“So…What is New Kingdom Like?”
Okay, it’s time to take a little break from the building of New Kingdom to actually describe what New Kingdom is like as a game! This, I know, is something you need and want to know.
When he was traveling around, Jesus was always asked, ‘what is the Kingdom of Heaven like?’ He would say things like, ‘to what can I compare the Kingdom?’ And he would give parables, analogies, and metaphors. Though I am not Jesus and New Kingdom is nothing compared to the Kingdom of Heaven, the similarity is that I am going to start with some metaphors and comparisons to help you get a feel for the game and decide if it is right for you.
New Kingdom is a euro-style game, meaning players are not eliminated as you play, and it is a little like a deck building game in that you collect resources (Faith) and cards (Blessings and Disciples) and play them into a play area in front of you (your Life) for the duration of the game granting you unique powers and abilities. The best description for New Kingdom is that it is an engine-building game meaning, the more cards you get, the more you can do and each card grants its own unique possibilities. Also, like Dominion, the most well known deck building or engine-building game, you have multiple routes to victory by collecting ‘Kingdom Points’ in a variety of ways. This is the objective of New Kingdom: to have the most KP when the Son of Man returns.
New Kingdom is also a little like a tableau building game in that your ‘Life’ and thus your abilities and resources are visible to all players and change slowly but surely as the game progresses building the complexity of your turns and options as the game progresses. Examples of games like this would be Wingspan or Everdell on the lighter or less complex side (closer to New Kingdom) or Terraforming Mars which is more complex and involved than New Kingdom.
Finally, New Kingdom uses something like a card drafting mechanic meaning only certain options are available at any given time to add to your Life, so you must weight whether it is worth taking now or taking the chance that perfect card will be there for you later. Or, even worse, perhaps another follower will recruit that disciple you desperately need in your Life! An example of a game like this would be the wildly popular and critically acclaimed, 7 Wonders.
Cards are drafted from the World, and Temptations are doled out from it using a light AI system.
As far as I know, the Temptation mechanic of New Kingdom is unique. This part of the game uses a light AI (artificial intelligence) system that frustrates players (in a thought provoking/challenging sort of way). I know no other game with this type of semi-random ongoing challenge to all players. Of course, I’m sure its been done in a similar way as there is nothing new under the sun, but to me, the Temptation phase is innovative and is consistently the thing players say is both interesting and painfully delightful! So with metaphors out of the way…if you like games like Dominion, Wingspan, Terraforming Mars, Everdell, 7 Wonders, or any other drafting style card game, you may like New Kingdom.
Your ‘Life’ is an ever changing tableau as you seek to acquire KP and rid your Life of Temptations.
A few other details may help as you are trying to decide if New Kingdom would be fun for you. New Kingdom is a highly strategic game that is moderately complex. There are many measures of complexity and the topic is somewhat controversial in board games (for instance here’s a simple article on complexity and a…complex one), but generally speaking complexity has to do with how many rules there are, how long a game lasts, and how many times it takes to play a game to get the hang of it. On average it takes about half of one play through to really get the hang of the game, but I (yes, me the one who created the game and knows it inside and out) have lost to new players on occasion — not due to luck but due to superior strategy and positioning. If you are familiar with BGG’s (Board Game Geek’s) weight rating, New Kingdom likely falls between 2.0 and 2.5 on a 5 point scale with 5 being complex and 1 being light.
This is a game that requires heavy reading comprehension and some consistent thought and focus every turn, so it is not likely to appeal to kids under the age of 12 nor is it a light party game that can serve as an ice breaker for a group of people or something to do as you catch up with old friends. If this is what you are looking for stay tuned! I am currently working on a quick-play version of New Kingdom that will fit the bill for a lighter family game night or ‘warm up’ game for a more intense board game night with your adult friends.
Hopefully, through the metaphors and comparisons in this post you are getting a sense of what New Kingdom is like and whether you and your friends or family will actually enjoy playing it! I can of course, say much more about this game, but that will be the topic of future posts on this blog and on our Facebook page and Instagram. As always if you are curious about anything, please email me and let me know what questions I failed to address that are still lingering for you about New Kingdom!
