Game review: Freak War

Hello dear readers,

Today is something a little different. A friend of mine named Nathan is putting his new card game Freak War on Kickstarter and I will be giving a review of the game.

Freak War is a deck building game for two players. You play a creature with a score from 1 to 9 then add modifier cards to increase your stats. The pile with the highest score gets all the cards. The player with the most cards at the end of the round wins the game.

Freak War is played simultaneously so both players can play all their cards at once which makes the game hectic and fun. No more waiting for your turn as someone takes ten minutes to pass. I play some games where people basically play solitaire in an effort to win through combo. Well with this game you can say goodbye to waiting for long turns because everyone plays at the same time.

The cards feature goofy creatures and artwork drawn by Nathan. Dogs, animal people and more are featured on the cards. If you like a light and fun strategic game with deck building elements, this game is for you. The art is funny and endearing, with whimsical creatures. Nathan is known for making stickers with his art and posting them around the city. He also sells his stickers on his Patreon. The game is a vehicle for his art. Supporting the game’s production also raises the chances that it will be offered in boardgame stores as well down the line.

If you like trading card games like Magic the Gathering and Pokemon, this is something simpler and faster. Since everyone plays at once there is no waiting between turns.

The Kickstarter is currently available. Some rewards include custom cards and personal art from the artist Nathan Galbraith. A basic deck is around $30 CAD which is reasonable for a board game. There are more expensive tiers if you want more rewards from your pledge. As of today the game is fully funded but you can still gran a copy and contribute with your pledge towards the stretch goals which will improve the rewards available.

If you like magic the gathering, this seems like a simpler starter game that is great food e game nights and parties. How does it compare to Magic, you may ask? It is more casual and easier to learn, as the objective is simply to have the highest number and get the most cards by winning rounds. When you run out of cards in your deck you shuffle your discard into your deck and play till one person has all the cards. The art is whimsical and silly compared to MTG. It's still a trading card game but the fact that there is simultaneous gameplay makes it different and more upbeat from traditional trading card games.

If you like Kickstarter projects and new games this is a good game to check out. It's about the same price as a MTG starter deck. It should be easy to teach at a game night or to young teenagers. The concept is simple as it's like the card game War where you need the highest number to win. I hope you look into trying this game and check it out.

Till next time,

David