Eye on Kickstarter #65

Welcome to my Eye on Kickstarter series!  This series will highlight Kickstarter campaigns I am following that have recently launched (or I've recently discovered) because they have caught my interest.  Usually they'll catch my interest because they look like great games that I have either backed or would like to back (unfortunately budget doesn't allow me to back everything I'd like to).  But occasionally the campaigns caught my attention for other reasons.  Twice a month, on the 2nd and 4th Fridays, I'll make a new post in this series, highlighting the campaigns that have caught my attention since the last post.  In each post I'll highlight one campaign that has really grabbed my attention, followed by other campaigns I've backed or am interested in.  I'll also include links to any related reviews or interviews I've done.  Comments are welcome, as are suggestions for new campaigns to check out!

You can also see my full Kickstarter Profile to see what I've backed or my old Eye on Kickstarter page that was too unwieldy to maintain.  Also, check out the 2019 Kickstarter Boardgame Projects geeklist over on Board Game Geek for a list of all the tabletop games of the year.

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So, without further ado, here are the projects I'm currently watching as of the second Friday of May, 2019:

Live Campaigns from Past Eyes:
Paradise Lost - ENDING TODAY!!!
Kingswood
Robin Hood: Hero of the People

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HIGHLIGHTED CAMPAIGN
Runika and the Six-Sided Spellbooks

• GJJ Games Review
• GJJ Games Backed
• People Behind the Meeples Interview
• I absolutely loved Runika when I played it for my review. It's a gorgeous puzzle game with some really interesting mechanics. Everyone I played with really, really enjoyed the game. There was a lot of head scratching going on, and plenty of thoughtful grunting. Don't let the cute art fool you, Runika and the Six-Sided Spellbooks is a brain burner, but in a great way! If you like puzzles, dice drafting, spatial patterns, and a lighthearted, mystical theme, be sure to check out Runika and the Six-Sided Spellbooks

Runika and the Six-sided Spellbooks is a puzzle-solving dice-rolling game of wits and wizardry. Play as Runika and her friends as you collect elemental dice, solve puzzles and cast spells!

What makes Runika special?

• Winning depends on strategy, not luck. Dice rolls give you interesting choices, rather than punishing you. Clever use of your dice will determine whether you win or not.
• Cool rotating boards and spatial puzzles. Create runes on a 4x4 spell grid surrounded by a rotating elemental disk. Use the disk to correctly position your elemental dice and match the patterns on the rune cards to earn points and powers.
• Interaction without player hate. Compete for the favour of your professors and to be the first to solve each rune. Player interaction comes from drafting the right dice and occupying worker-placement slots instead of attacking your friends.

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Crystallo

• This is a beautiful game! It's a solo game that won the BGG Solo Design Contest. I've heard great things about it and it has a great price point, so if you're into solo games be sure to check this one out.

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Starving Artists

• GJJ Games Review
• Back in 2015 I played a game at Protospiel that I absolutely loved. That game went on to win a Game Crafter design contest and then went on to be a successful Kickstarter campaign. I had the chance to review Starving Artists in April 2016 and loved the game. The artwork was phenomenal (it's chock full of classic masterpieces), the gameplay was fun, and the game was fun. Now, three years later, Starving Artists is back for a reprint and some new content, including support for up to 6 players!

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Matryoshka

• This is the first time Matryoshka is available in North America and I've only heard good, and better, things about this game about Russian nesting dolls. It's a simple, set collection card game with a strong focus on trading cards. The original artwork is beautiful and you can also get a deluxe version with additional gorgeous cards from some guest artists.