Welcome back to Gaming Shelf, Gizmodo’s column all about board games and tabletop roleplaying games. In this latest edition, we’ve got a board game about gods celebrating the wonder of dinosaurs, some awesome roleplaying dice inlaid with (fake) mosquitos, and another delay for one of IDW’s most anticipated games. Check it out!
News and Releases
Metal Gear Solid: The Board Game Delayed Again
IDW Games has announced that Metal Gear Solid: The Board Game is getting another delay. The board game, which is based on the best-selling video game series, was originally set to come out in 2019 but was pushed back a year, and now it’s getting pushed back again to 2021. In a statement, IDW Games said it’s because the company “will not compromise our standards for the quality of game our community deserves.” Folks who’ve already backed the game will get a “holiday gift” in December, as well as an invite in March 2021 to try out the game on virtual tabletop platforms like Tabletop Simulator and Tabletopia. IDW also announced the price of the game will go up to $US125 ($169), but folks who’ve already backed the game won’t see a price change.
The Last Brave
Japanime Games has announced that The Last Brave, designed by Love Letter creator Seiji Kanai, is getting an English-language release. In this quick-play secret identity game, 3-7 players take on the role of Champions with the goal of exposing each other’s weaknesses and using their skills against them to be the last one standing. The Last Brave is set to come out in November and will cost $US10 ($14).
Diving Into the Wreck
Catalyst Game Labs is partnering up with author Kristin Kathryn Rusch to turn her Diving Universe novels into a series of board games. According to Dice Tower News, the first game is called Diving Into the Wreck and it’ll be a cooperative push-your-luck dice game. It’s based on the first book in the series, which is about groups who salvage abandoned ships and space stations. The game is set to come out in November and should be available through the Catalyst Game Labs store soon.
Trivial Pursuit: Horror Ultimate Edition
USAopoly has released a terrifying new version of Trivial Pursuit: the Horror Ultimate Edition. This version features 1,800 questions all about horror pop culture, in six ghoulish categories: Gore & Disturbing, Psychological, Killer, Monster, Paranormal, and Comedy. It looks like a creepy good time, though I’m mostly here for those awesome tokens (I call the baby head). Trivial Pursuit: Horror Ultimate Edition is currently available for $US50 ($68).
Gods Love Dinosaurs
Pandasaurus Games has announced a new worker-placement game with an adorable twist: dinos. In Kasper Lapp’s Gods Love Dinosaurs, players take on the roles of different gods who are super into dinosaurs; the goal is to make the ecosystem as friendly to your favourite dinos’ survival as possible (so best avoid those pesky meteors). Gods Love Dinosaurs is currently available for pre-order for $US40 ($54) and it’s set to come out October 21.
Crowdfunding
Note: The covid-19 pandemic and Trump’s trade war with China have impacted board game production. We strongly advise you check with crowdfunding developers about possible delays, but don’t let that dissuade you from supporting these campaigns.
ANTEMATTER
Antematter is a cool board game that combines combat strategy with the rules of poker. Players take on roles like space pirates, missionaries, and privateers as they gamble, cheat, or scheme their way to the top. The game also comes with a comic book, Crocodile Tears, that helps introduce the game’s larger story and universe. Antematter will be on Kickstarter through September 25. The minimum pledge for a copy is $81 and it’s set to come out in April 2021.
Plantopia: The Card Game
Plantopia is a card game set in the universe of the Life of a Potato comic, and is all about helping Potato and its friends grow the wildest garden in the world. Designed by Daryl Chow (Overbooked, The Artemis Project), it has 2-5 players competing to build gardens filled with adorable but dangerous plants that can wipe the other gardens off the map. Plantopia: The Card Game will be on Kickstarter through September 22. The minimum pledge for a copy is $31 and it’s set to come out in December.
Dungeons and Lasers Second Edition
Curious to put your PC miniatures through the ringer in a dungeon, but don’t want to spend time glueing something together that’s just gonna be taken apart later? Archon Studios is releasing a new edition of Dungeons and Lasers, a plastic tabletop terrain system complete with walls, floors, doors, archways, and more — and all you have to do is click each piece into place. This means the dungeon environment can be changed on a whim, creating new environments and obstacles for your players. Dungeons and Lasers will be on Kickstarter through September 9. The minimum pledge for a set is $134 and it’s set to come out in August 2021.
Weird Tales Presents: Pandemonium Noir
Pandemonium Noir is a new tabletop roleplaying game based on James Aquilone’s Dead Jack series and inspired by the stories and creations from Weird Tales Magazine. It’s set in the dimension of Pandemonium, a strange land filled with monsters, supernatural creatures, and plenty of noir-style mysteries to solve. It’s a wild trip through a midnight double feature at the local drive-in, powered by Monte Cook Games’ Cypher System. Weird Tales Presents: Pandemonium Noir will be on Kickstarter through October 1. The minimum pledge for a digital copy is $27 while a physical copy (with quarterly zine subscription) is $68, and both are expected to come out in August 2021.
The Enneagram / Mosquito in Amber RPG Dice
Welcome… to Jurassic Game. Designer Enrica Martiné has come out with a new line of deluxe roleplaying game dice based on the Enneagram Personality Test (which you can take here). There are also some Kickstarter-exclusive dice sets inspired by It, Breaking Bad, and some awesome-looking “mosquito in amber” dice that look straight out of Jurassic Park. (Don’t worry, they’re 3D-printed mosquitos, not real ones). The Enneagram RPG dice sets will be on Kickstarter through September 25. The minimum pledge for a single die is $9, with prices going up based on amount and style, and they’re set to come out in May 2021.