It's maybe pure ignorance on my part but I've never seen a huge number of board games that sit within the organised crime genre. There seems to be more Sci-Fi than Scarface. I own The Godfather: Corleone's Empire, which was a grail game for me and was its own tale of negotiation and acquisition and offers that couldn't be refused. Wise Guys from Gale Force Nine enters the fray with a Goodfellas attitude on how you win at life, which is to gather up as much money as possible, without effecting your influence and clout and your ability to make money on the black market. It is a remix of a Sons of Anarchy game from a few years ago, but this time it returns without a connected IP. There's an attraction to this kind of genre of game, because these are criminals, but also the ultimate in non-conformists to a societal norm. Most of us don't want to work a normal job with a steady life and pay check if given the choice. Some of us already live on an edge, working fr
Robinson Crusoe: Adventures on the Cursed Island places players on a deserted island, shipwrecked there and in dire need of food and shelter. Here I'll talk about Solo mode using the beginner scenario Castaway, which is a great introduction to the game. The game is played over 12 rounds, with the aim being to build a log pile and light a fire to signal a passing ship. The ship is scheduled to pass on rounds 10, 11 and 12 so time is of the essence. To further complicate matters, the woodpile must be added to only once per turn, prior to the Action phase, adding another level of complexity and difficulty. This isn't even taking into account the day to day task of actually surviving, which can be very challenging. Each round is comprised of 6 phases. The Event (skipped in round 1), Morale, Production, Action, Weather and Night phases. The Action phase is, unsurprisingly, where most of the key decisions are made. Do you explore your new home and seek ou