Wouter & Ymke 
Welcome to the enchanting world of Weirdwood Manor, where magic and mystery await at every turn. In this cooperative game, players take on the roles of brave companions battling to protect the Manor and its enigmatic ruler, Lady Weirdwood, from an invading Fae Monster and his Clockwork Scarab minions. The Manor is a shifting and magical place, where rooms and pathways between them can change as time progresses. As players journey through the Manor, they’ll use unique rotating corridor rings on the game board to traverse the twisting corridors and face off against the Fae Monster and his minions.
1-5 players, ages 14+
Playing time: 90-120 minutes
Designer: Mike Cassie
Publisher: Greyridge Games
https://greyridgegames.com/
🧙♂️ Weirdwood Manor is a cooperative game that will take you on an adventure into a mysterious and magical world. As one of six brave companions, you must battle to protect the Manor and its enigmatic ruler, Lady Weirdwood, from an invading Fae Monster and his Clockwork Scarab minions.
🤝 The game’s objective is for players to reduce the Fae Monster’s health to 0 before any of the losing conditions occur. There are two losing conditions: when time runs out, and when any Fae Monster loss condition triggers. Players must work together to strategize and make the most of their actions to defeat the Fae Monster before it’s too late.
On a player’s turn, they must play an action card, and can also choose to take additional optional actions before or after playing their card. Action cards provide a variety of actions that players can use to move, attack, gain resources, and more. Some cards also offer persistent effects that can add bonuses to the player during battles.
At the end of a player’s turn, they must resolve a monster card for the Fae Monster they’re facing, possibly reset their action cards, and check their hand limit. The Scarab Phase may also occur, which causes Scarabs to move and potentially infest rooms, leading to room blight.
⏰ To advance time in the game, players must turn the Time of Day Corridor Ring counter-clockwise the appropriate number of spots. When playing an action card, players must advance time by at least one spot and stop the ring on one of the three spots matching the time of day they played the card to. Players must also advance the Day Ring when the Time of Day goes past Night to Morning.
👹 Each Fae Monster in the game has its own unique set of rules and challenges for players to overcome. There are three different Fae Monsters in the game: the Chaos Ogre, Mîn Wraith, and Therus the Dark Mage, each coming with its own set of 20 monster cards that dictate the actions the Fae Monster will take, adding an element of unpredictability to the game.
Weirdwood Manor is a highly engaging and unique cooperative game that combines adventure and euro-inspired mechanics to create a fascinating gameplay experience. The game offers profound tactical choices and unpredictability, making traditional alpha gamer behavior nearly impossible and requiring players to strategize and work together as a team to overcome their challenges.
🧙♂️ The game rewards careful planning and teamwork, as players must build on each other’s strengths and abilities to succeed. Each character brings a unique set of skills to the table, and players need to use various strategies and tactics to overcome the game’s obstacles.
⏰ The modular rotating game board is a standout feature of Weirdwood Manor for several reasons. The prototype we played already looks fantastic, with an attention to detail that brings the game’s mysterious and magical setting to life. The board’s unique design is visually appealing and functional. The rotating corridors add an extra layer of immersion to the gameplay, making players feel like they’re genuinely exploring a shifting and enchanted manor. This dynamic element adds an exciting twist to the gameplay, as players must constantly adapt to the changing layout of the Manor and strategize accordingly. Moreover, the modular nature of the board allows for different configurations, adding to the game’s replayability and creating new challenges for players to overcome.
👹 Another aspect contributing to Weirdwood Manor’s replayability is that it offers multiple enemies to face, each with its own rules and challenges. This means that players can enjoy a different experience each time they play, ensuring that the game will remain fresh and exciting for many playthroughs.
🔄 While the rules of Weirdwood Manor are relatively straightforward, some players may find the mix of mechanics overwhelming at first. Players who prefer simpler games may feel intimidated by the level of strategy required to succeed in Weirdwood Manor. Additionally, the game’s temporal mechanic may be confusing or challenging to keep track of, especially as the game progresses and time becomes critical. Still, for players who love to play cooperative games with profound tactical choices and unpredictability, Weirdwood Manor is still a highly recommended experience.
💬 Overall, Weirdwood Manor is a fantastic game that’s easy to recommend to anyone looking for an exciting cooperative experience. The game’s unique temporal mechanics and straightforward rules make it a must-try for fans of the genre. With a Kickstarter launch set for April 18, we highly recommend everyone keep an eye out for this one-of-a-kind game.
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/greyridgegames/weirdwood-manor
Please note that we played a prototype of Weirdwood Manor, and the final game may differ from what is shown in the pictures. Nonetheless, the current game already looks impressive, and we’re looking forward to seeing the final product.
