Near and Far: The Far Kingdoms Game Review|Blind Article
Description:
"Near and Far is the sequel to the game Above and Below.
You can explore many different world maps in search of the Last Ruin. Recruit adventurers, search for treasures and compete with other players to become the legendary traveller. You must collect food and gear around town for long journeys, making sure you don't forget to sharpen your weapons to fight off bandits, animated statues and rusty robots! Sometimes in the course of your travels, you will come across something unique and a friend of yours will read what happens to you in a storybook, leaving you with a choice of reacting, creating a new, memorable epic every time you go. play.
Several game modes for even more renewal:
- Adventure 1: Learn to play the game with a world map inspired by Above and Below.
- Campaign: Play a series of 10 games on 10 different world maps on your journey to the Last Ruin. Expand your experience and buy abilities that last throughout the campaign. Explore each map and uncover stories unique to each location.
- Story: Play a 3 to 4 game series following your character's main story, making decisions that will affect your destiny.
- Quick mode: Play a game with any world map you choose and discover unique stories.
- Arcade Mode: Skip the storybook and use a deck of cards, each card offers a brief encounter and a series of choices. "
The contents of the box:
- 4 dice
- 4 chef cards
- 1 double-sided city board
- 4 individual trays
- 4 pets
- 83 tokens
- 40 arcade mode cards
- 20 wooden camp pieces
- 12 markers
- 1 first player pawn
- 166 world maps
- 8 characters
- 1 atlas with 11 regions
- 1 storybook
- 1 block of character sheets
- 1 rulebook
The course of a game:
Near and Far uses a little background of mechanics from its older brother, Above and Below but with many changes and additions.
In turn, the active player can perform one of the following 2 actions:
- Visit the Town and carry out the action of the building he has chosen there (make transactions, buy new adventurers at a reduced price, renew them, buy a Carrier Bird, earn gold coins, food or Artifact cards, exchange Carrier Birds for treasures, dig the mine to gain more resources).
- Go on an Adventure and move around, deal with possible threats (by fighting or avoiding it), find treasures, carry out quests, and build camps.
At any time, the active player may also, in terms of free action, play a card from his hand (to obtain his abilities and his Victory points) if he can pay the cost and if the conditions of its implementation. work is insured.
All these actions earn points which will define the final winner.
Note that a tutorial part is offered, as well as 3 game modes (an Arcade mode for a One shot part, a Campaign mode for a series of adventures, and a Character mode allowing you to develop the story and the abilities of your character).
You can view the full rules here.
The verdict :
Much like Above and Below, it is a hybridization of a game of worker pose and narrative game. The mechanics are however even more efficient, with certain adventurers to be placed to perform actions (always very effective), but above all a large atlas book which represents a changing central board.
The games, therefore, offer great replayability, without having the impression of following in the footsteps of ancient adventures. The evolving nature of Campaign and Character mode allows just as much to advance in the game and always opposes the strategies that we thought were well oiled with many surprises that will force players to break their routine.
The game is perfectly balanced between strategy and storytelling and the atmosphere is particularly engaging.
Like its older brother, Near and Far gives other workman pose games a heck of age, and further marks the advent of the narrative in the playful panorama.
Technical sheet
Type: Construction / Narrative
Author (s): Ryan Laukat
Publisher: Lucky Duck Games
Illustrations: Ryan Laukat
Number of players: 2 to 4
Age of players: 12 years and over
Game duration: 90 minutes
French Edition: Yes
Price observed: Less than 60 euros
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