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Purple Phoenix Games (2266 KP) rated Cleocatra in Tabletop Games
Mar 3, 2020
It is said, and now generally accepted, that Cleopatra and ancient Egyptians revered and respected cats so much that they would include them in the burial sites of pharaohs as protectors of the bodies. Cats can protect the dead from mice and snakes and the like, but I have seen cats. They probably just sat there indifferent and annoyed until they were hungry and then scavenged for food. Some protectors. In any case, I am a sucker for a punny title, and thus our relationship with Sunrise Tornado Game Studio came into being for a preview of their upcoming game Cleocatra.
In Cleocatra players are, “saving cats in the pyramids.” Once these cats are saved and the pyramids cleared (scored) inspectors can sweep through to confirm they have been cleared. While points do not equate to number of cats saved, the first player to earn 23 points will signify the final round of play.
DISCLAIMER: We were provided a prototype copy of this game for the purposes of this review. These are preview copy components, and the final components will probably be 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 back the game through the Kickstarter campaign, order from your FLGS, or purchase through any retailers stocking it after fulfillment. -T
To setup, place the score card on the table somewhere in view of all players. The score card will track, well, scoring as well as be a handy reference sheet for all. Shuffle and stack all triangular cat tiles according to the rulebook and place somewhere within reach of all players. Each player will choose a color, place their score cube on the score card, and take their matching meeples. Keep the brown inspector cubes nearby to be used in play. Per the rules, in turn order, each player will flip a tile from the stack and place one of their meeples upon it. The game may now begin in earnest!
A player will have many choices upon the start of a turn, but a turn must include two total actions: a Tile action and a Rescuer action OR two Rescuer actions. Tile actions include Scout and Search. To Scout, simply turn over the top tile from the stack and place it adjacent to an existing tile on the table. A Search action requires an unoccupied existing tile to be moved from one location to another. Similar to movement in Hive, a Search action must not cause the pyramids structure to break into pieces nor move a completely surrounded tile.
Rescuer actions include Dispatch, Team Up, and Rescue (score). When a player uses Dispatch, they place a meeple on a tile they just previously moved in the Search action. To Team Up, simply place a new meeple on a tile adjacent to another tile with one of that player’s meeples… creating a small team. When a player Rescues, they score for a meeple on a tile according to the rulebook – points are tallied based on different cat tile types being adjacent, with additional points for having team members in adjacent spaces. After a Rescue action is taken, remove the meeple from the tile that was scored and replace it with one of the brown inspector cubes. The inspectors prevent tiles from being moved on future turns until they are placed elsewhere.
Play continues in this fashion until a player has earned or surpassed 23 points. At that time, the current round finishes and the game immediately ends. The player with the most points at the end of the final tally wins and is given a pet cat as a result! Ok, our games have never ended that way, but I would totally give away my cat if I had one.
Components. Again, this is a prototype copy of the game, and it is scheduled to hit Kickstarter soon. However, the art style on this one is super cute. The other components (meeples, inspector cubes, etc) may end up being different and be better color-matched, but for a prototype, they were just fine. I have not yet seen any concept art or anything to comment on, so for components, I have little to say, other than the box art is great, as is the art for the cat tiles. So if that style continues and is stretched to the other components, this is going to be VERY cute.
This one came as a shock to me. So few components, but a lot to think about. Should I bring out a new tile or move the existing ones to create a long string of different cats to score big? Should I put out a new helper? I should put out a new helper. I think the best part about this game for me is the fact that I never really felt like any option was a poor option. I mean, you can definitely tank this one and not get much out of it, but then why play anything? Cleocatra is certainly a game that rewards you for continual plays. The more you play, the better you become. I guess that goes for anything in life, really. The rewards come to those who practice. The game is light, but not light-hearted. If you enjoy the tile movement of Hive, but bugs are too icky, try Cleocatra. If you like small games that can fit on an airplane tray but still give you a challenge, try Cleocatra. If you enjoy games with cats, try Cleocatra.
If this is your kind of game, consider backing it on Kickstarter when it launches on March 11. If you want more information, please visit the game’s website, where you can find downloadable rules and print-n-play files. Tell ’em ol Travis from Purple Phoenix Games sent ya.
In Cleocatra players are, “saving cats in the pyramids.” Once these cats are saved and the pyramids cleared (scored) inspectors can sweep through to confirm they have been cleared. While points do not equate to number of cats saved, the first player to earn 23 points will signify the final round of play.
DISCLAIMER: We were provided a prototype copy of this game for the purposes of this review. These are preview copy components, and the final components will probably be 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 back the game through the Kickstarter campaign, order from your FLGS, or purchase through any retailers stocking it after fulfillment. -T
To setup, place the score card on the table somewhere in view of all players. The score card will track, well, scoring as well as be a handy reference sheet for all. Shuffle and stack all triangular cat tiles according to the rulebook and place somewhere within reach of all players. Each player will choose a color, place their score cube on the score card, and take their matching meeples. Keep the brown inspector cubes nearby to be used in play. Per the rules, in turn order, each player will flip a tile from the stack and place one of their meeples upon it. The game may now begin in earnest!
A player will have many choices upon the start of a turn, but a turn must include two total actions: a Tile action and a Rescuer action OR two Rescuer actions. Tile actions include Scout and Search. To Scout, simply turn over the top tile from the stack and place it adjacent to an existing tile on the table. A Search action requires an unoccupied existing tile to be moved from one location to another. Similar to movement in Hive, a Search action must not cause the pyramids structure to break into pieces nor move a completely surrounded tile.
Rescuer actions include Dispatch, Team Up, and Rescue (score). When a player uses Dispatch, they place a meeple on a tile they just previously moved in the Search action. To Team Up, simply place a new meeple on a tile adjacent to another tile with one of that player’s meeples… creating a small team. When a player Rescues, they score for a meeple on a tile according to the rulebook – points are tallied based on different cat tile types being adjacent, with additional points for having team members in adjacent spaces. After a Rescue action is taken, remove the meeple from the tile that was scored and replace it with one of the brown inspector cubes. The inspectors prevent tiles from being moved on future turns until they are placed elsewhere.
Play continues in this fashion until a player has earned or surpassed 23 points. At that time, the current round finishes and the game immediately ends. The player with the most points at the end of the final tally wins and is given a pet cat as a result! Ok, our games have never ended that way, but I would totally give away my cat if I had one.
Components. Again, this is a prototype copy of the game, and it is scheduled to hit Kickstarter soon. However, the art style on this one is super cute. The other components (meeples, inspector cubes, etc) may end up being different and be better color-matched, but for a prototype, they were just fine. I have not yet seen any concept art or anything to comment on, so for components, I have little to say, other than the box art is great, as is the art for the cat tiles. So if that style continues and is stretched to the other components, this is going to be VERY cute.
This one came as a shock to me. So few components, but a lot to think about. Should I bring out a new tile or move the existing ones to create a long string of different cats to score big? Should I put out a new helper? I should put out a new helper. I think the best part about this game for me is the fact that I never really felt like any option was a poor option. I mean, you can definitely tank this one and not get much out of it, but then why play anything? Cleocatra is certainly a game that rewards you for continual plays. The more you play, the better you become. I guess that goes for anything in life, really. The rewards come to those who practice. The game is light, but not light-hearted. If you enjoy the tile movement of Hive, but bugs are too icky, try Cleocatra. If you like small games that can fit on an airplane tray but still give you a challenge, try Cleocatra. If you enjoy games with cats, try Cleocatra.
If this is your kind of game, consider backing it on Kickstarter when it launches on March 11. If you want more information, please visit the game’s website, where you can find downloadable rules and print-n-play files. Tell ’em ol Travis from Purple Phoenix Games sent ya.
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Purple Phoenix Games (2266 KP) rated Seasons in Tabletop Games
Jul 6, 2019 (Updated Nov 4, 2021)
I have mentioned before that I have a bad habit. Well several, but this one pertains to board games. You see, I once had a collection of games that I loved, but was pulled into the BGG Auctions and would engage in auctioning off many of games that I deemed of good return value. But then I would start to miss them. And then I would start to reacquire them. Then my wife stepped in and made me see how foolish I was to rid myself of them in the first place. Well, next up in this line is a game I recently reacquired and never should have let go in the first place – Seasons!
Seasons is a fantastical dice rolling, card drafting, hand management game for two to four players. In it, players are sorcerers competing in a legendary magical tournament that spans three years in an attempt to be crowned the next Archmage of the kingdom. As the seasons change, sorcerers may draw power from changing mana sources, and utilizing these sources most efficiently and effectively will earn victory over all. So tighten up your belt and get to casting, young mage!
To setup, follow the rules in the rulebook (there are many steps, and I have feeble and weak fingers) until the table looks somewhat similar to the photo below – except for the obvious oversight in placing the orange cube on the zero space of bonus actions. The main areas of interest are the main game board where the years and seasons are tracked, the Crystal score track, and player board/tableau area. Players will be dealt a hand of nine cards to start, and then draft one card at a time, passing to their neighbor each time, and deciding which three cards they would like to start the game with, and assigning three more cards each into the Library for rounds two and three. The game begins in Winter, and the black cube is placed on the number 1 of the seasons board. The game is now setup and ready to begin with the first player!
Each turn the active player will roll all dice in the current season (this game is setup for two players, so three total dice are used each turn). They will choose one die to use for the turn, and other players will choose theirs. The players then gather the resources present on the die face. These could be element tokens, crystals (VP), summon gauge stars, cards drawn from the deck, or even transmutation powers. Once resources are gained, the active player may then choose to play a card from their hand to their personal tableau, given they have adequate summoning power (the number of cards that can be played) available on their board. The cost to play the card is found under the illustration, and is usually paid in crystals, element tokens, or a combination of both. These Power Cards may allow the player immediate benefits, ongoing benefits, or benefits that may be activated at certain times during the game.
Another option players have from their chosen die is the ability to transmutate. When a player chooses a die with this option, they are able to consult the current season on the main board and exchange element tokens for crystals, depending on the provided exchange system. For example, a player wishing to exchange earth tokens (the green plant) during Winter will be provided with three crystals each, while attempting the same transmutation during Spring will only provide one crystal each.
Once each player has taken their turn to collect their resources, complete their turn actions, and pass onto the next player, the unchosen die is resolved. Each die face also shows a number of dotted pips at the bottom. The number of pips shown on the unchosen die refers to the number of spaces the cube on the main board season tracker is to be moved forward around the board. One pip, one space forward. This could result in the current season continuing or progressing into the next season. When the cube progresses from Fall to Winter, players will collect their cards set aside for year two or three, respectively. These cards are added to their hand and available to be used immediately on their turn. If, however, on their turn a player has little they can do, or simply wish to boost their turn, they may use one of four bonus actions, as printed on their player board. These actions allow the player to trade two element tokens from their reserves for any other two element tokens from the main supply, allow transmutation if the symbol is not present on their chosen die face, increase their summoning gauge by one, or draw two power cards from the deck and choose one to add to their hand instead of drawing one, per their die face. Each player can use three total bonus actions for each game at a cost of crystals for each usage. Certainly a trade-off.
Play continues in this fashion of choosing and resolving dice, playing cards, and transmuting tokens for crystals until the cube has completed its three year journey around the main board. At that time crystals are scored from cards and added to the tracker, with five points deducted for each card remaining in hand and points deducted for the usage of bonus actions. The player with the most crystals at the end of the game is the winner!
Components. I have a lot to say here, but will attempt to be as succinct as I can. The components in Seasons are simply phenomenal. Yes, the boards, cards, and cubes are all fine quality and unimpressive. However, the art style throughout the game and those big chunky dice are the real standouts to me. I mean, who DOESN’T like to roll big, chunky dice? And the player colors? Oh man, I love them! Players can choose orange, purple, gray, or lime green. Those are some great color options, and such a simple upgrade from primary colors used on many other games. The dice are primary colors, but I still enjoy them and I will let it slide. No real complaints on components from me. I have heard complaints about people not vibing on the color choices associate with the elements/energy, but I applaud the mold-breaking here. Why can’t Fall be red and associated with a feather? Why can’t Summer be yellow and associated with a flame? Fire doesn’t always have to be red. Go on, Seasons! Be you!
Our thoughts on each game should never be a surprise. I will say this for Seasons – I believe that when I auctioned it off the first time, part of the reasoning was because I did not fully understand the rules. I was a newer gamer at the time and was lured in by colors and art style (which are still stunning). More than likely I thought I was smarter than I truly am and included all the cards in my first plays instead of heeding the suggestions given by the rulebook for easier first games. Now, being a more seasoned (I couldn’t resist) gamer, I can better appreciate what is in this box. The unique card play, the dice drafting for resources and actions, the progression of time as a result of the rejected die, all come together to make a very solid and different game. I am trying to think my way through my collection to find a parallel that uses all these mechanics together as well as Seasons does and I am finding it difficult. It is so easy to just throw mechanics into a blender and see the goo that results, but everything with Seasons feels right and I am just in love.
Why did I ever get rid of Seasons? I will claim young and dumb, though I wasn’t very young. Do not emulate my decision to shed this one out of your collection. You don’t have a copy? I would recommend visiting your FLGS to see if they might have a copy in stock. It’s a great one, and one that I will treasure from here on out. Purple Phoenix Games officially gives this one an amazingly colorful 5 / 6. I know the others will enjoy it too, but until they play it, I will be giddy with excitement each time I am able to play my copy. Why are you still here? Go get Seasons!
Seasons is a fantastical dice rolling, card drafting, hand management game for two to four players. In it, players are sorcerers competing in a legendary magical tournament that spans three years in an attempt to be crowned the next Archmage of the kingdom. As the seasons change, sorcerers may draw power from changing mana sources, and utilizing these sources most efficiently and effectively will earn victory over all. So tighten up your belt and get to casting, young mage!
To setup, follow the rules in the rulebook (there are many steps, and I have feeble and weak fingers) until the table looks somewhat similar to the photo below – except for the obvious oversight in placing the orange cube on the zero space of bonus actions. The main areas of interest are the main game board where the years and seasons are tracked, the Crystal score track, and player board/tableau area. Players will be dealt a hand of nine cards to start, and then draft one card at a time, passing to their neighbor each time, and deciding which three cards they would like to start the game with, and assigning three more cards each into the Library for rounds two and three. The game begins in Winter, and the black cube is placed on the number 1 of the seasons board. The game is now setup and ready to begin with the first player!
Each turn the active player will roll all dice in the current season (this game is setup for two players, so three total dice are used each turn). They will choose one die to use for the turn, and other players will choose theirs. The players then gather the resources present on the die face. These could be element tokens, crystals (VP), summon gauge stars, cards drawn from the deck, or even transmutation powers. Once resources are gained, the active player may then choose to play a card from their hand to their personal tableau, given they have adequate summoning power (the number of cards that can be played) available on their board. The cost to play the card is found under the illustration, and is usually paid in crystals, element tokens, or a combination of both. These Power Cards may allow the player immediate benefits, ongoing benefits, or benefits that may be activated at certain times during the game.
Another option players have from their chosen die is the ability to transmutate. When a player chooses a die with this option, they are able to consult the current season on the main board and exchange element tokens for crystals, depending on the provided exchange system. For example, a player wishing to exchange earth tokens (the green plant) during Winter will be provided with three crystals each, while attempting the same transmutation during Spring will only provide one crystal each.
Once each player has taken their turn to collect their resources, complete their turn actions, and pass onto the next player, the unchosen die is resolved. Each die face also shows a number of dotted pips at the bottom. The number of pips shown on the unchosen die refers to the number of spaces the cube on the main board season tracker is to be moved forward around the board. One pip, one space forward. This could result in the current season continuing or progressing into the next season. When the cube progresses from Fall to Winter, players will collect their cards set aside for year two or three, respectively. These cards are added to their hand and available to be used immediately on their turn. If, however, on their turn a player has little they can do, or simply wish to boost their turn, they may use one of four bonus actions, as printed on their player board. These actions allow the player to trade two element tokens from their reserves for any other two element tokens from the main supply, allow transmutation if the symbol is not present on their chosen die face, increase their summoning gauge by one, or draw two power cards from the deck and choose one to add to their hand instead of drawing one, per their die face. Each player can use three total bonus actions for each game at a cost of crystals for each usage. Certainly a trade-off.
Play continues in this fashion of choosing and resolving dice, playing cards, and transmuting tokens for crystals until the cube has completed its three year journey around the main board. At that time crystals are scored from cards and added to the tracker, with five points deducted for each card remaining in hand and points deducted for the usage of bonus actions. The player with the most crystals at the end of the game is the winner!
Components. I have a lot to say here, but will attempt to be as succinct as I can. The components in Seasons are simply phenomenal. Yes, the boards, cards, and cubes are all fine quality and unimpressive. However, the art style throughout the game and those big chunky dice are the real standouts to me. I mean, who DOESN’T like to roll big, chunky dice? And the player colors? Oh man, I love them! Players can choose orange, purple, gray, or lime green. Those are some great color options, and such a simple upgrade from primary colors used on many other games. The dice are primary colors, but I still enjoy them and I will let it slide. No real complaints on components from me. I have heard complaints about people not vibing on the color choices associate with the elements/energy, but I applaud the mold-breaking here. Why can’t Fall be red and associated with a feather? Why can’t Summer be yellow and associated with a flame? Fire doesn’t always have to be red. Go on, Seasons! Be you!
Our thoughts on each game should never be a surprise. I will say this for Seasons – I believe that when I auctioned it off the first time, part of the reasoning was because I did not fully understand the rules. I was a newer gamer at the time and was lured in by colors and art style (which are still stunning). More than likely I thought I was smarter than I truly am and included all the cards in my first plays instead of heeding the suggestions given by the rulebook for easier first games. Now, being a more seasoned (I couldn’t resist) gamer, I can better appreciate what is in this box. The unique card play, the dice drafting for resources and actions, the progression of time as a result of the rejected die, all come together to make a very solid and different game. I am trying to think my way through my collection to find a parallel that uses all these mechanics together as well as Seasons does and I am finding it difficult. It is so easy to just throw mechanics into a blender and see the goo that results, but everything with Seasons feels right and I am just in love.
Why did I ever get rid of Seasons? I will claim young and dumb, though I wasn’t very young. Do not emulate my decision to shed this one out of your collection. You don’t have a copy? I would recommend visiting your FLGS to see if they might have a copy in stock. It’s a great one, and one that I will treasure from here on out. Purple Phoenix Games officially gives this one an amazingly colorful 5 / 6. I know the others will enjoy it too, but until they play it, I will be giddy with excitement each time I am able to play my copy. Why are you still here? Go get Seasons!
Paul Kellett (118 KP) rated Lifeform in Tabletop Games
May 1, 2019
I demoed this at Fan Boy 3 in Manchester during the Kickstarter campaign and was really excited to get to try this out.
So, what is the game?
Basically, it is Alien: The Board Game. A highly thematic one against many survival game where some of you play the crew of the mining ship Valley Forge trying to escape the clutches of an unknown alien killer before the ship self-destructs. Sound familiar? You bet, and it captures the tension of that well-known film perfectly.
I arrived part way through a game and Tristan kindly gave up his seat to let Me jump in. I basically new nothing about how to play, having only watched a couple of demo videos earlier in the week but with a crib sheet in front of Me explaining the card icons and a quick run down of what you can do in a turn, it didn't feel overwhelming and I was able to take over quite seamlessly. The game was close to the end and the alien player had already taken out most of the crew and was set up very nicely to ambush the rest of us. It wasn't long before the ship was adrift with just one deadly occupant...
How does it work?
We played a basic game, so some of the more meatier options were not included and we just had the simple task of gathering enough equipment and escaping in the shuttlecraft.
In the full game, players will be assigned personal objectives like downloading the ship's log from the data core or gathering specific equipment. This will add much more depth to the game as each player will be striving to achieve these goals as well as trying to avoid the alien and reaching the escape shuttle.
In the simple game however, we just had to focus on escaping. To do this, you need to collect the equipment tokens that are arranged in various rooms on the board. These are then placed on a track at the side of the board in various slots for coolant, energy cells, weapons, space suits and halon canisters. Most of these tracks have a minimum number of tokens needed before you can attempt to escape and any extra will grant bonuses like drawing extra cards or gaining a flame thrower.
In your turn, you get to perform one action so the downtime is minimal and the turns fair zip around the table, often before you've had a chance to take a breath and plan your next move.
All the actions are played from the cards you have in your hand, so you feel the tension of needing to get somewhere but having to wait until you draw a card that lets you run through multiple rooms.
Drawing cards. Now there's a thing. The ship's self destruct has been activated (naturally) and you only have 30 minutes until the ship blows up. Each time you choose to draw more cards into your hand, you slide the marker up the track, closer to the big bang.
I can't say too much about what the alien player can do as I didn't get to study that side of things too much but it certainly has some devious tricks up it's sleeve.
The alien player starts with two standees on the board. They look identical besides a little coloured sticker (this will be a set of symbols in the final game). He also has a corresponding set of tokens next to his player board and he will choose one of these to be the alien. The other standee (or standees, as later in the game there is the chance to get a third standee out) is a decoy so the crew, essentially seeing these as blips on their trackers, never know which is the real threat until it's too late.
There is a nice twist here, as, after making a kill, the alien player get's to reset his tokens and choose again which one will be the decoy and which will be the real killer. The alien player can also choose whether the kill was silent, offing the victim quickly and cleanly, or whether it is a nasty, brutal affair with lots of screaming. If the latter, then the other crew members hear this and all have to make a panic move into an adjacent room. This can be really useful if the crew are about to pick up equipment or possibly achieve an objective (I'm not sure if the personal objectives will be common knowledge or not sat this point).
The alien has various little trackers it can use from hatching more eggs letting it increase the amount of cards it holds, to taking control of the android on the crew which will then get placed on the board and follow a programmed track, killing any crew in it's way until it gets to the escape shuttle where it will start sabotaging various systems.
The alien also gets to place terror tokens and power out tokens on the board. If you enter a space with a terror token, you have to draw a card from the terror deck and these are always bad. A room with a power outage is dark and you can't run through it, you must stop your movement there. Other bad things can happen in the dark too.
What if I die?
Another neat thing this game does is avoid player elimination by cycling the crew. In our game, there were two of us controlling two characters each and when both of My characters died, I took one from the other player so we had one each. When that character was also killed (yes, I was not doing well...), rather than being forced to sit out the rest of the game, I could choose one of two secondary roles to play.
I could take control of the ship's mainframe computer which would allow me to do things like open and close bulkhead doors, slowing the alien down, allow the other players to draw more cards and various other useful things.
Or I could play the ship's cat. This was the option I went for and it was great. I could distract the alien, destroy some of it's eggs (so reducing it's hand size), place additional equipment tokens on the board or assist the other crew by letting them draw more cards.
It was this that that actually gave us the win as it was looking pretty bleak towards the end, but the cat actually managed to guide the last remaining crew member to a flamethrower and distract the alien long enough to make our escape.
What do I think?
This game is superb. Easy to pick up, but very thematic and definitely very tense. The decisions can be easy at times, but then you will hit a situation where the alien has you cornered and you must make some hard choices.
As I said, the theme just drips off every part of this game like a slightly corrosive drool. Our game started off really well - we managed to quickly gather a massive chunk of the equipment we needed to escape but the alien had been cutting the power and placing terror tokens closer to the escape shuttle ready for our eventual arrival and by the mid-game, we were feeling trapped and the alien was using the ventilation ducts to spring out and take us down one by one.
We were down to one surviving crew member and the ship's cat who, as I already mentioned managed to lead the human to the safety of the shuttle and espace.
Just getting to the shuttle isn't the end, however, there is one last twist (as in all good stories). At around the mid-point of the self destruct track, the alien get's to pick a card which is his estimate on what point prior to the ship blowing up we will reach the shuttle. If he has guessed correctly, then as we leave the stricken mining vessel, we find out that the shuttle has one extra occupant...
We were lucky and the alien player had guessed incorrectly, but had he been right, then there would have been a final battle aboard the escape shuttle and we may have been sending some deadly cargo back to Earth...
I can highly recommend this game and best of all, there is an expansion that adds an AI deck and a whole other set of objectives for solo play. I had a quick look at this and it looks like it will make for a very tense and really exciting solo game as well as a cool multiplayer experience.
So, what is the game?
Basically, it is Alien: The Board Game. A highly thematic one against many survival game where some of you play the crew of the mining ship Valley Forge trying to escape the clutches of an unknown alien killer before the ship self-destructs. Sound familiar? You bet, and it captures the tension of that well-known film perfectly.
I arrived part way through a game and Tristan kindly gave up his seat to let Me jump in. I basically new nothing about how to play, having only watched a couple of demo videos earlier in the week but with a crib sheet in front of Me explaining the card icons and a quick run down of what you can do in a turn, it didn't feel overwhelming and I was able to take over quite seamlessly. The game was close to the end and the alien player had already taken out most of the crew and was set up very nicely to ambush the rest of us. It wasn't long before the ship was adrift with just one deadly occupant...
How does it work?
We played a basic game, so some of the more meatier options were not included and we just had the simple task of gathering enough equipment and escaping in the shuttlecraft.
In the full game, players will be assigned personal objectives like downloading the ship's log from the data core or gathering specific equipment. This will add much more depth to the game as each player will be striving to achieve these goals as well as trying to avoid the alien and reaching the escape shuttle.
In the simple game however, we just had to focus on escaping. To do this, you need to collect the equipment tokens that are arranged in various rooms on the board. These are then placed on a track at the side of the board in various slots for coolant, energy cells, weapons, space suits and halon canisters. Most of these tracks have a minimum number of tokens needed before you can attempt to escape and any extra will grant bonuses like drawing extra cards or gaining a flame thrower.
In your turn, you get to perform one action so the downtime is minimal and the turns fair zip around the table, often before you've had a chance to take a breath and plan your next move.
All the actions are played from the cards you have in your hand, so you feel the tension of needing to get somewhere but having to wait until you draw a card that lets you run through multiple rooms.
Drawing cards. Now there's a thing. The ship's self destruct has been activated (naturally) and you only have 30 minutes until the ship blows up. Each time you choose to draw more cards into your hand, you slide the marker up the track, closer to the big bang.
I can't say too much about what the alien player can do as I didn't get to study that side of things too much but it certainly has some devious tricks up it's sleeve.
The alien player starts with two standees on the board. They look identical besides a little coloured sticker (this will be a set of symbols in the final game). He also has a corresponding set of tokens next to his player board and he will choose one of these to be the alien. The other standee (or standees, as later in the game there is the chance to get a third standee out) is a decoy so the crew, essentially seeing these as blips on their trackers, never know which is the real threat until it's too late.
There is a nice twist here, as, after making a kill, the alien player get's to reset his tokens and choose again which one will be the decoy and which will be the real killer. The alien player can also choose whether the kill was silent, offing the victim quickly and cleanly, or whether it is a nasty, brutal affair with lots of screaming. If the latter, then the other crew members hear this and all have to make a panic move into an adjacent room. This can be really useful if the crew are about to pick up equipment or possibly achieve an objective (I'm not sure if the personal objectives will be common knowledge or not sat this point).
The alien has various little trackers it can use from hatching more eggs letting it increase the amount of cards it holds, to taking control of the android on the crew which will then get placed on the board and follow a programmed track, killing any crew in it's way until it gets to the escape shuttle where it will start sabotaging various systems.
The alien also gets to place terror tokens and power out tokens on the board. If you enter a space with a terror token, you have to draw a card from the terror deck and these are always bad. A room with a power outage is dark and you can't run through it, you must stop your movement there. Other bad things can happen in the dark too.
What if I die?
Another neat thing this game does is avoid player elimination by cycling the crew. In our game, there were two of us controlling two characters each and when both of My characters died, I took one from the other player so we had one each. When that character was also killed (yes, I was not doing well...), rather than being forced to sit out the rest of the game, I could choose one of two secondary roles to play.
I could take control of the ship's mainframe computer which would allow me to do things like open and close bulkhead doors, slowing the alien down, allow the other players to draw more cards and various other useful things.
Or I could play the ship's cat. This was the option I went for and it was great. I could distract the alien, destroy some of it's eggs (so reducing it's hand size), place additional equipment tokens on the board or assist the other crew by letting them draw more cards.
It was this that that actually gave us the win as it was looking pretty bleak towards the end, but the cat actually managed to guide the last remaining crew member to a flamethrower and distract the alien long enough to make our escape.
What do I think?
This game is superb. Easy to pick up, but very thematic and definitely very tense. The decisions can be easy at times, but then you will hit a situation where the alien has you cornered and you must make some hard choices.
As I said, the theme just drips off every part of this game like a slightly corrosive drool. Our game started off really well - we managed to quickly gather a massive chunk of the equipment we needed to escape but the alien had been cutting the power and placing terror tokens closer to the escape shuttle ready for our eventual arrival and by the mid-game, we were feeling trapped and the alien was using the ventilation ducts to spring out and take us down one by one.
We were down to one surviving crew member and the ship's cat who, as I already mentioned managed to lead the human to the safety of the shuttle and espace.
Just getting to the shuttle isn't the end, however, there is one last twist (as in all good stories). At around the mid-point of the self destruct track, the alien get's to pick a card which is his estimate on what point prior to the ship blowing up we will reach the shuttle. If he has guessed correctly, then as we leave the stricken mining vessel, we find out that the shuttle has one extra occupant...
We were lucky and the alien player had guessed incorrectly, but had he been right, then there would have been a final battle aboard the escape shuttle and we may have been sending some deadly cargo back to Earth...
I can highly recommend this game and best of all, there is an expansion that adds an AI deck and a whole other set of objectives for solo play. I had a quick look at this and it looks like it will make for a very tense and really exciting solo game as well as a cool multiplayer experience.
Purple Phoenix Games (2266 KP) rated The Resistance: Avalon in Tabletop Games
Jun 12, 2019
Do you appreciate your friends and your relationships with them? If so, please read no further. Do you want to dissolve your friendships and cause your family members to wonder what went wrong with you and never trust you again? Play The Resistance: Avalon with them.
The Resistance: Avalon (which we always just refer to as simply Avalon) is a game of hidden roles played over several rounds where the “good guys” from King Arthur’s court are pitted against the “bad guys” in Mordred’s thrall. The number of players at the table determines the number of players to be assigned to the good and bad guys squads and the required goals for victory for each team.
To begin, role cards are divvied up and players secretly find out which team they are on for the game. Blue background cards are good guys, red are bad guys. ALERT! Yes, already. I cannot tell you how many times games have been voided because a player was not quite sure what team they were on, so make sure your players know what’s up before continuing. From here a narrator player reads the script in the rulebook to give instructions to players with their eyes closed (a la Mafia or Werewolf). This allows different members of each team to know certain information about their own team or even the opposite team. Players are then instructed to open their eyes simultaneously and thus begins the game of facades.
A player is chosen at random to be the quest giver for now. This person then assigns other players to go on a quest. The “quest” is just a generic quest where it will either succeed or fail. Once the quest giver has made their choices, everyone at the table has a chance to vote to approve the quest team or deny the quest team. Simple majority vote wins. If the team is approved, the quest happens. If the team is denied, the next player in the circle becomes the quest giver and must create a new team of players to go questing.
Once approved, the quest team players are each given two cards: Success and Fail. Secretly, under the table works best, the players make their choices. ALERT! All good guys MUST CHOOSE SUCCESS CARDS so the quest can succeed. Bad guys can choose either one. The questers then pass their cards to an uninvolved player who will then shuffle the cards without looking at them. Once completed, the cards are revealed and thus the success or failure of the quest. If all cards are Success, then the quest was a success and the good guys mark this on the main board. If even just one Fail card appears the quest fails and the bad guys mark it on the main board. This continues until either the good guys win or the bad guys claim victory!
Components. The box is small (akin to the Tiny Epic size boxes). I’m not sure if the game comes with an insert because I won mine from a BGG auction. The cards included in the game are fine, and I sleeved mine because they get held quite a bit. The other miscellaneous tokens are nice and do the job well. This is a game that is less reliant on components, and much more so on game play.
If my intro seemed dark a foreboding, it was completely intentional. Have I witnessed friendships dissolving as a result of this game? Ok not entirely, but there have been some pretty amazing head turns and surprise reveals coupled with slapping and yelling. Not me, mind you, but others. In any case, this game is definitely one to check out if you are a fan of hidden role games and if you want to add tons of tension to your game night. I honestly have no idea why this game (or its older sibling The Resistance if you are more into that theme) isn’t in every game collection. Yes, I know, there are now TONS of hidden role games out there. But this is my favorite of the lot. By far.
We at Purple Phoenix Games are split somehow, giving this one 18 / 24. Obviously it is because Josh is a minion of Mordred and wants our review to fail.
https://purplephoenixgames.wordpress.com/2019/04/24/the-resistance-avalon-review/
The Resistance: Avalon (which we always just refer to as simply Avalon) is a game of hidden roles played over several rounds where the “good guys” from King Arthur’s court are pitted against the “bad guys” in Mordred’s thrall. The number of players at the table determines the number of players to be assigned to the good and bad guys squads and the required goals for victory for each team.
To begin, role cards are divvied up and players secretly find out which team they are on for the game. Blue background cards are good guys, red are bad guys. ALERT! Yes, already. I cannot tell you how many times games have been voided because a player was not quite sure what team they were on, so make sure your players know what’s up before continuing. From here a narrator player reads the script in the rulebook to give instructions to players with their eyes closed (a la Mafia or Werewolf). This allows different members of each team to know certain information about their own team or even the opposite team. Players are then instructed to open their eyes simultaneously and thus begins the game of facades.
A player is chosen at random to be the quest giver for now. This person then assigns other players to go on a quest. The “quest” is just a generic quest where it will either succeed or fail. Once the quest giver has made their choices, everyone at the table has a chance to vote to approve the quest team or deny the quest team. Simple majority vote wins. If the team is approved, the quest happens. If the team is denied, the next player in the circle becomes the quest giver and must create a new team of players to go questing.
Once approved, the quest team players are each given two cards: Success and Fail. Secretly, under the table works best, the players make their choices. ALERT! All good guys MUST CHOOSE SUCCESS CARDS so the quest can succeed. Bad guys can choose either one. The questers then pass their cards to an uninvolved player who will then shuffle the cards without looking at them. Once completed, the cards are revealed and thus the success or failure of the quest. If all cards are Success, then the quest was a success and the good guys mark this on the main board. If even just one Fail card appears the quest fails and the bad guys mark it on the main board. This continues until either the good guys win or the bad guys claim victory!
Components. The box is small (akin to the Tiny Epic size boxes). I’m not sure if the game comes with an insert because I won mine from a BGG auction. The cards included in the game are fine, and I sleeved mine because they get held quite a bit. The other miscellaneous tokens are nice and do the job well. This is a game that is less reliant on components, and much more so on game play.
If my intro seemed dark a foreboding, it was completely intentional. Have I witnessed friendships dissolving as a result of this game? Ok not entirely, but there have been some pretty amazing head turns and surprise reveals coupled with slapping and yelling. Not me, mind you, but others. In any case, this game is definitely one to check out if you are a fan of hidden role games and if you want to add tons of tension to your game night. I honestly have no idea why this game (or its older sibling The Resistance if you are more into that theme) isn’t in every game collection. Yes, I know, there are now TONS of hidden role games out there. But this is my favorite of the lot. By far.
We at Purple Phoenix Games are split somehow, giving this one 18 / 24. Obviously it is because Josh is a minion of Mordred and wants our review to fail.
https://purplephoenixgames.wordpress.com/2019/04/24/the-resistance-avalon-review/
Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated the PlayStation 4 version of Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Wildlands in Video Games
Jun 19, 2019
The latest game in the Ghost Recon series takes players on a wild adventure across Bolivia as a member of an elite CIA unit tasked with bringing down the Santa Blanca Cartel.
Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon Wildlands gives players a very large and diverse open world in which to operate and numerous vehicles in which to move through the massive and highly-detailed gaming maps.
Players start off by customizing their character and they can play with up to three real players or a mix of AI or humans. Missions are available via a map and contain story and side missions which grow as players progress through the game.
A typical mission may entail stopping a convoy, eliminating a target of interest, obtaining information, or disrupting operations for the Cartel.
Players can walk, fly, sail, or drive to the locales as the various provinces of the game are stocked with vehicles. There are also plenty of dangers along the way as random checkpoints, patrols, and other dangers lurk. The Cartel is not the only danger facing players as the local military or Unidad is in the pockets of the Cartel and they have an abundance of gunships, armored vehicles, and well-armed troops to bring to the fight.
The game does lead best to a more stealthy approach but at times run and gun can be effective if you are smart. I have taken at times to blowing up Propane and other explosives to create diversions while members of my team slip in and complete mission objectives.
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Wildlands also has plenty of side content such as the conversations between the main characters and the constant presence of the Cartel DJ on the radio. While this is a great addition to the game, hearing the same lines repeated the more you play the game can get old.
The graphics and detail level of the game are solid as I really enjoyed the diverse topography of the landscape. From snow covered mountains to rugged jungles and forest, the game offers plenty to look at, and while driving or flying, it is great fun to get caught up in.
Wildlands also has a great day and night cycle as well as dynamic weather as being caught in the rain makes handling vehicles harder and can slow your approach on a target locale. The game has a very deep menu of weapons, skills, and gear that are available and unlock as players gather Skill Points along the way. I recently upgraded my spy drone to have an explosive so I could fly it into an enemy area to scout the locale, and then deliver a nice surprise when needed.
There are some issues that arise from time to time such as clipping issues where a player will merge with a wall or steps and lag can arise with the graphics even when playing on an I7 system with an NVIDIA 1060 Founders Edition card. This was not as common playing on a Playstation 4 Pro system.
The biggest fault I have with Wildlands is the amount of repetition that comes up. I have played the early access and beta versions of the game as well as the launch version and I still keep playing various missions over and over. While I am free to play on my own with AI characters, the most enjoyable way to play for me is with other players, and as such I find myself often playing missions over and over even though I select the option to continue my story. Like Tom Clancy’s The Division, Wildlands offers a very large and immersive world filled with options for players and plenty of customization. The game also offers great replay value as even when the core story mode is completed, there are numerous side missions for players to play and more content is on the way.
If you want a good challenge and a game that will offer you countless hours of solid gameplay and replay value, you will not want to miss this one.
http://sknr.net/2017/03/27/tom-clancys-ghost-recon-wildlands/
Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon Wildlands gives players a very large and diverse open world in which to operate and numerous vehicles in which to move through the massive and highly-detailed gaming maps.
Players start off by customizing their character and they can play with up to three real players or a mix of AI or humans. Missions are available via a map and contain story and side missions which grow as players progress through the game.
A typical mission may entail stopping a convoy, eliminating a target of interest, obtaining information, or disrupting operations for the Cartel.
Players can walk, fly, sail, or drive to the locales as the various provinces of the game are stocked with vehicles. There are also plenty of dangers along the way as random checkpoints, patrols, and other dangers lurk. The Cartel is not the only danger facing players as the local military or Unidad is in the pockets of the Cartel and they have an abundance of gunships, armored vehicles, and well-armed troops to bring to the fight.
The game does lead best to a more stealthy approach but at times run and gun can be effective if you are smart. I have taken at times to blowing up Propane and other explosives to create diversions while members of my team slip in and complete mission objectives.
>
Wildlands also has plenty of side content such as the conversations between the main characters and the constant presence of the Cartel DJ on the radio. While this is a great addition to the game, hearing the same lines repeated the more you play the game can get old.
The graphics and detail level of the game are solid as I really enjoyed the diverse topography of the landscape. From snow covered mountains to rugged jungles and forest, the game offers plenty to look at, and while driving or flying, it is great fun to get caught up in.
Wildlands also has a great day and night cycle as well as dynamic weather as being caught in the rain makes handling vehicles harder and can slow your approach on a target locale. The game has a very deep menu of weapons, skills, and gear that are available and unlock as players gather Skill Points along the way. I recently upgraded my spy drone to have an explosive so I could fly it into an enemy area to scout the locale, and then deliver a nice surprise when needed.
There are some issues that arise from time to time such as clipping issues where a player will merge with a wall or steps and lag can arise with the graphics even when playing on an I7 system with an NVIDIA 1060 Founders Edition card. This was not as common playing on a Playstation 4 Pro system.
The biggest fault I have with Wildlands is the amount of repetition that comes up. I have played the early access and beta versions of the game as well as the launch version and I still keep playing various missions over and over. While I am free to play on my own with AI characters, the most enjoyable way to play for me is with other players, and as such I find myself often playing missions over and over even though I select the option to continue my story. Like Tom Clancy’s The Division, Wildlands offers a very large and immersive world filled with options for players and plenty of customization. The game also offers great replay value as even when the core story mode is completed, there are numerous side missions for players to play and more content is on the way.
If you want a good challenge and a game that will offer you countless hours of solid gameplay and replay value, you will not want to miss this one.
http://sknr.net/2017/03/27/tom-clancys-ghost-recon-wildlands/
Purple Phoenix Games (2266 KP) rated Deckscape: Crew vs Crew - The Pirate's Island in Tabletop Games
May 20, 2021
Who out there has ever gone to an escape room and not enjoyed themselves? I know nobody (though if that’s you, it’s okay). I have only been to one in my life (eek!) and I absolutely loved it! I have watched videos of celebrities tackling escape rooms and have been riveted. I like the shows you can now find streaming of similar type activities and am always glued to the screen. Heck, I have played the EXIT and Unlock systems of board games and enjoyed them as well. So having the experience I have and having played two other Deckscape games, how did this one fare for me? Much better. Read on.
These one-shot escape room style games are difficult to explain without major spoilers, so I will try to explain what I can as best I can. Please don’t flame me for being vague. I am protecting you.
DISCLAIMER: We were provided a copy of this game for the purposes of this review. This is a retail copy of the game, so what you see in these photos is exactly what would be received in your box. I will describe the overall game flow and major rule set so that our readers may get a sense of how the game plays. For more info, you may purchase a copy online or from your FLGS. -T
To setup, open the box and take out the cards. Done. Read Card 1.
This one is quite a bit different from previous Deckscape games I have played in several ways. First, this is a head-to-head game where two players (or teams of players) will be taking sides of two pirate captains and attempting to figure out the answers to puzzles offered on cards in the game. Each side will have equal time and opportunity to solve the puzzles, but the first side to claim that they have solved it will be able to flip over the puzzle card to check for accurate answers. If they have succeeded, they earn the booty. If they fail, the other team has a chance to complete the puzzle successfully.
Play continues through the deck of cards with each side engaging in battles of wits until the end of the game draws near. The side with the most booty earned will be the winner and the game can then be passed along to another group of players to enjoy.
Components. This is a box of cards. The cards are all bigger than normal playing cards and feature pretty great art and vivid colors. I totally dig the pirate theme, so I was already destined to enjoy to aesthetic, but I do believe this is the better-looking game of the ones I have tried in its family.
Gameplay is also so different from the other two games in the Deckscape system and that’s a great thing. Having this head-to-head style really suited my situation when I played it: my 10-year-old niece was bored while her twin brother was at baseball practice, so I invited her to play this with me. Long story short, she ended up beating me by one point in the end, so that made her incredibly happy. I also highly enjoyed my playthrough of it, even in defeat.
I wish I could speak more on the specifics why I liked this, but again, as River Song would say, “Spoilers.” Do know that of the three Deckscape games I have played, I believe this is the best of the group. The puzzles are all fantastic, and I feel like I had a good handle on the solutions, but my niece obviously beat me to them more often than I would have liked to have admitted. That said, I can recommend this one to anyone interested in the Deckscape system with one caveat: this is head-to-head instead of the typical cooperative experience in the series. So you have been warned. It’s very good, though, so do check it out. Purple Phoenix Games (with guest score from my niece Keira) gives this one a puzzly 10 / 12, If you are wanting a little different flavor in your bottle of rum, grab a copy of this and enjoy. Just play it with someone your own age, or prepare to BE owned.
These one-shot escape room style games are difficult to explain without major spoilers, so I will try to explain what I can as best I can. Please don’t flame me for being vague. I am protecting you.
DISCLAIMER: We were provided a copy of this game for the purposes of this review. This is a retail copy of the game, so what you see in these photos is exactly what would be received in your box. I will describe the overall game flow and major rule set so that our readers may get a sense of how the game plays. For more info, you may purchase a copy online or from your FLGS. -T
To setup, open the box and take out the cards. Done. Read Card 1.
This one is quite a bit different from previous Deckscape games I have played in several ways. First, this is a head-to-head game where two players (or teams of players) will be taking sides of two pirate captains and attempting to figure out the answers to puzzles offered on cards in the game. Each side will have equal time and opportunity to solve the puzzles, but the first side to claim that they have solved it will be able to flip over the puzzle card to check for accurate answers. If they have succeeded, they earn the booty. If they fail, the other team has a chance to complete the puzzle successfully.
Play continues through the deck of cards with each side engaging in battles of wits until the end of the game draws near. The side with the most booty earned will be the winner and the game can then be passed along to another group of players to enjoy.
Components. This is a box of cards. The cards are all bigger than normal playing cards and feature pretty great art and vivid colors. I totally dig the pirate theme, so I was already destined to enjoy to aesthetic, but I do believe this is the better-looking game of the ones I have tried in its family.
Gameplay is also so different from the other two games in the Deckscape system and that’s a great thing. Having this head-to-head style really suited my situation when I played it: my 10-year-old niece was bored while her twin brother was at baseball practice, so I invited her to play this with me. Long story short, she ended up beating me by one point in the end, so that made her incredibly happy. I also highly enjoyed my playthrough of it, even in defeat.
I wish I could speak more on the specifics why I liked this, but again, as River Song would say, “Spoilers.” Do know that of the three Deckscape games I have played, I believe this is the best of the group. The puzzles are all fantastic, and I feel like I had a good handle on the solutions, but my niece obviously beat me to them more often than I would have liked to have admitted. That said, I can recommend this one to anyone interested in the Deckscape system with one caveat: this is head-to-head instead of the typical cooperative experience in the series. So you have been warned. It’s very good, though, so do check it out. Purple Phoenix Games (with guest score from my niece Keira) gives this one a puzzly 10 / 12, If you are wanting a little different flavor in your bottle of rum, grab a copy of this and enjoy. Just play it with someone your own age, or prepare to BE owned.
