It's New Game Friday! David Wiley (Cardboard Clash) is here to tell us about the new games.
Here’s what is new this week:
- Brains
- Iron Helm: Adventure Pack 4: Crystal Caverns
- Meow!
https://www.pnparcade.com/collections/new-games
Iron Helm Adventure Pack 4: Crystal Caverns
You can barely feel your frozen hands and face as you finally reach the entrance to the elusive Crystal Caverns. Rumors tell that great fortune and danger await!
If you’re reading this, you probably fall into one of two camps: those who have played Iron Helm and loved it or those who haven’t discovered their love for Iron Helm yet. The latter was me, friends, and then I tried this one out and it’s quite a gem of a game. This adventure takes you through the Crystal Caverns, and like previous expansions I love how easy it is to integrate into the base game. Who doesn’t want an expansion where Troll Dung is one of the cards? Seriously. Adventure within and slay the Crystal Drake. Or, perhaps, die trying. The choice is yours, adventurer! I’ll be answering the call, will you?
Brains!
You command an army of the undead. Using your zombie horde, beat your opponents to be the first to collect valuable treasures!
You have simple actions (zombies need simple), and it boils down to collecting cards and playing them either for a powerful action or putting them into your scoring area to try and be the first to reach 21. However, you can’t win until your next turn after reaching 21…and then only if you announce Brains! The cardplay is what will make this a clever little game, with several variants included and a lower point threshold for a 5-player game. If you want to dig right into a game without learning a ton of rules, and get right into fun and clever gameplay, then don’t look past this one.
Meow
You and the other neophytes have finally made it to the Cult of Cat’s initiation ceremony! Now all you need to do is complete the ritual without breaking any of the secret rules. How hard can it be?
If you enjoy social deduction games with a twist, you won’t want to miss out on Meow. In this game, every card in hand has a rule on it. When you play a card, you must act out the rule and read it aloud. Then you’ll ask, one player at a time, if you’ve broken any of the rules from the cards in their hand. If so, they reveal the card whose rule you’ve broken and it gets shuffled into the deck to resurface later. Manage to take your turn without breaking any held rules (not counting your own) and you will win the game. Talk about a unique take on this sort of game, right? Imagine the hilarity that shall ensue!
Pick up all the new games here:
https://www.pnparcade.com/collections/new-games
Game of the Week: A Rusty Throne
King Alric is mad, everyone knows that; a rusty mind on a rusty throne. As the heir to Prydon's northern highlands, the troubles of court are far away for you until the King has your father executed for a treason he didn't commit. Pledging to end his reign, you march to war. The other Lords of the land stand with the King for now; no matter, you will take their castles by force. The King has more men, more resources and more power, but you have friends at court, spies who can influence the King's military decisions. Perhaps that will be enough, if the flames of heaven will it.
This one I’ve played and really, really enjoyed. If you like diceless combat, simple yet challenging AI opponents, and “dudes on a map” area control, then this one has a ton of promise for you. Whether you’re a seasoned veteran of wargames, or new to them as a whole genre, this should be a very accessible title to try out while offering plenty of depth for experienced players. If you’ve never tried a wargame with a CDG (Card-driven game) mechanic, you’re in for a treat. If you enjoy how it functions here, I can give some great next-step recommendations (such as Watergate!).
Check out Game of the Week here: https://www.pnparcade.com/collections/game-of-the-week
See you next week with more information on our newest print and play games!