include cards for Nottingham Castle, the Sheriff, his guards, Robin Hood, his band of Merry Men, other recruitable villagers, and a Tracker Card. Along with all the cards, inside the box are tracker cubes and ability chips. Once the game is setup, determine the starting player and the game may begin!
A game of Rescuing Robin Hood lasts five rounds (or “days” to rescue the hero from being executed). Each round has players dealing four cards from their draw decks and using these four villagers in conjunction with their chosen Merry Men character card to create values on the Tracker Card for Wit, Stealth, Brawn, and Jolliness. Some villagers or characters will also provide the player with ability chips to be used during the turn. These include Prayer (which can move guards from one group to another, or eliminate a guard entirely – the power of prayer is REAL), Cookery (which can be used to increase the values of Wit, Stealth, or Brawn by +2 for each chip), and Scouting (which allows a player to reveal a face-down guard card in any group).
Once the active player has adjusted all their values they wish, they may now begin attacking guards. Per the setup card for each round a group of guards are holding villagers captive and they must be defeated in order to free the villagers to be recruited to players’ decks. In order to defeat a guard or entire groups of guards, players will be attacking twice using their Wit, Stealth, and/or Brawn values.
To attack with Wit, the active player will determine which group of guards they will attack and target the face-up guard at the end of the group. If defeated, the player will reduce their total Wit by the value of Wit they expended to defeat the first guard. Should they wish to continue attacking guards with Wit, they must state this before flipping the next guard face-up. This adds the push-your-luck element to the game. Should the player wish to stop, the guards are defeated. Should the player bust, the entire collection of guards previously outwitted are added back to the group face-up to be defeated by another player or by the same player using a different attack method.
If the active player wishes to use Stealth to attack guards, they must choose a group of guards and pick them off one by one. Using their total Stealth value and decreasing it with each successful attack, the player will choose one or more (face-up or face-down) guards to attack. Again, should they succeed the guards will be defeated and removed from play. Should the player bust by attempting to pick off too many guards, then all guards are added back to the group face-up.
Using Brawn to attack guards requires the active player to choose a group of guards and attack the ENTIRE group using their Brawn value. Should the player succeed in defeating all guards in the group (no matter the size of the group) then all guards are removed from play. If the player fails, as always, the guards are returned to the group to taunt the next player.
Active players will be able to attack guards twice on a turn but must use two different attack methods. Should the player end their turn with remaining Brawn or Jolliness values, those values will be passed along to the next player in turn order to be used. Additionally, should the next player end their turn with Brawn or Jolliness, they will be passed to the next player and so on.
At the end of each round villagers that were freed of guards during the round will be drafted to players’ decks. At the end of round 2 and 4 players’ decks will be thinned by choosing which villagers stay and which will aid the players in the final round. The final round of Rescuing Robin Hood pits the players against the walls of Nottingham Castle, a Courtyard full of guards, and even Sheriff Nottingham and his personal guards. Again, should the players defeat the Castle walls and Courtyard, they free Robin Hood and win the game. If the players are feeling particularly confident they may also challenge the Sheriff for ultimate victory.
Components. Again, this is a prototype copy of the game using prototype components. That said, the components we received are truly excellent. Firstly, the art style throughout the game is crisp and colorful and a lot of fun. Some of the names of the villagers are downright silly and punny and I absolutely love that. The cards are all wonderful, and the cubes are normal game cubes (not Nintendo-related), and hopefully they will be upgraded via a successful Kickstarter campaign. All in all the components are great and the art is quite enjoyable.
So do I like Rescuing Robin Hood? Oh yes, quite a bit! This game exercises my brain so much without having to labor for minutes on end creating strategies and alternate strategies. I enjoy being able to just barrel into a group of guards and take out the entire swath of them using my extreme Brawniness. Need to pump up before a fight? Well obviously I’ll use up my Jolliness to boost my confidence or narrow my concentration. I purposely omitted several rules so as not to bog down my review any further, but there are so many interesting little flecks of mechanics working together to create a cohesive gaming experience and it is simply delicious.
While Rescuing Robin Hood is not incredibly heavy, there are tons of choices to be made and risks to be taken to achieve ultimate victory. I enjoy being able to tailor my deck with powerful villagers, or specialize in two attack values to unload on guards. Having players that use interesting mixes of Merry Men characters also increases the enjoyment as this game is absolutely cooperative and players may assist each other in many ways. Need some extra Wit for your turn coming up? Here, let me pass along my extra Jolliness to you to use. Want some Cookery too? Go ahead, I’ve got plenty to share. Oh, such great feelings at the table being able to share resources like this.
So I urge you, dear reader, to check out the Kickstarter campaign for Rescuing Robin Hood. If you enjoy lighter (but not tooooo light) cooperative, card drafting, deck building games with a great theme, you need to pick up a copy of Rescuing Robin Hood. I didn’t see Blinkin or Ahchoo in the game, but that’s not to say Castillo Games doesn’t have these hiding in stretch goals (I really don’t know if they are in the plans, but they SHOULD be).
Rescuing Robin Hood is a cooperative card drafting and deck building game with multiple value usage on each card and, at least in my very first play, the humbling experience of having over 20 guards protecting the Sheriff of Nottingham. Players will win once Robin Hood is rescued, but may achieve an ultimate victory by defeating the Sheriff and his guard detail.
DISCLAIMER: We were provided a prototype copy of this game for the purposes of this review. These are preview copy components, and I do not know for sure if the final components will be any different from these shown. Also, it is not my intention to detail every rule in the game, as there are just too many. You are invited to download the rulebook, back the game through the Kickstarter campaign launching November 10, 2020, or through any retailers stocking it after fulfillment. -T
To setup, follow the setup suggestion in the rulebook. The game should roughly look how it is below in the photo. Roughly. The components include cards for Nottingham Castle, the Sheriff, his guards, Robin Hood, his band of Merry Men, other recruitable villagers, and a Tracker Card. Along with all the cards, inside the box are tracker cubes and ability chips. Once the game is setup, determine the starting player and the game may begin!
A game of Rescuing Robin Hood lasts five rounds (or “days” to rescue the hero from being executed). Each round has players dealing four cards from their draw decks and using these four villagers in conjunction with their chosen Merry Men character card to create values on the Tracker Card for Wit, Stealth, Brawn, and Jolliness. Some villagers or characters will also provide the player with ability chips to be used during the turn. These include Prayer (which can move guards from one group to another, or eliminate a guard entirely – the power of prayer is REAL), Cookery (which can be used to increase the values of Wit, Stealth, or Brawn by +2 for each chip), and Scouting (which allows a player to reveal a face-down guard card in any group).
Once the active player has adjusted all their values they wish, they may now begin attacking guards. Per the setup card for each round a group of guards are holding villagers captive and they must be defeated in order to free the villagers to be recruited to players’ decks. In order to defeat a guard or entire groups of guards, players will be attacking twice using their Wit, Stealth, and/or Brawn values.
To attack with Wit, the active player will determine which group of guards they will attack and target the face-up guard at the end of the group. If defeated, the player will reduce their total Wit by the value of Wit they expended to defeat the first guard. Should they wish to continue attacking guards with Wit, they must state this before flipping the next guard face-up. This adds the push-your-luck element to the game. Should the player wish to stop, the guards are defeated. Should the player bust, the entire collection of guards previously outwitted are added back to the group face-up to be defeated by another player or by the same player using a different attack method.
If the active player wishes to use Stealth to attack guards, they must choose a group of guards and pick them off one by one. Using their total Stealth value and decreasing it with each successful attack, the player will choose one or more (face-up or face-down) guards to attack. Again, should they succeed the guards will be defeated and removed from play. Should the player bust by attempting to pick off too many guards, then all guards are added back to the group face-up.
Using Brawn to attack guards requires the active player to choose a group of guards and attack the ENTIRE group using their Brawn value. Should the player succeed in defeating all guards in the group (no matter the size of the group) then all guards are removed from play. If the player fails, as always, the guards are returned to the group to taunt the next player.
Active players will be able to attack guards twice on a turn but must use two different attack methods. Should the player end their turn with remaining Brawn or Jolliness values, those values will be passed along to the next player in turn order to be used. Additionally, should the next player end their turn with Brawn or Jolliness, they will be passed to the next player and so on.
At the end of each round villagers that were freed of guards during the round will be drafted to players’ decks. At the end of round 2 and 4 players’ decks will be thinned by choosing which villagers stay and which will aid the players in the final round. The final round of Rescuing Robin Hood pits the players against the walls of Nottingham Castle, a Courtyard full of guards, and even Sheriff Nottingham and his personal guards. Again, should the players defeat the Castle walls and Courtyard, they free Robin Hood and win the game. If the players are feeling particularly confident they may also challenge the Sheriff for ultimate victory.
Components. Again, this is a prototype copy of the game using prototype components. That said, the components we received are truly excellent. Firstly, the art style throughout the game is crisp and colorful and a lot of fun. Some of the names of the villagers are downright silly and punny and I absolutely love that. The cards are all wonderful, and the cubes are normal game cubes (not Nintendo-related), and hopefully they will be upgraded via a successful Kickstarter campaign. All in all the components are great and the art is quite enjoyable.
So do I like Rescuing Robin Hood? Oh yes, quite a bit! This game exercises my brain so much without having to labor for minutes on end creating strategies and alternate strategies. I enjoy being able to just barrel into a group of guards and take out the entire swath of them using my extreme Brawniness. Need to pump up before a fight? Well obviously I’ll use up my Jolliness to boost my confidence or narrow my concentration. I purposely omitted several rules so as not to bog down my review any further, but there are so many interesting little flecks of mechanics working together to create a cohesive gaming experience and it is simply delicious.
While Rescuing Robin Hood is not incredibly heavy, there are tons of choices to be made and risks to be taken to achieve ultimate victory. I enjoy being able to tailor my deck with powerful villagers, or specialize in two attack values to unload on guards. Having players that use interesting mixes of Merry Men characters also increases the enjoyment as this game is absolutely cooperative and players may assist each other in many ways. Need some extra Wit for your turn coming up? Here, let me pass along my extra Jolliness to you to use. Want some Cookery too? Go ahead, I’ve got plenty to share. Oh, such great feelings at the table being able to share resources like this.
So I urge you, dear reader, to check out the Kickstarter campaign for Rescuing Robin Hood. If you enjoy lighter (but not tooooo light) cooperative, card drafting, deck building games with a great theme, you need to pick up a copy of Rescuing Robin Hood. I didn’t see Blinkin or Ahchoo in the game, but that’s not to say Castillo Games doesn’t have these hiding in stretch goals (I really don’t know if they are in the plans, but they SHOULD be).
