Choose your own review: Space Hulk Death Angel: The Card Game

I used to enjoy Choose Your Own Adventure books, and I thought the format would make for an interesting review ....

You are in the midst of a quest to a strange new land! (OK, let's say you're at the dry cleaners.) As you leave the merchant stall with your new magic rune (three business shirts, light starch), you look across the parking lot and notice a game store that you've never heard of before. You feel drawn to it -- you're sure you hear a voice telling you to visit. What do you do?

a. Walk into the store. (Go to #1.)
b. Leave and go home. (Go to #2.)

1. You walk into the store and are greeted by a kindly man. He introduces himself as Manager -- he's the Subaltern of Merchants. He is organizing his wares, and you notice a game you've never seen, called Space Hulk Death Angel: The Card Game. Noticing your interest, Manager asks if you are familiar with cooperative games. How do you answer?

a. "What's a cooperative game?" (Go to #7.)
b. "I hate cooperative games; why bother to play with people if there is no winner?" (Go to #3.)
c. "It depends upon whether there's a traitor mechanic. Without a traitor mechanic, it always seems as though one person runs the show." (Go to #4.)
d. "I enjoy cooperative games -- even without a traitor mechanic." (Go to #5.)

2. You mount your steed (get into your car) and drive home. You can't help but wonder what the voice meant, but now you'll never know. (Seriously? What kind of adventurer are you? The end.)

3. Manager answers, "You were wise to speak with me first, my friend. This game will not serve your purposes. You may want to visit a friend of mine named 'BoardGameGeek' in the land known as Internet to find other options." You are disappointed to hear this, but you feel as though you have made the correct decision. (Go to #9.)

4. Manager answers, "You were wise to speak with me first, my friend. This game will not serve your purposes." If you don't already own them, you may want to consider Battlestar Galactica, Shadows Over Camelot or Saboteur." You may want to visit a friend of mine named 'BoardGameGeek' in the land known as Internet to find other options." You are disappointed to hear this, but you feel as though you have made the correct decision. (Go to #9.)

5. Manager answers, "You may find it worthwhile to buy this game, but maybe not. Death Angel's theme involves playing out a futuristic gun battle between space marines and aliens known as Genestealers. How does that sound?" How do you answer?
a. "That sounds really cool!" (Go to #6.)
b. "That doesn't sound like something my group would enjoy." (Go to #8.)

6. Manger answers, "Very good, my friend. Death Angel is largely a card game with a few markers and one die. There is no board -- not even a player mat. There are no fancy figurines. How does that sound?" How do you answer?
a. "That's OK with me -- it makes the game more portable and keeps the price lower." (Go to #10.)
b. "That doesn't sound like something my group would enjoy. My group really likes a nice board and some components." (Go to #11.)
c. "Did you say a die? Hold on there; my group doesn't go for rolling dice." (Go to #12.)

7. Manager answers, "A cooperative game is one where the players work as a group to defeat 'the game.' The group either wins or loses as one team. Does that sound like something you and your companions would enjoy?" How do you answer?
a. "That sounds cool." (Go to #5.)
b. "That doesn't sound like something my group would enjoy." (Go to #3.)

8. Manager answers "You were wise to speak with me first, my friend. This game will not serve your purposes. If you don't already own them, you may want to consider Pandemic, Shadows Over Camelot or Saboteur." You may also want to visit a friend of mine named 'BoardGameGeek' in the land known as Internet to find other options." (Go to #9.)

9. You leave Manager's merchant stall. You feel good about the decision you made. As you mount your steed (start your car), you look up to see that the stall has disappeared -- it now appears to be a seller of poor-quality armor (a Radio Shack). You stare in disbelief, but then hear Manager's voice. "Do not fear young adventurer. I will return again when I am needed." You ride away, vowing to return to the wise merchant in the future. (The end.)

10. Manager answers "It sounds as though you and your companions would enjoy Death Angel. Furthermore, Death Angel is enjoyable solitaire if necessary. Please meet me at the front of my merchant stall if you would like to complete your purchase." (Go to #9.)

11. Manager answers "You were wise to speak with me first, my friend. This game will not serve your purposes. If you don't already own it, you may want to consider Shadows Over Camelot." You may also want to visit a friend of mine named 'BoardGameGeek' in the land known as Internet to find other options." (Go to #9.)

12. Manager answers "You were wise to speak with me first, my friend. This game will not serve your purposes. If you don't already own it, you may want to consider Pandemic." You may also want to visit a friend of mine named 'BoardGameGeek' in the land known as Internet to find other options." (Go to #9.)

Death Angel

Not much gaming going on -- too much work and too much bad weather.

I did have a chance to try out Fantasy Flight's Death Angel: The Card Game. The game allows for solo or cooperative play in the Warhammer 40k universe. The player(s) control space marines fighting their way through a ship filled with Genestealers. I had picked the game up the first week of January using a 50%-off coupon at Borders. With the coupon it was about $10.

I'll write a more complete review after I've had a chance to play a few more games, but it was tension-filled and fairly streamlined, which are the two most important factors in a solitaire game. Patrick was playing Wii while I was playing the game, and the tension must have been evident in my grumbling, since he kept asking "Dad, did you die?"

I haven't played Space Hulk (which is what the game is loosely based upon). I think Space Hulk looks like a cooler game (for any groups wanting a game with the sci-fi-dungeon craw theme). But it only supports two players, plus it's out of print and quite expensive (over $100) on the secondary market.

Death Angel: The Card Game also lacks the traitor mechanic, found, for example, in Shadows Over Camelot, Battlestar Galactica and Saboteur. Cooperative games without the traitor mechanic, such as Pandemic, run the risk of becoming group puzzles, where one player takes over, telling the others what to do during their turn -- and ruining the fun. The traitor mechanic not only keeps this from happening (since players are required to maintain a certain level of secrecy), but it adds a psychological demension that resembles poker.

So, while I had a good time with the game, I don't know that it's a must-have for most gamers.