A full 4X game, the explore-expand-exploit-exterminate kind usually reserved for epic three-hour sessions, that wraps up in under an hour? That is the promise of Notebook Nations, a cosy empire-builder that hit Kickstarter at the start of June.
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See how it worksIt comes from Amy and Dusty, the high-school sweethearts behind Dux Somnium's Minerva Studio, and it pairs cute, whimsical art with surprisingly meaty decisions. One to four players (ages 8 and up) each pick an asymmetric faction with its own goals, then gather food, wood, gold and source to build towns, wonders and units. You explore the map, expand your borders, research technologies for fresh abilities and butt heads with rivals over territory, all in roughly 45 minutes. Several win conditions keep things open.
The compact 4X is a tricky thing to pull off. The genre's whole appeal is sprawl, and the usual price is time. Squeezing that arc into a single sitting, with a friendly presentation to match, is exactly the sort of pitch that travels well to a midweek table.
Run game nights? Backseat Gamer handles RSVPs, waitlists, date polling, and game voting so you can focus on playing.
Start organising for freeThe campaign is live now with the base game around $39. If you have wanted to scratch the 4X itch without writing off a whole evening, round up your group and give it a look.
Sources: Kickstarter | First Backer | BoardGameGeek
