Red November is a cooperative boardgame by Fantasy Flight games for 1 to 8 players. Suitable for ages 12 and up but a good laugh for all ages!
All players play gnomes on a new experimental submarine. The goal is simple; survive a test dive in a sub for an hour. How hard could that be? Everything starts of well but then stuff starts to break down, the oxygen pump shuts down, the reactor core heats up and hull pressure reaches critical levels. If that is not enough there are also fires that need to be put out, flooded rooms need to be pumped and even a kraken needs to be chased away.The Rules:
The basics of the game are simple to grasp. All cards state their rules so there is no need to constantly look up rules. While the rules are simple winning the game sure isn’t. There are some optional rules that can be used if you want something different than the basics. The atmosphere of the game is quite comical and this is reflected in the rules.
For instance you can be more courageous and skilled by drinking some of the captains grog, but there is a risk your gnome will pass out. The game uses a unique turn feature allowing for the player that used the least “game minutes” to play a turn.
4 out of 5
Appearance:
The game looks great board is sturdy and is large enough. The models are made from plastic and detailed. The cards are full colour, easy to read and have nice images on them.
The art has a “Jules Verne” feel about it and you everything is designed with an eye for detail. The later version of the game comes with a bigger board which is a big improvement.
4 out of 5
Replayability:
OK, there are some optional rules you can try out and you never know what will happen next. The optional rules add some extra variety but in the end the goal, and means to achieve the goal remain the same.
3 out of 5
Conclusion:
The game is easy to explain to new players and easy to play. It is great fun with 4 to 8 players and can be played in about 60-90 minutes. Red November does require some luck and teamwork to win and encourages people to make plans about who will do what. So if you are looking for a quick and fun game to play with friends be sure to give Red November a try.
Overall I would rate this game 4 out of 5!
