Today I received an email from Game Brewer informing me that they will be closing down their operations. It would seem that, like most small game companies, they have decided that they cannot compete with the "big boys" and are bowing out gracefully with their heads held high. As such they are holding a "closing down" sale with about 25% off a lot of their stock.
I am lucky to own five of their creations. Why? Because they are in fact damn good games that haven't really seen a lot of press. On the whole, their games are not for the fainthearted. They often come in on the heavier side with longer play times more suited to the tactical/strategy gamer rather than the social gamer. As such they often don't appear at small gaming events.
China, 1570. China is under the reign of the Longqing Emperor, of the Ming Dynasty. He inherited a country in disarray after years of mismanagement and corruption. He resided in the Forbidden city, which was the seat of many emperors under the Ming Dynasty. Constructed from 1406 to 1420, the complex consists of 980 buildings and covers 72 ha (over 180 acres). It is also under the Ming Dynasty that the Great Wall of China was rebuilt, fortified, and expanded. Around this period, China was under heavy attack from the Mongols, so maintaining the Great Wall was essential. Most of what we now have left of the Great Wall, we owe to the Ming dynasty.
The country was already famous for its very intricate bureaucracy, but this also led to a lot of corruption. Even though the penalties for corruption were very high, the highest Officials of the Forbidden City would pretend to uphold the ban on corruption, by accepting gifts of petitioners, and returning one of seemingly lower value.
Japan Hōsei 4 (1707).
Mount Fuji is on the verge of erupting. Red hot lava will soon consume the three secret Seien-ji (聖煙寺), sacred temples hidden deep in the bowels of the volcano. The Shōgun is determined to preserve the precious heritage and sends his most noble and gifted samurai warriors on a quest inside the volcano to retrieve the valuable goods.
After a grueling climb through snowstorms and treacherous rocky terrain the samurai find the entrance that leads down into the cavern.
The volcano rumbles and the walls start shaking! The floor underneath their feet crumbles and our brave samurai fall into the huge cavern that contains the three temples, which are slowly sinking into the smoldering lava.
It is now up to our heroes to explore the cavern and find as many of the relics, sacred scrolls, and monks as possible, to bring back safely to the Shogun before the volcano erupts and all is lost forever.
Embark on a fascinating adventure through multiple themes like pirates, sci-fi, fantasy, prehistoric, zombies and more in Rulebenders, a time-traveling game that twists the rules of the game (literally and figuratively) and will create a unique game experience every time you play!
In the game, players choose a number of themes out of the available six, changing the character of each round as the game progresses. Players fight for control over the different rules aspects of the game, bending the rules of the game to their advantage. You have to use your wits in this unique game where the rules change as you play.
In the 16th century, Russia began to expand eastwards to develop the vast expanses of Siberia. This phase in history is closely associated with the name "Stroganov".
In the game Stroganov, players try to collect the best furs to gain wealth and fame as they move across the vastness that is Siberia. They will journey through Siberia in spring, summer, and autumn before returning home each winter. After four years (rounds), the player who has best utilized their actions and collected the most victory points wins.
Travel back to Greece in 370 BCE on the island of Kos. Hippocrates has just passed away and that leads to a lot of doubt regarding the durability of his medical activities. As one of his successors, you lead a team of doctors with the goal of perpetuating the treatment of patients in the temple of Asclepios, later known as the first hospital in history. Be the right successor of Hippocrates and increase your reputation, so that patients from all around the Mediterranean will come with the hope of receiving the best treatment ever.
They all play really well, although I must admit that Fuji Koro is my favourite. But they are on the heavier side usually lasting a good couple of hours or more.
Needless to say, I took them up on their discount offer to purchase the expansion to Stroganov - Turukhan, Oak and Delta. Here's to the small guys. Sad to see you go, but you're going out strong.
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