California in the 70s. Hippies. Drugs. Free Love. Hollywood. And crime. Lots and lots of crime. And it’s into this world of glitz, glamor, and gore that you find yourself in Crimewave California, a new board coming to Kickstarter next month.
About the game:
Crimewave: California takes players on a journey to 1970s California, a period where hippy culture was rife, things were getting groovy and serial murders were at their peak. The game is steeped in a strong narrative with themes around crime and punishment, and evokes powerful 1970s vibes thanks to its fun, colourful illustrations and cultural observations.
The premise of the game is simple: three serial killers are on the loose, and a group of crime-solving sleuths need to take them off the streets. The game sees players either taking on individual roles in an effort to solve the crimes, or adopting the role of the three killers. The sleuther roles include Criminologist, Citizen Crusader, Forensics Expert, Detective and Federal Agent.
Players work as a team to discover where the perpetrators are living, and take each perpetrator to trial with the ultimate goal of sending them to jail. The game is played in different stages that involve moving pieces around the board and uncovering the killers’ locations, playing cards to help solve or commit crimes, and rolling dice to verify crime scene evidence – with plenty of twists, turns and true crime references along the way. The game is designed for 2-7 players aged 12 and up. On average, each game takes around 1-2 hours.
Crimewave: California is the first board game developed by Timothy Quill and Gemma Kaczerepa, a couple based in Melbourne. The idea was bred from two of Timothy’s passions – true crime and board games – as well as both his and Gemma’s love of developing stories with a slightly dark twist. While the subject matter is inherently grim, Timothy and Gemma have gone to great lengths to ensure it doesn’t err on the side of tasteless.
Crimewave: California is illustrated by Spanish artist Nache Ramos, who boasts extensive experience working with some of the world’s biggest brands, including McDonald’s, Netflix and the LA Clippers. He also has a couple of board game illustration projects under his belt.
Source: Tabletop Gaming News
