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After 500 years, two factions emerge from their underground cities into a new world, an Earth reborn from nuclear disaster.
12 highly detailed miniatures represent the two factions:
NORAD: military in thinking and origins. Scientists and engineers add to their strength.
SALEMITES: occultists working with cadavers, bringing the dead to life.
Soon after emerging, these two factions meet - and it is determined that they cannot live together in peace.
Earth Reborn offers nine scenarios that take you through missions of rescue, retrieval, and escort through areas of labs, mansions, towns, and more. Each scenario builds upon the rules of a new chapter: the game system is built like a tutorial. There are core rules to start the game, and each chapter offers 1-3 new rules along with a scenario that uses these new rules.
The game also contains the innovative S.A.G.S. (Scenario Auto Generating System), where 2-4 players can make their own maps and mission objectives for near infinite replayability!
Other features include:
A Tetris-like board construction using polyomino floor tiles.
An order tiles system to give commands to your miniatures.
Interrupt Duels with Bluff, betting command points to interrupt an enemy character and act during another player's turn.
The I.P.S. (Iconographic Phrasing System) that allows almost any effect to occur with icons, totally language independent.
Colored base arcs on miniatures to simplify Line of Sight, shooting, and close combat. It also multiplies characters’ variations and possibilities.
The Search rule, giving a visceral feeling to searching in rooms to find equipment.
A Mission Points track that also serves as a Morale Points track.
Radio Scrambling to mess with your opponents' orders.
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
Video topics + discussion points
Quotes (from this video)
- It's a race to spot the differences on your own card before your opponents spot the differences on theirs.
- The classic children's puzzle of spot the difference packaged as a competitive card game and that is the hook.
- Difference is a calm, almost cerebral game.
- Difference is essentially a collection of oversized premium art cards, and the production leans heavily into that strength.
- Competitive spot the difference in a world of Asterix, presented on the lavish oversized cards, and building on Gigamic's long-running Difference line.
References (from this video)
- innovative map-generation approach for its time
- strong thematic execution and components
- noted as potentially overly complex
- less mainstream today
- military-industrial complex vs occultist factions after a disaster
- post-nuclear aftermath with two rival tribes
- story-rich with modular board construction
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- communication interference — radio scrambling disrupts opponent information
- Limited Communication — radio scrambling disrupts opponent information
- Modular Board — Tetris-like assembly of board sections
- modular board / board construction — Tetris-like assembly of board sections
- SAGs system (random map generator) — procedural map layout creates variable play spaces
Video topics + discussion points
Quotes (from this video)
- this is a kind of original game.
- it's still a pretty good post-apocalyptic workplacement game, of which there aren't that many.
- This is a deck building game that sort of basically is a clone of Dominion, but with a little bit of a twist.
- it's innovative for 2010 because it uses the SAGs system
- the Tetris like board construction
- random map generator
- they let you build up your car and then you could just go tearing around a map blowing the living [__] out of your opponents.
- it's a zombie apocalypse game but it's so good that it made it onto this list
- the amount of content in the box is absolutely vast.
- Fallen Land post-apocalyptic board game is an absolute mustplay.
References (from this video)
- Deep tactical depth
- Luxurious components (aesthetics)
- High complexity
- Steep learning curve and accessibility barriers
- Survival and faction combat
- Post-apocalyptic sci‑fi
- Tile-based tactical combat with campaign flavor
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- asymmetric factions — Different faction ramps and abilities create asymmetry
- Campaign progression — Long-term scenario progression across sessions
- Tile-based tactical combat — Hex/tiles govern movement and combat interactions
Video topics + discussion points
Quotes (from this video)
- the real reason for the kickstarter is to produce the media and I want to try to focus as much on the media as possible
- we are going to PX unplugged
- it's halfway in between 3.5 and four
- Earth reborn question I have not checked out Earth reborn yet but I hope to
- the startup money … is the stretch goals we want to do with the money
References (from this video)
- Represents a core part of Christophe's design portfolio and influences
- Offers a different, more combat-focused tactical experience compared to Archipelago
- Less central to the main discussion in this interview
- Some players may find it dated relative to newer designs
- tactical conflict, exploration, and adaptation
- Distant world with themes of exploration and conflict
- designer-driven historical note and design introspection
- Archipelago
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- area control / tactical skirmish — players compete for territory and control within a shared map.
- tactical combat resolution — combat and encounters drive outcomes and player positioning.
Video topics + discussion points
Quotes (from this video)
- Archipelago is one of the few games I play that actually attempts to comment on the ethics and outcomes of colonialism through some of the mechanics.
- I would change the color of the meeples.
- the planet fights back through Cataclysm.
- the CGS is the best thing in the game for me.
- it's a race between the shaman me and the publisher; this is a designer ego moment about speed and quality.