NSKN Games
NSKN Games presents a new approach to civilization building games on Kickstarter with Progress: Evolution of Technology. The game focuses only on technological development, throughout its three ages players bring technology cards into play that are worth victory points, but also upgrade their abilities in the game. A new technology might allow them to take additional actions per turn, draw more cards, have more hand cards and so on. The price for new technologies is Knowledge, which is generated by discarding hand cards. Or you could have the right prerequisites in play and get the new tech for free. Finding your way to free tech through the labyrinth of prerequisites seems to be the main concern on your way to victory. Progress is light on the rules, but the different technologies and abilities give you very different options to develop your game.
Fantasy Flight Games
The dwarfs, Order’s new champions in Warhammer Diskwars: Hammer and Hold, have been in the spotlight for long enough. This newest preview shows off the other new races on Order’s side, Lizardmen and Wood Elves. Lizardmen have a thing for poisons and will weaken their enemies sting by sting before engaging them up close and personal. Wood Elves, on the other hand, hide out in the forest and destroy their enemies from the shadows of the threes, they get bonuses from being in rough and dangerous terrains, where others fear to tread.
Descent expansion Manor of Ravens not only leads the Heroes into a cursed, decaying mansion inhabited by evil spirits. It’s a cursed decaying mansion inhabited by evil spirits that is also a bandit hideout. Oh what fun it will be. And heroes will really hate the new Bandit monsters, because they can do something no other monster does so far: they steal search cards, reducing the heroes’ loot. Of course, the Wraiths with their Death Cry ability won’t be much more popular. Both new monster types deal the new status effect Doomed that makes a hero take more damage until he removes it by spending a surge in combat. Sounds wonderful for hit and run tactics for the Overlord, a hero that doesn’t reach a monster can’t discard the Doomed effect.
Alderac Entertainment
In September, Alderac will bring some new factions to Smash Up! that really, really need to be in that game. I mean, now that I know what they will be, I don’t know how I could ever not miss them. Smash Up: Monster Smash will include four new factions, just like the other expansions. Vampires will suck their victims dry and gain strength for destroying minions. Mad Scientists have the means to empower their creatures. Giant Ants have a hive mind thing going and can spread their power to wherever it is needed. Finally, Werewolves bring primal power to the table. New mechanics in this expansion add bonus power counters to cards. And the full monster horror package will be done in time for Halloween. (Plans for Halloween this year: send two cards to everyone or every couple invited to give them the theme for their costumes. That should be fun!)
Conquistador Games
In time for the big football event of the year (I’m not calling it by its name because I’m not sure if FIFA still allows that …), Conquistador Games have launched their Kickstarter Campaign for the football (soccer, if that’s how you must call it) game Fútbol Strategy. As trainer of your team, you pick the stars you wish to field, all with their own strengths and weaknesses, and direct them over the field running, passing and scoring. All your players are just cards on the board, but that means you always have their attributes in sight when playing. Rules for penalties, corner shots, yellow and red cards, it’s all there. It’s just a shame that it won’t be done in time for that upcoming tournament, because it sounds way more fun than watching games on TV.
Cephalofair Games
Forge War, the first Kickstarter project by designer Isaac Childres, is what a business consultant might call an end-to-end monster-slaying game. That’s because you don’t just slay monsters, you start with mining the metals, then you acquire blueprints for weapons, forge them from aforementioned metal, hire your adventurers, equip them and then finally send them to slay monsters. Going on quests and slaying monsters requires good planning skills so your can be properly equipped for each step of the long quests. Mining, on the other hand, requires good spatial reasoning because of the interesting way overseers and workers interact in the mine. From reading the rules, it does sound like a really good mix.
Modiphius Entertainment
For the 50th anniversary of TV series Thunderbirds next year, Modiphius Entertainment have announced they will create a cooperative Thunderbirds game. For those who, like me, haven’t heard of the series: it follows the adventures of the ultra-rich Tracy family who have decided to spend their money on amazingly high tech vehicles which they use to rescue people from death and disasters all over the world. Their adversaries are gangsters and governments who want their technology for less noble purposes. As you have probably guessed, Thunderbirds players will slip into the roles of the Tracy family and try to save the world. Just as relevant for gamers, maybe even more so, is that the game will be design by coop game grandmaster Matt Leacock (Pandemic, Forbidden Island,…). Even if you’re not into old TV series, that should get your attention.
This week’s featured photo shows the sunrise over Indonesia’s Borobudur Temple. Those little bell-shaped things are called stupa, and each of the 72 at Borobudur contains a Buddha statue. This amazing photo was taken by Justine Hong and shared with a CC-BY license. Thank you, Justine!