December is nearly upon us. And while Kickstarter pledges might not be among my top wishes for the Santa (i want something I can play during the holidays!), there are tons of interesting projects running right now, that should ship next year.
Want to know if there’s anything worth backing right now? Spoiler time: there is!
Divinity: Original Sin – The Board Game – A tabletop role playing board game heavily based on two video games of the same name, made in close collaboration with their creators. 1 to 4 players can play at once, and experience the lore-rich world of Rivellon through a whole new medium. Divinity uses a storybook that enriches the narrative by a lot and makes it nonlinear and filled with choices. The outcomes of your actions will affect further games, and the entire world where they take place. Apart from the main board, and the mini boards, the game includes over 800 beautifully illustrated cards and a mini for each adventurer. If you’re a fan of the video game or want a solid board game with RPG elements – this is your choice of the week.
Dawn of Madness – Diemension Games is back with a new take on Deep Madness. The new game takes place in a strange nightmare realm, where protagonists wake up with complete amnesia. The game is again cooperative and horror themed. Progressing through the story will slowly uncover secrets of the world and the mystery of your own amnesia. Authors promise that players will be frightened and keep wanting to come back. Considering that there are more campaigns available, and each is made of several chapters – i can imagine that. If you like horror games, and want to play them in full co-op – this is the title for you.
The Great Wall– Awaken Realms has returned with a new project. This time they’ve decided to test new waters and give us a game from the euro, worker placement genre. The action takes place in China, where we have to protect the legendary wall and our own territories from Mongol invaders. Players recruit soldiers, place them in strategic points and build fortifications. While there is some cooperation, each effort is rewarded with points and there can only be one victor (unless you’re playing in the newly unlocked co-op mode). If you like euros, this might be a great title for you, especially that there’s a budget friendly edition with meeples instead of minis too – priced at $58.
Geeknson Board Game Table | QUESTOWER Ads Sytsem
Honey Buzz – There were so many games about bees released recently, and despite that Honey Buzz managed to collect over 100.000 USD already. Great visuals and ton of humour must have been the deciding factors here. In the world of Honey Buzz, bees have discovered economy and are competing with each other in the honey production business. Players expand their beehives, gather sweet resources and improve the entire process by placing their worker bee “beeples” in a smart way. If you want an euro game, that looks great and is on the more budget side – this will be a perfect choice.
Button Shy Wallet Games – Reprint Campaign – Finally: not one game but a whole collection of games you can pick from. Campaigns from BSWG usually let backers choose few titles from their catalogue of $10 pocket games. Each comes with its own wallet-like cover and can be taken anywhere you want. Most games are based on cards, but that doesn’t mean they’re simple. The campaign is almost over but you still can order everything through BSWS website after it ends. Which one do I recommend here?
- Tussie Mussie – a small 2-4 player game made by a certain designer called Elizabeth Hargrave. Yes, the very same Elizabeth who made last years Kennerspiel des Jahres – Wingspan. Tussie Mussie is a game where you exchange flowers – Victorian era style. You always offer 2 to your opponent – one’s face down and the other: face up. Like in Wingspan: despite the peaceful theme, the gameplay is fantastic, although it’s a much simpler game. If you want something to fit in your pocket and play while on a train/plane – Tussie Mussie’s for you.
- Sprawlopolis – the highest rated game by Button Shy and rightfully so. Its designer has managed to make a city builder game consisting only of 18 cards with parts of the city printed on them. There’s a solo mode and four optional 4 card expansions. Sprawlopolis is a co-op game, where players share a common goal of building a perfect city, with the smallest road maintenance costs. If you’re looking for a tiny but deep game based around cooperation, you’ve just found one!
