Usually, I know what I will be backing, weeks in advance. I monitor games in the database, I know what will show up, and by the time it launches, I already know whether I am interested. Oftentimes though, I end up canceling my pledge, as it happens lately for Witcher: Paths of Destiny, Flame & Fang, or Dragon Eclipse.
But yesterday, something unexpected happened. I backed a game I had completely ruled off, in the last hour of the campaign: Mayan Curse.
Mayan Curse is a puzzle game featuring a solo mode where you just try to make as many points as you can, with an "achievement" system on top of it à la Cascadia. Every turn, you draw three glyphs, can move three bars or temple levels, and then can advance on straight rows of each of the three glyphs. You play against a timer that you can control to some extent. And that's about it. Simple, clean, spatial-based: it checks all the marks of a game I can enjoy. I am not fond of the "Indiana Jones"-like theme, but I can't be insensitive to a bunch of pretty Mayan glyphs.
Why did I rule it out initially, then? Well, based on the cover, which was hugely unappealing to me. It turns out there was a discussion about that very cover on BGG, and I was still subscribed to the game (I am subscribed to many games until they launch to keep my future releases calendar up to date). I read the discussion, enjoyed the designer's reply, checked the campaign, got hooked. I read the rules of course, and was definitely convinced.
To avoid upsetting the Cosmic Balance too much though, I canceled my pledge for Valkà. I enjoyed the art a lot, but couldn't really grasp the rules, and the video of the bare-chested moustache guy with a cape showed me I would feel very much bored with the gameplay.
Currently, I also have pledges for Mons & Mages (although I am still not 100% sure but the approaching campaign end will settle things for me) and Gates of Niflheim. And the new Bullet expansions obviously, but these don't count - it is barely a KS anyway, more like a pre-order. In the following weeks, there is also a good chance that I will back Draconicus if they really add a solo mode as they have promised.