Assault: 19XX

This is a game with beautiful art and great atmosphere. I was torn on rating it as I think that the fun you can have with it is greatly tied to your familiarity with the graphic novels from which the scenarios and characters are drawn. From that perspective, it's a 10. Without reading and being a fan of the game-maker's story universe, however, the game loses it's special appeal and leaves itself open to some mechanical criticism.

If you've read the stories and know the characters (recommended!), it's fun to engage in their battle of good and evil. The special powers of each character make sense and the items, bonuses and brawling nature are all familiar as they are drawn from the pages of the books. Assault: 19XX is further enhanced by its narrative "Chapter Cards" which can impact the global conditions of the game like plot lines from the stories.

If you don't know the stories or care about the characters, then you may be less able to forgive some of the games mechanical shortcomings. The game, for example, relies too heavily on luck for my preference, both in terms of card shuffles and die rolls. Without luck of the draw and some dice juju, you can really get behind quickly and there's little strategy can do to help you recover.

In another review, I saw disappointment with the game's liberal use of the "skip a turn" mechanic. The criticism is valid. While getting "knocked out" is a common happenstance in the graphic novels, it does make for potentially frustrating game participation. At its worst, a player may be sidelined for much of an entire game if others continue to take advantage of their being the weakest link just to rack up victory points.

Overall, we have had fun with the game and enjoy the immersion in the 19XX Universe it creates. If you are already a fan, you need this game. If you decide to purchase the game as a game first, get the books that go along with it. It will make all the difference in your satisfaction.

Check out our video review...

BgC rating scale: Mark - 3.5 out of 4 corners Randy - 3.0 out of 4 corners

A quick Q&A with Paul Roman Martinez:

Q. Some of the cards speak to "remove if destroyed". Cards like "The Cure" allow you to remove a card from another player. But are there other ways to destroy opponents cards?

A. Unless it's a character's special ability, the only way to destroy cards is with cards like the cure or kibosh. And these cards just go back into the discard pile unless the card doing the destroying says remove from game.

Q. The instant damage cards like the, "Model 24 Grenade", "Radio Controlled Explosive". Do these count as your main attack for your turn? Or can they be combined along with your normal roll attack?

A. They do not count as your main attack, they can be used in addition to your main attack.

Q. The "Radio Controlled Explosive", it's effect to deal 1 damage to two adjacent players. Does that mean the two on the right or left? Or can you split it up as adjacent to your left and right? This was under much debate last night on how it should be played.

A. Any two players adjacent to each other. Imagine the explosive going off between two players because you planted it there and it happens to be between an enemy and a friend.

Q. Lastly, on your turn, you can play as many yellow, green, and blue cards as you like? Correct?

A. Correct.

Assault: 19xx is a game of battle against good and evil as you race to equip your team with the best armaments possible. It is a nice game to play with friends and family and is fairly easy to pick up on. I have played the game several times with many of the characters and have found each to have their own strengths and weaknesses, but over time you find out how to properly manipulate the character to your advantage. I did notice that luck plays a role in this game, but that goes for both sides and a bit of luck in games is never bad anyways. Luck allows for diversity within games and with the 19xx you will never play 2 rounds that are exactly the same. All in all Assault:19xx is a fun game that is simple to pick up on, easy to play, and has a good estimated time of play for daily convenience.

I just purchased this game at the PHX Comic-con this past weekend and I already love it. It was easy to learn and the concept is very cool. I also like the artwork and illustrations.

I highly suggest this game for those who are looking to try something new with friends who are not hard core gamers.

I really enjoyed this game. If you're a fan of the comic, it has some great tie-ins. It reminded me a little of Bang!, which is one of my favorite games. One different aspect that I liked, however, is that when a player is knocked out, they aren't completely out of the game. They have to skip a turn but then get to re-enter. In the rare case that game play slows, the artwork and descriptions on the luck and item cards are enough to keep you entertained.

Great work!

Fantastic art and theme. Metal scoring pieces are really sweet. Highly encourage anyone to compliment game with the graphic novels. Look forward to more from the creator!