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If only the wind would change direction, those flames are getting awfully close. Where are those dozers? Is the airdrop on its way? Get those buckets ready it may be our only hope!
Scenes from Fire Tower, can you keep your cool? Fire Tower is an abstract game about managing a forest fire. The winner is the last person to keep their fire tower standing. It’s a 2-4 player game and 15-30 minutes long. Designed by Gwen Ruelle and Sam Bryant, published by Runaway Parade Games. This review is for the Kickstarter Edition which added some deluxe components from the original but excludes the Rising Flames Expansion.
Gameplay
The basic premise is that each player determines where the fire spreads based on wind direction and tries to be the last tower standing. Or rather burn down all the other Fire Towers. Turns are made up of 2 phases. Spread the fire and then take an action. The fire spreads from the existing fire in the direction of the wind. Players add a fire token denoting the spread of the fire. The wind direction is randomly set at the start. The action phase is either play a card or discarding card(s). Then you draw back up to your hand size and the turn passes onto the next player.
About The Flames
Flames are predominantly placed, sometimes removed. There is some hand management that has an effect on the card action phase. The cards are split into 4 main groups, wind, fire, firebreak, and water. They are relatively self-explanatory, wind affects wind direction, fire spreads fire, firebreaks put barriers to the slow the spread of the fire, and water removes fire tokens. You play a card and carry out the action. There is an end game change when the flames get to the corner 9 squares. In each corner. Taking action is what card you place. This will affect how you might get burnt or burn others.
About The Players
Player count is an issue for me, I don’t think this game works at 3 players. The board design with each person having a corner tower means that at 3 players. One person is flanked on both sides and starts playing against 2 opponents. Therefore, my preferred player count is either 2 or 4.
Card Sleeves
Finally, you will run through the playing deck a couple of times in play and therefore you may choose to sleeve the cards. Eventually, the cards will become worn and knowing what card is on the top of the deck may influence what card you play from your hand. I have sleeved mine.
The nearest comparisons I have to it, is that it is a mix of Chess and Othello, but rather than have your own pieces you have a communal set and can utilise special moves with the right cards. It is grid based play, like Othello, where controlling the communal pieces sets you up for victory. But it also has Chess like turns with the ability to move away from just play one flame. Whereas Chess and Othello reward players with the most skill and tactical play, Fire Tower has more elements of luck. The addition of a draw deck and starting with multiple players making it accessible to all.
