Scythe Stomps into Stores in August
Monster mechs roam 1920s Europe, build your empire in this epic board game.
Stonemaier Games brought in nearly $2 million on the Scythe KS, and for good reason. It has amazing art work, great looking game pieces, intrigue, and an interesting story. Take a look…
The game is for 1-5 players and takes about 2 hours to play – the game has a solo mode, but folks that have been able to get their hands on the game say 4 players provide the best experience. It has a mid level of complexity, so it’s approachable for folks that haven’t played strategy board games often and you can play it with older kids and teenagers. The reviews so far have been fairly positive. It looks like a great way to fill a hot summer afternoon.
In Scythe, each player represents a fallen leader attempting to restore their honor and lead their faction to power in Eastern Europa. Players conquer territory, enlist new recruits, reap resources, gain villagers, build structures, and activate monstrous mechs.
Each player begins the game with different resources (strength, victory points, movement capabilities, and popularity), their choice of several faction-specific abilities, and a hidden goal. Starting positions are specially calibrated to contribute to each faction’s uniqueness and the asymmetrical nature of the game.
Scythe gives players almost complete control over their fate. Other than each player’s individual hidden objective card, the only elements of luck are encounter cards that players will draw as they interact with the citizens of newly explored lands and combat cards that give you a temporary boost in combat. Combat is also driven by choices, not luck or randomness.
Scythe uses a streamlined action-selection mechanism (no rounds or phases) to keep gameplay moving at a brisk pace and reduce downtime between turns. While there is plenty of direct conflict, there is no player elimination, nor can units be killed or destroyed.
Every part of Scythe has an aspect of engine-building to it. Players can upgrade actions to become more efficient, build structures that improve their position on the map, enlist new recruits to enhance character abilities, activate mechs to deter opponents from invading, and expand their borders to reap greater types and quantities of resources. These engine-building aspects create a sense of momentum and progress throughout the game. The order in which players improve their engine adds to the unique feel of each game, even when playing one faction multiple times.
If you don’t want to wait for the retail release you can buy the various KS editions and a bunch of add ons here. Prices for what you get:
I’m digging the setting and Eurogame style play of this… and the art is really beautiful.
Are you going to pick this one up?
