Ravine (2017) Board Game – Board Game Guys

Ravine is a card game designed by Mathew Sisson and published in in 2017. It is a cooperative game where players must work together to survive in the wilderness after a plane crash. The game combines elements of push your luck, trading, and player elimination to create a unique and challenging experience for 3–6 players.

Game Components of Ravine

Card decks: Night cards, Forage cards, Madness cards, Crafting Guide cards, and Wreckage cards.

Heart tokens: 6 double-sided tokens per player, representing health.

Wooden tokens: For items like fire, spears, baskets, and shelters.

Cloth pouch: For storing tokens.

Crafted item cards: For building various survival items.

How To Setup Ravine

To set up Ravine, each player receives 6 heart tokens and a Wreckage card. Three heart tokens are placed face-up, and the remaining three are randomly flipped. The Night cards are shuffled and stacked based on the desired difficulty level, with the Rescue card inserted into the last three Night cards. Forage cards and Madness cards are shuffled separately. The fire token is placed in the center of the table, and crafted item cards are stacked nearby.

Gameplay Mechanics and Game Objective

Game Phases: The game is divided into four phases – Night, Health Check, Day (Forage), and Prepare.

Night: Players draw a Night card, which may trigger events like animal attacks, weather, or survivor guilt.

Health Check: Players check their health and apply any changes from the Night phase.

Day (Forage): Players decide whether to forage for supplies or rest, with foraging costing health.

Prepare: Players use gathered supplies to craft items like fire, spears, and shelters.

Objective: Survive on the deserted island until the Rescue card is drawn or until all players have died.

Crafting: Combine supplies to create beneficial items.

Madness: Players who lose all but one heart draw a Madness card, which imposes various restrictions or actions.

Player Experience

Ravine offers a dynamic and humorous cooperative experience where players must work together to survive. The game balances serious survival mechanics with tongue-in-cheek humor, particularly through the Madness cards, which can lead to amusing and unpredictable moments. Players need to strategize and manage resources carefully to survive the night and eventual rescue.

Pros

Cooperative Gameplay: Encourages teamwork and strategy.

Humorous Elements: Madness cards and clever flavor text add comedic relief.

Variable Difficulty: Adjustable difficulty levels through the Night deck.

Quick Playtime: Games typically last 20-30 minutes.

Cons

Luck-Dependent: Health and resource distribution can be heavily influenced by luck.

Simple Mechanics: Some players might find the gameplay too straightforward.

Personal Thoughts on Ravine

Ravine is ideal for players who enjoy cooperative games with a strong focus on storytelling and strategy. It is particularly suited for families and casual gamers who appreciate a mix of serious survival elements and light-hearted humor. The game’s short playtime and easy-to-learn mechanics make it an excellent addition to any game night, though more experienced gamers might find it a bit too simplistic.

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