Philosophia: Floating World, now on Kickstarter, has some intriguing offerings:
- Simultaneous action? Check
- No down time? Check.
- Deckbuilding with a solo variant and an “I cut, you choose” mechanic? Double check!
Philosophia: Floating World is a 1-6 player game set in feudal Japan. Each player controls a unique character (with a unique power) as they explore a magical world, illustrated with digitally enhanced Ukiyo-e style art.
Each round consists of three phases—Draw, Collect, and Action—and continues until one player has reached a victory condition, of which there are seven. Each phase occurs simultaneously, so you don’t have to wait to move on to the next phase.
Perhaps the most unique mechanic happens in the Draw phase. Here, you draw six cards from your deck and pass those cards to the player to your left (you take the six cards from the player to your right). Each player now has a set of six cards from another player. Each player then discards one of the cards from their hand of six to the discard pile of the player who owns the cards. Then, the remaining five cards are divided into two piles: one with two cards and the other with three cards. Return these to piles to the player who originally gave the cards to you. Your neighbor will be doing the same for you. When you get your five cards back (in two piles), You select one of these piles to play during your turn; the other is placed in your discard pile. So, while you may be working to create an impressive deck, your opponents will be working to divide your cards as best they can in order to see your hand for the turn isn’t as good as it could have been.
The Collect phase has players collecting benefits from the cards in their hands. These include drawing extra cards, gaining coins, collecting time, and more. During the Action phase, players simultaneously take actions, as shown on the cards in their hands as well as on the board. Actions include movement, fighting monsters, attending festivals, studying, building, and more.
Play continues until one player achieves a victory condition, after which the current round is finished, thus allowing other players to achieve a victory condition as well, thus leading to a tie breaker.
You can discover if this is a game for you by taking it for a spin on Tabletop Simulator.
With gorgeous artwork and detailed miniatures, Philosophia: Floating World is a sandbox game that includes solo play and innovative mechanics that tie in with the theme. Will you be able to fully commit yourself and finish your task? Find out with Philosophia: Floating World!
Philosophia: Floating World is on Kickstarter until October 1, 2020 and has a funding goal of $32,179.
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