SeaFall (2016) – Board Game Guys

SeaFall

SeaFall is a board game designed by Rob Daviau and published in 2016 by Plaid Hat Games. It is a game of colonial era exploration which uses a legacy format, meaning the board and components change during each game, creating a different game each time and a story with a beginning, middle, and end. The game is played by 3–5 players, each of whom takes on the role of a province taking to the seas after a long dark age.

Why is SeaFall Popular?

SeaFall is significant because it is a legacy game, a new subgenre which involves making permanent changes to Game Components of SeaFall, even destroying some pieces entirely, so that each game is unique. The game is also significant because it is designed by Rob Daviau, who developed the legacy system previously used in Risk Legacy and Pandemic Legacy: Season 1 games.

Game Components of SeaFall

Game Board: Represents the uncharted sea with expandable areas for new island discoveries.

Captain’s Booke: A journal with 430 narrative entries that players read as they trigger milestones.

Player Boards: For tracking upgrades, damage, and other player-specific information.

Ship Models: Representing players’ vessels.

Adviser Cards: Assist players in various tasks.

Resource Tokens: For trading and upgrading.

Island Stickers: To mark newly discovered islands on the board.

Sealed Packets: Containing new pieces, cards, and rules revealed as the game progresses.

How To Setup SeaFall

Setting up SeaFall involves preparing the game board, distributing player boards, and each player choosing a leader and naming their ships and province. The initial game, or prologue, teaches the fundamentals of gameplay, including exploring islands and reading scenarios from the Captain’s Booke. This setup process takes approximately 10 minutes.

Gameplay Mechanics and Game Objective

Mechanics

Legacy System: The game changes permanently after each session, with new components and rules introduced.

Exploration: Players reveal new islands and encounter scenarios from the Captain’s Booke.

Guilds: Four guilds (Explorer, Builder, Merchant, Soldier) represent different actions players can take.

Resource Management: Players manage goods, money, and technology to advance their province.

Conflict: Players can engage in ship-to-ship combat and other forms of conflict.

Objective

The objective is to accumulate glory points by exploring, trading, building, and conquering. The game ends after approximately 15 sessions, with the player having the most glory points declared the winner.

Player Experience

Playing SeaFall is an immersive experience with a narrative arc that spans multiple sessions. Players take on the roles of mainland empires rediscovering seafaring technology and exploring the world. The game starts with excitement and anticipation as players unlock new content and rules, but it can become cumbersome and unbalanced as the campaign progresses. The game’s ability to evoke strong emotions, from joy in discovery to frustration with unexpected penalties, is a hallmark of the experience.

Pros

Deep Customization: Players can name their province, leader, ships, and islands, adding a personal touch to the game.

Engaging Narrative: The Captain’s Booke provides a rich, interactive storyline.

Dynamic Gameplay: The legacy system ensures each game is different, with new challenges and opportunities.

Strategic Depth: Multiple guilds and strategies offer a variety of gameplay paths.

Cons

Unbalanced Mechanics: The game can become heavily skewed towards exploration later in the campaign, making other strategies less viable.

Frustrating Twists: Unexpected penalties and changes can disrupt long-term strategies and frustrate players.

Long Campaign: The game spans 15 sessions, which can be time-consuming and may lose players’ interest over time.

Weak Catch-Up Mechanics: The mechanisms to help trailing players catch up are often insufficient.

Personal Thoughts on SeaFall

SeaFall is for players who enjoy deep, narrative-driven games and are willing to invest time in a lengthy campaign. While it starts strong with its innovative mechanics and storytelling, it may not maintain the same level of excitement throughout. It is ideal for groups looking for a complex, immersive experience, but it may not be the best fit for those seeking a balanced or quick game. Despite its flaws, SeaFall offers unique moments and a compelling start, making it a consideration for fans of legacy games and colonial-era exploration themes.

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