Robinson Crusoe - A Review of This First Game in the series

The first paragraph of this Robinson Crusoe review might have made you think it's just another story about a boy from modern day England who stumbles upon an island that has been haunted for centuries by its violent inhabitants. But then you start reading the novel and you're thrown out of this fantastical world. No magic, no time travel, just a struggling young man - Robinson Crusoe - whose only chance of survival rests upon his own wits and strength. You immediately feel the narrative rising to its high drama when one of your characters, a pirate captain, is attacked and taken captive. But before he can get his bearings again, the island is plunged back into darkness.

In the opening pages of the novel we meet three main characters: Robinson Crusoe, his friend and fellow seafarer Jack Rackley, and their unlikely rescuer, Englishman John Smith. All are part of an attempt to chart a course for England through the Carib islands, but the plan goes wrong when Smith becomes stranded on a deserted island with only Crusoe and two others as company. Nowhere does the language of these characters shine through, instead we find flat speeches and descriptions of 'arse' and 'bastard' being used regularly. Despite the desperate situation, the three men carry on as if nothing has happened. However, this change of tone is soon to alter the whole mood of the novel. A solitary, determined man, Robinson Crusoe, sets out on a long journey in order to find his family and make a new life for himself.

Despite the bleak setting, the novel is anything but a disappointment. With beautifully written dialogue and perfectly paced storytelling, Crusoe creates an interesting and often thought provoking tale of adventure and survival. The crux of the plot develops around the question of whether or not any of the characters - Crusoe, Smith and others - are remembering their earlier lives before reaching the island. These life stories help to give context to the story and set the context for some of the more vivid and intriguing scenarios that the novel provides.

Another great feature of the novel is the inclusion of secret event cards. These event cards help to add extra dimension to the plot, allowing the reader to react to certain aspects of the plot. Using the same format as the earlier 'event cards' that describe the same events across the different eras of Crusoe's story, these new scenarios are more detailed and provide a rich source of fun and imagination.

One of the things that really helped me appreciate Crusoe was his ability to use a simple yet clever cooperative board game to develop different scenarios, complete with colour changing cards. Crusoe uses a simple drawing system to create different events and then lets the players figure out how they want to interact with each scenario. This isn't a particularly deep or complex system, just a simple way to let players re-imagine the events of the novel and play in different ways. However, it is an important part of the game and one that adds an element of fun to the overall experience. In addition, the simple drawing system helps to avoid some of the more advanced and frustrating aspects of some games where the drawing of different events requires a deeper understanding of how to interpret the rules.

Crusoe is also smart about the way he approaches the morale and determination tokens. Unlike some adventure games where the morale and determination tokens are used as consumable resources, they're used here as food to buy wagons during your journey. Ultimately, though, the decision of whether to use these resources is up to you, and the value they will bring you during your adventure should be based on your personal preference. Regardless, Crusoe makes an excellent decision about these critical resources, and they are essential to making sure you reach your destination.