Computer adaptations of board games. What we learned while developing the Fated Kingdom digital board game. Digital is great

This is a multiplayer board game made in the form of a “sandbox” without strict programming of the gameplay part. Instead of chasing players through a looped algorithm, as is most often the case with digital adaptations of board games, we decided to provide as much freedom of action and interpretation of the rules as possible.

Everything is just like in life: manipulations with cubes, figures, characters and cards are done manually. The game does not interfere with the process in any way and does not even monitor the execution of the rules. However, they are in the game, so for a full-fledged game you don’t need to invent anything, just open the “rulebook” through the main menu.

We tried to make the key art of the game as realistic as possible in order to attract fans of real board games

Development has been going on for more than two years, the team has two people: a game designer-artist and a programmer. The game has virtually no budget; work on it is in full swing in the evenings after regular work. This greatly complicates the process, so we decided to release the game in early access in order to improve our financial situation and get feedback from interested people.

On May 28, Fated Kingdom became available on Steam. The project has received mostly positive reviews, but its audience is still small. Mainly due to the general specifics (read: niche) and lack of money for marketing. In addition, many people are waiting for a full release - we have 12 times more wishlists than sales. Trust in Early Access is lower than it was three or four years ago.

All the King's Men update trailer

But we are not discouraged and are trying with all our might to show that we are not going to abandon the project. In two months, we have released five updates, including one major one. Many useful features have appeared: public lobbies, integration of the Steam friends list, help screen, text chat. We've added a lot of new content and improved graphics.

We already have more details about the process of creating a game on DTF, as well as about independent promotion, which also takes place with the right approach. In this article, we will delve into the specifics of developing digital board games and share our discoveries, which will certainly be useful to those who decide to try themselves in this genre.

Expensive art VS stylization

Perhaps one of the biggest challenges when developing any board game is its visual design. Of course, there are small titles, such as "", for example. They have little graphics, but Fated Kingdom is much closer to large projects like Talisman, Pathfinder Adventure Card Game and Gloomhaven. They use illustrations from professional artists.

Cards from the board game Gloomhaven, which raised over $4 million on Kickstarter

Needless to say, the price of one piece of art can reach several hundred dollars? This is why “big” board games have large budgets and corresponding Kickstarter fees.

Pathfinder board game cards

We have neither the money to hire professional artists, nor an individual artist on the team who is ready to work with enthusiasm for a long time.

No matter what you've heard about the difficulties of creating board games: the problem of art always comes first. And to solve it, the author of these lines decided to turn to stylization.

10 cards from the recent patch

All Fated Kingdom cards are made in the same style, which combines popular print and digital graphics. The very first illustrations were very simple, but over time they became more elaborate and complex.

But the main thing is that this style can be quickly reproduced, making the creation of 200 cards a completely feasible task without freelancing, exclusively when working on your own. Of course, there are still a whole lot of difficulties, because not every stylization is suitable for a particular task. But we think the illustrations on the cards fit well with the dark visuals of the game board and other elements.

Digital is great

Another important feature of board game development is the need to bring the project to full readiness. When the board is finished, it goes to print. The publisher makes a circulation and sells it. After this moment, you cannot make any changes to the rules, change cards and other components, or correct errors.

For a small team, “finishing” a large project is an almost impossible task, otherwise there is nothing to do on paper. It is impossible to correct a mistake in the wording of a card's properties when the game is already on store shelves. Most people simply won’t find Errata on the official website. And it is unlikely that he will search at all.

The digital format is much more convenient in this regard for an indie studio that wants to create board games. Thanks to it, projects can not only be released as beta versions, but also changes can be made to them as new content is added. And only then, when the game is perfected, it can be taken to a “paper” publisher. This is also a cool option!

Other benefits of digital desktops

Releasing a board game digitally has many positive aspects, with relatively few negative ones. Yes, you will need a smart programmer, but you can do something that is often lacking in paper analogues. For example, you can have a dynamic game board that is generated when you create a party.

This can be done in “real life”, but game designers often refuse this due to the fact that printing conditional board squares separately increases costs and has a bad effect on the gameplay. Who wants to sadly arrange tiles in random order for 10 minutes before a game? Computers easily solve this problem.

Board generation is a prime example of how digital execution can make a board game better

The Fated Kingdom game board has 48 squares that form two levels of play - internal and external. For each level, an array of possible cells is prepared. Moreover, for each level there are more cells in the database than there are places on the board. When creating a server, the game generates a new board and thereby significantly increases replayability without any time investment on the part of the user.

This is the most striking example, but it is far from the only one. It takes a few minutes to shuffle a real deck of cards well, but in Fated Kingdom you just need to shake it for less than a second. Searching for the information you need in a paper rulebook takes up minutes of valuable time, while our interactive table of contents allows you to quickly jump to the desired section with one click.

Tabletop narrative

With an extremely limited budget or no budget, you have to give up a lot. For example, from cool plot screensavers and voiced dialogues. Indie developers solve this problem in different ways. Some people make videos with running text on a static background, while others try to weave a narrative into other elements of the game (level design, characters and objects).

Some even refuse plot content altogether. This is also one of the ways to reduce the cost of development, and it also suits some games. In the case of board games, there is a very cheap way to tell a story: make the cards themselves become the story. This may sound strange, but in fact there is no more precise wording.

These are good and necessary cards, but they carry virtually no narrative.

It makes sense to make cards in such a way that their elements form a single composition. Here are the elements we are talking about:

• Name;
• illustration;
• description.

All three components must be consistent with each other. It seems very simple, and this is true if we talk about simple cards, examples of which are given above. They can be called “service”. They perform simple tasks, working on the game mechanics. But telling a truly interesting and memorable story takes a lot of effort.

History in cards

As an example, let's look at three key cards from the All the King's Men update. It tells the story of the invasion of the kingdom of Kinmarr by an undead army. The user receives this initial data by reading a brief description of the update on the game page. But when he enters the game, this simple concept begins to turn into a real story.

The cards form a narrative chain: beginning, middle and end. Having pulled out the "Death" prophecy, the player sees a dead man against the backdrop of the setting sun. “Death” gives a specific goal - to defeat Constable Gotrik. The reward for this - victory in the game, which means it makes sense to really look for the “boss”. The prophecy is the same for all players, so you need to hurry!

The central cards of the update, the plot is built around them

The next card, All the King's Men, marks the arrival of the undead army into the kingdom. The sun from the prophecy has almost set below the horizon, and a scarlet sunset can be seen in the background. The card strengthens all the undead in the game until one of the players defeats the “boss” - the same Gotrik. This makes it clear that he is the one leading the army of the dead, and that players should act even faster.

And finally, “Constable Gotrik” himself is one of the most powerful creatures in the game, which can kill any party member with literally one blow. The background is dark red, which means that after sunset comes night, the time of triumph of evil forces. To win, players must weaken Gotrik by killing as many of his minions as possible in the previous stages, while also helping each other survive.

With its digital adaptation, and suddenly the idea arose to compile my personal top of the best transfers of desktop games on the other side of the screen. In fact, there are quite a lot of good adaptations: at first I wanted to make a top 5; then I realized that five was not enough, and aimed for the top ten. But even there, doubts began to arise about who deserved to be on the list and who did not. Then I came up with another requirement - these must be games for mobile devices, because at home you can play the original, boxed version of the board game, but having a good time playing a full game with a friend somewhere in a train car or even standing in line is expensive costs! With a strong-willed decision, I threw everything away, leaving only three games - but what kind ones! I’ve played dozens of hours in each of them, and I don’t regret a single minute of the time spent. I recommend them to anyone who wants to stuff a box with a bunch of cards, chips and other components into their pocket and always have with them an option for an interesting pastime. An important feature is that all the games included in the selection are available on both iOS and Android, for tablets and phones. Links to pages in the corresponding “markets” are attached.

Neuroshima Hex

That rare case when the digital version brings more pleasure than the desktop version: there are no beautiful plastic miniatures or drop-dead beautiful and pleasant-to-touch cards in the original, and calculations of the sequence of units’ moves, the application of effects and the infliction of damage are much more convenient to leave to the processor than to monitor with this whole routine myself.

What is the game itself about? About armed clashes between different factions in a post-apocalyptic world. We lay out hexagons on the field that represent various units, so that when it comes to a fight, few of ours are killed, many of the enemies are killed, and so that the enemy’s base grabs the most of all, since the goal of the game is to destroy it. Neuroshima is notable for its simple and logical, but at the same time incredibly deep gameplay. You need to think ahead here, because after the release of the next title, changing its position will be problematic (although possible under certain conditions). And the large number of abilities of units and a dozen different factions (alas, in the basic version there are only 4 factions, the rest can be purchased as add-ons) make Neuroshima’s replayability truly inexhaustible. I've played hundreds of games of the digital version and still haven't gotten tired of it. Perhaps it has become a little boring and is no longer perceived as a shiny thing that attracts with its novelty, but it certainly has not become boring. One hundred percent hit!

Star Realms

A simple, colorful and interesting deck-building game, funded at one time with the help of Kickstarter. The digital version is designed for two players, although the card original can be played by more people if you combine several basic sets.

The idea is simple: we play cards from our hand, attacking the enemy and earning resources to buy more powerful cards from the center of the field. Whoever better balanced the composition of his deck, which is formed right during the game, and managed to inflict a sufficient amount of damage on his opponent, while protecting himself from his attacks, is a great guy. They say that this gameplay is very similar to Ascension - I don’t know, since I haven’t played either the tabletop or digital versions: the art is confusing, although maybe I’ll get to it. Now the authors of Star Realms are creating another similar game - Epic, but it is still preparing for release, and there are not even rumors about a digital version yet. Star Realms is a definite hit for two players: fast, understandable, interesting!

SmallWorld 2

Computer adaptation of the popular board game from Days of Wonder.
At first glance, the game will seem quite complicated, so it is recommended that you read the section Tutorial, in which they will tell and show all the rules of the game in detail.

Game UPDATED With v1.6.0.424 to v1.6.2.453. The list of changes has not been published.

Ticket to Ride is a classic family board game. The main goal of the players is to travel to as many North American cities as possible. By collecting different carriage cards and fulfilling the instructions indicated on them, players earn additional victory points, which in turn makes the long-awaited victory closer. Ticket to Ride is a family game with fairly clear rules that does not require long learning. A huge advantage of this board game is the ease of learning and the “intensity” of the gameplay. Despite the fairly simple rules, players will have to make decisions every turn and think through their actions several moves ahead.
On a bad autumn evening, five old friends gathered in one of the rooms of the oldest and most private club in the city. Each of them has come a long way to be here. They met on a special day... October 2, 1900 - 28 years have passed since the moment when an eccentric gentleman from London, Phileas Fogg, won a bet of 20,000 pounds that he would travel around the world in 80 days. At that time, this story spread across newspapers around the world. The young people who have gathered today studied together at the same university at that time. They were so amazed by this story that they themselves made a bet - a bottle of claret would go to the first person to get to the Le Procope restaurant in Paris. Every year they gathered again to make an even more interesting bet. And now the next adventure awaits them. Bet: $1,000,000 to the winner. Goal: Visit the largest number of US cities by rail in 7 days! The journey begins immediately.
The playing field is a map of North America. Cities are marked on it and connected to each other by multi-colored lines. Players will have to travel through them, moving between cities and earning victory points. The path between different cities has different lengths. When a player travels from one city to another, he places trailer tokens on the field. The longer the route, the more trailers need to be placed. Each player is given the same number of trailers at the beginning of the game, and they are not replenished during the game. The longer the routes from these trailers are, the more points the player receives. The game also has train maps, with their help routes are laid out. Each player receives 4 cards at the beginning of the game, then during the game players can get new ones. Players also have travel ticket cards. They are also issued at the beginning of the game, and are obtained during the game. The ticket card shows two cities; if the player manages to create a continuous route between us, he receives additional points.
The game ends when one of the players has less than 2 trailer tokens left. After this, the players make their final move and count the points. In addition to the points already scored when laying routes, players count points for the Route Ticket cards in the player’s hands. This is where the main intrigue lies, because... players do not know who had which tickets, and the situation in game points can change dramatically. The player who was at the end, it turns out, laid out the routes exactly with his tickets, and ended up scoring more points than the others.
Past Ticket to Ride you just can't pass by. This game is a real masterpiece that will not leave anyone indifferent. It is suitable both for playing in the company of experienced board game players, and for playing with a family with children. It is very difficult to find a more interesting, exciting and versatile game.

Hi all! Below is a selection of the best board games that have been adapted for computers.

Carcassonne

Release date: 2007

A turn-based video game based on the strategy and economic board game of the same name. The player has at his disposal a playing field with a set of chips and a deck of cards. In the game, we develop territories by placing cards of roads, monasteries or, for example, city walls on the field. We can also populate our domains with vassals by placing knight, robber, sheriff and abbot tokens. Proper distribution of cards and vassals leads to victory.

Currently, three games in the Carcassonne series have been released on computers - “Knights and Merchants”, “New Kingdom”, “Age of Mammoths”. Each of the games has its own gameplay features, but the gameplay is based on the same rules as the famous board game that served as their prototype.

RISK: Factions

Release date: 2010

Genre: Strategy

“Risk” is a high-quality transfer of the famous board strategy game to personal computers. Players here are fighting for total power over the globe, and the gameplay itself is divided into several phases: recruiting and deploying troops, attacking, strengthening defenses. The more territories a player manages to capture, the larger the army he will have on the next turn. Of course, dice rolls (and here, as in the board game, we roll dice to perform various actions) introduce a large amount of randomness into the gameplay.

There are five equally fun factions available in the game: zombies, yetis, American military, robots and fascist cats. Unfortunately, for the sake of balance, the factions do not have unique abilities. But their confrontation gives rise to a huge amount of selected humor, which will not let you get bored throughout the game.

Memoir '44 Online

Release date: 2011

Genre: Turn-based strategy, simulator

A good computer online adaptation of the popular turn-based board game on the theme of World War II, allowing you to go through the greatest battles of the largest conflict in human history. A lot of different scenarios that take an average of 15-20 minutes of time. At the same time, despite the short duration of the game, everything is played quite cheerfully. During one battle, the player will need to adapt to the changing state of affairs and try in every possible way to use the skills of units, cards, as well as the characteristics of the chosen nation.

The game is distributed on a “pay and play” basis. After registration, you will be given 50 gold, and each battle will cost 2-3 gold, after which you will have to top up your virtual wallet. I’m glad that with these first 50 gold you have time to fight enough battles to understand whether you will continue to play this project and whether it’s worth “pouring” real money into it.

Elder Sign: Omens

Release date: 2011

Genre: Strategy

A computer version of the famous board game "Arkham Horror", designed for one player. Unlike the original board game, the mechanics are simplified here, but characters from the add-ons are added. The gameplay is based on rolling dice in order to obtain certain combinations. The whole game takes place in the universe of the writer Howard Lovecraft, where four heroes must stop the awakening of one of the ancient gods.

Unlike the original board game, this project has several modes that add significant variety to the gameplay. Overall, the game is not bad, but the element of randomness plays a huge role here. There are often situations when a player hits a low point, and literally every roll of the dice leads to the worst result. However, when the dice fall “just right”, at such moments you feel like a real strategist.

Ticket to Ride

Release date: 2012

Genre: Strategy

High-quality transfer of the famous “tabletop” about the construction of railways into digital form. At first glance, the game seems quite simple - collect carriage cards of various colors and create routes between points by completing tasks. The longer the path, the more points you get. Just? Certainly! But there will be four of you on the field, and each player will have at least two tasks (naturally, you will not know about the tasks of other players or the type of cards they have in their hands).

The game smartly balances on the brink of greed and fear, when everyone has to predict the actions of their opponents. There are often situations when the enemy can suddenly build up a path that is vital for you (by the way, you can do the same) and thereby confuse all your plans. An excellent project that does not require much time, but at the same time forces you to actively use logic and tactics.

100% Orange Juice

Release date: 2013

Genre: Indie strategy

A turn-based online board game for 2-4 people about... luck, pain and humiliation! In this project, the element of chance is taken to the absolute level. Not only is the entire gameplay tied to dice rolls, but the entire map is just “special” fields with the opportunity to lose gold, get a random card, run into a boss, or fly to the other end of the playing field. The battles here take place according to the “all or nothing” principle.

Before the start of the game, each player assembles a deck from the cards he has, which will then be mixed into one common pile. Then, as the game progresses, they can be used (set a trap, heal your character, etc.). The main resource here is stars, obtained in battles or on special panels. There are still very strong hyper cards, but they are expensive to use. As a result, everyone runs around in a circle, completing tasks and receiving new ones (for stars or for victories). In total, you need to complete 5 quests, which, due to the randomness that rules the game, is very, very difficult to do.

Small World 2

Release date: 2013

Genre: Indie strategy

An excellent digital adaptation of the board game. “Small World” has exciting gameplay and a minimum barrier to entry (even a newbie can easily outdo a veteran). One game is played by 2 to 5 people. At the beginning of the game, everyone chooses a race and receives a certain number of abilities, as well as creatures. Creatures are placed on the field one by one. At the same time, you can occupy empty regions or knock out opponents’ tokens from occupied ones. Each region earns one coin per turn. Whoever collects the most coins per game wins.

The project has several modes, and thanks to the large number of races and abilities, the replay value here is simply colossal. In technical terms, the game is thought out to the smallest detail, but it is better to play against living opponents (fortunately, a party of 3-4 people gathers quickly), because artificial intelligence here is only suitable for training beginners.

Space Hulk

Release date: 2013

A video game based on the board game of the same name in the Warhammer 40,000 universe. The gameplay is very dynamic - every move must be correctly calculated, and the slightest mistake or unsuccessfully thrown dice can lead to large losses and even the complete collapse of the mission. The game copied all 12 missions + 3 prequel missions from its desktop counterpart. The mechanics of battles, missions and other components were left unchanged, but a certain tactical variety was added in the computer version.

In general, we traditionally roll dice for a board game, move figures, use “action points”, etc. The games can be played for quite a long time, and in general the project is very hardcore, especially if you play as the Terminators. All fans of complex tactical board games, as well as fans of the universe, are highly recommended to read it.

Talisman: Digital Edition

Release date: 2014

An adventure turn-based video game in a fantasy style, based on the fourth edition of the famous board game of the same name. We, as one of 12 heroes, must get to the center of the playing field and receive a Mighty Artifact. You need to do this faster than your opponents. Despite the huge weight of randomness in the game (after all, the main part of the actions depends on the roll of the dice), the player’s decisions also play a significant role here.

The playing field is a weave of three ring paths divided into locations. Movement is carried out by rolling the dice. The locations contain places that give a fixed effect. Battles with opponents are also based on dice rolls and taking into account various parameters obtained from equipment, allies, etc. Long-term movement along the “ring” will allow you to accumulate more “gear” (or lose everything and start moving again) to pass the guards on the way to the artifact, but if you delay, the enemies will get there earlier, and you will lose.

The Witcher Adventure Game

Release date: 2014

Genre: Card

Card strategy based on the universe of the famous Witcher with turn-based battles and role-playing game elements. The game is designed for four players, with each participant taking on the role of one of the famous heroes, such as the witcher Geralt himself, the sorceress Triss Merigold, Gerald's friend the bard Dandelion or the dwarf warrior Yarpen Zigrin. Together, players will have to fight monsters and complete various quests, while the gameplay is based on traditional board-game dice rolling, step-by-step movement across the playing field, etc.

Overall, the project should appeal even to those who are not too keen on board games. The rules can be mastered the first or second time, and besides, the games here do not drag on and last on average about half an hour.

Tabletop Simulator

Release date: 2015

Genre: Indie, simulation, strategy

A simulator of classic board games such as checkers, backgammon, chess, various card games, etc. At the same time, if someone likes other entertainment, then the developers do not prohibit them from inventing their own games, setting their own rules within the framework of this kind of physical gaming “sandbox”.

The project is focused more on multiplayer mode, in which up to 8 people can take part in the game simultaneously (if allowed by the rules of a particular game). However, there is also entertainment for fans of single games (for example, solo solitaire games). Features of the project also include the presence of voice chat, the presence of realistic object physics, the ability to look at the gaming table by rotating the camera 360 degrees, etc.

Armello

Release date: 2015

Genre: Role-playing, adventure strategy

A video game that combines elements of board games, RPGs and card tactics. The game has several characters with their own characteristics, many cards that can be used at the right time to gain an advantage, and the main task of the party is to seize the throne of the king (there are several ways to win).

The project is distinguished by a well-developed world (on which you can write a whole cycle of good fantasy), interesting game mechanics and an unusual combat system based on cards with dice rolling. The fabulous graphic style of the game is also mesmerizing. As is typical for board games, the randomness is huge, and you'll often find yourself literally praying for something worthwhile to come up.

Blood Bowl 2

Release date: 2015

Genre: Strategy, sports

An excellent project based on a board game based on the Warhammer universe and combining elements of a sports simulator and turn-based tactics, where you have to carefully think through each move. Essentially, the game is an American football simulator, but with its own rules and a huge amount of randomness, as well as elves, orcs, gnomes, skeletons, vampires and other fantasy races.

The gameplay includes not only the fight for the ball, but also the need to block (or better yet, injure) the players of the opposing team. Each race has its own unique skills and characteristics, the proper use of which leads to victory. In tactical terms, everything here is at its best - there are many options for actions, grabs, sudden attacks and power moves, which also look great visually.

Chaos Reborn

Release date: 2015

Genre: Role-playing, indie strategy

A turn-based multiplayer tactics game inspired by the 1985 video game Chaos: The Battle of Wizards. The gameplay here is dominated by the notorious element of chance, so experienced players recommend thinking through each of their actions from the worst side of development. The game looks great, and fans of all kinds of “board games” and “wargames” can experience indescribable pleasure from the abundance of all kinds of tactics and “multi-moves”.

The essence of the game is the battle between wizards who can cast all kinds of spells and summon creatures. The task is to remain the last survivor. By the way, the game has a mode in which “randomness” when casting spells is replaced by the use of mana.

Battle Chess: Game of Kings

Release date: 2015

Genre: Casual strategy

An excellent project based on a classic board game. Yes, yes, yes, it's chess, but in a more beautiful and animated form, in which the turn-based board game is combined with epic battles and beautiful animation, as well as some humor. The dynamism is surprisingly off the scale, and at the same time, all fans of classical chess have the opportunity to play the most ordinary virtual chess, without animation and “bells and whistles,” but with the ability to change the board or the models of the pieces.

The game is suitable for both beginners and professionals. The former will find here a special mode with training in all the basics of the game, and the latter will be able to play not only against computer AI, but also against a live opponent.

Tharsis

Release date: 2016

Genre: Role-playing, indie strategy

A turn-based space strategy that includes elements of a board game, in which members of an expedition to Mars, as a result of a catastrophe, must survive for 10 weeks (10 moves) and still reach the red planet. Almost every turn something happens at the station, and our staff, represented by four astronauts, is not always able to immediately fix a broken module (it all depends on the dice roll, which is the main element of the gameplay).

The project constantly keeps the player in suspense and forces him to make important, and sometimes even morally difficult, decisions. Does this or that compartment need to be repaired right now? Which astronaut should be sacrificed to successfully complete the mission? Heck, you can even practice cannibalism in this survival game! In general, the project is definitely recommended for familiarization.

Gremlins, Inc.

Release date: 2016

Genre: Indie, strategy

A tabletop turn-based strategy video game with card game elements, in which a group of gremlins fight for power in a mech city. The project is designed for 2-6 players, each of whom is represented by a chip on the playing field and the image of one of the twelve gremlin characters. The goal of the game is to score the most points, while the main emphasis in the gameplay is on interaction between players. The interaction is expressed in the fact that each of the players must build various intrigues for their opponents (this is done with the help of special cards).

It is noteworthy that in addition to online play, the game also supports single-player mode, when artificial intelligence plays against you. The developers also periodically hold tournaments for the game and support it with regular free updates (there are also paid DLCs, but they are purely cosmetic and do not affect the gameplay).

Twilight Struggle

Release date: 2016

Genre: Simulator, strategy

A high-quality transfer of the famous card board wargame for two players into a digital version. The game is dedicated to the theme of the Cold War. It has a user-friendly interface, clear training and incredibly addictive gameplay. The goal of the game is to earn the most points, either to have a marker on your half of the scale by the end of the tenth turn, or to control Europe when the Europe scoring card comes up. In addition, the player can lose if he starts a nuclear war.

One of the deepest board strategy games that literally makes you feel like the head of a superpower (America or the USSR). Influence other countries, monitor the level of stability, control the enemy and place markers of your influence and, ultimately, you will achieve world domination!

Warbands: Bushido

Release date: 2016

Genre: Indie strategy

A colorful turn-based strategy board game with dice, cards, miniatures, single player and multiplayer, set in 16th century Japan. The game features many hand-drawn maps and characters. The combat system is reminiscent of a mixture of combat from the Heroes and Magicka series. Of course, many things are influenced by randomness, but the proper use of characters and their skills allows you to minimize this influence.

To get new cards you need to purchase boosters, which are purchased with in-game currency. In addition to single and multiplayer modes, the game features ranked matches, which can be entered if you have four legendary fighters. At the moment, the project is in early access, but is developing quickly, and the developers themselves promise to implement many more interesting gaming features.

Patchwork

Release date: 2016

Genre: Casual, indie strategy

A virtual embodiment of an abstract board game for two players, in which you need to assemble a beautiful blanket from pieces of material. Each player has a 9x9 field of scraps, buttons (the local equivalent of game currency) and pieces of fabric in the form of figures from Tetris. The players' task is to purchase scraps and place them on the field so that they best fit each other. On his turn, a player can sew any number of pieces.

In addition to multiplayer battles, the game features battles against artificial intelligence of varying difficulty levels. There is also a leaderboard here. In general, the project is distinguished by its exciting gameplay, nice graphics and refined mechanics to the smallest detail. At first glance, everything looks elementary, but the game forces you to use your brain and even develop certain strategies aimed at winning.

Through the Ages

Release date: 2018

Genre: Card game

A virtual adaptation of the famous card board game dedicated to the rivalry between different civilizations in their development from antiquity to modern times. The game is designed for 1-4 players, and it is possible to play both against artificial intelligence and with real people online or on the same computer. Unlike board games, games here are faster.

The main goal is to gain more culture points than your opponents, and players can use different strategies to achieve the goal. For example, you can build a balanced state or develop one of the areas: culture, science, military power, industry, agriculture. To build their strategy, players have access to civilian or military cards, which are divided by the time of their appearance in the game (depending on the era). On his turn, each player does the following: add new cards to his deck, play civilian or military cards, and perform the consumption and production stages.

Clash of Cards

Release date: 2018

Genre: Card game

Deep, smart and moderately hardcore card game with single missions and multiplayer. The project is distinguished by its exciting gameplay with several game modes, the presence of a large number of different cards (more than 300 pieces) that affect the gameplay, a pleasant soundtrack and even the presence of a plot with video inserts between battles.

Players are given six factions to choose from, each of which has its own strengths and weaknesses. The balance between the factions here is good and there are no frankly “imbalance” factions - victory depends solely on the player’s skills and some luck. The artificial intelligence is impressive, and it is very difficult to beat in the later stages of the campaign.

Scythe: Digital Edition

Release date: 2018

Genre: Turn-based strategy

A digital adaptation of the famous board game with retro-futuristic illustrations by renowned artist Jakub Rozalski, set in an alternate 1920s Europe. There are 5 factions in the game, each of which is fighting for the title of the most powerful and richest in all of Europe. To ensure victory, players will have to engage in research, recruit troops, create combat mechs and wage wars of conquest.

Each faction here starts with its own set of resources and funds. There is virtually no element of chance in the game, and players have to rely only on their own mind and strategy. The only exception is encounter cards that are drawn from a special deck. You can play either independently or in the company of friends on the same computer or online.

Fated Kingdom

Release date: 2018

Genre: detective, strategy, indie, puzzle, casual, card game

A digital sandbox board game in the style of a dark fantasy, designed for 1-4 players, with detective elements and complete freedom of action for players. According to the plot, the kingdom of Kinmarr is going through hard times and 4 guilds, with the permission of the king, are trying to regain control over the country, using any resources and opportunities to their advantage.

At the beginning of the game, the player chooses one of four guilds, which in its own way will influence the methods of achieving their goals. Traditionally, in board games, players take turns rolling dice, making moves on the playing field, and using cards. The “trick” of the game is that the players themselves need to monitor compliance with the rules, which means that if they wish, they can cheat somewhere. The main thing is that opponents do not notice this. Complete freedom of action for players and a sandbox element allow each game to be unique.