Tomorrow is the day: you will pledge yourself to the ancestral order of the Soul Raiders, in the heart of their mighty fortress. As a powerful warrior-mage, you will vow to watch over the world of Kivros and its inhabitants, explore the ruins of forgotten civilisations… And above all, send tortured souls back beyond the Veil, where they belong.
Are you ready, young apprentice, to forfeit any hope for glory, wealth, and the tranquillity of an ordinary life? Will you honor your pledge to this order, and take arms to face this world’s countless dangers?
Embark for a mysterious and breathtaking journey, full of thrilling adventures and stunning revelations... Join the Soul Raiders.
Soul Raiders is a story-driven cooperative game, created by best-selling author Marc André (Splendor) and a team of talented artists, such as Guillaume Tavernier (De Architectura) or Magali Villeneuve (Magic The Gathering).
In this fast-paced narrative game, the players become powerful heroes. They will be able to roam freely in a variety of settings, cooperating to overcome the threat of an impending doom before it is too late!
An epic narrative game
Soul Raiders immerse the players in a high-fantasy setting; as powerful heroes, they will overcome the many threats to their order of warrior-mages and the universe as a whole.
Designed like a book, the game is divided in chapters, or game sessions (1 to 2 hours per session). Each chapter depicts a specific setting in which players will complete quests, collect information and increase their power to progress through the overarching story.
Soul Raiders will spread on several chapters, woving an epic tale around the players and their characters from one book to the next.
A fast-paced and cinematic game system
The game system features a fast-paced and streamlined gameplay', entirely geared towards the experience of a story-driven, cinematic and cooperative adventure.
The players act simultaneously to explore their surroundings. Without turn order, they can progress together or split the party as they see fit to hop from one scene to the next.
Each setting is composed of a set of tiles, places where the heroes can interact with their environment. Taking a variety of actions while battling the forces pitted against them, they jump from one tile to another as the story unfolds, sometimes spread out on different scenes, always focusing on the heart of the action.
Building cooperative tension
The heroes live and die as one. Their health points is a common pool, tracked on the side of the board: each time a player takes damage, the marker progresses. If it goes too far, the whole party fail at completing the chapter.
Even if they manage to stay safe, time runs out fast... The Threat track is another timer that brings the heroes to their demise. It progresses as they encounter new creatures and events, leading to their capture if they stay idle for too long.
Narrative story with a strong replay value
If they cooperate efficiently, any path can lead to the completion of the current chapter, as the players do not have to follow a specific set of events, but try to achieve independent and interwoven quests.
If the party fails, it can still move onto the next chapter, triggering a unique setback. Only the final chapter of the story needs to be completed successfully — or else they will go back to the beginning of the tome.
This non-linear approach to a narrative system, combined to the time pressure and the possibility to push the story further, ensure a very good replay value to the gaming experience.
Soul Raiders offers you:
More than 1000 cards illustrated by a team of talented artists, such as Guillaume Tavernier (De Architectura) or Magali Villeneuve (Magic The Gathering),
Innovative story-driven cooperative game,
Streamlined and fast-paced system,
Strong narrative elements with good replay value.
—description from the publisher
- Received a shipping notification, implying it's finally coming out.
- Extremely delayed Kickstarter campaign (2.5 years late).
- Speaker had forgotten about the game.
- Aridia
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Kickstarter Campaign — The game is from a Kickstarter campaign that experienced significant delays.
Video topics + discussion points
Quotes (from this video)
- It's the longest running weekly live stream uh on YouTube.
- I felt like garbage, I still got this stupid cough that just will not go away.
- After the Empire, it's a game where you really feel like you're in charge.
- The complexity is part of the appeal.
- It's like a cute woodland creature war.
- Every game feels like a different experience because of the factions.
- Everdell, it's just so pretty to look at on the table.
- I love the feeling of building up my little city.
References (from this video)
- Looks amazing
- Fantastic box
- Cool art
- Potentially fun if rules are understood
- Rule book not great, lacks clarity
- Dwindling mechanics
- Unclear card meanings (color of text)
- Concerns about game balance with certain upgrades
- Adventure game with card-driven mechanics
- Unknown
- Splendor
- War of the Ring Deluxe
- Fireteam Zero
- Andromeda's Edge
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Card-driven combat — Players play cards to perform actions, with combat resolved after all cards are played.
- Health tracking — Uses 'group health' on a timer board, which 'dwindles' as players take damage.
- Variable player powers — Players can upgrade their abilities and acquire new gear and blueprints to improve their characters.
Video topics + discussion points
Quotes (from this video)
- I went back and read it all. I I I went back and after I took a break and you know whatever like pet you wouldn't went and sat with one of my dogs for a little while I went well you're a big fan if I'm not mistaken right yeah I am I mean and then I found out that he basically stole all of Sandman or like the he was inspired by another author allegedly never and never well allegedly yeah and then um never gave them any credit whatever um which what is stanman I don't even really know what it is
- It is a game that I have played several times and I think it is a really good game. It is a game that really captures the essence of city state politics and diplomacy.
- The game is really about trying to forge alliances with other players and then betraying them when it is convenient for you to do so.
- It is a very tense game, especially when you are playing with a group of people who are willing to engage in the diplomatic and political aspects of the game.
- I think that Helenica is a great game for people who enjoy strategic depth and player interaction.
References (from this video)
- Good components
- Interesting mechanics
- Rules are rough
- Game design feels punishing
- No player rewards
- Big disappointment
- Low player agency
- Story is a bit of a grind
- story game with narrative choices
- Splendor
- Lord of the Rings
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Cooperative — The game is cooperative, with players working together.
- Player Agency — The user noted that player agency was low, with limited control over the narrative.
- Skill checks — Player choices lead to skill rolls to determine success.
- Storytelling — The game involves reading story cards that lead to choices and skill checks.
Video topics + discussion points
Quotes (from this video)
- It's like, I I I I like milk you know I mean I I can drink cre soda is not like milk it's cream something different I don't know it's taste I wouldn't I think the cream of the cream soda is a misnomer it is not nothing like cream well fair enough but I don't like or vanilla it's more vanilla yeah and I'm not I'm not a big like people say oh D Coke and vanilla or you know Vanilla Coke and I'm not
- When you have a toddler you know and they they're not pie trained I could smell he'd had an accident and he was upset and he started he's like and he was like yo daddy daddy and I was like okay just give me a second you know food's coming soon then we'll race home get you cleaned up you know take care of everything and and you know like two minutes turned into five like 5 minutes turned into like 7 8 9 10 minutes and he's just now beside himself
- This is like a big disappointment so disappointed because all the early side all the a a lot of content creators this is a kind of a problem the content creators were just Gaga over this game right and I was like oh my God it looks so good doesn't it look like from the graphics and the art style and the lot it's packed with content it's like each scenario like each book it's called is like what two inches thick of cards of like boards to play through and it's sort of like the the map is interesting you lay
- the moment that you're saying my Paladin goes and checks out the well it's like you're not you're not role playing then you're just you're just moving your character you're you're so you're making a move and so then if you get into that habit then when you speak to people like like your mannerisms at the table can be interpreted as like your character that you're playing
- man I just had no fun with that game I do not understand that game like it's got promise yeah has interesting things huh but the game just sort of makes you not want to play it
- the rules are not well done unfortunately they're really rough and uh and I assume that's from a translation issue
- the story that it creates is basically the game the the player agency is low though okay yeah it's not that in depth with that kind of stuff you you you shoot you hope for the best yeah yeah and you roll dice and that's it right
- no box full of cardboard plastic and wood will ever be able to compete with that
- the moment that there it it it pulls them out of their character all of a sudden now I'm tell you're telling them what you did yeah you're telling them what you did so you just so if yeah you can still convey a message to them but you never like do a verb for them
- the ratio of Good To Mediocre is yeah not as good as you want it to be
- Patrick mes is just he's just he just knows how to win yeah somehow he does
References (from this video)
- Amazing production
- Packed with content
- Interesting system
- No fun
- Rules are rough
- Game hates the player
- Not rewarded for doing anything fun
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
Video topics + discussion points
Quotes (from this video)
- It's like, I I I I like milk you know I mean I I can drink cre soda is not like milk it's cream something different I don't know it's taste I wouldn't I think the cream of the cream soda is a misnomer it is not nothing like cream well fair enough but I don't like or vanilla it's more vanilla yeah and I'm not I'm not a big like people say oh D Coke and vanilla or you know Vanilla Coke and I'm not
- When you have a toddler you know and they they're not pie trained I could smell he'd had an accident and he was upset and he started he's like and he was like yo daddy daddy and I was like okay just give me a second you know food's coming soon then we'll race home get you cleaned up you know take care of everything and and you know like two minutes turned into five like 5 minutes turned into like 7 8 9 10 minutes and he's just now beside himself
- This is like a big disappointment so disappointed because all the early side all the a a lot of content creators this is a kind of a problem the content creators were just Gaga over this game right and I was like oh my God it looks so good doesn't it look like from the graphics and the art style and the lot it's packed with content it's like each scenario like each book it's called is like what two inches thick of cards of like boards to play through and it's sort of like the the map is interesting you lay
- the moment that you're saying my Paladin goes and checks out the well it's like you're not you're not role playing then you're just you're just moving your character you're you're so you're making a move and so then if you get into that habit then when you speak to people like like your mannerisms at the table can be interpreted as like your character that you're playing
- man I just had no fun with that game I do not understand that game like it's got promise yeah has interesting things huh but the game just sort of makes you not want to play it
- the rules are not well done unfortunately they're really rough and uh and I assume that's from a translation issue
- the story that it creates is basically the game the the player agency is low though okay yeah it's not that in depth with that kind of stuff you you you shoot you hope for the best yeah yeah and you roll dice and that's it right
- no box full of cardboard plastic and wood will ever be able to compete with that
- the moment that there it it it pulls them out of their character all of a sudden now I'm tell you're telling them what you did yeah you're telling them what you did so you just so if yeah you can still convey a message to them but you never like do a verb for them
- the ratio of Good To Mediocre is yeah not as good as you want it to be
- Patrick mes is just he's just he just knows how to win yeah somehow he does
References (from this video)
- Amazing production
- Packed with content
- Interesting system
- No fun
- Rules are rough
- Game hates the player
- Not rewarded for doing anything fun
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
Video topics + discussion points
Quotes (from this video)
- It's like, I I I I like milk you know I mean I I can drink cre soda is not like milk it's cream something different I don't know it's taste I wouldn't I think the cream of the cream soda is a misnomer it is not nothing like cream well fair enough but I don't like or vanilla it's more vanilla yeah and I'm not I'm not a big like people say oh D Coke and vanilla or you know Vanilla Coke and I'm not
- When you have a toddler you know and they they're not pie trained I could smell he'd had an accident and he was upset and he started he's like and he was like yo daddy daddy and I was like okay just give me a second you know food's coming soon then we'll race home get you cleaned up you know take care of everything and and you know like two minutes turned into five like 5 minutes turned into like 7 8 9 10 minutes and he's just now beside himself
- This is like a big disappointment so disappointed because all the early side all the a a lot of content creators this is a kind of a problem the content creators were just Gaga over this game right and I was like oh my God it looks so good doesn't it look like from the graphics and the art style and the lot it's packed with content it's like each scenario like each book it's called is like what two inches thick of cards of like boards to play through and it's sort of like the the map is interesting you lay
- the moment that you're saying my Paladin goes and checks out the well it's like you're not you're not role playing then you're just you're just moving your character you're you're so you're making a move and so then if you get into that habit then when you speak to people like like your mannerisms at the table can be interpreted as like your character that you're playing
- man I just had no fun with that game I do not understand that game like it's got promise yeah has interesting things huh but the game just sort of makes you not want to play it
- the rules are not well done unfortunately they're really rough and uh and I assume that's from a translation issue
- the story that it creates is basically the game the the player agency is low though okay yeah it's not that in depth with that kind of stuff you you you shoot you hope for the best yeah yeah and you roll dice and that's it right
- no box full of cardboard plastic and wood will ever be able to compete with that
- the moment that there it it it pulls them out of their character all of a sudden now I'm tell you're telling them what you did yeah you're telling them what you did so you just so if yeah you can still convey a message to them but you never like do a verb for them
- the ratio of Good To Mediocre is yeah not as good as you want it to be
- Patrick mes is just he's just he just knows how to win yeah somehow he does
References (from this video)
- Designed by Mark Andre
- Good artwork
- Looks like many components
- Has been sitting on the shelf for a while
- Speaker doesn't know much about it
- Splendor
- Majesty for the Realm
- Baron
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Campaign play — Described as 'another campaign game'.
Video topics + discussion points
Quotes (from this video)
- I'm going to throw it out. I'm So all day I'm just gonna say Don and I'll let you guys decide who I'm actually talking to because I have not figured out a good way to do it without like long names here.
- The little epilogue, we were laughing reading it like actually out loud laughing, not like, 'Oh, that's funny.' Like legitimately funny as you go through.
- And this one uses an app that I my understanding is it does like all kind of the behind the scenes math and stuff for you.
- It's like if you know Alan Moon did Oathsworn you'd be like what?
- This game is crazy pants. It is hard and I love it.
- It's deadly if you focus on all of them.
- This is the kind of game that you could play many
- I adore that that's on there, especially in a two-player game.
- If you want a free lunch, go eat your house
- And that's a testament of a really really good game, especially one as heavy as Sweetlands.
- Stuper Monday is one of those games that similar to Sweetlands. It's not as deep, it's not as heavy as Sweetlands, but when it comes to timing, efficiency of actions, and uh sort of using cards to do actions, it's it's right there in that sweet spot.
- This is a train game but with magic. And the magic matters because basically it's like ah gosh I can't connect my train to this spot. Magic. And now I just teleport over it and I keep moving the stuff.
References (from this video)
- Unique narrative experience
- Accessible fantasy adventure
- Elegant card system
- High production quality
- Challenging gameplay due to fewer cards
- Rog-like aspect with multiple playthroughs encouraged
- Robust experience with three chapters
- High replayability due to branching paths and choices
- Well-presented components
- Massive box size
- Organized storage with boxes and lids
- Individual player actions possible in a shared environment
- Might not be an exciting watch due to reading and exploring
- Drawing fewer cards can make it challenging
- fantasy adventure
- point and click adventure style
- Seventh Continent
- Splendor
- Weather Machine
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Campaign play — There are three chapters and you can play through each of the three chapters which a pretty robust experience. They have all these tracking sheets for each time you play through so you can get more and do more and see more.
- Card Play — It's a very elegant system with the way you're playing your cards. You're always able to use the number on the top so if you have a challenge that you're facing that says this takes a five you can disregard the rest of the card and just use you know that that would be five but if I'm doing a movement action I'm also going to do this. Combining these cards lets you do some of the things you need to those bigger numbers.
- Deck Building/Management — Character decks that are specific to each character and then you can actually level up.
- exploration — Focus on exploration. When you find yourself here and it's going to take eight movement to go visit location nine because you're going down a bunch of steps but just to go through this door it costs four movement.
- Skill checks — Each character has effectively a bonus to a few different skills so as you come across things like this tinkering skill to unlock something they'd have a plus one they plus two.
- Threat track — Players share things like threat and our Vite is a shared thing it's not per character so if Ryan goes somewhere and our threat goes up and it's while something is happening to me where something happens a number of monsters come out based on our Threat Level.
Video topics + discussion points
Quotes (from this video)
- it's somewhere a very narrative s of experience
- like Seventh Continent light like that kind of I would say it's like focus on exploration kind of thing
- the simplicity is a very elegant system with the way you're playing your cards
- The production again is insane kind of off the charts
- it makes it incredibly accessible
- it makes it feel more challenging and more challenging
- this almost has a Rog like aspect where you want to play through it multiple times
- there's a lot of reading and exploring it might not be exactly an exciting watch
- how well this is presented
- it's also massive
- really really nice production
References (from this video)
- asymmetric characters with cooperative play
- story-driven campaigns offer a strong narrative hook
- asymmetry may complicate balance
- cooperative solos may require more setup
- asymmetric abilities in a cooperative framework
- exploration and story-driven fantasy
- story-driven with branching tasks
- The 7th Continent
- Descent: Legends of the Dark
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- asymmetric cooperation — players have differing strengths but play toward a common goal
- Deck Building — deck-building with exploration-focused outcomes
- exploration deck-building — deck-building with exploration-focused outcomes
Video topics + discussion points
Quotes (from this video)
- it's a pure euro that is nicely connected to the theme more than you would anticipate
- money is super tight in this game which adds a lot of tension
- the rondelle with dice worker placement it has contracts and there's a market that changes the values of all the items
- it's a game i can get my wife and kids to play with me yet still a very enjoyable game for me
- the weight and the length of the game is just a perfect scenario for me