Here again a list of games we might know next to nothing about, but maybe they'll spark your interest (and I'll forward more info when available).
Let's start with a few self-declared Kickstarter (or other crowdfunding platforms).
In Snapshot, described as a card-collecting, dice-managing, push-your-luck game, you take pictures of animals in the wild.
If you prefer something more confrontational, then you may sail the high seas with Rule the Waves, a card-driven wargame in which you command a British Empire Royal Navy ship against the usual ragtag (filthy French, unruly Spanish, ruthless Dutch).
I also think R.O.V.E. (a future Button Shy wallet game) will launch on Kickstarter in August, but I expected Tides to be next, so who knows?
Then you have Mini Containers in which your goal is to get rid of trash, but you must do so in the right containers. The game is from an independent, freshly starting Dutch publisher.
Finally, two bigger players we already knew about: Black Rose Wars will know a Rebirth in September, with a box size that seems just fit to compete with the last iteration of Descent. And we have Modiphius The Elder Scrolls - Skyrim board game that Cadet Stimpy told us about a while ago. Only now it has a BGG page (and hardly more).
Two retail releases now!
Paleo is receiving an expansion (I don't speak German but I guess the title means something like "A new beginning"). A caveat: although Paleo has a solo mode, this expansion is listed as a 2-4 players game for now.
What Next?: it's tempting to throw a pun here but that's really the title of the game. It's a narrative game with flicking challenges interspersed along the way. The publisher is specialized in party games, and this one is a 1-6 players game, so expect something light and maybe awkward if played solo. Apparently it features giant koalas and old ladies with rocket launchers, so you can judge whether this sounds appealing to you or not.
Now, to PnPs!
So, we have first a Karaoke game, Dream Heart Karaoke. Apparently there will be a free version of it. You must win the heart of different characters by playing cards whose words resonate with the feelings and memories of these characters.
Escape the Hyperion is a small tactical/skirmish game. All files are available from the WIP thread in the forums. Your goal is to lead a pack of survivors so they may escape a colony ravaged by some alien infection, while being pursued by stalkers.
Old Oak Hotel is a children's roll and write game, also known as a hybrid between Cartographers and Ugly Gryphon Inn. You must fit room shapes and guests of various species in your hotel, so as to make it as harmonious as possible. Also downloadable from the WIP thread in the forums.
To end this series, a game from Ben Morayta, a designer JW likes to support: Like Herding Cats. Here again, the game is fully available for free so anyone can enjoy it! it's a pick-up-and-deliver game, featuring cats, obviously.
I'll end this long post with three games that don't fit in any of these categories.
First, Apocalypse Zombie, a miniature skirmish game set in the zombie apocalypse. Second, Hellbringer, described as "a RPG Solo-COOP card game (1-3 players) where you play as a hero venturing into the darkness of the tomb of a mighty demon to slay him." Sounds fun. Last, Davy Jones' Locker (not to be confused with the game of the same name by the afore-mentioned Morayta), a game with modular hex board, nautical battles, and ominous tentacles. Plenty of images have been uploaded in the last few days so they may be up to something regarding launch or release!
You may well still be right about Tides being next on KS. ROVE is the August monthly release for Button Shy.......
"ROVE is a solo spatial puzzle game. In each game of ROVE, the player will face a series of mishaps that can only be solved by arranging the 6 module cards in a specific pattern. Moving a module requires Movement Points gained by discarding cards from hand for the listed amount. Players may gain additional Points if their current module layout matches the pattern shown on the discarded card."
"Each module costs 1 Movement Point per activation and uses its own unique movement style, such as only moving diagonally or pushing other modules a single space. Modules also have powerful single-use abilities that can help get players out of a tight spot. Properly timing these abilities -- as well as effectively using the limited number of Movement cards -- will help the player complete ROVE’s mission successfully."
There will also be a 6 card expansion called "Fascinating Flora"