I hope to get a chance to play all of these and a few I do plan on picking up very soon. This list isn't in any particular order. I might not go into much detail on some of the games, since they are not always light and I haven't seen the rules for any of them and I'd rather be vague than wrong. This isn't the definitive list, there are plenty of new and upcoming games but these are a few I'm really excited about.
I'm going to start with a game that I have heard a lot of buzz about and everything I have heard has been positive.
Blood Rage
Designed by Eric M. Lang
Published by Cool Mini Or Not
Everything I have heard about this game has been good. The theme, Ragnarok and the Vikings last chance to die a honorable death and get into Valhalla, is one I really like. The art and miniatures for the game look fantastic.
It's a strategy game with area control, card combat and player powers. What really interests me is that sometimes losing a battle can be just as beneficial as winning, if they die they get into Valhalla. The card drafting at the start of each round can grant you favour of the gods and will affect your strategy. You can also get control of monsters of Norse mythology, made even better when you take into account Cool Mini Or Not's amazing standard of miniatures.
The hype for this game has been outstanding and combining that with a theme that really interests me has pushed it right up my wishlist. I missed the kickstarter for this so I am waiting for this to be released in the UK. There are plenty of reviews online if you want to know more about how the game works and Blood Rage is due to be released for retail (in the EU at least) soon.
Rum and Bones
Designed by Michael Shinall
Published by Cool Mini Or Not
Another Cool Mini Or Not game. In Rum and Bones you are pirate crews fighting at sea as part of a boarding action. It is based on a MOBA style computer game. Each play controls groups of special characters unique to their crew while large groups of crew members fight using a simple AI. Your hero's each have 3 powers that can be used to help your side win and each crew has a separate deck of special action cards made up of 10 cards that are the same in each crew's deck and then cards unique to that crew.
Players win by getting victory points which can be earnt by destroying deck cannons (which can be fired at your opponent until they are destroyed), destroying masts and other parts of the ship. They can also be earned by killing Sea Dragons, which can be called by players to attack or the Kraken which has a higher chance or turning up each round as more action cards are played.
I love the theme again, is more Pirates of the Caribbean than a historical pirate game with undead pirates, sea monsters and Davey Jones treasure, but fighting between two ships is something that appeals to me. The large number of crewmen just fighting between themselves is a cool idea and fits a very Hollywood pirate theme since they are mostly fighting each other while your heros are the ones winning you the game. The combat system seems simple but effective and again Cool Mini Or Not did really great miniatures for this game.
There are expansions already with more crews and each crew have their own models for heros and crewmen. It's another game that really appeals to me and I can't wait to get a chance to play it. Cool Mini Or Not seem to be doing well recently with some really great games.
Vault Wars
Designed by Jonathan Gilmour and Ben Harkins
Published by Floodgate Games
This is a smaller game but I am still excited for this. It's based on a similar concept to the American TV show Storage Wars. Instead of self storage lockers you are bidding on the treasure left by dead heros, think of it like what happens to your D&D characters stuff when they die. The idea of blind bidding is one I like and the theme is quite funny.
Players will be given a number of Vault cards and Aspiring Hero cards at the start of the game. They will then play a vault card and take it in turns to auction off their vault. Vaults will have different amounts of loot in them and some have special rules on the card. As standard one loot card will be shown to all the players, the others will be handed round and each player looks at one, shuffles them and passes them to the next player. After that the bidding starts with the money going to the player who is auctioning the vault off. I think this is a really great idea, all the players have some of the information but not the same information and it lets the auction master try and influence people by showing them good or bad items.
Another thing I like is that items can be sold to get you more money for bids or equipped for special abilities but you don't get to score them at the end of the game if you do. I think for what is a quick and simple game this adds a lot of strategic choices with when to give up point for the bonuses.
This game has just been shipped for Kickstarter backers and Pre-Orders so should be out for retail very soon and is one I hope to get soon as a new filler game.
Fury of Dracula (3rd Edition)
Designed by Stephen Hand
Published by Fantasy Flight Games
I have been thinking about a hidden movement deduction game for a while, I was planning to get Letter from Whitechapel or Specter Ops but when I heard that FFG were bring out a new version of Fury of Dracula I held off to wait for that. I think the theme is one that equally interests me, I like the Jack the Ripper history but also Gothic Horror. I have heard that this is a slightly meatier game with combat between the hunters and Dracula and Dracula having the ability to leave rumours to mislead the hunters.
I haven't played previous editions of this game but is still one I am really interested by, I might pick it up but it is one I will look into more once it is released to get more information about before I buy it. The combat and Dracula's ability to hunt his hunters is what really pushed this to the top of the hidden movement deduction games for me.
Mission: Red Planet (2nd Edition)
Designed by Bruno Cathala, Bruno Faidutti & Steven Kimball
Published by Fantasy Flight Games
Another re-print from FFG this time it is a Steampunk area control. I have heard good things about the original and from what I have heard the re-print is even better. Players will have a number of cards that and will play one each round. What I like is this will be secretly and at the same time. The card will give the player an action like putting people in a rocket, moving people, changing the destination of a rocket, blowing it up or launching it early. What interests me is that because you don't know what people have played you have to guess based on what they have in there hand or play a card that will get resolved 1st so your action is worth it.
Once rockets are launched your people end up on Mars and score points for the area they are in if they have the most people there. This combination of simultaneous actions, hand management and area control really interest me as a very strategic game.
Cards can be played in secret under the board to either help you out or mess with other players in areas they control which I think gives the game a lot of depth. It is a game I look forward to trying out, it might not be at the top of my list to buy but I do plan on getting it at some point in the future.
Trove: The Crystal Caverns
Designed by Patrick Leder & David Somerville
Published by Leder Games
This one I have actually Kickstarted to get a copy when it is released. Trove is an asymmetrical dungeon crawl game with a twist. Each player takes on a different role, a Warrior, the Dragon, the Goblins or the Cave itself. Each role has a different play style and a different win condition. The Dragon is trying to escape the cave (probably to go burn down a small town in a lake), the Warrior is trying to kill the Dragon (as they do), the goblins are trying to kill the Warrior (because they do that) and the Cave is trying to kill everyone (because why not).
I think that is what appealed to me, everyone doing something different and working against everyone else. The Kickstarter campaign did add a new role, The Thief, as a stretch goal. The game is still in developement but the idea and what I have seem has really caught my attention. I think the punish the leader aspect appeals to me, I do like "take that" games and could be a good replacement to Munchkin for me.
Since it is still being developed I don't know too much more, the rules are available online to give a better idea, but it is a game I am getting (since I've already Kickstarted it) so I will probably do a full review once I get it.
So thats new or upcoming games I'm excited for. There are plenty of others that are coming out I am interested in, or games that have already been released I want to get. I hope to get a chance to play all these games and some I will be looking to get as early as possible. Any games you are interested in getting your grubby little mits on? Or any reason any of the games on this list aren't on yours? let me know in the comments.
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