Watch your Back: Week July 10 to 16
After a short, much-needed vacation, I'm back to duty. Four games are scheduled to launch this coming week. Nothing special enough to make me forget the joys of sunny beaches, but we can't have it all, can we.
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Let's start with Isle of Trains: All Aboard: as the title suggests, this is a 1-4 player game in which you build trains and transport passengers and goods across an island. Engine-building is the main mechanism, with multi-use cards which you can spend to build and upgrade your vehicles, or load as cargo. Solo mode hasn't been revealed yet. It is launching on Kickstarter on July 11.
Personal opinion: Not jumping on this band-wagon.
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Then we have Moon: a new game by Haakon Gaarder who you may know from his previous titles, Villagers and Streets. This is a 1-5 player drafting and set collection game in which you are trying to create the most popular Moon base for people to come and inhabit.
In each round, you will draft construction cards which give bonuses while also trying to meet your reputation goal for the round. Whoever has the most points in the end, wins. Solo mode rules haven't been revealed yet. It is launching on Kickstarter on July 12.
Personal opinion: I've skipped the designer's past titles because of my aversion to artificial opponents, and this won't be any different.
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The One Hundred Torii: Diverging Paths is an expansion for the 1-4 player tile-laying and set collection game The One Hundred Torii. The expansion adds new scoring possibilities with shrines, and two new characters, the gambler and the pilgrim.
Your goal in the base game is to score the most journey points by passing through as many gates as possible. Solo mode is played against the Onatsu AI. It is launching on Kickstarter on July 12 alongside a Hanafuda deck illustrated by Vincent Dutrait.
Personal opinion: Vincent Dutrait art is always a feast for the eyes. The game isn't for me but I'll take a look at the Hanafuda deck as a collectible.
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And last, we have Dead Throne: World of Veles - Core Edition: a 1-7 player adventure game which supports both competitive and solo/co-op gameplay. Dead Throne had first launched in 2019 (I remember the fancy box setup), and is advertised as open-world: you can choose to wander around the map killing monsters, completing side quests and building your own scenarios.
In the co-op mode your goal is to defend the towns from the attacks of evil creatures, while in solo you will roam around fighting monsters in order to save the people and yourself. It is launching on Kickstarter on July 13.
Personal opinion: I like the premise but not the looks of this game. Let's face it, the games market is very competitive, and visuals can make or break a project.