The studio behind the “North Sea” and “West Kingdom” sagas – Garphill Games – is set to release a new board game, based on ancient Chinese history, called “Legacy of Yu”.
“Legacy of Yu” Delivers on the Familiar Garphill Games Design
Right off the bat – the artwork of “Legacy of Yu” is visually stunning. Sam Phillips, the game’s illustrator, does an amazing job capturing the aesthetics of ancient China – from the armors to the amazing scenery. He has worked on such titles as “Hadrian’s Wall” and “Raiders of Scythia”, amongst others, but “Legacy of Yu” just might be his best project yet!
The game is designed by the Kiwi (New Zealander) board game designer Shem Phillips, known for titles like “Viscounts of the West Kingdom”, “Paladins of the West Kingdom”, “Architects of the West Kingdom” and the “North Sea” series. It is safe to say that Shem knows how to design some war-inspired board games.
“Legacy of Yu” is exactly that type of game. It is set during the Xia Dynasty of ancient China and follows the captivating story of the son of an ancient Chinese official – Yu the Great – who has the uneasy task of not only solving the issues of impending floods through the Yellow River, but also repel incoming attacks from barbaric tribes, who are set on pillaging the Empire. Players will have to work tirelessly to avoid the floods and keep their townsmen safe from harm.
What is interesting to note is that “Legacy of Yu” is a solo board game. But that doesn’t make it any less fun. On the contrary – the game has near endless replayability, ensured by unique and “evolving” story-driven mechanics. Just like a video game campaign, each session of the game is affected by the outcome of the previous one – new stories and gameplay elements will be added with each playthrough. The game also balances itself out based on the player’s performance and choices. This means that players need to adapt to the new additions and challenges.
Forge Your Own Story Through Nature’s Elements
The game campaign ends once the player has either won or lost seven games, with the epilogue determining how the story of Yu the Great ultimately ends. Will his efforts be in vain, or will he become the hero the Chinese Empire desperately needs? That is up to you, the player, to ultimately decide.
“Legacy of Yu” is, unfortunately, still without a solid release date or a retail price, but Shem Phillips did announce via twitter that the game will launch on Kickstarter on September the 6th.
Given this announcement, our questions will undoubtedly be answered sooner rather than later. Who knows what other surprises “Legacy of Yu” will have in store for us. We will keep an eye out and bring you the latest news!