Balada (2021)

Where would the heroes be without those who recount their deeds? In Balada you will become bards who record the brave deeds of resilient heroes and get victory points. The player with the most captivating story will be the winner!

In twelve turns players will fill their maps with events the heroes must get through. It sits right in the flip & write genre, where two event cards are drawn each. Every player must choose one of these events and draw its symbol onto their map. There is a catch though. The third card drawn each turn is a landscape card and limits your choices.

Players must be careful, plan and make sure the hero gets equipment before taking on a Boss, or not facing many enemies before visiting a resting place. There are many events players can choose to maximize their points, such as magical portals, saving a princess, catching fish or finding a treasure.

Balada can be played in two difficulty modes. In standard play your hero makes a journey to the mountain and then back again on the second side of the map. And because they transfer unhealed wounds and unused equipment, it is possible to count on a long-run strategy. Easy variant lets you play on one side of the map with only one deck of 12 event cards without getting to choose from two events every round. You still have to think hard about where to draw the event though.

—description from the designer