Hachette Boardgames has earned a bit of a reputation for designing or at the very least – distributing – excellent Viking-themed games. After Northgard: Uncharted Lands, the company will be launching Vaalbara into US retail in May 2023.
Vaalbara Will Put Your Hand Management Skill to the Test
The game, designed by Studio H and designer Olivier Cipière, will have Neolithic clan leaders vie for establishing their dominance over other clans. Yes, we know. The Neolithic period is way before the Vikings, but we can tell a Viking beard when we see one.
This flippancy aside, Vaalbara is a fast-paced game for 2-5 players that is suitable for players ages 10+. The game itself plays in 20 minutes and introduces players to fast gameplay where you will compete in 9 rounds of the game to win. The action will take place at the namesake subcontinent of Vaalbara. Uou will set out with your tribe to expand and conquer new lands, establish sedentary villages and pivot mankind towards its new chapter in history.
Players will vie to conquer sectors and ensure that they secure the scoring conditions for each of these “Territories,” as they are called in Vaalbara verbiage. There are different metrics attached to each of the Territories adding strategy to the game and weight to your decision on which one you wish to hold.
You will also have to decide between what powers and high initiatives to play, other aspects of the gameplay still, to secure your hegemony. The game’s main mechanic boils down to hand management. Players reveal cards from their hand to show their opponents what their next move would be.
Vaalbara is a beautifully crafted card game with a straightforward rule set and depth to the experience that will help you immerse yourself in the competitive world of the game. The player count makes for a rather interesting balance of powers where players try to constantly pull ahead at the expense of others.