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The famous BioShock video game series has been made into an amazing, steampunk-themed board game called as ‘BioShock Infinite’. 2 to 4 players are transported to the same world as the 2013 game where the two factions of Comstock and Vox Populi are battling it out to take control the sought after, floating city, Columbia. Columbia becomes very important for players as they use that to be transported to other districts through use of the Sky-Line. Players who successfully roll the dice are able to pass through and arrive safely whereas, those less lucky, will fall to the ground. This spontaneous factor of the game means players must be ready to act on and be prepared for any situation. As well as moving around the board, players will also be building various structures, buying and selling different units and, without a doubt, getting involved in some combat with your opponents. Combat is considered the most difficult part of this board game as the action requires some special cards that can improve your units.
The game, with the full title ‘BioShock Infinite: The Siege of Columbia’, can be purchased on Amazon for just under £126. With your purchase, as well as the game board, you will receive a rule book, 12 combat dice, 3 Sky-Line dice, and various cards such as action cards, event cards and leader cards. As well, you will receive different units, structures and tokens.
If you are interested in trying out some more steampunk-themed board games, try out ‘Mission Red Planet’ designed by Bruno Cathala and Bruno Faidutti. Between 2 to 6 players are transported to a Victorian-era Earth where the population and technology are growing and advancing. Resources on Earth are rapidly decreasing. Thankfully, robots have been sent to Mars and found Celerium, a very powerful fuel source as well as ice which can be used to terraform the planet and make it inhabitable. You are the head of a mining corporation and these well sought after resources could make you very rich. With you, you have astronauts as well as 9 professionals These professionals each have a unique skill set which will further enhance your chances of getting these precious materials. When purchasing this board game you’re sure to have easy-to-learn as well as very interactive gameplay. It also features a variant of the game for 2 players. You can buy it on Amazon for just under £40.
Alternative – Planet Steam
Or perhaps you would be interested in ‘Planet Steam’ which was designed by Heinz-Georg Thiemann and published by LudoArt Verlag. Players are transported to the year 2415 when the futuristic organisation, the Interplanetary Federation (IPF) has done a brilliant job on earth for the past few centuries. Now, they are attempting to conquer a planet known as ‘Steam’.
The planet’s core contains many valuable resources and, after over 100 years, the 42 shafts have been completed from the surface to the core. Each shaft expels hot steam which is the basis for creating the raw and precious materials. In order to harvest the steam, shafts must be placed over them which can later be used to connect the water purification tanks. These tanks are used to extract energy, ore and quartz from the steam. These resources help you, the player, to build your steam empire. You can export your resources or buy and sell to increase your profits.
The game is designed for 2 to 5 players and is recommended for ages 14 and above. The player who has the most income by the end of the game is crowned the winner however, of course, your income can decrease quickly and suddenly. When purchasing the product, the game comes in a box with 35 plastic tanks with 55 upgrader and converter attachments. As well as this, you will receive nearly 350 markers and tokens and, of course, a beautifully designed, steampunk game board. The game can be purchased on Amazon for just under £35.
Thanks for reading this blog post on the Bioshock Infinite Board Game! If you like the sound of these steampunk-themed board games, click here to see a list compiling the 10 best steampunk board games.
