I have already presented My top anticipated wargames of 2021 so the time has come to elaborate now more on general boardgames wish-list. Coincidentally (really? 🙂 ) the list will contain some of the violent titles, with RPG and EURO games twist. These are of course my choices and I am sure some of you would add different positions to those list – feel free to do it in comments section!

1. Frosthaven from Cephalofair Games

Me, Jakub G and Jakub J are great fans of the Gloomhaven. We have played already over 40 scenarios, which resulted in multiple strategy related articles and monster analysis essays. So when Frosthaven Kiskctarer campaign launched last year it more then obvious that we need to get this game!

Frosthaven is the story of a small outpost far to the north of the capital city of White Oak, an outpost barely surviving the harsh weather as well as invasions from forces both known and unknown. There, a group of mercenaries (that is you!) at the end of their rope will help bring back this settlement from the edge of destruction.

We will have sixteen new characters, three new races, more than twenty new enemies, more than one hundred new items, and a new, 100-scenario campaign. Still, this is a standalone adventure, which can be played if you do not posses Gloomhaven.

What I really like and would love to see in play, is that in addition to having the well-known combat mechanisms of Gloomhaven, Frosthaven will feature much more to do outside of combat, such as numerous mysteries to solve, a seasonal event system to live through, and player control over how this ramshackle village expands, with each new building offering new ways to progress.

Cant’t wait to see the game published – and lockdown / pandemic contained so we can come back to face-to-face Gloomhaven / Frosthaven sessions!

More on the title:

2. Oath from Leder Games

Here we have a similar situation like in the first point on the list – me being influenced by already known designer and publisher. I am huge fan of ROOT created by Cole Wehrle from Leder Games. I have played thoroughly base game, Riverfolk and Underworld Expansion, solo mode and even digital version! You name it… So when I saw that there will be another game from the same publisher and designer, I knew excellent game with a great replayability awaits me!

In Oath, one to six players guide the course of history in an ancient land. Players might take the role of agents bolstering the old order or scheme to bring the kingdom to ruin. The consequences of one game will ripple through those that follow (I really like that mechanic!), changing what resources and actions future players may have at their disposal and even altering the game’s core victory condition.

The core rules are pretty simple: Players will spend their turns adventuring within the Chancellor’s realm and the lands that surround it. They will gather support, recruit warbands, and discover dark and dangerous secrets. Over the course of the game, players will collectively populate the world with a cast of strange and wonderful characters and institutions. This world is essentially a shared tableau, which every player can interact with and seek to control.

In Oath, there are no fancy production tricks, app-assisted mechanisms or production gimmicks. The game can be reset at any time and doesn’t require the same play group from one game to the next. A player might use the fully-featured solo mode to play several generations during the week and then use that same copy of the game for Saturday game-night with friends. There are no scripted narratives or predetermined end points. The history embedded in each copy of Oath will grow to be as unique as the players who helped build it.

Kickstarter campaign page

I have watched the game-play example with the author and it is really interesting. I strongly suggest you watch it too – will you support the Chancellor to maintain grip on the empire or rather try to challenge him?

More on the title:

3. Darwin’s Journey from ThunderGryph Games

Here I had a problem as what to put on position number 3. There were couple of games I am really curious to see – and thus that is why those which did not made this place will be mentioned below. Still, a good, old-fashioned EURO game with some new twists and tricks and beautiful components finally made the podium.

Darwin’s Journey is a worker-placement Eurogame in which players recall Charles Darwin’s memories of his adventure through the Galapagos islands, which contributed to the development of his theory of evolution.

With the game’s innovative worker progression system, each worker will have to study the disciplines that are a prerequisite to perform several actions in the game, such as exploration, correspondence, gathering, and dispatch of repertoires found on the island to museums in order to contribute to the human knowledge of biology. The game lasts five rounds, and thanks to several short- and long-term objectives, every action you take will grant victory points in different ways.

Studying the game in more details I can definitely see it has potential to bring some new, fresh ideas and mechanics to such a popular genre like Worker-Placement-Games. Hope to see it still this year – with the popularity it gained during the campaign that should be possible!

More on the title:

Honoroable mentions

Dominant Species Marine by GMT

We like what we know, because what we know we like. Well, you can easily put that sentence here. Again, my whole boardgames group – my wife including – simply loves the Dominant Species. One of the most brutal games, with great worker-placement mechanics, so much loved by everybody. Thus this is not surprising that I keep an eye on its sequel, which will bring some new mechanics.

The main changes will be:

  • actions are taken immediately whenever a pawn is placed
  • domination is no longer on a per-tile basis, and is no longer ‘competitive’ with other players
  • animals no longer have default special abilities. Now, players are dealt 3 Trait cards during setup, choosing one to keep and putting the others back in the box
  • acquiring special pawns through domination gives a player great flexibility in planning and executing a strategy.)

Would the sequel live-up to the expectations and great popularity of its predecessor? We shall see!

Summary

There are so many new titles and not so much time to familiarize with all of them. I am really glad that our hobby is thriving and we see each and every year more and more great games! What are the ones on your radar for 2021?