| Publisher: Cheapass Games
Reviewer: Robert Blanton This is a Cheapass Game, not a role-playing game. Like many of their more recent efforts, it comes in a folded corrugated cardboard "box." This contains two packets of cards, an expedition tracker, a 3 part map of "London," and the Fall 2002 Cheapass Games Catalog (kinda fun in itself, as usual). This game is as fun and chaotic as its brand tends to be.
It has some elements in common with established faves such as Kill Doctor Lucky and Save Doctor Lucky (chasing and avoiding), and Before I Kill You Mister Bond (collecting). To quote from the front of the box: "In 1898 Captain Park made an historic expedition to the Antarctic. He returned with strange artifacts, tales of high adventure, and memories of heroes lost in the ice. So he says. Fact is, the old liar never set foot outside London, and his 'artifacts' came from a little antique shop in Stepney, which he frequently visited in disguise. You are tempted to expose the old liar, but you'd rather have a few expeditions of your own. You'll spend a few months keeping your head low, and return with tales of high adventure. If your friends don't do it first."
And from the back: "Captain Park's Imaginary Polar Expedition is a scavenger-hunt board game. The board is a highly unrepresentational map of London, showing all the best places to find Artifacts, Photographs, Anecdotes, and whatever else you need to prove you've been to Africa, Everest, or wherever. Just to make your life interesting, Captain Park is wandering around looking for you. Once you've got some goodies, and you've been hiding long enough, you'll return to the Gentlemen's Club to brag about your adventure. You'll score points for your stuff, different kinds of stuff, and more bonus points for being the first to go somewhere. If that's not enough, you'll also get a bonus if your destination just happens to be in style."
The production values are consistent with the usual Cheapass Game quality and details. In other words: nifty. You will, as usual, need an assortment of pawns, counters, and such to play this game, and I noticed that the current catalogue offers an official set of generic pieces (including a bundle of "Cheapass Money"). | |
