Perseverance: Castaway Chronicles – Episodes 1 & 2 (2022) Board Game

Perseverance: Castaway Chronicles – Episodes 1 & 2 is a board game released in 2022 that combines elements of city building, dice rolling, exploration, and science fiction. Designed by Tamás Baranya, István Dányi, Villő Farkas, Csilla Kiskartali, and Márton Gyula Kiss, this game is set in a post-apocalyptic world where players must work together to survive and thrive.

Game Components of Perseverance: Castaway Chronicles – Episodes 1 & 2

Specialist dice

Followers (victory points)

Leader tokens

Settlement pieces

Wall and Trap components

Soldier tokens

Dinosaur figures

Community area boards

Officer tiles

Chronicle cards

Story tokens

Resource tokens

votes tokens

Outpost and Adventure cards (for Episode 2).

How To Setup Perseverance: Castaway Chronicles – Episodes 1 & 2

To set up the game, players first prepare the community area boards, placing the necessary tiles and tokens. Each player chooses a leader and places their starting followers and resources. The specialist dice pool is prepared, and the officer tiles are set up to reflect their influence in each community zone. For Episode 2, additional components such as outpost and adventure cards are also included. The game starts with each player taking turns drafting and placing dice to perform actions, with the goal of establishing a strong presence in the community areas.

Gameplay Mechanics and Game Objective

Dice Drafting and Placement: Players draft specialist dice from a pool and use them to perform primary and secondary actions.

Assembly: Periodic area majority mechanism where players score followers based on their presence in the community areas.

Influence Mechanics: Building relationships with officers to gain additional followers and resources.

Defense Against Dinosaurs: Players defend their settlements and followers from dinosaur attacks.

Exploration and Adventures: In Episode 2, players can assemble exploration parties, capture dinosaurs, and establish outposts.

Chronicle Mode: A non-legacy 4-game campaign where players earn and use Chronicle cards for unique benefits.

Player Experience

Playing **Perseverance: Castaway Chronicles – Episodes 1 & 2** is a dynamic and engaging experience, especially for fans of euro-style games. The game requires strategic planning, resource management, and area control. Players must balance gathering resources, defending against dinosaurs, and influencing officers to secure their position in the community. Episode 1 serves as a lighter introduction, while Episode 2 ramps up the complexity and length, offering deeper customization of leaders and more challenging gameplay.

Pros

Deep Strategy: Combines dice drafting, area control, and influence mechanics for a rich gameplay experience.

High Replayability: Variable achievements and Chronicle cards ensure different stories each time.

Thematic Depth: The game’s setting and mechanics are well-integrated, creating an immersive experience.

Solo Mode: A robust solo mode where players face off against the Dissenters, adding variety to the game.

Cons

Complexity and Length: Episode 2 is significantly longer and more complex, which may deter some players.

Steep Learning Curve: The game has many mechanisms, which can be overwhelming for new players.

Component Management: Managing the numerous components and tokens can be cumbersome.

Personal Thoughts on Perseverance: Castaway Chronicles – Episodes 1 & 2

This game is ideal for experienced board game enthusiasts who appreciate the complexity of euro-style games. It offers a compelling narrative and deep strategic gameplay, making it a great choice for players looking for a challenging and immersive experience. However, it may not be the best fit for casual players or those new to complex board games due to its steep learning curve and lengthy gameplay.

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