Game Preview: Graverobbers
By Rick Thornquist
June 14, 2006
Publisher: Jolly Roger Games / www.jollyrogergames.com
Designer: Carlo A. Rossi
Players: 3-6
Ages: 10+
Playing Time: 25-40 Minutes
Graverobbers is a new card game coming from Jolly Roger Games.
Here is a description of the game from the box back:
| “Extra! Extra! Bodies missing from cemeteries again! Police baffled!”
Nunhead...Brompton...Highgatc.... the dead rest in peace in the cemeteries of 1882 London. But not for long. The doctors and scientists of England have found they need bodies for their research and the living are not fond of donating organs or limbs, but dead men tell no tales. In a battle of wits, the scientists and their lackeys are matched against the finest law enforcement officials in the world, the steadfast bobbies of the London police department and the detectives of Scotland Yard. But where do the everyday men and women of London fit in? Should they help the cause of science and conceal the robberies? Or should they tell the police of the heinous crimes befouling London’s elegant and serene cemeteries? |
Here is a description of the game from the publisher:
| Players are trying to save (or destroy) graves in 1880s London cemeteries. Players have secret objectives--playing cards makes the objectives more attainable, BUT--you score points based on cards still in hand when the game is done (so the more you play, the less you score). Worse still, half the cards help, the other half hurt your scoring--but to ditch the bad cards, you have to play them...and potentially hurt your chances of winning in the first place!! Very tricky. |
Here’s a description of the gameplay from the publisher:
| Players sit around 7 graves. They have a hand of cards, some good for the mad scientists, some good for the police. They take turns placing cards face up or face down on graves. When graves are resolved, the police ‘win’ if they have more points on a grave than the scientists. After all graves are resolved, whichever side won 4 graves wins the round. Players have either been working to fulfill secret objectives (good or bad). Scoring is based on cards remaining in hand. You take the winning side cards and subtract the losing side cards to score your points (there are also objective cards which score points)
The catch is that to win, you have to play good cards on the graves...but the more cards you play, the worse your score. In addition you have to figure out where to put the ‘bad’ cards in your hand where they won’t tip the balance on a specific grave. The game won a design prize at an Italian competition in its original form, a game called ‘Lucca’ (before it was re-themed) |
Graverobbers is to be released in Mid July 2006.
(Thanks to Jim Dietz of Jolly Roger Games for the information and the pictures.)
| Pictures - Click the picture for a larger version | |
 | The Box Front |
 | The Box Back |
 | Some of the Cards |
 | Some of the Cards |
© 2006 Rick Thornquist
Posted by Rick Thornquist on Jun 14, 2006 at 10:02 PM in Game Previews / 3013
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It is odd to see this title without The Great Chili Cookoff tacked onto the back. Posted by Brent Mair on Jun 15, 2006 at 12:07 AM | #
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I have had the possibility to play-test and follow the story of this game from the beginning (when it was about the Lucca’s walls) and I’m very happy to see it finally published. I like that game a lot.
good play
Posted by Andrea Liga Ligabue on Jun 15, 2006 at 02:21 AM | #
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Hmm, sounds clever and interesting. I like the idea of information management. The theme? Well, I think I can live with it… /Strömer, from Sweden Posted by Patrik Strömer on Jun 15, 2006 at 03:42 AM | #
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