Keep the Fire Burning Through the Looking Glass on Groundhog Day

• German publisher Dachshund Games has released the 1-4 player co-operative game Wolkenbruch ("Downpour") from designers and company owners Sabrina and Hanno von Contzen, with the game currently being available solely on the company website. (Dachshund head dice cups are not for sale, which seems like a missed opportunity given the publisher's logo.)

Here's an overview of the setting and gameplay:

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Four flames are burning, and none may be permitted to go out. Can you and your friends stop the pouring rain together?

In Wolkenbruch, your goal is to protect four burning flames from falling rain. The players win the game when all four flames are protected (with an umbrella, of course). The game is controlled by a special deck of cards — the Wolkenbruch-Deck — and comes with ten different levels of difficulty. During the game, players take actions to move within the circle of flames, drive away rain, or use event cards. Players may also swap cards with one another.

Each player also has a special ability — a so-called profile — that gives the player additional special abilities. At the end of each turn, the active player must play a card from their hand. Afterwards, the Wolkenbruch-Deck brings more cards into play.

When the clouds break, all cards from the discard pile are put back on top of the Wolkenbruch-Deck and the rainfall increases. Time is running out. Be fast, communicate with each other, and pass cards to protect the flames!

• Automated Alice is a co-operative dice-placement game being funded on Kickstarter (link) through October 8, 2020 from Epic Scale Games, with this design being based on the fantasy novel of the same name by Jeff Noon.

It's weird how little things stick with you. I've seen the cover of Automated Alice many times in bookstores, but have never picked it up — and I've looked at that book mostly because my best friend through secondary school raved frequently about Noon's debut novel Vurt, which I still have not read. Maybe someday, but probably not since I already have enough books to last me until I die — not that I refrain from acquiring other books in the future, I am sure.

Anyway, here's the short take on that game:

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In this game, players collectively take on the role of Alice while trying to match colored dice to specific goals listed on the evidence cards. Watch out for Mrs. Minus and her Civil Serpent dice as they will try to block your path. Perk cards and unique character abilities will help Alice on her journey.

With multiple lose conditions like the Civil Serpent Threat Tracker, limited round timer, or the exhaustion of assets, this will not be an easy task. Are you ready to roll the dice and help Alice on her latest, greatest adventure?

• Funko Games has been rolling out numerous, well-regarded licensed games over the past few years, both through its pseudonymous Prospero Hall design team for other publishers and through its own publications.

Now the publisher is giving you a shot at recreating one of the greatest movies of all time in Groundhog Day: The Game, a 2-6 player design by the aforementioned Prospero Hall that plays in 15-25 minutes. An overview:

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Watch that first step as it's a doozie!

Live the events of Groundhog Day over and over again as Phil Connors. Each day in Groundhog Day: The Game, you attempt to play cards quickly and in order without communicating to the other players before time runs out. Help Phil on his journey from cynical weatherman to friendly, local townsfolk by learning skills like playing the piano. Every card depicts memorable people and places of Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania from the movie. Help Phil escape the Groundhog Day time loop by living the perfect day!