It is the late 1930s, and the world is in turmoil. Humanity is on the brink of war as imperialist nations in the Far East and Europe work aggressively to expand their domination. The Nazis have taken control of Germany and now spread darkness across the globe in their hunt for powerful occult artifacts that can give them the upper hand in the days to come. But the spirit of adventure and freedom won't be stamped out so easily. Heroic adventurers from around the world answer the call, racing against time to hunt down ancient artifacts, explore deadly temples, and fight back the powers of darkness from engulfing the world in flames. It is a race of good versus evil, and only a cunning and agile explorer can claim the ultimate prize of... Fortune and Glory!
Fortune and Glory: The Cliffhanger Game is a fast-paced game of high adventure, vile villains, edge-of-your-seat danger, and cliffhanger pulp movie action. Players take on the role of a treasure hunter, traveling the globe in search of ancient artifacts and fending off danger and villains at every turn in a quest for the ultimate reward of fortune and glory! So strap on your adventure boots and goggles, fire up the engines on the seaplane, and grab some extra ammo for your revolver...the Nazis already have a head start and in this race for fortune and glory, and there's no prize for second place!
- Engaging globe-trotting theme with a cinematic pulp vibe
- Character-driven play with distinct archetypes and a loyal dog sidekick (Baxter) that adds charm and utility
- Dynamic danger/temple structure provides constant decision points and tension
- Clear mechanics for movement, exploration, and combat that scale with risk
- Flexible endgame contributions through artifacts, temple treasures, and city actions
- High randomness and luck can dominate outcomes in long sequences
- Rules density and domain-specific jargon may overwhelm new players
- Turn length can be lengthy due to multiple phases per player and frequent cliffhangers
- Treasure quests, globe-trotting exploration, artifact collection, and cinematic cliffhangers
- Global pulp-adventure in the 1930s, spanning jungles, deserts, cities, and adventurous temples
- Cinematic pulp with episodic, cliffhanger-forward pacing
- Indiana Jones: The Board Game
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Adventure dice and skill tests — Tests are resolved with dice rolls (agility, combat, cunning, lore, etc.); successes and failures determine progress and dangers; extra dice can be expended via character abilities or exertion
- Artifact/gear economy — Glory acts as currency to buy gear and allies; artifacts can be cashed in for fortune; major cities increase fortune yield from sells; allies provide combat, health, or special bonuses
- Cliffhanger mechanics — If a test fails or a danger is unresolved, players may enter cliffhanger mode, potentially draining resources or forcing rerolls; successful cliffhanger completion yields glory or artifact rewards
- Combat System — Fights use multiple dice per character and enemy; defense reduces hits; wounds reduce health; some enemies gain extra dice with wounds; rerolls and special abilities can swing outcomes
- Danger and temple adventures — Each adventure involves drawing danger cards and resolving multiple tests; temples yield ongoing benefits but add collapse-and-timing risk
- Movement system — Turn-based movement using movement points; land paths cost 1 point to move between spaces; water requires spending points based on space; ports allow direct water access; a Pacific crossing is the only pan-board shortcut
- Zeppelin and board-wide events — Zeppelin moves between regions dropping Nazi figures or triggering board-wide fortunes; sneaking onto the Zeppelin is possible for additional fortune but may trigger multi-fight sequences
Video topics + discussion points
Quotes (from this video)
- we are playing fortune and glory the Cliffhanger game
- we are trying to get 15 fortune and then get back to our starting City by the end of the turn
- No gear may be used while on this adventure
- I am Jake Zayn flying ace I am a pilot my catchphrase is I got this trust me
- the faithful dog Baxter is so cute
- the helmet of the golden mummy