Conflicted: Surviving the Apocalypse--Game Review

You've seen the signs and you've prepared for society's collapse. When the time was right, you evacuated and established yourself on the outskirt of civilization. You were ready. You are ready. You will be ready.

Conflicted: Surviving the Apocalypse is a board game with the same theme as Conflicted: The Survival Card Game. Instead of the scenarios being read off the cards to be discussed in a party setting, Surviving the Apocalypse puts you in a more active role of building a camp, adding survivors, and working through conflicts with the government, other groups, and other players.

A friend and I had the opportunity to see the game at Salt Lake Gaming Con, but didn't have a chance to play it there. Instead, arrangements were made with one of the developers to play it at another time.

At the start of the game, each player has enough to build one camp: a place (Asset) to base yourself out of and a Leader. Along with those cards, you also receive Survivors and Equipment. You have to decide who goes into the camp and with what equipment. Each cards show the limitations and benefits they provide. It is important to build a camp strong enough that can defend itself. Since society is collapsing, others are after what you have, be it the Government, Attackers, or other players.

The Mechanics

The game uses different decks of cards to represent the different items mentioned above along with Chance, Death, and Disaster. During Each turn players gain two Chance cards. Other cards are collected by landing on a corresponding marker on the game board by moving around a lap, or by taking out other camps. You can only keep five cards in your hand, so it's important how you build and manage your camps.

The cards have a lot of information on them. For example, Assets can only support so many people, people can only use certain levels of equipment, and some equipment is used better by certain people. You need to keep an eye on what and who you have.

The End Game

There are multiple ways Conflicted: Surviving the Apocalypse can end. We decided we would end if one of three conditions were met: having four leaders in play (building four camps), removing four opposing leaders, or completing a lap on the board. Ours ended with four camps being established.

At the end, three of the four players were close to each other in what they were building. I was the fourth player, who wasn't really a threat to anyone else in the game.

Strategy Thoughts

Managing your cards during the building a camp phase determines how well you are defending your camp, and thus your camp's leader. You can also do this through negotiation with other players.

Bargains can be struck to help defend your camps, or attack others. There is no rule though about how you follow through. Conflicted is a game of opportunity, so to survive, and to come out on top, go after the opportunities when they present themselves.

Some of the random events almost have a reset value to the game. We were hit by a super volcano that took out all of the Assets, Survivors, and Equipment. We were left with only our Leaders that were in play.

Re-playability

There are enough cards that every game would be providing a different set of conditions to work with. In our game the developer (Shanna) mentioned it was the first time she was hit by a super volcano.

I wouldn't expect people playing back-to-back games since it takes between 1–2 hours, but you can expect it to be different each time you play.

The Look

Conflicted Games has gone with photographs to decorate the cards. This brings a different, more realistic feel to the game. Along with the pictures, the cards have additional statements that bring some light-heartedness into the game.

Overall

Conflicted: Surviving the Apocalypse is based on a disaster film on steroids. Society is collapsing and natural disasters can strike at any time. Along with the super volcano, our game was hit with a tsunami and a drought. Then, again, because of the randomness of the game, you could go an entire game without a disaster occurring. It is about surviving whatever happens.

We enjoyed the game. The developers are working out a few variations. However, the kinks observed were minor and easily worked out. Conflicted Games is taking their board game to Kickstarter soon and I am sure that by the time it releases, the game will be polished.

Conflicted: Surviving the Apocalypse is developed and distributed by Conflicted Games. It is designed for 2–6 players and no age was yet assigned.

Times are tough. Your crew is tougher. You are part of the few who have survived the apocalypse.

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