Publisher Devir Games has announced its latest game, “Regine,” described as a title where betting, bluffing, and watching out for your opponent’s hand will get you the closest to victory. But hold on, because “daggers” are involved and flying here too, as Devir prepares to release more details about the newest additions to its “Pocket Games” lineup in the coming weeks.
Devir Adds New Pocket Title with “Regine”
Designed by Dani Gómez and Josep M Allué and Illustrated by Bea Tormo, the game pits 2-4 players in a 30-minute contest of cunning and trickery. The game sets the victory condition right from the start with all players invited to reach 31 points before anyone else can.
To get there, though, you need to watch your back, as betrayal is a big part of the game. Most of the cards available in “Regine” will actually impact the hand of your opponents making for a game of unpredictable turns and nerve-biting strategizing.
Players will try to build the best combination of cards to score the most points, but often other players will disrupt those plans by playing cards that weaken the other participants’ hands. Devir promises that the game is intuitive and easy-to-get-into, a fitting design ambition for a self-professed pocket game.
“Regine” is reminiscent of “Mus,” a traditional card game dating to 1745 which has served as the inspiration for the current game. Rounds unfold in three phases with hand construction, a betting phase where people bid on the best hands, and point resolution. While the rules have already been fleshed out by the company in some detail, it would be best to hold on to explaining those until the official rules and some examples are available.
Depth, Cunning and Good Memory Will Serve You Well
On the plus side, the rules seem to take only several minutes, making for quick onboarding of new players. Yet, just because “Regine” wants to be a pocket game, this doesn’t mean it lacks depth. In fact, “Regine” involves a lot of observation, deduction, and no small degree of ingenuity as you want to bluff your opponents it seems.
There will be a bit of to-and-fro as you try to convince your opponents that your hand is better than theirs and eliciting a stronger response from them, setting them up to fail later down the road. Shrewdness and good memory are definitely big advantages in “Regine,” Devir confirms. Suited for entire families and all generations, this game will be a tabletop hit.
Yet, Devir reminds you to move with caution among the knights and courtesans and make sure you are never caught with the wrong cards. Gómez and M Allué have worked on a number of other games, including “Dragons & Chickens,” “The Color Monster,” and “Castellers.”