Escape The Dark Sector - Tabletop Game Review

Do you remember the old Choose Your Own Adventure or Fighting Fantasy books from years ago? If so, you will get a huge nostalgia hit from Themeborne's new title in their 'Escape the Dark' series of games; Escape the Dark Sector! 

As a fan of Themeborne's previous game Escape the Dark Castle, I was really looking forward to seeing what Escape the Dark Sector had to offer. Swapping the fantasy aesthetic of their previous game for a sci-fi setting, Escape the Dark Sector is set on a space station where the players assume the roles of a crew trapped amongst aliens, cyborgs and ship malfunctions, which they must overcome to escape and win the game.

The game is a co-operative game for 1-4 players, and it takes literally minutes to learn. Each play through can last between 30-45 minutes and the players must work together to traverse through the space station to achieve their goal and escape. Teamwork is vital in this game, because if one player dies, everyone loses! 

The game plays very much like a Choose your own Adventure story, but instead of jumping from page to page to progress the story, this is done by cards which are selected from randomised decks at the beginning of the game. Building your story deck of cards is as simple as choosing four cards from three preshuffled decks, each of which is an 'act'. (Everyone knows any good story is told in three acts.)

Once the story deck is ready, it's time to face whatever terrors await in the darkness. One aspect I really enjoyed of this game is the addition of ranged attacks as well as the melee option. Having the choice to stay back and pick off enemies from a distance before moving in to finish them off is a really nice mechanic and a welcome addition. This added another element of excitement and danger to an already thrilling setting. 

Having a team strategy also makes gameplay engaging and fun for all the players on how they decide to tackle some of the obstacles. With an option to have more powerful attacks at the expense of some health, another element comes into play.

I will say this though, don't expect an easy ride. This game is tough. Not in a brutalise and demoralise the players kind of way, but in a 'One more go' way. Unlucky rolls may be the undoing of a team, and it rarely feels unfair, but just gives you the determination to try again. With that in mind, the difficulty level maybe a little tough for younger players.

It would be unjust of me not to mention the spectacular artwork that has been done for this game, as with Escape the Dark Castle, the black and white pictures evoke more of the nostalgia of the 'gamebooks' that I mention at the beginning of the review and really capture the essence of years gone by. This retro styling may not be to everyone's tastes with the monochromatic style, especially if you are used to brightly coloured visuals, but I feel this fits the mood of the game perfectly.

For even more game immersion, I'd recommend picking up the soundtrack for Escape the Dark Sector, as it enhances the mood and adds another element to the entire experience.

In summary, Themeborne have done it again with their winning formula. A tight and engaging game, with masses of atmosphere and replayability. Even after several playthroughs with an analytical mind, I'm really struggling to find many negatives with Escape the Dark Sector aside from the difficulty level being a little on the high side. 

I think Escape the Dark Sector will make a good opener to any game night, and is worth checking out and seeing for yourself, because I can't praise this game enough. I don't think this review does the game the justice it deserves. 

You can order Escape the Dark Sector direct from Themeborne's website - https://www.themeborne.com/escape-the-dark-sector

Disclaimer - Themeborne sent a copy of Escape the Dark Sector to me for review purposes, however this review is based on my own copy which I backed through Kickstarter. I have not been paid by Themeborne or any associated parties for this review. 

 

Look and Read - Geordie Racer

Hi everyone! After a quiet couple of months on the blog, I've found this absolute gem which I would have loved to have posted back when I did a little Look and Read season a while back but I couldn't find it online, but it's here now and not a moment too soon! I give you Geordie Racer!

The story was set in Newcastle-upon-Tyne and the surrounding area, and featured pigeon racers and runners competing in the Great North Run. The main character is Spuggy Hilton (Spuggy being a nickname - the Geordie word for sparrow), who isn't a runner like the rest of his family, but is a keen pigeon fancier and owns 'Blue Flash' - one of the best birds in Newcastle. He and his friend Janie observe some suspicious activity, and link a spate of local art robberies with obscure messages they find on some of the pigeons, but find they have even more problems when they go to spy on the crooks.

Sport Billy

It's been a while since I posted anything new to the site, unfortunately it's getting harder to find shows to share, but this time I've got a show I've been searching for for over a year now, it's the classic Filmation cartoon Sport Billy!

The story revolves around a young boy named Sport Billy who is from the planet Olympus (a twin of Earth on the opposite side of the Sun) which is populated by athletic god-like beings. Billy himself has a magic size-changing gym bag - the Omni-Sack - which produces various tools as he needs them. He travels to Earth on a mission to promote teamwork and sportsmanship. Described by the show's theme song as a "hero from another planet", Billy battles the evil Queen Vanda and her gnome-like henchman, Snipe. Vanda's mission is to destroy all sports in the galaxy since fairness disgusts her.

Billy is assisted by two faithful companions, a girl named Lilly and a talking dog named Willy. The trio travel around in a time traveling spaceship, which resembles a giant wind-up clock, complete with a ringing bell, and mounted on two rocket engines. Each episode the trio travel through time to save a different Earth sport from Queen Vanda's grasp.

Terry Pratchett's Discworld - Soul Music

Today we honour a great fantasy writer who sadly passed away earlier today with the animated adaptation of one of his novels, with Terry Pratchett's Discworld - Soul Music!

Based on Terry Pratchett's Novel. On Discworld (a world carried by four elephants standing on a huge turtle in space), a small girl, Susan Sto Helit, has got a major problem. Her grandfather is Death, who wants to forget that he has just "processed" his adopted daughter and her husband who was Susan's mother and father as this is causing him great grief and Death is a person that can remember everything, much to his chagrin. Susan find herself pressed into taking over Death's "duty" but finds that she is falling in love with an elf/human, Imp, who is slowly being taken over by a kind of "musical" force that is forcing Imp and his friends to play Rock Music to the Discworld. The Rock Music is proving to be a great success, but it has got plans for Imp and everybody wanting to play it and it is up to Susan, the head of the wizards, the Archchancellor and Death (that is, if he can be found and made to remember who/what he is.) to stop it before it conquers the entire Discworld...

Spider-Man Unlimited

Spinning the tale of Spider-Man in a completely different direction late in 1999 came this short lived series featuring Spidey in situations never before encountered in Spider-Man Unlimited!

While covering the launch of John Jameson's one-man mission to Counter-Earth (another Earth located on the far side of the Sun), Spider-Man attempts to stop his two symbiote adversaries Venom and Carnage from boarding the shuttlecraft. Blamed for Jameson losing contact with our Earth, Spider-Man becomes a target of persecution by the media and the public. Believed to be dead after saving a person's life in a fire, Peter Parker uses the ruse to embark on a mission to retrieve John Jameson on Counter-Earth, using nanotechnology stolen from Reed Richards to design a new suit that incorporates stealth technology and sonic weaponry. Making his way to the planet, Spider-Man learns that Jameson has fallen in with a band of freedom fighters opposed to the High Evolutionary whose Beastials, hybrids of animal and humanoid attributes, are the dominant species whilst humans are the second-class minority.

With Jameson reluctant to return until all of the Beastials are defeated, Spider-Man elects to remain on Counter-Earth, blending in as best as he can as Peter Parker, and fighting the High Evolutionary and his Knights of Wundagore alongside the rebels as Spider-Man. It is soon discovered that Venom and Carnage are also on Counter-Earth, and are following orders from the Synoptic, a hive-minded legion of Counter-Earth symbiotes. This series also shows the animated version of John Jameson's Man-Wolf form, as well as superhero versions of mainstream villains the Green Goblin and the Vulture.

Time Riders

Time Travel. Who hasn't wanted to go back in time and change a few things around? That's what happens when a young scientist and her motorcycle time machine get going in Time Riders!

Doctor BB Miller, a young scientist, is working on time travel. She succeeds in bringing a young boy, Ben, to the present from the 19th Century, but then her time machine explodes. Once repaired, BB and Ben are transported to the English Civil War, and are captured by Roundheads. Then they are captured by Cavaliers, and the sinister Lady Chalmerston decides to 'play' with them. Eventually they manage to effect an escape and eventually return to the present.

Orm and Cheep

I've been looking for this show for ages and I've finally it and can share it with you all! It's the overly vute, yet severely odd looking Orm and Cheep!

Cheep was a baby bird who fell from his nest before he learnt to fly. He is helped to recover from his ordeal by Orm - a clever worm, who lives in a little round underground house. In each episode Orm, Cheep and their many friends including Mole, Snail and Mouse have an adventure, which usually involves one of their enemies - Crow, Rat or Cat!

The Forgotten Toys

First new post in such a long time it seems! Here is a tale of two toys, searching for a new home and children to love them, it's the Forgotten Toys!

Based on the book by James Stevenson 'The Night After Christmas', The Forgotten Toys follows the adventures of an abandoned rag doll and teddy bear as they try to find new children to love them after being thrown out in favour of new high tech Christmas presents.

Annie, voiced by Joanna Lumley, is a refined, but somewhat scruffy rag doll. She is kindly and helpful and a contrast to her friend Teddy. Teddy (played by Bob Hoskins) is a rough and ready, gruff little teddy bear. He does, however, have a soft centre which he tries desperately hard to disguise. The two bicker, and care for each other, like brother and sister.

Their first appearance on screen, in a half hour special broadcast in Christmas 1995, sees them overcome adversity and find new children. However, no sooner has the first episode of a 26 part series started, than they find themselves lost again – stranded on an airport carousel en route to a family holiday. Will they ever be reunited with their children again?

The Mighty Ducks

Spinning off from the popular kid's movies about a group of ice hockey kids, Disney decided to make a series based upon ice hockey playing alien ducks! The Mighty Ducks!

In another galaxy exists a planet populated entirely by humanoid ducks. Dubbed "Puckworld" by its inhabitants, it is an icy planet, perfectly suited to the Ducks' favorite pastime, Hockey. For the citizens of Puckworld, hockey was not simply a sport, but a way of life, occupying virtually every aspect of day-to-day existence.
Legend has it that centuries ago, during an invasion by a reptilian race called Saurians, a duck named Drake DuCaine became the planet's savior over the Saurians' Overlords. The legend tells that DuCaine did so with a high-tech goalie mask. With it, DuCaine sent the Saurians to a mysterious "Dimensional Limbo".
The last of the Saurians escape Dimensional Limbo and returns to Puckworld with an armada of robotic attack ships. The group of four is led by the last of the Saurian Overlords, Lord Dragaunus, who is assisted by his minions Siege, Chameleon and Wraith. They invade the planet and enslave the people of Puckworld. However, a resistance was formed by Canard, who has found The Mask of Drake DuCaine. With it, the wearer of the Mask could see through the Saurians' invisibility cloaks. Canard forms a band of Ducks to fight Dragaunus. The members of his team consists of Wildwing, Nosedive, Tanya, Duke, Mallory and Grin. They go on a mission to destroy Dragaunus's fortress the Master Tower and free the planet from the Saurians' control. While the mission is successful, Dragaunus and his forces manage escape in their ship, the Raptor. The Saurians open up a dimensional gateway to escape through but Canard and the others follow him into the portal with the Aerowing, intent on stopping them.
Dragaunus attempts to get rid of the Ducks inside the portal by attacking them with an electromagnetic worm that will grow until it can swallow the Aerowing. In a desperate attempt to get rid of the worm, Canard sacrifices his own life by throwing himself to the worm. Before dying, Canard gave the Mask, and leadership of the team, to Wildwing Flashblade, his best friend. Both the Raptor and the Aerowing leave the portal and enter a different dimension, landing in the Earth city of Anaheim, California. The Ducks meet Phil Palmfeather, a human who becomes their manager and makes them a legitimate NHL team. Their arena, only known as The Pond in the show, has a hockey rink that doubles as a landing pad for the Aerowing above and has a formal HQ below. On Earth, the Ducks and Dragaunus continue their fight, although there are other villains that also challenge the six Ducks.

Stig of the Dump

It's been a while since I posted anything, but this time of year is always extremely busy! This time I give you the classic Stig of the Dump from 1981!

Barney is a young boy staying with his grandparents on the chalk Downs of southern England. When he falls over the edge of an old chalk pit close to Barney's grandparents' house he tumbles down through the roof of Stig's den. When he looks round, there's Stig- apparently a 'caveman', with shaggy, black hair and bright black eyes. The chalk pit is disused and full of people's dumped rubbish.
Barney and Stig get on rather well together. They have to manage without language, as Stig speaks no English, but that doesn't seem to stop them. Stig's den is a place built out of discarded rubbish, that Barney enjoys.
Stig is Barney's secret friend, not because Barney doesn't tell anyone, but because no-one believes that Stig is real. They have a great time, improving Stig's den, collecting firewood, going hunting, and having all manner of adventures!

Sonic the Hedgehog

Not to be confused with another Sonic cartoon featured on the BCC site, this is the much less comical version of Sonic the Hedgehog!

The show takes place on a planet called Mobius. A warlord and former scientist named Dr. Robotnik, and his assistant/nephew Snively, invaded and conquered Mobotropolis, the capital city of Mobius, with an army of robot soldiers called SWATbots.

The show's backstory explains that Robotnik had once been leader of the Mobotropolis War Ministry, and that his creation and use of SWATbots led the country's victory in "The Great War". In the war's aftermath, he was to be appointed Minister of Science by the King of Mobius, who had decided to close the War Ministry and dismantle the SWATbots following the War. However, Robotnik overthrew the kingdom and declared himself to be the new King. King Acorn was never seen or heard from again.

Robotnik captures most of the citizens, including an intelligent old hedgehog named Sir Charles Hedgehog (Sonic's uncle) and his crowning invention, the Roboticizer. This invention, created with the intention to prolong life, changes living creatures into robots, but had the unintended effect of robbing the individual of their free will. Robotnik uses this technology to enslave the population.

Some citizens managed to escape the coup, and fled to Knothole Village in the Great Forest to hide from Robotnik's army. Under Princess Sally, they formed a group called the Freedom Fighters to restore Mobius and end Robotnik's rule.

Record of Lodoss War

Today is my birthday. Hoorays!!! In celebration of the day I am going to change the rules a bit and post up one of my favourite anime series ever. With an epic quest featuring elves, dwarves, magic and dragons, what more could you ask for? I give you the Record of Lodoss War!!

Created from the aftermath of the last great battle of the gods, Lodoss and its kingdoms have been plagued by war for thousands of years. As a quiet peace and unity finally become foreseeable over the land, an unknown evil begins to stir. An ancient witch has awakened, bent on preserving the island of Lodoss by creating political unbalance throughout the many kingdoms and keeping any one from maintaining central control. Only a mixed-race party of six young champions, led by the young warrior Parn, stand between this new threat and Lodoss' descent back into the darkness of war and destruction.

Legends of Treasure Island

Action, adventure magic and suspense  now in a tale of loot, piracy and betrayal in The Legends of Treasure Island!

The series was loosely based on Robert Louis Stevenson's original story "Treasure Island". Featuring a mysterious and dark storyline, it incorporates magic and many new characters. Unlike the book and most adaptations Long John Silver is not an anti-hero with dubious morality but rather a straight villain.

In "The Quest Begins" young Jim Hawkins is a pup at home in Olde England. Forced to flee for his life with his father's many-riddled treasure map Jim falls in with a sea-dog called Captain Smollett. They are joined by another pooch - Dr Livesey - and Squire Trelawney, a clucking pigeon. They set sail in search of Flint's treasure, although they've yet to fathom the riddle of the island's location. The map says it can be found in "Poseidon's Swirling Eye". But it doesn't matter anyway because they are overrun by a mutinous crew, lead by that old fox Long John Silver. Jim escapes and befriends a vixen called Jane who was kidnapped by Silver as a child (apparently her wealthy parents refused to pay the ransom because she was so spoilt). But the duo are recaptured and in a wild storm our heroes are collectively forced to walk the plank. Fortunately, Jim spies the answer to the map's first riddle in the form of a frothing maelstrom starboard . The five jump into its spiraling heart and emerge on the shores of Flint's secret, mysterious island...

Tickle on the Tum

Specially requested by a fan of the BCC, we have the wonderfully titled Tickle on the Tum!

The series was set in a shop in the fictional village of Tickle-on-the-Tum (the humorous double-meaning of the title was explained obliquely in the theme song). The original presenters were folk-singer Ralph McTell and Danuschia Harwood. From about the middle of the second series, Harwood was replaced by Jacqueline Reddin. In the final series, Reddin became the show's lead presenter and sang the theme song, after McTell returned to his recording career.

Ralph and Danni (or Jacqui depending which series you were in) would be working in the shop when a local resident would come in and recount at length an incident in their week. A song, written and sung with guitar by McTell, would follow based around either the week's story or simply the visiting character. Pet-shop proprietor Bunny was played by Nerys Hughes, while favourite characters amongst children was bumbling odd-job man Barney Bodger, 'Jack The Lad' Mike The Milkman and filthy G.P, Dr Dimple (played by [{Bill Oddie]]), who famously sang the song; Don't mind my hands, they're just a bit cold.

Macross - Do You Remember Love?

Today is the 1st anniversary of the BCC and as a special treat, I give you an animated movie that blew my mind as a kid and was a big catalyst into my love of anime, Macross - Do You Remember Love (aka Clash of the Bionoids)!

The plot revolves around Hikaru Ichijyo (a hotshot pilot) and his love triangle with the coquettish pop-star Lynn Minmay and the fortress' first mate Misa Hayase. This story is framed by a war between humans and the alien Zentradi over possession of the space fortress Macross, which harbors tens of thousands of human civilians after the aliens bombarded Earth. However, it is revealed that the all-male Zentradi are fighting a war against their female counterparts: the Meltlandi; both genders, bred for war, are stricken by their contact with Protoculture (human culture), most particularly music.

Wacky Races

Classic cartoon don't come better than this. A cavalcade of crazy competitors in a high octane charge across America, it's Wacky Races!

Wacky Races is an animated television series from Hanna-Barbera, about a group of 11 different cars racing against each other in various road rallies, with each driver hoping to win the title of the "World's Wackiest Racer." The cartoon was unusual in the large number of regular characters, twenty-four in total: the twenty-three people spread among the 11 race cars, plus the unseen (and never identified) race announcer. Another unusual feature of the series is that the stars of the show are the villains as opposed to the heroes.
Attempting to foil the racers' efforts were the show's resident villains Dick Dastardly and his canine sidekick, Muttley. Dastardly would usually gain a large lead, then execute all sorts of elaborate schemes to trap, divert, blow up or stop the other racers, only to see them backfire spectacularly. The intended object lesson may have been that Dastardly might have easily won several races had he only kept his mind on the race and off dirty tricks.

The Foxbusters

One of Cosgrove Hall's later series now on the BCC, loosely based on the Dick King-Smith book of the same name, here is The Foxbusters!!

The show is primarily set on Foxearth Farm, a fictional farm based in the English countryside in the West Midlands which is dominated by a variety of animals, particularly the chickens. The Foxbusters are three chickens, Ransome, Sims and Jeffries, who have the unlikely ability to fly. Each has a different personality; Ransome is the best flyer, Sims is the smartest and Jeffries is the comic relief. The Foxbusters also have the ability to spit grit like machine guns, and drop hard-boiled eggs like they were bombs - and these are used to effect among other methods to keep the hungry pack of foxes in Foxearth Forest at bay.

The arguments and conversations between the chickens makes an effective comedy. The foxes' attempts to get the better of the chickens are often unsuccessful, but they add a lot of humour to the show. The show itself is laden with gags and action, and is of a quality which led to its receiving two major awards in 2000.

The Snow Spider

Presenting to you the first part of The Magician Trilogy, based upon the novels by Jenny Nimmo, here is The Snow Spider!

Set in present day Wales, the story begins as young Gwyn celebrates his ninth birthday. He recieves five unusual gifts, which are to set him on a voyage of discovery - as he finds out whether he has inherited the magic powers of his Celtic ancestors and as he attempts to solve the five year old mystery of his sisters disappearance in a snow storm.
Gwyn's adventures involve him in strange encounters with other worlds - of snow and silver - and, strangest of all, is the snow spider, weaving a silken web around a girl - a girl who reminds Gwyn of someone...

Happy Families

Time for a classic drama series based upon an even more classic card game! It's Happy Families!

Happy Families was based on the books written by Allan Ahlberg about a family of characters (A Father, Mother, Son and Daughter) which in turn was based on the Happy Families card game.

Each episode consisted of two parts which focused on one family the most memorable ones being Mr Creep the Crook, Mr Tick the Teacher, Mrs Wobble the Waitress, Mrs Plugg the Plumber and Mrs Lather. The cast played several different characters throughout the series with many recurring roles for the main cast including Milton Johns, Annette Badland and Elizabeth Estensen.

Once Upon A Time... Life

Although it's Saturday morning, and Saturday is time for relaxing after a long week, there is always time to learn new things! So I give you the educational cartoon Once Upon a Time... Life!

Once Upon a Time... Life combined entertaining storylines with factual information, presented metaphorically.

The series used the same characters from the other Once Upon a Time... seasons: the good characters represent the cells that make up the body's systems and defense mechanisms, such as red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets, while the bad characters represent the viruses and bacteria that threaten to attack the human body. Every episode of the series featured a different organ or system within the human body (like the brain, the heart, the circulatory system, etc.).
The series also makes use of recurring human characters originally from Once Upon a Time... Man. Every character in the series appeared as a real person (the old intelligent doctor, the dedicated blonde mother, the boy and the girl, their obese friend, and the pair of bullies) and anthropomorphic representations of cells and cellular functions within the human body.