Lords of Scotland (LoS) is a game of strategy set during the interregnum period of Scottish history.
After Margaret, the Maid of Norway died leaving the Scottish throne empty, a number of contenders arose in Scotland, each with his own claim to royal descent. In history, Robert, leader of the Bruce clan was able to gather enough support underneath him to unify the warring factions in Scotland, claim the throne and defend Scottish independence against the advances of the Edwards of Britain. However, in LoS, history has yet to be written and each player assumes the role of one of the powerful aristocrats with a legitimate claim to the throne.
As a lord of Scotland, each player commands the loyalty and service of a number of clans. Using these clans to fight against his rivals, each player seeks to build up a sufficient number of supporters among the clans of Scotland to be recognized as the true leader of Scotland. However, since no single battle in Scotland is ever definitive, it is only the lord who best manages his resources over a number of skirmishes with his rivals who will triumph in the end.
Scorched Earth is a post-apocalyptic adventure game for 2-4 players. It’s half-RPG, half euro-style pick-up and delivery, and half heavy-combat racing game. We’ve put a lot of work into creating a coherent world filled with mutants and monsters and plain folks just trying to get by. Players operate different driver characters in a variety of vehicles that they customize with an assortment of crazy weapons and armor, and they compete against each other to lay claim to various reputations. Like all classic RPGs, characters gain experience and level up. In Scorched Earth, though, you also have to worry about radioactive fallout, bizarre weather patterns, feral kids, and talking apes.
Drivers compete against each other to lay claim to a handful of Reputations that are chosen at the start of the game. Some of the available Reps are very aggressive (like blasting other drivers or monsters), and some are more low key (like completing missions for different towns or delivering the most cargo or passengers). Depending on the mood of your gaming group, you can customize the assortment of Reps. So in some sessions, it can be blistering post-apocalyptic warfare from the first turn; in other sessions it can be a more thoughtful, strategic game of planning efficient routes through the wastes, and maximizing your transport capacity.
In Spectral Rails you take on the role of an Engineer of a Ghost Train, delivering lost souls back to their homes. In order to grant these souls peace Engineers must burn Ether to make it to the deceased’s destinations. Of course, you will leave a trail behind so that other Engineers may take advantage of your work, a shame you can’t use your own tracks. Never fear though your Ether trail will dissipate in time… The Engineer that earns the most from delivering souls wins the game.
The track building itself still remains unique, and not just for the sake of being different. The tracks that you build are effectively a free ride for everyone but you, so you have to plan on using other players’ track. But often they aren’t going where you are going. Even still, the farther you move the more quickly your track dissipates. So track that you rely on being there for you may just evaporate. The game stands on its own without feeling remotely like anything that has been produced since its conception.
In Trollhalla, the trolls from Bridge Troll have decided that it’s time for a career change. The game’s back-of-the-box description runs something like this:
You are tired of guarding bridges and shaking down weary travelers all for the sake of a few clinking coins! Tolls are down, bandits are up, and besides, living under your bridge is damp and uncomfortable-—and breathing all that crumbling bridge mortar is taking a toll on your lungs…
It’s time to venture forth and find some fresh sea air! In Trollhalla, you join forces with your fellow trolls to sail the seas in search of islands filled with pillage and plunder. Crunchy livestock, nervous monks, panicked princesses, piles of gold, and casks of grog await you! But watch out for Billy Goats–if you’re not careful they will knock parts of your precious stolen cargo out of your boat!
With so many goodies lying about on these islands, it feels like you’ve died and gone to troll heaven, or perhaps someplace even better – Trollhalla!
In terms of actual gameplay, players take turns placing trolls on the board (small tokens). Trolls emerge from below each ship’s deck ready to plunder and scout the seas of Trollhalla! Trolls placed on ships claim plunder from nearby islands when a ship sails. Trolls placed in the sea will scout for destinations and determine where these ships sail, and also award players cards that perform special actions. The player who uses his trolls to fill his private boat with the most valuable collection of plunder wins the game!
Undermining is all about mining and upgrading. Each player gets their own Universal Mining Vehicle (or UMVee for short), that they use to mine various minerals with which they can then use to upgrade their UMVee, or to fill contracts for cash. The mining takes place on an alien asteroid, where ancient alien technologies have been found. Many special items can be found, that can be used to gain a tactical advantage over the other players.
Upgrading in Undermining is very open, each player can upgrade their UMVee in any way they choose, allowing for many interesting play styles to emerge.
The game is based on an Action Point Allowance system, where players are given a certain number of actions each turn, and they can spend them however they want. They use these actions to move around the board, drilling into the ground for resources and Alien Technologies. Players are trying to end the game with the more credits than anyone else. They gain credits by drilling resources, but if the resources are used to fill contracts, their profit will increase, sometimes dramatically. The more contracts that are filled, the less each contract is worth, so players have the constant agony of trying to decide between upgrading for more power, or filling contracts for more credits.
Chronicle is a trick taking card game designed by Seiji Kanai. A new chapter in the Chronicle is about to be written, those who do the best at securing the allies that best deal with the problems of the age will be the ones to earn the fame, and potentially the game.
Every round a History card is turned face up, this will dictate the type of cards that will win a player fame points and therefore the type of cards they will be trying to win through taking the tricks. For example – if the History card Monsters Attack is turned face up, players will be trying to collect ‘Power’ cards, as cards of the ‘Power’ suit will best be able to drive off the monsters.
There are some twists in the game, of course, as different card powers may affect cards already played to the trick, or allow players to discard unwanted cards they have already collected. Players must watch each other’s collected cards very carefully, as only the strongest set of required cards will win fame – or it may be a player who manages to collect evil cards that will gain the fame.
Chronicle takes around 30 minutes to play, and can be played by between 3 and 6 players (4-5 is recommended)… will your name be the one written into the Chronicle?
Lords of Scotland, Trollhalla, and Chronicle should be released between now and April while the other titles discussed have no scheduled release except for the knowledge we should see them sometime in 2011.
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