It feel like so many board game-related crowdfunding projects launched this week - most of them around 5 March. I'm not sure why this is the case, but it has made for an interesting list of games to consider.
Galactic Cruise - This is an indie game that feels like a Lacerda game because of the involvement of the likes of Ian O'Toole for graphic design AND they also got a favorable quote from Lacerda himself. But it does look like the sort of sprawling Euro game that Tobie and I will enjoy despite it having a ridiculously large table footprint. This project has no stretch goals or first-day/week bonuses, so I'm not rushing into this one and will make a final decision by the end of the campaign.
Etherstone - This is a project shared by publisher Thundergrpyh Games, the same folks behind the ever-beautiful Tang Garden. I got notified about this campaign because I'm on the publisher's mailing list but...I don't think this is our sort of game. It's a weird not-quite-Magic card-battler with heavy drafting and dice-rolling mechanics. Plus I feel weird about games that feel that tarot-sized cards are the way to go to make a project seem more luxurious than it might actually be. I don't think it's a bad game in itself, but it's not the sort of thing we'd be eager to play.
Meeple, Inc. - As someone who enjoyed Game Dev Tycoon, the computer game about designing computer games, I thought I'd be more eager about this board game about designing board games. But there's something about the art direction and overall graphic design approach that feels rather visually overwhelming for me. The gameplay seems interesting enough but...I think we're going to pass on this project. Rather underwhelmed and maybe we'll reconsider it should it appear on the secondhand market in the far future or something.
Floe - This isn't a new project, but I keep getting ads for it, so I thought I'd mention it here as well. I finally took a closer look at this exploration game this week while I was researching the other games and...I'm also not too keen to get this one. It feels a bit too similar to another project that I've backed, Stonesaga, which is another game from the folks who created Mythwind, which has turned out to be a worthy gaming gamble. And since this game seems to live in a similar or at least adjacent space in our gaming world...it's a pass for now.
Ready Set Bet High Roller Edition - This is an existing game that is getting a special edition. There are people who have good things to say about it, but I don't think it's our sort of game. I mean, a lot of people rave about Heat and we don't feel inclined to get a copy of that game either.
So these are all a bunch of games that I've looked at and largely haven't backed or won't back at all. In contrast, a game that I have jumped on is one whose campaign ended the other month, but a recent Shut Up and Sit Down video has convinced me that this is something I want to get on board with. I don't know why I'm ambitiously acquiring more open-world campaign games. But I have put in a late pledge for the second printing of Earthborne Rangers. It has some compelling gameplay mechanics, some absolutely beautiful art, and the promise of some very interesting stories. One of our gaming groups is already enjoying the low-stakes life of Mythwind and I feel this would be a bit more exciting and no less fulfilling.
And before you ask, yes, I also backed the new Brandon Sanderson secret project, but only for the new book.
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