Springtime Grumpy

Athena: May is blooming with Kickstarters, JW. Are you backing anything?

JW: I am spring cleaning my collection. Only interested in games that can be played again and again, no one-offs.

Athena: Is Dawnshade more replayable than Too Many Bones? It looks like a Chip Theory tribute band with TMB lookalikes.

JW: It has 34,220 quest combinations available. I just know I will accidentally pick the six bad ones, then give up. I think I'll stick to Too Many Bones.

Athena: Okay. Crisis at Steamfall is getting an expansion. To secure more plays, I suppose.

JW: The Crisis at Steamfall base game advertised "maximum replayability". So what do we need an expansion for? It won't get any more replayable. This Kickstarter campaign will offer 150 cards you are never going to use as it was already at its max.

Athena: Pulp Invasion has beautiful vintage artwork and custom dice. Is it replayable?

JW: I have forbidden myself to buy any more Todd Sanders games ever again. They all look great, but you are completely at the mercy of randomness. So no Pulp Invasion for me.

Image source: BGG

Athena: HEL: The Last Saga. Great artwork but... *sigh* a saga. Haven't we had enough storybook games?

JW: I'd be interested in this survival horror Viking game if I didn't have to read all those chapters while playing.

Athena: There is also this weird sci-fi game, Sheol.

JW: Sheol, yes. I'm sorry. I saw "deep lore" and clicked away.

Athena: Right. Then I won't even ask about Sea of Legends.

Let's instead talk about a favourite subject, tacked-on solo modes: seems like we have a fair share of them this month. Those Railroad Inks, for example. 'All-new focus on player interaction'. Exactly what a solo player needs.

JW: There's more: Euthia, Maharaja, Crimson Company, Capital Lux 2, Maztec. All designed with the solo player in mind. As an afterthought.

Athena: Oh well. At least the Nemesis: Lockdown expansion is solo-friendly. Maybe we'll need it for the lockdowns that await us if a vaccine isn't found.

JW: In these uncertain times, there is one certain thing we can hang on to: Mini Rogue and One Deck Galaxy will be postponed. Again.