Simulation RPG 'Unicorn Overlord' comes with an original deck-building card gameplay review. Highly strategic and luck-based elements are well balanced and can be enjoyed by beginners and advanced players alike.
The limited edition package of the simulation RPG ' Unicorn Overlord ' to be released by Atlas on Friday, March 8, 2024 will include an original card game from the developer
Unicorn Overlord - Official website
https://unicorn-overlord.com/
The contents look like this. The one I played this time was a prototype in the production process, and the final version will have rounded corners on the cards and will be packaged in a luxurious box.
There are a total of 239 cards in eight different types: unit cards, item cards, territory cards, critical cards, fire cards, curse cards, power cards, and prestige cards, and players can use these cards to battle.
This is a unit card.
Unit cards have icons that indicate their power, effect, and type.
Item Card
Territory Cards
Critical Card
Flaming Card
Curse Cards
Reputation Cards
A quick reference table of power cards and rules.
When playing, you will also use red 'ability value markers,' transparent 'selection markers,' and yellow 'start player markers.'
Let's start preparing the game. When setting up, place the cards as shown in the attached setup diagram.
Next, prepare the area where each player will place their cards. Arrange the cards according to the setup diagram.
Each player will draw one each of 'Fighter,' 'Huscarl,' 'Soldier,' and 'Cornu's Ashes,' three 'Gold Bags,' and three cards from the unit card pile to make a total of 10 cards in their deck.
The number of players in the Unicorn Overlord card game is 2 to 4. The starting position for a 4-player game is as follows:
As you play, check the included quick reference sheet.
The first turn proceeds as follows: First, in the 'Draw Phase,' each player draws five cards from their deck and puts them in their hand.
Next is the 'Territory Phase.' Starting from the starting player, players will use the effects of cards placed in the territory area clockwise. The territory card 'Town' that each player is dealt one at the beginning has the effect of 'using gold coins up to three times.'
There are three actions you can take with gold coins: Add one of your played unit cards, item cards, or territory cards to your hand.
You can also update the two unit cards, item cards, or territory cards from the right on the field. The updated cards are placed face up in the excluded area on the right.
In addition, you can also remove one discarded card. The removed card will be added to the removed area.
After all players' territory phases are over, the next phase is the 'Battle Phase.' Each player chooses five cards from their hand and places them face down in the battle area.
Place any remaining cards face up on the discard pile.
After that, players turn over their cards one by one, starting with the leftmost card. At that time, the effects of unit cards, item cards, and territory cards are applied.
This card had a 'critical' effect.
Cards with a 'Critical' effect are taken face down from the Critical Card pile.
In addition, the combat power value is increased by the power of the unit card.
In addition, your combat power will increase by the number of icons of the same troop type that are on cards in your territory and battle areas.
After all players have finished processing their effects, move on to the 'Result Phase.' In the Result Phase, check the critical conditions placed under the Critical Card Pile, and if one is met, you get one Critical Card, and if two are met, you get two Critical Cards.
After that, all players reveal all of the critical cards they have acquired and add up their power value.
In this case, the total power is 9 points, the troop bonus is 2 points, making a total of 11 points, and the critical card points total 5 points, making the final power value 16 points.
After the calculation, the player with the highest power value wins the round and takes one prestige card from the deck.
After receiving the fame card, it's the 'end phase.' Place all cards placed in the battle area on their respective discard piles.
In addition, you place the acquired critical card on top of the critical condition card already placed, and then flip over a new card from your deck to set it as the critical condition for the next round.
The above phase is considered as one set, and is repeated for 5 rounds. The player with the most prestige at the end of the final round wins the game.
As I was playing, I was hit by an opponent's card effect that caused my territory to become unusable, 'burning.' When you are hit by a burning effect, you cannot use the effects of the designated territory for one round.
Unexpected combos can also be created as you play. In this scene, by using abilities such as 'Gold Ore' and 'Thief,' which allow you to use gold coins up to three times, you can dramatically increase the power of 'Mercenary,' whose power increases depending on the number of times you use gold coins. The combo that corresponds to the number of times gold coins are used is very powerful, and you succeed in winning the third and fourth rounds in a row, when the deck has been built by increasing the number of territory cards. You have gained four reputation points.
Even so, in the final round, when the number of cards that can be drawn from one's hand and the number of cards that can be placed on the battle area increase, he managed to achieve an impressive score of 84 points by using card effects such as units with multiple troop types and the 'Revenge List,' whose combat power value increases according to the difference in reputation value between him and the other player with the highest reputation value.
Including the 'final round bonus' that can be obtained for every 10 points difference in power between the second place player and the player in the final round, the player gained 4 reputation points in the final round alone, and the game ended with him suddenly tying for the top spot. In this way, the Unicorn Overlord card game is a highly strategic game in which a sudden reversal can occur.
On the other hand, editorial staff with experience with multiple board games have also given the game some harsh criticism, saying, 'There are a lot of things to think about and rules, such as how to use gold coins, curses, and fire cards, so it may be difficult for people who are not used to playing board games,' 'There are few benefits to troop bonuses, and there is little advantage to having the same troop types,' and 'It is harder to increase your combat power than you might think.'
Still, by using the effects of territory cards well, you can make the game more exciting, disrupt your opponent's strategy with fire cards, and enjoy the thrill of critical cards that you don't know the score of until you open them. It's a board game that can be enjoyed in a wide range of ways, depending on how you play.
'Unicorn Overlord Monarch Edition', which includes the card game played this time as a bonus, is scheduled to be released on Friday, March 8, 2024, and can be reserved at Amazon.co.jp for 17,578 yen including tax.
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