You are entering G.O. Techs Artificial Military Engagement (G.A.M.E.). Originally designed to test and train soldiers that G.O. Tech supplied the U.S. government. Now a deadly obstacle course you can brave for Creds and Equipment and, if survived, score a victory. Highly engaging and comprehensively developed gameplay. We found it arduous to step away from the game to share these thoughts.
Surviving the G.A.M.E. is a semi-cooperative deck-building futuristic sci-fi obstacle course game for 1-4 players. You are tasked to play a Soldier, Bio-Gene, or Cyborg, each of these has a different play style and gaining discounts of specific categories of cards for the entire game. Basic training is played in five rounds where you select your character I.D. and build your starter deck. Once complete, you tackle the Five Levels of Obstacles and Traps to reach the Exit. Advancing Levels bring danger and high rewards. The turn sequence is initiated with an Encounter where you reveal an Obstacle Card or Move. Once you have moved, reveal the Obstacle Card. Combat time. The Assault of the card must be resolved; Damage, Gain Injury, loose Defense cards, or it may be Assault free. An Assault can be avoided if you have a Guard defense on a played card. Next, play cards in your hand to exceed the Obstacles Health points.
If you succeed, you claim the card, gain the Victory points, and if you lose, you take Damage. With Creds available in hand purchase upgrades or health, up to two in turn. Reload your hand back to five cards. The Obstacle cards can affect other trainers sharing the same Level, and they must avoid or take Damage. The trainers can move up a Level, stay or move back a level in turn. In Levels three, four, and five, there is one random Trap card. If you have fallen in the Trap, you can Defend, Take Flight, and move back to a level or take Damage. The end game is triggered if all Obstacles run out in Level four or when the Trainers have exited the game. Count Victory points, and the highest number survives to play another day. (Winner)
Mechanics That Worked for Us
Trimming down your deck in Level three to optimize the Upgrade cards purchased with Creds.
Having an ample amount of Guard cards to ward off the assaults in the higher Levels that simulate Boss fights. The Obstacles blocking the Exit in the last rounds are staunch, and we found one nearly unbeatable without proper planning ~ Psi Kill with 120 Health points, an Alpha/Bio-Gene. (One-day Alpha…. One day)
When playing the Soldier, using mainly the Green weapon cards with the higher hit points to jump to the higher levels to score more Victory points.
When playing the Cyborg, grabbing the powerful tech aided in the Assault attacks and bringing the wins.
We found that the Bio-Gene was more maneuverable. Flexible against encounters and the upgrades provided immensely against assaults.
Bits and Bobs
8 Standees
4 Stands
4 Life Counters
1 Die
1-5 Enter Counter
4 Meeples
12 Divider Cards
12 Unarmed Combat Cards
28 Base Creds Cards
9 Character ID Card
210 Upgrade Cards
20 Injuries
16 obstacle cards -Trophy
59 Obstacle Cards – Creds
3 Traps
1 Healing Station
Our Thoughts
This game is easy to teach once you get through the rulebook. It may seem like a light game; however, it is cleverly layered with impressive actions and mechanics on the cards. It has a noteworthy basic deck building that each player chooses their starting adventure cards. Do you want more Health or Weapons? The Nerdz garage players mainly went for weapons; however, after dying early, I opted to purchase more health cards. Then in Level one, you diversify your deck while learning the combat.
We found the game to push along to fast and would prefer Level four to have more Obstacle cards. The game is just revving up at Level four, and we did not want it to end. *We did add two additional cards to that Level when we played, and it did not feel sluggish with the extra cards. We would not mind even adding more cards to Level Four.
Surviving the G.A.M.E. is a very well-designed and conceptualized game that we thoroughly enjoyed.
It will be on Kickstarter end of summer.
Click the link to Follow on Kickstarter!
*Music to accompany playing~ Arrival Movie Soundtrack
Surviving the G.A.M.E. Kickstarter 2020 Designer: Duane Moore Artists: Adrian Alejo, Daud Shaheed Kirk, Duane Moore, Joakim Olofsson, Ronald Risco, Denise Roos, Ahmed Shafaq Publisher: DMDouble Games Categories: Card Game, Fighting, Science Fiction Mechanisms: Deck, Bag, and Pool Building, Player Elimination, Variable Player Powers
Let’s be honest; there is still a bit of drama when we play.
Sit Down -Grab a Drink – Join the Game
Suzzan Smith
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