Tamashii: Chronicle of Ascend

Tamashii: Chronicle of Ascend is a cyberpunk adventure board game that throws you into a gritty, post-apocalyptic world. You'll find yourself navigating both the physical city, filled with dangers, and the virtual world, where you'll be battling software and viruses. It's a fascinating concept that keeps the game feeling fresh and exciting.

The game is played on a modular city map, so each playthrough feels unique. You'll be searching for information, fighting enemies, and trying to achieve your goals. The virtual map adds another layer of complexity, with opportunities to hack your opponents, unlock bonuses, and gain advantages.

I really enjoyed the variety of scenarios the game offers. You can cooperate with other players, compete against them, or even form alliances with your enemies. This creates a dynamic and unpredictable gameplay experience, where trust is always a gamble.

The quality of the components is impressive, but I was a little disappointed to find out that there were no miniatures included. The description mentions "plastic" and describes it as a "Tabletop miniatures game," but only the Kickstarter set includes miniatures. You can buy them separately with the Edgerunners expansion, which also adds miniatures for the core game and the "lost pages expansion."

The game is quite complex, and while the basic rules aren't too difficult to grasp, I wouldn't recommend playing with four players unless they all have some experience. It's definitely a game that rewards patience and strategic thinking.

Overall, I found Tamashii: Chronicle of Ascend to be a captivating and well-designed game. The unique combination of physical and virtual gameplay keeps things interesting, and the variety of scenarios ensures there's always something new to discover. However, the lack of miniatures in the standard version is a real bummer, especially since the description is a bit misleading. If you're willing to shell out for the Edgerunners expansion, then it's a fantastic experience.