burncycle is the next big adventure from Chip Theory Games, the company known for big-box games like Too Many Bones and Cloudspire, which I reviewed earlier this year. The game launches on Kickstarter on November 10th, though you can sign up for e-mail reminders now.
It rides the sci-fi wave that has brought futuristic and cyberpunk games to our tables in recent years. The cooperative game challenges one to four players to reclaim control of the world as robots subjugated by cruel and thankless humans. With the complexity and beauty inherent in games from CTG, it will require cunning and strategy to overcome the obstacles in front of the retro bots.
If you haven’t played something from Chip Theory Games, then don’t be surprised by the higher price tag. The base game will launch on Kickstarter with a price set over $100, but you will need to consider the premium quality of the components that CTG offers, with edge-stitched neoprene mats, custom heat-pressed dice, and weighted chips, not to mention the PVC cards that can survive even the most brutish shuffles by your hapless friends.
Wondering what the game will be like? Here’s the story as we know it so far:
In the far future, robots have resurrected humanity after mankind's hubris led to an extinction event. Upon revival, humans quickly prove that they've learned nothing from their past mistakes, subjugating the robots and becoming the ruling class of sentient life on Earth. Now, the bots are fighting back.
But that’s just the narrative. Mechanically, burncycle will include some of the same gameplay as previous CTG titles, with action points, dice-rolling, and skill trees returning in this new adventure. But there will also be action sequencing, grid movement, and infiltration as the robots use the protocols and directives forced upon them to pursue cooperative objectives, trying to stay within the parameters they’ve been given while also helping the team fight back against the human overlords.
From my experience with Too Many Bones and Cloudspire, I’m really excited to see this next title from Chip Theory Games. I think the theme is really intriguing and I think it will be more of a puzzle game where players have to discover the best path forward while working under constraints. That appeals to me, especially after my time with In Too Deep from Burnt Island Games. Sci-fi puzzlers are a win for me.
So, I am hoping the best for the Kickstarter campaign that launches next week and I look forward to trying out burncycle when it becomes available!
What about you? Are you interested in this retro sci-fi tabletop game?
