Themeborne | Escape The Dark Sector | Board Game | 1 - 4 Players | Ages 14+ | 45 Minutes Playing Time

Product Information

Although it is definitely part of the B-movie sci fi madness that is the Dark Sector there is a definite tonal shift. Although in saying that the art of the new cards is beautiful and a refreshing difference from the previous artworks. I think it comes down completely to personal preference whether you enjoy the theme or not but even if you do not care for the time travel shenanigans there are still several encounters that stay on theme and can be mixed in straight out of the box. Throughout the game, players will come across a variety of items that engage them and make them want to play and discover more. The art in this game is great and supports the sci-fi theme very well. The component quality is very nice, and the graph used as health counters really solidifies the theme. Crew cards show player stats and a crude drawing of the characters. After all players have fully resolved their chosen action, the round ends. If there are still chapter dice laid out beneath the chapter card, begin the next round of Close Combat by declaring actions as a crew and then simultaneously carrying them out.

After completing a chapter and before turning the next chapter card, ensure both tactical action cards are flipped to their ready sides. For maximum variety each time you play, all content in the Escape the Dark Sector range is designed to be mixed together. Along the way, players will gather loot cards. These are usually helpful items such as weapons, healing devices, and other objects that can be used throughout the game. However, each character can only hold four items, and some count for two slots instead of one. Players will need to decide which to keep and which to drop.The players win if all of the chapter cards are completed, and they reach The Equinox. However, if even one player dies, the game ends and all the players lose. This game is all about budgeting your health to make sure you can survive each and every card. Strategizing who draws each card is a good idea because the player who draws the card usually takes the most damage. Each story card has a random encounter for players to deal with. The more symbols at the bottom, the harder the encounter. Game Experience: The new boss is as dangerous as the others and it is always welcome to have another random option to face at the end of the game. Araknochron is a horrifying time travelling spider cyborg who uses the rift die to add random negative effects to your crew members at the start of combat. These are all powerful and potentially deadly effects and the potential to wipe a party at the start of the encounter without any prevention is possible so he is definitely one of the harder bosses to face.

For maximum variety each time you play, all content in the Escape the Dark Sector range is designed to be mixed together. A combat drone armed with an array of weaponry and targeting systems, capable of accurately striking enemy weak points.

Review Summary

In addition to declaring that your crewmember will take the activate drone action and placing your crew die on the drone card, you must now also declare whether you intend to activate the Basic or the Advanced function of the drone. Along the way, the crew will have to overcome a variety of dangers, traps, and terrors. From cyborg guards and faulty replicators to killer alien organisms, each challenge is represented by a large, beautifully illustrated chapter card. Escape the Dark Sector is designed to be as good with one player as it is with four. To play a solo game, simply choose any two members of the crew and begin the game as normal. You will make all the decisions and dice rolls yourself. There is just one thing to note:

Whenever new item cards are drawn into the item pool, crewmembers can exchange items with each other. You may give and/or take any number of items from one other crewmember, so long as this does not result in you or them exceeding four slots’ worth of items at any time. Escape the Dark Sector plays over a series of chapter cards. Each card has an encounter on it, and the players must decide who will flip each card. The player who flips the card will be the primary target for the main effect of the encounter. You may take one item from the inventory of one other crewmember. That crewmember may still perform one action this round, so long as the action does not involve use of the item being taken. There are three things in life that I love, apart from my children of course: science-fiction, evocative art, and solitaire games. The idea then to be able to combine these individual elements into a holy trinity is an alluring proposition to say the least. This is the premise for Escape the Dark Sector, the spiritual sequel to Escape the Dark Castle from publisher Themeborne. Designed by Alex Crispin, Thomas Pike, and James Shelton this space themed game design caught my interest for two reasons: the artwork and the promise of a heavy emphasis on story, two things that makes me purr like a kitten. Let us take a closer look to see if Escape the Dark Sector manages to deliver on these vows.Some enemies have a Combat Special, a special ability or effect which is explained in full on the chapter card. These often break the standard rules in a devious way, making for fearsome opponents. Keep Combat Specials in mind while fighting – they are easy to forget in the heat of battle! Ending Combat