Revenant

We saved Revenant for last, because the stars first had to align: we had to find time to play it and, above all, sit down and read the rules. It is Mindclash’s latest creation, and it is already causing plenty of heavy gamers to short-circuit. In my experience, it probably ranks below Perseverance 3-4 and Trickerion, even though its underlying logic is simpler than its overall weight suggests. The theme works, even if its resemblance to Galactica is so strong that it is hard to ignore.

At its core, the game did not strike me as difficult to grasp as an idea. The difficulty comes from how many things you need to track at once: mechanisms in motion, choices that open up further choices, and a system that seems to demand that you keep your eyes everywhere at all times. It is not the kind of game you explain with one clean central sentence and then simply play; its simple logic is quickly covered by layers of procedure.

Interaction, at least as I experienced it, runs mainly through this dense web of systems and through the engine-building combos. Those can appear almost out of nowhere and set a game alight, but they demand constant alertness from everyone at the table. That is where its brain-burning quality lies: endless moving parts, many interdependencies, and the feeling that every round may conceal one more chain of effects you had not accounted for.

I had a very good time and would definitely play it again. Still, even I left with the impression that Revenant is a little too much — and those of you who have read me for years know I do not say that often. I wish it had been simplified a little, because beneath the overload is a game I genuinely enjoyed. Phew, that was a long ride; good luck to anyone who made it this far, and of course, enjoy the summer!