Game summary:
A game for 1-5 players
Play time 60-90 minutes
Designer: Joe Hopkins
Artist: Ben Flores, Beth Sobel
Publisher: Grand Gamers Guild
Unboxing
This box, got the following components in it:
1 double-sided board
15 Tiger tokens
15 Otter tokens
36 Impact cards (18 Tigers, 18 Sea Otter)
2 Scenario sheets (1 Tiger, 1 Sea Otter)
1 Year marker
25 Influence cubes
25 Money Tokens
24 destruction Tiles
1 Offspring die
1 Destruction die
5 player Aid cards
5 Turn markers (blue, green, purple, grey and brown)
15 Action dice (3 per color)
70 Player cards (14 per color/ role)
10 Specialty cards (2 per role)
5 Role boards
12 Ambassador cards
An overview of the scenario sheet of the Sea Otters, you see some rules and the starting postion of the Sea Otters on the board.
An overview of one of the Roles, TV Wildlife Host, you see the 3 dice, the turn marker, 2 Specialty cards and the Role board.
Let’s get it to the table
Are you ready to save endangered species?
Before you start playing, decide whether you want to play with the tigers or the sea otters. Depending on the animal, that also determine which side of the board is placed on the table. You got the Shore side and the Forest side. This is very interesting, because already for more expansions! And yes, there are a few expansions, but perhaps I will tell you more about this later in another review.
Setting up the board is fairly easy, as indicated you start by choosing one of the animals and then immediately follow the corresponding side of the board. This also includes a deck with cards belonging to this animal, 1 scenario sheet and Destruction Tiles. This scenario sheet specifies what the start of the board looks like and where you place the animals, you can change the difficult level of the game for a more challenging game. The cards from deck (Impact deck) you place near the board so everyone can see them when you turn them open. But leave the right side of the board free, that’s where you’re going to add your cards. Place the Destruction Tiles near the board.
You also shuffle the different Ambassadors, and take 3 blue, 2 green and 1 grey Ambassador and place them on top of the board.
Each player chooses a colour and takes dice and a Role board and takes the corresponding card deck and turn marker. Each role also includes 2 special cards, you choose 1 of which you place near your board and discard the other one.
After this is done, you’ll place the year marker on the first year. This token moves to the next year when every player has had a turn. Then you the year ends and you move on to the next year. But you can have a voting year, this depends on the number of players.
Voting, this is a fun and interesting part of the game. During your actions, you can choose to turn an Ambassador card (for example place an influence token on it). In a voting year you need to have 4 or more Ambassadors need to say Yes, they say Yes when you can complete the instructions on the card.
Every player takes 5 phases;
Action Phase;
Collect your dice from the various actions; if there are still dice left, move them up a space.
After this, roll the dice and place them one by one in one of the actions, but note that your dice must have a higher number than it already is. In a 2 player game, it must be even 2 numbers higher!
After placing a dice, perform that action immediately.
Offspring Phase;
Count the number of double animals (partners) standing together in a box and add 1. Then throw the red die (Offspring die) and if the result is equal or less than 1 new animal may be placed on the board, if the number is higher you cannot place a new animal.
Destruction Phase
Choose a row or column and roll the black die (Destruction die). The number you have thrown will now be a Deforestation tile. If there is already a tile, place one closer to the animals if possible. If there is an animal, then this animal is lost and goes back to the stock.
Impact Phase
Take a card from the Impact deck and resolve the effect. Usually these cards are not good news, some cards are one time only and are discarded and others remain on the table.
Upkeep Phase
Draw a new card from your deck of cards and add it into your hand.
After these actions, the next player will start his turn, if none of the players has a Turn maker then the Year marker moves to the next year.
Here you see an example of the Tiger board in action, a few tigers has moved a spot and there are some destruction tiles already been placed on to the board.
A few examples Impact cards, these are for the Sea Otters and will get on the table at some point. These cards can really change the game!
Game ends
You can only win when you have 4 or more Ambassadors in one of the two voting years saying Yes (4 or more completed cards).
You lose the game when;
– If the animal population on the board is reduced to 1 or 0 animals
– If the last Destruction tile is placed on the board and there is nothing in the supply or
– When the group failed to get 4 or more votings in the last voting year.
A few examples cards of the Player cards that you can use and at to the game for new actions.
Final Conclusion & rating:
Weight: 2/5
Replayability: 7, this is definitely a game with a high replayability, every game will be different because you don’t know what cards will be drawn. But you can also change the difficulty of the game.
My rating: 🎲🎲🎲🎲🎲🎲🎲🎲
Endangered is a cooperative game for the whole family where you try to save protected species. The theme of the game is really easy to find and you try to reproduce or move the animals together to prevent them from being destroyed. I really think it is a game for those who love cooperative games but also for families who are looking for a fun game to play with each other. In the basic game there are 2 animals, the tigers and the otters but recently there has also been an extension via Kickstarter which can make the game more fun and challenging by also playing with other species.
I really like the concept of placing the dice and leaving it until it is the player’s turn. This means that you have to talk very carefully about who is going to place which die where. The tricky thing can then really be that certain actions cannot be played because there is just a dice that is too high. Fortunately, however, it can become easier if one of the other players also manages to place such a card on the table.
By turning over all the Ambassadors together as quickly as possible, you make it easier to go for 4 Ambassadors which are relatively easy to pick up and you can then try to get/lay down the right number of influence tokens together. Though it can sometimes be frustrating when you think you are there but an Impact card comes to the table and changes part of the game and you have to start over at an Ambassador.
The addition of the impact cards makes it very challenging and at times very difficult, sometimes it can just happen that you lose a large part of the tigers in one turn.
I usually find it an added bonus to be able to play a game solo, but in this case not much changes. In Endangered you play with 2 different roles and always do the action you want. In contrast to, for example, The Artemis Project by Grand Gamers Guild, I found the solo play a bit disappointing here, but on the other hand in The Artemis Project I really liked the solo play! I recommend the game from 2 players!
What I really like?
– The way you have to use the dice;
– replayability of the game, it can sometimes be very difficult to win but the next time you have just the right cards to score points quickly. Sometimes you think it’s very easy and then a few Impact cards or you roll the wrong dice and then you quickly go the wrong way;
– The different roles, really fun and added value to the game.
What could be better?
– more Ambassadors, I would like to use more ambassadors during the various games;
– Not something better, but I would love to play with other animals!
I want to thank Grand Gamers Guild for letting me review this game! Take a look at their website for more awesome games!
