Gen Con 2019 — Newly Announced Games

The largest and longest-running game convention in the U.S., designers and publishers flock to Gen Con to demo their games, introduce fresh releases, and build buzz. Gen Con 2019 was no different! Here are some games that were featured:

Marvel Champions [Fantasy Flight Games]

"With great power, there must also come great responsibility."
–Stan Lee, Amazing Fantasy #15

Iron Man and Black Panther team up to stop Rhino from rampaging through the streets of New York. Captain Marvel and Spider-Man battle Ultron as he threatens global annihilation. Do you have what it takes to join the ranks of these legendary heroes and become a champion?

Jump into the Marvel Universe with Marvel Champions: The Card Game, a cooperative Living Card Game for one to four players!

Marvel Champions: The Card Game invites players to embody iconic heroes from the Marvel Universe as they battle to stop infamous villains from enacting their devious schemes.

 Release Date: 4th Quarter 2019

Towers of Am’harb [Moaideas]

In Towers of Am’harb, players are leaders of different doom cults vying for control of Am'harb island. In the end, only one Great Old One will awaken. Will it be yours? Only the cult with the strongest faith will awaken their Great Old One and lead the world into the new dark age!

Players will take turns manipulating their set of 4 different sized discs according to the rules of the mathematical puzzle "Tower of Brahma." Moved discs activate the corresponding above areas on the island, allowing you to send your disciples (priests and cultists) to the activated area in order to gain control of scoring altars that provide doom points at the end of the game. Your disciples come in different sizes: three priests (worth 3 influence each) and six cultists (worth 1 influence each). Each disciple spreads its influence to the eight surrounding spaces so that it can influence more than one altar.

Sending disciples to the board isn't free. You will need to pay resources depending on how crowded the area you are entering is. The height of your tower offsets this cost, so you must plan ahead if you need to concentrate your efforts.

There are eight different Great Old Ones to worship in this game. Each one grants a unique Cosmic Power for players to wield and manipulate the game state. The map consists of double-sided modular boards, with different layouts for 2/3/4 player scaling. The modular boards allow for both more balanced play (symmetric distribution of scoring altars) and more advanced play (asymmetric distribution of scoring altars).
 
Once one player has placed all of their disciples on the board, the final round is triggered, and all other players take one last turn. Each altar on the board is scored and gives doom points to the player(s) with the highest influence. The player who earns the most Doom awakens the Great Old One of their worship and releases unfathomable cosmic horrors upon the world.

Release Date: GenCon 2019

Shadow Rivals [Moaideas]

“Dear Mr. Graze, I hereby inform you that we shall call at your house this evening to collect your antiques. Please be prepared.”

Graze crossed his arms as he glared at the unfolded piece of paper on the tea table, and shifted his head to examine another postcard beside it:

“Sir Graze: Tonight. Jewels. Mine.”

Graze frowned as the butler passed another envelope for him:

“Hey Graze! How you doing? I really like those paintings in your lobby, which I know you will gift me. Be stopping by for them, see ya!”

Graze hurled the letter to the tea table, cursing as he picked up the wooden telephone to call the local station sergeant. Graze pays them to look the other way occasionally, so he should come over and put in some effort for once.

A short while later the doorbell rang, and Graze rushed to open the door personally, boiling red as he grumbled to the sergeant about this debacle of audacious thieves running loose around the neighborhood...

The sergeant calmed Graze down in short order, and together they inspected every valuable item around the mansion, without anyone noticing the sly grin on his face as he left...

In Shadow Rivals, you will be leading a team of 8 skillful bandits each with a different specialty, robbing the riches from the extravagant parties that take place every night. But there are rival teams that also want to rob these patricians, so you will need all your wits to gain the upper hand, and make sure you get the biggest slice of the pie.

The church bell has just rung for 6 pm, so put on your cloak and go meet your crew in the dark alley near a fancy mansion. It is now time to roll and show them who leads the most notorious team of bandits in town, laughing all the way to the bank.

We can’t keep Mr. Graze waiting all night, can we?

Release Date: GenCon 2019

Cyberpunk 2077 —  Afterlife [CMON]

In Cyberpunk 2077 – Afterlife: The Card Game, players become Fixers. Fixers are the databrokers and masterminds in Night City who recruit cyberpunks, equip them with gear, and send them out on missions. But nothing’s free in Night City. Players need to balance between what they want and what they can actually afford. Using an innovative drafting mechanic and special dashboard, players must decide which cards they want to buy, and which to sacrifice for funds in order to purchase new ones.

Each successful mission raises the player’s Street Cred, with mission survivors becoming Veterans, imparting their knowledge and experience to newer recruits. In this chrome-infused world, Street Cred is the only currency that truly matters.

Release Date: 2020

Mezo [Kolossal Games]

Parks [Keymaster Games]

PARKS is a celebration of US National Parks featuring illustrious art from Fifty-Nine Parks Print Series. In PARKS, players will take on the role of two hikers as they trek through different trails across four seasons of the year. While on the trail, these hikers will take actions and collect memories of the sites they visit—memories being the resources in the game.

Players will trade in these memories to collect National Park cards, mementos, at the end of each hike. You'll be able to purchase equipment and fill canteens to make your hikes more efficient, but at the the end of the year, it's the Park cards and photos you have collected along your journey that will win you the game.

Release Date: September 2019

Arkham Horror: Final Hour [Fantasy Flight Games]

You arrived too late to stop the loathsome rite, and a monstrous, transdimensional Ancient One tears through reality. An iridescent rift slashes across the darkened skies, heralding the nightmarish creatures that pour into the hallowed buildings of Miskatonic University. As howls and screams cut through the night, there is only one path left for your fearless investigators—hold back the horde long enough to somehow reverse the summoning.

Arkham Horror: Final Hour is a fully cooperative, fast-paced board game for one to four players. An endless tide of monsters sweeps across the Miskatonic University campus, and you must hold them back, all while searching desperately for the ritual components you need to put an end to this insanity. Playable in under 60 minutes, your fate depends on cooperation between you and your fellow investigators. The odds against you are astronomical, but if you don’t succeed, this will indeed be the final hour for Arkham... and the world.

Release Date: 4th Quarter 2019

Zombicide 2nd Edition [CMON]

In Zombicide, zombies are controlled by the game, while players take on the role of Survivors who must cooperate in order to survive and thrive in a world overrun by the bloodthirsty undead. Find guns and gear to take the fight to the zombies through 25 different scenarios linked by a branching story as you pick your way through an infested city.

Returning players will find that the classic rules have been refined, streamlining game play and getting into the thick of the action faster than ever before! Veteran zombie hunters will still be able to use their current collections as updates will be available.

Release Date: 2020

THAT'S IT!

What was your favorite game from Gen Con? 😊