Rogue Agent (2013) Board Game

Rogue Agent is a board game released in 2013 and designed by David Ausloos. It is a sci-fi adventure game that combines elements of action points, area movement, dice rolling, modular board, pick-up and deliver, and worker placement mechanics. The game is designed for 1-4 players aged 12 and above and has a runtime of approximately 90 minutes.

Game Components of Rogue Agent

Custom dice with icon-driven mechanisms

Tokens for criminals, assassins, bombs, and informants

Criminal cards

Equipment and upgrade cards

Location boards

Player boards and character tokens

Dice for rolling during various actions

Bomb grids for disarming bombs

Identity tokens for the optional Android mode

How To Setup Rogue Agent

To set up Rogue Agent, players first place the city board in the middle of the playing area. Each player chooses an agent token and places it on the starting location. The Criminal deck is shuffled, and a set of tokens is drawn to populate the city. Players are given a set amount of fuel and money. In the optional Android mode, players are assigned three random identity tokens. The game is ready to start after these initial steps.

Gameplay Mechanics and Game Objective

Time Phase: New threats are added to the city by drawing tokens from a bag and rolling dice to determine their placement.

Action Phase: Players take turns performing actions such as cruising, investigating, and executing “Justice” actions like attacking/subduing criminals, disarming bombs, and turning in criminals.

City Phase: Threats move around the city, bombs count down, and assassins attempt to cause damage.

Objective: The goal is to earn the most points by arresting and turning in criminals, disarming bombs, killing assassins, and upgrading equipment. Points are also awarded for informants still alive on the board and for collected evidence.

Player Experience

In Rogue Agent, players immerse themselves in a gritty, crime-ridden city where they must navigate through dangerous streets, manage resources, and make strategic decisions. The game is highly interactive, with players competing against each other to achieve the highest score. The optional Android mode adds a layer of social deduction, where some players may be undercover androids working against the others.

Pros

Engaging Theme: The game offers a compelling theme of fighting crime in a desperate city.

Streamlined Mechanics: Custom dice and icon-driven mechanisms make the game easy to learn and play.

High Replayability: Random token placement and multiple player actions ensure each game is unique.

Social Interaction: The Android mode introduces a fun social deduction element.

Cons

Complexity in Rules: While the core mechanics are straightforward, the game has several layers of rules and phases that can be overwhelming for new players.

Luck Factor: The roll of the dice can significantly influence gameplay, which may not appeal to players who prefer more strategic control.

Setup Time: Setting up the game can be time-consuming due to the number of components and the need to populate the city board.

Personal Thoughts on Rogue Agent

Rogue Agent is ideal for fans of thematic games who enjoy a mix of strategy and luck. It is particularly suited for players who appreciate resource management and risk-taking. The game’s fast-paced nature and social interaction make it a great addition to any board game collection, especially for those who enjoy competitive gameplay with a twist of deception in the Android mode. However, it may not be the best fit for players seeking purely strategic games without any element of luck.

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