Return to Dark Tower is live (Electronic wizardry restored)
Update: Return to Dark Tower has launched on Kickstarter, and the campaign will run for 20 days. If you can't back the game at the moment but wish to do so a bit later, you may choose the 10$ tier that gives you access to the pledge manager. Otherwise, you have the option to back either just the base game or the more expensive bundle of game plus expansion, miniatures pack and component upgrade.
Our preview post below was published on January 11.
Back in 1981, Orson Welles advertised Dark Tower, a game with an electronic device that produced sounds, light and images. Restoration Games brings a revamped version of this to Kickstarter on January 14.
Return to Dark Tower is a cooperative game for 1-4 players. It comes with several different scenarios and objectives that you have to complete in order to win (e.g. find three treasure items before you enter the tower to fight the Bane of Omens). Each character has their own special abilities which can be upgraded through the course of the game.
On a player's turn, you move, then may take 3 actions: battle (a foe), cleanse (skulls from your area), quest (complete the requirements of a quest). At the end of the turn, you drop a little plastic skull into the tower. It may or may not slide down. If it falls out and lands on a player's kingdom, they have to place it on one of their buildings - and gain corruption. If a hero gains too much corruption, they may lose the game. You also lose if there are no more skulls left to drop into the tower.
Battles work via an app that tells you the enemies' abilities. At certain times during the game, the tower glows and rotates. When it does, you open one of its doors to see what's hidden behind it (it may be a quest or more skulls coming out, or nothing). According to reports from those who have tried the demo, Return to Dark Tower has a Pandemic-level of difficulty that may appeal to a wide range of gamers: seasoned ones, and those who haven't played a game since the season of Orson Welles.
