Aeon’s End: The New Age (2019) Board Game

Aeon’s End: The New Age is an expansion to the original Aeon’s End game, which was released in in 2019. This expansion adds new content, including new mages, nemesis monsters, and player cards. The game is set in a post-apocalyptic world where players take on the roles of mages defending their city from powerful monsters.

Game Components of Aeon’s End: The New Age

Game Box: Contains player cards, treasure cards, nemesis cards, breach mage cards, and various tokens.

Player Cards: Used for deck-building and player progression.

Treasure Cards: Enhance player abilities and strategies.

Nemesis Cards: Represent the enemies players face, divided into four tiers of increasing difficulty.

Breach Mage Cards: Characters that players control.

Gem, Relic, and Spell Cards: Part of the market and barracks system.

Randomizers: For setting up markets, mages, and nemeses.

Tokens and Trackers: For health, æther (the game’s currency), and other game states.

How To Setup Aeon’s End: The New Age

To set up the game, players first choose their Breach Mages and the initial Nemesis. The market is set up using randomizers to ensure varying costs and availability of cards. Players configure their starting deck and the Nemesis’s deck accordingly. The Expedition system involves chaining four Nemeses together, with each win allowing players to draw new cards and treasures to enhance their abilities.

Gameplay Mechanics and Game Objective

Deck-Building: Players build their decks without shuffling, using a fixed and highly customizable market.

Cooperative Play: 1-4 players work together to defeat the Nemesis.

Campaign Mode: The Expedition system allows players to play through a short campaign, facing increasingly difficult Nemeses.

Variable Turn Order: Adds unpredictability to each game.

Game Objective: Win by defeating the Nemesis or depleting its deck; lose if all Mages are exhausted or Gravehold’s life is depleted.

Player Experience

Aeon’s End: The New Age offers a rich and challenging experience, particularly appreciated for its family-friendly aspect and engaging gameplay. Players enjoy the unique Expedition system, which adds a campaign-like feel without the need for extensive bookkeeping. The game’s balance and strategic depth are highlighted, with a mix of randomness and strategy that keeps each playthrough fresh.

Pros

Engaging Expedition System: Allows for a campaign-like experience with increasing difficulty.

No Shuffling: Simplifies deck management and focuses gameplay on strategy.

High Customizability: Players can configure markets, mages, and nemeses for varied gameplay.

Family-Friendly: Suitable for ages 14 and up, making it a great family game.

Long-Term Playability: The game offers a lot of replay value due to its variable setup and progression system.

Cons

Learning Curve: New players may find the rules and mechanics a bit complex initially.

Increasing Difficulty: While challenging, the escalating difficulty of nemeses can be daunting for some players.

Personal Thoughts on Aeon’s End: The New Age

Aeon’s End: The New Age is ideal for fans of cooperative games, deck-building enthusiasts, and those who enjoy strategic gameplay with a Sci-Fi fantasy theme. It is particularly suited for families and groups of players who appreciate a game that offers both short, intense sessions and longer, campaign-style play. For new players, it might be beneficial to start with this standalone expansion due to its inclusive and engaging gameplay mechanics.

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