CloudAge

Fly an airship over a scorched world and gamble on which cloud-covered tile hides the resources you need.

Designers: Alexander Pfister, Arno Steinwender
Published by: Nanox Games
Editions by: Capstone Games, Hobby World, Maldito Games, Matagot, Mandoo Games, Surfin' Meeple China, Board Game Rookie, 株式会社ケンビル (KenBill), dlp games

Fifteen years ago a secret society called Cloud burned oil fields and forests to tip the world over, and now you are cruising above the dried-out wreckage in an airship, looking for something better. CloudAge, by Alexander Pfister and Arno Steinwender, is a dystopian adventure for one to four. You visit cities, send drones to harvest resources and fight off Cloud militia. The clever bit is the terrain: it is hidden under cloud cover in sleeves, so you guess where the resources you want are hiding, or where extra actions wait. What you collect pays for upgrades to your airship. It plays as a campaign of scenarios with a gambling streak, so every sortie is a small bet. Moody, a little bleak, and quite approachable for a Pfister game.

Hidden terrain in sleeves, guess before you lookAirship upgrades and drone sortiesScenario campaign, solo to four players

Who it's for

You like Pfister-style Euros with a campaign arc and a bit of risk, and you enjoy a bleak sci-fi setting. Works well solo or at three.

Not for you if…

You dislike luck in your resource gathering, or you want a bright, cheerful theme. The guessing mechanism is the heart of the game.

Vibe's take

Moody, exploratory and a bit gamble-y. You read the odds, send a drone, and flinch when the sleeve slides out. Between sorties you tinker with upgrades, which keeps the campaign feeling like progress.