Refuge
In the apocalypse, you are your own worst enemy.
Requirements
<30
1-6
12+
Description
This is a lighthearted game about THE END OF THE WORLD RUN FOR YOUR LIVES IT'S DINOSAURS EVERYWHERE.
WHEN IT'S YOUR TURN:
1. Play a disaster.
2. Move some cubes around.
3. Draw a new card.
WHEN IT'S NOT YOUR TURN:
1. Sit patiently and weep for a dying world.
2. OR INTERRUPT THE APOCALYPSE WITH A HERO.
WHEN IT'S OVER:
For each card in your hand:
1. Score 1 point for each Normal Cube in the city shown
2. Score 2 points for each Special Cube in the city shown
3. Score 3 points for every Hero Card you're still holding onto.
There, now you can run around trying to dodge the apocalypse. You're fully prepared. Don't get your hopes up. We're all dead.
...Oh, you're still reading. Okay, look. You'll always have five cards; each card has a city on it. Each turn, you're going to play one of those cards--which destroys that city's population. At the end of the game, however, your score will be based on the populations in the cities shown on the cards in your hand at that point.
In other words, you're moving populations towards the same cities you might destroy. The solution? Pick a few cards in your hand and try your best not to play them; move populations to those cities (we could call them...um...refuge cities) and try to avoid destroying them.
The only problem is, sometimes you can't help but play those cards. If you're not careful, you'll wind up sacking one of your own refuge cities. Pay close attention to what your opponents are doing and try to avoid their disastrous card plays. Or better yet, try to secretly benefit from the moves they make: figure out their refuge cities, and save those cards in your own hand!
The deck also includes six Hero cards, which are shuffled throughout; you can play them on an opponent's turn to prevent the disaster they were trying to deploy. When the third Hero appears, the game is over and you score your points. It sounds cool, but the Heroes may actually just enslave us all--because isn't that the inevitable flow of power evolving in a post-apocalyptic wasteland anyway? ISN'T IT ALL POINTLESS?
WHEN IT'S YOUR TURN:
1. Play a disaster.
2. Move some cubes around.
3. Draw a new card.
WHEN IT'S NOT YOUR TURN:
1. Sit patiently and weep for a dying world.
2. OR INTERRUPT THE APOCALYPSE WITH A HERO.
WHEN IT'S OVER:
For each card in your hand:
1. Score 1 point for each Normal Cube in the city shown
2. Score 2 points for each Special Cube in the city shown
3. Score 3 points for every Hero Card you're still holding onto.
There, now you can run around trying to dodge the apocalypse. You're fully prepared. Don't get your hopes up. We're all dead.
...Oh, you're still reading. Okay, look. You'll always have five cards; each card has a city on it. Each turn, you're going to play one of those cards--which destroys that city's population. At the end of the game, however, your score will be based on the populations in the cities shown on the cards in your hand at that point.
In other words, you're moving populations towards the same cities you might destroy. The solution? Pick a few cards in your hand and try your best not to play them; move populations to those cities (we could call them...um...refuge cities) and try to avoid destroying them.
The only problem is, sometimes you can't help but play those cards. If you're not careful, you'll wind up sacking one of your own refuge cities. Pay close attention to what your opponents are doing and try to avoid their disastrous card plays. Or better yet, try to secretly benefit from the moves they make: figure out their refuge cities, and save those cards in your own hand!
The deck also includes six Hero cards, which are shuffled throughout; you can play them on an opponent's turn to prevent the disaster they were trying to deploy. When the third Hero appears, the game is over and you score your points. It sounds cool, but the Heroes may actually just enslave us all--because isn't that the inevitable flow of power evolving in a post-apocalyptic wasteland anyway? ISN'T IT ALL POINTLESS?
Components
| Component | Quantity | Photo |
|---|---|---|
| Large Stout Box (Only Top Printed) | 1 |  |
| Large Square Board Set | 1 set of 1 large square boards |  |
| Poker Deck | 1 deck of 72 cards |  |
| Jumbo Booklet | 1 |  |
| Cube, 10mm, Yellow | 3 |  |
| Cube, 8mm, Blue | 40 |  |
| Cube, 8mm, Green | 10 |  |
Vitals
| Average Rating | 2 reviews |
|---|---|
| Publish Date | March 02, 2014 |
| Edition | First |
| Department | Games |
| Tags | Adventure Survival Alternate Present Party Bluffing Diplomacy |
| More Info | Refuge web site |
Why buy this?
- Interrupt and/or cause the Apocalypse!
- Move little cubes around and watch them die!
- It's actually not cool. It's the end of the world.
Downloads
Woooooober Games
Notes
- This game contains laser cut components. Laser cut items will have a slight amount of soot around the edges, which can easily be wiped off; and will have a campfire smell for about a week after you open them.
Accolades
See It In Action
Ratings and Reviews
Own It
Played It
Fun
Priced Well
High Replay Value
Well Written Rules
Nice Artwork
Seeing a review come through the feed reminded me that I never reviewed this title despite how much we enjoyed it during the competition that I judged. So I guess it's my duty to write this review as...
I'm voting for my own game--which I never do--in lieu of my wife, who can't be bothered apparently to do so, but claims it is her favorite game of the ones I've designed. Take it from me, from her.
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