News Collider: Winter Tales Neuroshima Hex 3.0, Nightfall, Pnademic and Ascension

 

Things are continuing to hot up for convention season with another News Collider brimming with news on the latest board and card game releases. We’ve got a new game from Fantasy Flight Games (which may not actually be that new but never mind), Z-Man games revising our beloved Neuroshima Hex and giving away free stuff for Pandemic, yet another Nightfall Expansion and what might be the last expansion for Ascension on iOS.

Winter Tales from FFG

Fantasy Flight Games have announced the release of a new story telling game Winter Tales. The game has actually existed in Italy since last year but FFG have picked up the game and are distributing across the globe.

Players take the hole of fantasy literature characters such as Alice and Pinocchio as they fight out the war between Winter and Spring. Players complete quests for their faction using a series of story cards and their imagination.

“…a player may wish to move his character, the Tin Man, to interfere with a quest that the Winter soldiers are attempting. To move, the player may discard a Story Card and begin telling his story, saying, “The Tin Man is walking the streets of Wintertown, searching for some way to secretly oppose the efforts of the Winter soldiers. But when he sees a gallows noose in the distance, he quickly moves towards it, thinking that this must be some wicked new plot of the Regime of Winter.”

The story telling mechanics look very interesting, allowing players to use their imagination in a number of ways and Winter Tales has some beautiful artwork. Winter Tales will be out towards the end of 2013.

 

Neuroshima Hex 3.0

Have you ever played a game and then immediately bought it? Neuroshima Hex was that game for me and if you don’t believe me check out the review. Portal Publishing and Z-Man games will have you reaching for your wallet again as they have announced Neuroshima Hex 3.0

Neuroshima 3.0 will include new artwork for all of the factions and a shiny new rulebook with better examples and explanations. “But that’s not enough Mr Collider sir” I hear you say. Well you’ll also get a, previously only released as a promo, fifth faction and a three player variant. In addition, the new boxed set will also include single player scenarios, if you’ve played Neuroshima Puzzle on the iPhone or android then you know the gist; a series of single player challenges to test your hex based mettle.

Neuroshima Hex 3.0 is due for release at Gencon and I must admit I’m not sure whether to be upset about this as it practically relegates my existing much beloved Neuroshima Hex boxed set or to be super excited.

 

Nightfall Eastern Skies

 

Having fully explored America and the frozen reaches of Russia, Nightfall, the undead, deckbuilding, combat card game is looking east. Nightfall: Eastern Skies is the latest Nightfall expansion from AEG and takes the fighting to a city in India that has, so far, managed to stay untouched by the rising undead.

Nightfall: Eastern Skies will include new minions, as you would expect, but also includes a new wound effect and a new Link mechanic which makes the game even faster. Nightfall Eastern Skies is due out in September 2013.

Pandemic Scenarios for Free

Not very long ago Z-Man games released the disease finding cooperative behemoth that is Pandemic in a new and shiny packaging. Z-Man Games have now taken it a step further by releasing a series of free scenarios.

The first scenario, Isolation, is available now and has your team of biologists trying to save the planet while the western nations have locked their borders and are isolating themselves from the rest of the world.

 

Ascension: Immortal Heroes iOS

 I’m going to be frank, (Hello Frank) Ascension is the best digital board game ever! And now it’s even better with the addition of Immortal Heroes.

Everyone was a bit worried with the announcement that the Ascension iOS app may be no more with the rights being handed to Stone Blade  but it’s another year until Playdek’s amazing version ceases to be and it’s nice to know the game is still being supported with expansions.
 

Immortal Heroes is available now via an in-app purchase.