Interesting Kickstarters (Week of 1/15/2018)

I've been on the road for the past week, but that hasn't stopped me from occasionally checking Kickstarter to look for upcoming solo-playable games. I haven't committed to backing anything at the moment—last year was financially draining and I'm feeling picky—but the new year has definitely brought some intriguing options: 

1. Corsair Leader

Another game in the Air Leader series, Corsair Leader will take players to WWII, You'll be able to choose to campaign as the Navy or as the Marines, and you will pilot different aircraft (and encounter different enemies) based on the year you are playing in. The combination of thrilling air combat with well-researched history will make this game a winner for a lot of solo gamers, especially those who are fans of the Air Leader series already. As for me, Thunderbolt: Apache Leader is on my shelf waiting to be played this year, so I'll wait on this one until I've had a chance to play the one I've already got.

2. Neanderthal and Greenland

This Kickstarter campaign is for a reprint of two games by Phil Eklund that have been a bit difficult to find. Both are meant to simulate survival in difficult situations. I'm on the fence about these—some solo gamers, most notably Ricky Royal, love Phil Eklund games. But others have indicated that the games are clever and impressive but ultimately not that fun to play. Eklund is clearly a brilliant designer but perhaps also an acquired taste, so I'll be thinking about this one. 

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3. Everdell

This campaign is ending soon (January 25) and has raised quite a bit of money. Everdell is a worker placement/tableau building game set in a beautiful world of woodland creatures, one that reminds me of the Redwall books by Brian Jacques. The art definitely attracts me, and I am also a huge sucker for stories about adorable critters. Redwall and Watership Down were key childhood reads, and I was delighted to discover Mouse Guard. Everdell looks like a worker placement implementation of that sort of world. That said, it's worker placement. Will the theme and the mechanics work in ways that are satisfying, or is this a dry game with amazing art and a great theme? I guess we'll find out! ​

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