As much as I love a brutal, competitive board game full of political backstabbing and ruthless competition, there’s a special place in my heart for titles that prize cooperation, exploration, and harmony. Earthborne Trailblazer promises just that in a promising Kickstarter, which has already raised nearly £314,000 ($418,000) with still over a week to go.
In developer Earthborne Games’ latest project, you’ll embark on an open-world cooperative adventure set in the far future, where you and your pals step into the well-used shoes of Rangers – adventurers sworn to protect a Valley in the Rocky Mountains. However, contrary to previous Earthborne board games, you’ll be venturing out of the Valley and mapping the unknown corners of the world rather than staying put.
In a novel move, the title sets up a meaningful ecology, where predators, flora, and prey have a delicate relationship in each area of the map, adding thematic and mechanical life to your exploratory efforts. With any luck, this sort of attention to detail will allow Earthborne Trailblazer to rival some of the best board games out there.
The game looks gorgeous and, if you want a sense of the stunning art style for yourself, you can check out an official animated short from the developer. I’ve linked it below since I’d feel remiss not sharing this gorgeousness with you all.
Though Eartborn Trailblazer eschews a campaign format in favor of a self-contained, single-session narrative, the game itself uses branching narratives as you attempt to manage crises and explore the wilderness.
The retail edition is available for $80 (£60) while the deluxe edition, which includes some gorgeous wooden tiles, an adorable dice tower, and the Visitors From Afar Expansion, will set you back $150 (£112).
Those looking to go all-in on the project can grab the fittingly named All-In bundle, which includes the deluxe edition of the core game, the Visitors from Afar Expansion, The Fountain Pack, the World of Earthborne Art and Lore Book, Limited Edition Art Prints, and an exclusive Ranger badge. This luxurious collection of items will leave a dent in your wallet to the sum of $270 (£203).
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Source: Wargamer
