UK Games Expo Preview 2016 – Part 2!

 

There are a lot of exciting games coming out at the UK Games Expo this year! So many that I need to add a second preview article! Many of these had not been announced when I made my first list (click through to read that too) plus I missed a couple that time too :p This is not intended as a comprehensive list of every game at the expo (far from it!) but represents, I hope, a good proportion of the new releases available to either check out or maybe even pick up at the expo. If you go check out any of these games, be sure to tell them Creaking Shelves sent you! ;D

Without further ado…!

 

Escape the Nightmare

A horrifyingly stressful, rapid fire game, in which players are merely trying to create sets by exchanging cards in real time, but each card you have demands some action whether it be babbling uncontrollably or closing your eyes, making communication even more challenging. And throughout one player is counting down ominously… 10, 9, 8… leading to instantaneous defeat if they ever reach 2, 1… 0! We reviewed Escape the Nightmare when it was on Kickstarter and loved it, so definitely go give this one a look!

Escape the Nightmare at 3D Total Games’ booth, number A28.

 

Codenames Pictures

It’s the awesome Codenames, but with pictures! Playing Codenames with Dixit cards and even board game boxes has become an almost common activity so a pictures edition is a brilliant shout. How well it works may come down to the images they choose though… oh who am I kidding, this is Vlaada, of course it’s going to work.

Get the full Picture at the Czech Games Edition booth, number A15.

 

Adrenaline

A first person shooter death match type game (from CGE!?), featuring you running around an arena shooting at each other with machine guns and flamethrowers and the like. How on Earth this works, and whether ‘first person’ is a mechanic or just a helpful description, remains to be seen!

Let the Adrenaline flow at Czech Games Edition booth, A15.

CGE also has a new expansion to Alchemists to check out and some new cards from the Through the Ages expansion but no more details on these yet, sadly.

 

The Networks

Don’t you just hate it when your favourite show gets cancelled!? Perhaps The Networks will help take some of the sting out of that loss by showing you just how hard it is to run a successful television network. I mean, you’ve got unreliable viewers, demanding advertisers and worst of all, actors to deal with! Let alone trying to work out scheduling with all the other networks trying to poach the best stuff from under you. The Networks was a recent Kickstarter and this is a great chance to give the fully produced version a spin!

The Networks will be live at Formal Ferret’s booth, number G9.

 

The Great Chariot Race

I might be racing you to the Pegasus Spiele stand to see Matt Leacock’s latest game, The Great Chariot Race, in action. This is a dice based racing game putting you in the heart of the excitement of the Circus Maximus, Ben Hur style. Of so I’m told. There is literally no information out there on this so I’m very interested to see what fun this new game holds!

The Great Chariot Race is on at Pegasus Spiele, booth A4.

 

Nine Worlds

The Nine Worlds of Norse mythology are the battle ground for an area control/war game utilising simple rules but a lot of depth (according to the playtester comments on Board Game Geek at least!) Controlling an individual world awards powers the players can utilise to hopefully win the game.

Check out all Nine Worlds at the Medusa Games booth, number C3.

 

Thunderbirds: Tracy Island Expansion

Back to Tracy Island, Parker, and make it snappy! Right you are m’lady! This expansion to cooperative game Thunderbirds adds Parker, Brains and Tin-Tin as well as a pile of Thunderbird 2 pod vehicles as actual plastic miniatures! My nostalgia is starting to go into overdrive here so if you are a fan of the base game, be sure to check this one out!

Tracy Island is located not out to sea, but at the Modiphius booth, number D20.

 

Imhotep

The recent Spiel des Jahres nominee Imhotep, a German game of building Egyptian pyramids, designed by a Portuguese designer who now lives in France… is coming to the UK! Trying to direct your stones to the correct monuments that you steadily build (literally) over the course of the game. Very high on my list to try… along with everything else it seems. Thank God the UK Games Expo lasts 3 days!

Imhotep is demonstrating its building prowess at the Thames & Cosmos booth, number F26.

 

Be sure to check out Part 1 of my UK Games Expo preview for some other great games too!

Any other exciting games coming out that I’ve not managed to find? Be sure to mention them in the comments!