As I cannot possibly do better justice to the rules overview than that video… I’ll leave it there. Yes, I know… we are all surprised that I am not continuing to ramble… haha. I love you all! 🥺 The latest in the Façade Games, wonderfully imaginative game-in-a-hidden-book series! OK… I don’t think that’s the official title of the series… but you get the idea. These games are not only incredibly fun… they look amazing on your game shelf – or your bookshelf for that matter! 😉 If you scroll down you can read the publisher’s description for each game (in the standard place for that sort of thing in an Upstart product listing); that should at least tide you over until I can get a free moment to wax poetic about how much I LOVE these games! ? Facade games’ wonderful Dark Cities Series has arrived!!! I’ve got a few copies of each of the first three volumes in the shop… Salem 1692, Tortuga 1667, and Deadwood 1876! And now I’ve aded Deluxe copies of Bristol 1350 – the latest masterpiece in the series! And, this just in – each copy of Bristol 1350 Deluxe now comes with the new MeePawns!! These wonderful little resin pawns represent each of the game characters and just a little bit more magic to the already sweet deluxe experience! Another incredible experience from stem to stern…

There’s just something really memorable about opening a magnetic-clasped faux book and taking out all the cool game bits and mats and such… and then playing a thoughtful, well-designed game. It’s just so cool to me that the experience of the game literally starts with removing it from the game shelf. And while it is usually a lot of fun to unbox a game for the first time… This is the only series where I enjoy “un-boxing” the game each and every time!! 📚💕

Escape the plague that is ravaging your city!

The greatness of Bristol rested on an economy which centred around inland and overseas trade. Goods poured in from the many English towns including Chester, Milford Haven, London and Plymouth. The burden of transportation was lessened by the close proximity of rivers like the Severn and Avon. This relatively efficient system of waterways allowed agricultural produce, iron, timber, cloth, wool, fish, and tin to be easily shipped from throughout England into Bristol's harbour and from there on to Ireland, northern Europe, France and Spain. In exchange, Bristol imported goods such as wine, spices and olive oil (Carsus-Wilson 1; Williams 16). But the map shows Seyer’s guess at where the Frome originally flowed - something that historians have long debated, because its course was chopped and changed around as the port grew and grew. If you have the Deluxe Edition, it also includes some component upgrades and additional components to play the Alms Expansion: I have a feeling that even the most die-hard, “upgraded components are a waste of money and I want every board game to be cheap cardboard and dull colors because it’s only the mechanics that matter” boardgamers would be hard-pressed to deny the allure of the beautiful metal components included here. On the surface Bristol 1350 is part cooperative teamwork, part racing strategy, and part social deduction. In reality, it’s a selfish scramble to get yourself out of town as fast as possible without the plague, by any means necessary.

As I have a bit more time now (as compared to when I was writing the original Facade Games write up – which is below), I’ll proceed with a standard Upstart write up for the deluxe edition of Bristol 1350. 😁 Following that write-up is the exceptionally abbreviated write up for the rest of the series.. hehe. Bristol 1350 Deluxe is here! Buglers, sound off!! 📯Safes contain Badges, Gold, or Showdown Guns. Near the end of the game, players with Badges get extra turns. After the final turn, the team with the most Gold will advance to the Final Showdown. There, teammates will have to fight each other to the death using Showdown Guns. The last person alive is the winner! The game is a balance between teamwork and selfishness

In Bristol 1350 by Façade Games, 1-9 players will embody the flighty boots of citizens desperate to escape the plague ravaged streets for the promise of the countryside’s proximal vapours before they succumb to the relentless waves of pestilence afflicting the city. Players play as prominent villagers from the old Salem town, and even read their bios in the instruction manual. The servant girl Mary Warren, pastor Samuel Parris, farmer John Proctor, storyteller Tituba, and beggar Sarah Good are some of the 12 characters featured in the game. During gameplay, players gather cards that they use to accuse, or defend, other players. Deciding who to trust is key to survival, since you can never play a card on yourself. When you suspect someone to be a witch, you can begin accusing them with red accusation cards. When enough accusations have been placed on one of the players, the player who lays the final accusation chooses one of that player’s Tryal cards to reveal. Once all “Witch” Tryal cards have been found, the villagers of Salem winBefore long, accusations will be flying, and screams of “She’s a WITCH!” will wake the neighbours. Will you be the hero who purges your town of witches, or will you be wrongly accused and hung for witchcraft? Or perhaps you will be a witch yourself, escape conviction, and bring Salem to the ground. Tortuga 1667 – Volume 2 in the Dark Cities Series by Facade Games