(or here’s a list of what launched yesterday that might deserve a closer look)

Project: Distress Call

Designer: Cameron Parker

Artist: Rebecca Parker

Publisher: Auburn Games

Genre/Mechanisms: bluffing, memory, push your luck, science fiction

Player Count: 3-5

Solo Mode: no

Complexity: light

Risk: HIGH

Summary: “Players assume the roles of crew members aboard a Corporate Reacquisitions ship, specialists who have been tasked with securing specific types of cargo. Taking turns, following the lead of the Employee of the Moment, players will divide up company assets, choosing pallets of randomly sorted cargo. Once all the cargo has been seized, each crew member will deposit their pallet’s cargo into a locked storage container. The three shared storage containers are only opened at the end of the game, so each crew member will have to remember where they stored cargo as well as what type of cargo other crew members stored. After answering three Distress Calls, sorting and securing cargo each time, the ship will set its autopilot for the nearest Processing Facility where the containers with the least Space Trash are deposited and their contents scored. Make more points than the other crew members by ensuring the return of your specialized cargo to win the game.”

Base Pledge (w/shipping): $50

All-In (w/shipping): $50, same as above

Campaign Ends: 9/17

Game Ships: Feb. 2023

Funding Status: Currently at 13% with 28 days to go.

Project: UA: Bravery Time

Designer: Andrii Momot

Artists: Vladyslav Odnoralov, Oleksandr Sydorenko

Publisher: BizGames

Genre/Mechanisms: action queue, card game, cooperative game, hand management, tableau building

Player Count: 1-7

Solo Mode: yes

Complexity: light

Risk: HIGH

Summary: “The game takes place in the territory of Ukraine, where there is a war. You and your teammates take control of Ukraine and must win the war together. This is a cooperative game where the team either wins or loses together. The game cards display the tasks that the people of Ukraine face on their way to victory. The task is to complete all civil needs and liberate the territories from occupation. The liberation of these territories (turning them over to the freed side) is one of the main tasks of the game. You and your team receive cards from which you need to make an optimal action plan for the current move. In all combinations, the cards affect each other in unique ways. Build effective interaction with each other to achieve better results. Each game turn is a week consisting of 7 days. Players receive new cards and must plan their game week – placing their cards in a row in front of them. Each card takes as long as indicated in the upper left corner of the card. Cards that are not included in the plan cannot be used in the Player Actions stage. Players can actively help each other by exchanging cards to optimize the overall plan. Only active communication and cooperation will allow you to succeed in the game. Cards are drawn from the enemy’s action deck, as a result of which players receive new challenges and may lose their territories. Players use actions that they have previously planned to help the people of Ukraine, counter enemy actions, and liberate territories.”

Base Pledge (w/shipping): $43

All-In (w/shipping): $43, same as above

Campaign Ends: 9/16

Game Ships: Sep. 2022

Funding Status: Currently at 94% with 28 days to go.

Project: Waters Edge Expansion Packs

Designer: Catherine Redgate (Waters Edge)

Artist: Catherine Redgate (Waters Edge)

Publisher: Catherine Redgate (Waters Edge)

Genre/Mechanisms: card game, expansion

Player Count: 2-4

Solo Mode: no

Complexity: light

Risk: HIGH

Summary: “We’ve put together four exciting expansion packs: Expand your Shoal (5-6 player expansion), Natural Disasters, Fishy Tales, and Ahoy There. Each expansion pack consists of 36 cards across a range of 8-10 different card types. The majority of these cards feature new artwork and therefore new gameplay, and each expansion pack is packaged in its own slip box along with a card manual. We also have a super Stretch Goal to unlock a larger Collector’s Box to keep the base game, all expansions, and scoring pad stored together. Expand your Shoal allows you to invite two more recruits to Waters Edge by extending your collection of base cards and other essential extras to enable play with 5-6 players instead of 4 as the base game offers. We’ve also included some new buildings and fish to make this a fun expansion to grab no matter how many players are visiting your next game. Natural Disasters throws all sorts of natural disasters your way, so batten down the hatches as you contend with tsunamis, mutant fish, stowaway penguins, and more. Embrace the coastal fishing village vibe with Fishy Tales, by introducing a collection of even more fish-related fun to your game, but watch out for those pesky critics keeping an eye on your restaurants. Waters Edge is facing a pirate mutiny – add Ahoy There to your base game and prepare yourself for all the pirate malarkay. Captain S. McGull is in top form alongside fishy plunder, ghost fish, desert islands and canon fire.

The objective of the game is to gain as many points as possible in the timescale available. Points are gained by collecting, preserving and selling fish and expanding the town. Game play lasts for one week with each day made up of 6 rounds of play; 4 day-time and 2 night-time. Certain actions are only possible at night as they require a source of light (i.e. using the Full Moon card or completing a Lighthouse), so tactical thinking is a must as the rounds move through the day.”

Base Pledge (w/shipping): $24

All-In (w/shipping): $85

Campaign Ends: 9/17

Game Ships: July 2023

Funding Status: Currently at 64% with 29 days to go.