Game Overview

Setup

1. Choose teams: Use the scoring discs to randomly determine who plays Land and who plays Sea.
2. Set up the scoreboard: Place the box bottom within reach of the players. Angle it towards the players so they can see the icon key on the edge of the box. Place a Land and a Sea scoring disc at the start of the scoreboard on the inside of the box.
3. Starting tile: Find the starting tile and place it in the middle of the play area.
4. Volcano/Whirlpool tile: Find the double-sided Volcano/Whirlpool tile and place it within reach
5. Create 2 tile stacks: Shuffle and divide the remaining tiles into 2 even stacks. Place these stacks near the scoreboard.
6. Draft starting tiles: Starting with Land, players take turns choosing and taking a tile from the top of either stack until each player has 2 tiles placed in front of them. You may only look at the hidden side of each tile you take after you have taken them, but don’t reveal them to other players.

Playing the Game

Land goes first. If playing with teams, the youngest Land team member goes first.

1. Play a tile – Take a look at both sides of your tiles, without revealing them to anyone else. Choose and play one side of either tile face up onto the map, adjacent to a tile or tiles, so that each connected edge matches; e.g. land edge(s) to land edge(s), sea edge(s) to sea edge(s).

2. Use Action Tiles – Use the Play Again or Steal actions on any tiles containing their symbols.

3. Score completed areas – If a tile you placed completes an area or area score any points earned for tiles, bonus of points, or Waypoints in that area.

4. Place Waypoint (optional) – If you are playing with Waypoints, you may place it now.

5. Replenish your tiles – Choose and take a tile from the top of either of the 2 tile stacks to bring your tile count back up to 2 again. Place both of your tiles face up on the table in front of you, without flipping them over.

Usually, you need to take just 1 tile to replace the one you played in your turn. However, after using some Action Tiles you may need to take 2 tiles, or none. You may take replacement tiles one at a time this way, looking at the hidden side of a tile you have taken, before choosing again.

Once you have 2 tiles again, your turn is over and play passes to the next player clockwise.

The next player

The next player in clockwise turn order then takes a turn to place one side of either of their tiles onto the map. Place it adjacent to any tile or tiles already on the map so each connected edge matches the edges of tiles it is placed adjacent to – land edge(s) to land edge(s), sea edge(s) to sea edge(s).

Use Action Tiles, score completed areas, and draw back up to 2 tiles as usual.

Players continue taking turns in this way, scoring each completed area one at a time as they go

The game ends when the last tile has been placed.

Scoring Land & Sea areas

When a land or sea area is completed, i.e. it is enclosed with no open edges of its type, it is scored as follows:

• Land scores 1 point per tile contributing to a land area, no matter who completed it.
• Sea scores 1 point per tile contributing to a sea area, no matter who completed it.
• Whoever completes the area scores a bonus point for each ‘X’ icon inside the completed area.

 

First Impression

Whenever I see Good Games Publishing Game coming into my letterbox, I had excited. As I know I’m getting an in-depth game with multiple layers of beautiful designed game play.

Yet, Land Vs Sea is said to be so easy to learn, you can learn it in 2 minutes. This doesn’t sound like what I expect from Good Games Publishing. How can we have an in-depth game with multiple layers of beautifully designed game that can be learned in only 2 mins? Will Land Vs. Sea sail into greatness or sink to the sea?

Gameplay

On Saturday we took one of the few freedoms we have in Melbourne & I got to have my first ever boardgame picnic. So at the local park with some UberEATS Fish & Chips (yeah, we got them delivered to the park. The poor driver got confused as hell when he arrived). If you’ve never had a boardgame picnic, I highly recommended it.

After our fish & chips, we read the rules & I must say, it didn’t take 2 minutes to read through the rules. According to my stopwatch, it was 2 minutes & 13 seconds…. But I am a slow reader, so I’ll give it to you this time Good Games! ha ha ha

To my surprise, Land Vs Sea had multiple levels & through there were only 2 of us. I knew we had another person coming to join us a little later. And I was actually really exciting experience the 3-player variant of the game.

The Cartographer variant had me so excited as it seem to add a whole new element to the game; that changes the whole outlook of the way you make decisions. As ever tile doesn’t just help or hinder yourself, it affects the game for all players. Adding so much more depth to a game already filled with it. That is one thing I love about this game, simple to learn but the depth to grow with the players yet doesn’t punish new players.

Art

The art on Land Vs Sea is very different from most games, as it isn’t just something to add a theme to the game or make it look pretty. As it is such a pivotal part of the game, as each tile has to be designed so precisely as the whole game revolved around these components. Then making them doubles sided just make the artist, Jon-Paul Jacques, job that little bit harder

That being said, when the tiles literally have a mixture of Land & Sea on them. It is a tough challenge to have such a simple concept & make it so elegant. Jon-Paul has masterfully taken something so simple & given it such depth.

Final Thoughts

I was originally a little concerned about Land Vs Sea when I first heard about it & I thought I was getting a much lighter game from Good Games Publishing. But likes waves in on the beach, those concerns were washed away in moments. As what you get is an in-depth game from what may seem like a rather simple concept. And through intelligent well thought out gameplay & striking art, Land Vs Sea just pops off the table.

I must apologize to Good Games Publishing, as at first glance I wasn’t sure how much or if I would even like Land Vs Sea & instead, it wound up being possibly my favorite game they have made or at the very least in my top 3. From its ease to learn to the growing gameplay & in-depth gameplay. All packaged in a small box that is a game is one you need to add to your collection. if you only buy one game I recommended, do yourself the favour & make it this one!

If would like to get your own copy of Land Vs Sea, you can pick up your copy here