There's always a new game on crowdfunding site Kickstarter, whether it's a video game, a board game or a pen-and-paper RPG.
It's been a while since I've written about any of them, but it's time to change that. There are a handful of really cool looking tabletop games that are out right now, and a couple of the campaigns are nearly over. So now's the time to jump on those bandwagons and pledge (with all the usual caveats about backer-beware.)
We won't waste time with introductions, however.
Let's take a look at five neat tabletop games on Kickstarter right now, starting with...
1. Invisible Sun by Monte Cook
If you don't know who Monte Cook is yet, you haven't been paying attention to tabletop role-playing games. The long-time game designer first crowdfunded his game Numenera on Kickstarter (now also an in-development CRPG) and has returned to the crowdfunding platform to publish Invisible Sun.
The premium tabletop game (minimum pledge is $197) sounds really weird, though it comes in some seriously nice packaging. The short description is a "game of surrealistic fantasy, secrets and magic played both at the table---and away from it."
Basically, the game takes place in a dimension near our own called the Actuality (whereas we live in Shadow). The Actuality is a realm of magic and astonishment and danger. There's an emphasis on powerful, rare and unique magic, with spells such as The Flock Scatters at the Sound of Teeth and The Punishment of Change Comes to the Wary.
Pretty fascinating, honestly, though I'm not sure I can justify a $200 pledge. Check out some gameplay below. It's definitely... different.
I'm not going to go into great detail here. You can read all about it at the Kickstarter page. It's a pretty unique campaign, replete with cryptic pledge level amounts, funding goal amounts and other numeric puzzles. Also, the pledge level isn't the only thing that determines your reward. When you back the game also impacts that outcome. So pay close attention.
Funding Goal: $210,653
Amount funded: $304,960
Days Remaining: 24
Minimum Pledge: $197
2. Zweihander by Daniel Fox
Zweihander, we are told many times in the description of the pen-and-paper game, is a Grim & Perilous game. It's also a really cool sounding concept that reminds me a lot of the types of games I try to develop in my free time: brutal combat, hard choices, complex characters with both talents and flaws, all set in a gritty, low fantasy setting. That's my jam right there and, full disclosure, I did back this project.
The game sounds like something of a cross between more classic D&D and indie games like Burning Wheel, with maybe a dash of Warhammer Fantasy tossed in for good measure.
It's also described as "world agnostic" which you might as well call "generic setting" which is also fine with me. I like good rules more than I like good settings. With good rules I can come up with the setting on my own (though, to be fair, I like to tinker with rules just as much as I enjoy coming up with a setting.) In any case, it's generic and modular, so creative gamemasters should have a lot to work with, which is pretty much exactly what I want out of a good pen and paper game.
You can see examples of character sheets, read about the combat in more detail and check out pledge levels (one of which includes a sword) over at the Kickstarter page.
Funding Goal: $7,100
Amount Funded: $55,441
Days Remaining: 40 hours
Minimum Pledge: $1 ($10 to get the PDF)
3. Prince Valiant by Stewart Wieck
You remember the Prince Valiant comic strips by Hal Foster, right? Chivalrous knights with bad haircuts in the middle of a story you probably didn't really read because you had no idea what was going on?
Well, that was my experience with the comic, anyways. I always sort of wanted to know what was going on because as much as I liked Calvin & Hobbes or The Far Side, I loved all things Medieval more. But I never really got into Prince Valiant.
That could change with this new version of the Prince Valiant roleplaying game. The original was created by legendary game designer Greg Stafford (creator of the wonderful Pendragon RPG) back in 1989. Stewart Wieck's new edition will be a "significant improvement" over the original: hardcover, rather than soft, with full color artwork rather than black and white.
The game itself is being overhauled as well, and uses a coin-flip mechanic to make it as simple and accessible as possible---something nice especially for new or younger players.
Read more about it at the Kickstarter page.
Funding Goal: $5,000
Amount Funded: $39,129
Days Remaining: 3
Minimum Pledge: $1 ($12 to get the PDF)
4. The Gods War by Sandy Peterson
The Gods War is an epic strategy board game of godly proportions. Or, as the Kickstarter puts it, the board game "combines asymmetric strategy with fantastic plastic figures."
Here's the longer description, which sounds pretty sweet:
Designed by Sandy Petersen and based on the mythic cult universe of Glorantha, The Gods War is a fast moving strategy game set in a universe on the brink of disaster. In The Gods War, you take the part of powerful elemental factions, battling to determine the fate of the cosmos.The Gods War has been in development for more than three years. It is highly asymmetric featuring wildly different factions. You’ll fight over territory, perform miracles, and command monsters and gods. You can storm the gates of heaven itself, or watch the world collapse into the Chaos Rift.
The game definitely has a Greek gods vibe to it, which you can really see in all the miniatures:
The whole thing looks really fun, but you don't have to take my word for it---you can actually print and play the board game yourself and try before you back. Here's how.
Read more about The Gods Ware over at Kickstarter.
Funding Goal: $100,000
Amount Funded: $390,735
Days Remaining: 22
Minimum Pledge: $1 ($125 to get the board game)
5. Lotus Dimension by Scott Wayne Indiana
Finally we come to Lotus Dimension. This is a game that should appeal to either A) Buddhist tabletop gamers and/or B) gamers who enjoy non-violent solutions to conflict.
That's basically the central crux of this modern, eccentric RPG. You don't battle your way out of conflict; you think or talk your way out.
"I've always admired D&D because it's rooted in storytelling, magic and adventure, and it requires creativity and collaboration," writes creator Scott Wayne Indiana. "But I wanted to know: What would a game structured similarly to D&D be like if players had to solve all the challenges the game threw at them using nonviolent means?"
The game takes place in the slight future, and is set in a version of our world where portals have opened up to other worlds. The gamemaster is the "guru guide" and players stats are "loosely designed around the noble eightfold path in Buddhism and the concept of karma."
The goal of the game is to accomplish all the tasks set out before you while causing the least amount of harm possible. Kind of like running a Dishonored playthrough without killing!
It's a neat concept. I'm curious how it will play out in practice. Actually, it makes me think I need to revise how I'm playing tabletop games with my kids. Less killing! More problem solving!
This is the only one of the five games here not fully backed, but there's still nearly a month left. Go check it out over at Kickstarter.
Funding Goal: $15,000
Amount Funded: $2,991
Days Remaining: 28
Minimum Pledge: $5 ($25 for the Starter Set)
That's all folks.
I'll try to do better at keeping you all appraised of cool Kickstarter projects going forward. I think I had Kickstarter fatigue or burnout or something. But some of these games look really neat and deserve at least your perusal.
Let me know of any other cool tabletop games you're playing or looking forward to playing in the comments or on Twitter or Facebook.
Note: Time remaining on each of these is as of this writing. This will change---obviously---as time goes on.
