Babbling Rivers, Rustling Forests, and Wheat Fields Swaying in the Breeze

from Around the Table Q1 2023

A Special Look Behind the Development of the House Of X

by Anton Torres, Marketing Manager, Pegasus North America

Aswe gazed towards the setting sun, a solitary train whistle punctuated the early evening birdsong. In every direction lay the fruits of our day’s labor – cascading fields of grain, endless pastoral fields, hearty forest and the red-roofed homes of a quaint but growing town. There was more work to do tomorrow, but tonight we would celebrate…we had finally unlocked Box #2!

Welcome to Dorfromantik the Board Game, a captivating cooperative game for one to six players. Like the popular independent video game on which it is based, Dorfromantik the Board Game is a peaceful building strategy and puzzle game.

Imagine a beautiful countryside composed of dozens of hexagonal tiles, created by the players one piece at a time. The rules for tile placement are generous and we felt no pressure during the first game as the landscape grew.

You may ask, what makes the game play so interesting? It’s the delicious tension arising from three Task tiles sitting in plain view, tugging with gentle urgency, reminding us that there are points to be scored, objectives to complete.

Every Task tile displays a number and a Tile type – Grain, Forest, Village, Track or Stream. If the tile you place creates a matching Territory, an unbroken area of tiles of the same type and size, the tile is claimed and the group scores its points. The next player adds a new Task tile and hex onto the map, and the story continues.

Until the end of that first play, I had not realized how this mechanic would fuel our ambitions and competitive drive. We scored a measly 71, the absolute lowest tier of accomplishment on the Campaign sheet. We’d therefore only progress a single step on the Campaign track, but every step is meaningful because Dorfromantik the Board Game has five mysterious boxes to unlock.

Inside are additional tiles, tile types and Achievement cards that expand how you score and add even more objectives to the game. While not a traditional legacy game, every choice marked on the Campaign track is meaningful and exciting. Should we try to unlock the Circus tile or Shepherdess card? And what could the Cloud Achievement Card represent?

The allure of Dorfromantik is multilayered and undeniable. As a cooperative game, it’s brilliant: there’s no loss condition, no conflict, combat or even negotiation to be had. Instead, players are motivated to push further and score higher every game. Every game left us eager to play again, immediately!

Whether you find pleasure in casually building the common landscape or you’re deeply committed to completing an achievement that has eluded you for days, Dorfromantik the Board Game is fabulous. It is family friendly, expert inspiring, forgiving for all ages and easily accommodates players joining or leaving a single game session without fuss. It can be played solo (which has been a blast) or with a group of up to six players.

Hope to see you wandering the lands of Dorfromantik the Board Game soon!

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

OFFICERS

PRESIDENT

Grace Collins

Snowbright Studios

Director – Creator

VICE-PRESIDENT

Matt Fantastic

Forever Stoked Creative

TREASURER

Nicole Brady

SAHM Reviews

Director – Media & Events

SECRETARY

Monica Rasso

Meeples at Sea

Director – Media & Events

DIRECTORS

Stephan Brissaud

Funko Games Director – Publisher

Jason Matthews

Fort Circle Games Director – Publisher

John Coviello

Little Shop of Magic Director – Retail

Radek Gronus

FABRYA KART

Director – Production/Manufacturer

Beau Heath

Arcane Tinman Director – Wholesale

Eric Price

Meija Board Game Factory Director – Production/Manufacturer

Sito Sanchez

Peachstate Hobby Distributor Director – Wholesale

Will Niebling

Emeritus Board Member

Gama Staff

EXECUTIVE

Adam

TECHNOLOGY AND CREATIVE MANAGER adam.ziegler@gama.org

MEMBER SERVICES COORDINATOR bryan.borgman@gama.org

COMMUNICATIONS COORDINATOR greg.boisbelaud@gama.org

Dawn

EDUCATION CONTRACTOR dstudebaker@gama.org

THE GAME MANUFACTURERS ASSOCIATION

258 East Campus View Blvd Columbus, OH 43235 Phone: 614-255-4500 Fax: 614-255-4499 www.gama.org • media@gama.org

PUBLISHED BY

Fahy-Williams Publishing 171 Reed Street, Geneva, NY 14456 P 800-344-0559 • F 315-789-4263

To advertise, contact Amy Colburn at 315-789-6431 or email amy@fwpi.com.

Dorfromantik is a cooperative tile placement game in which you create a beautiful world of hexagonal landscapes while completing tasks requested by its residents.