{"id":30734,"date":"2020-12-04T08:00:51","date_gmt":"2020-12-04T14:00:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.meeplemountain.com\/?post_type=reviews&p=30734"},"modified":"2021-05-12T13:05:18","modified_gmt":"2021-05-12T18:05:18","slug":"soulgivers","status":"publish","type":"reviews","link":"https:\/\/www.meeplemountain.com\/reviews\/soulgivers\/","title":{"rendered":"Soulgivers Game Review"},"content":{"rendered":"

In Soulgivers<\/i>, two opposing groups of souls lurk in the ether of space. Each of these factions is desperate to retrieve the pulsing, shimmering Fragment: a mysterious power that will stop their people\u2019s decay and return them to their immortal lives.<\/p>\n

I could keep going \u2014 the rulebook starts with a three page short story describing the lore \u2014 but underneath all its glitter and chrome, Soulgivers<\/i> is an abstract game<\/a> at heart. This may be because of its minimalist design or may be a natural consequence of how the game works.<\/p>\n

How the Game Works<\/h1>\n

Soulgivers<\/i> is a two-player game<\/a> of tactical movement and deterministic combat. Both players control a team of units called Soulgivers, each with their own unique powers and abilities. Both players are racing to retrieve a piece called the Fragment and bring it back to their home territory. The first team that can get the Fragment all the way home wins. Design-wise, Soulgivers<\/i> shares a lot of DNA with Capture the Flag.<\/p>\n

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The game is played on a grid, with the Fragment starting in the center. Each team has two places to enter the board called Portals (blue and orange), which is also where players must bring the Fragment to win. The Portals matter beyond just the start of the game: each player will only have three Soulgivers on the board at any time, and when one dies, a new one is drawn and enters from the Portal of the player\u2019s choosing.<\/p>\n

On your turn, you\u2019re allowed to move all of your Soulgivers<\/b> and perform a handful of actions<\/b>.<\/p>\n

Soulgivers and movement: <\/b>Soulgivers have special rules for their movement and powers, with each Soulgiver represented by a token on the board and a reference card in front of the player. As a general rule, Soulgivers can move in a straight line or a series of adjacent steps, up to a maximum number printed on the reference card. The reference card also outlines the rules for the Soulgivers\u2019 movement, their special abilities, and whether or not they\u2019re able to attack.<\/p>\n

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