Overview:
Washed Ashore is a story-based solo adventure in which the player takes the role of the game’s main character who is shipwrecked and stranded on a deserted island. The player reads parts of the story on cards and makes decisions related to them, the consequences of which are revealed to the player immediately or after some time.
As the player progresses through the game and follows the story map by map, they find/create resources that they can further use to achieve the goals of the game.
The game consists of several parts/chapters, during which the main character tries to get off the island, finds and lives in a tribe of natives and tries to sail to their homeland on a ship that sailed to the islands.
Rules & Setup:
The rules are a very small fold out booklet that come in the box, and there is very little set up as the deck of cards are all numbered and as you progress you take the cards instructed, then choose one of the available actions which again moves the story on.
Theme and Mechanics:
The theme is that you awake on a sandy beach after being after being washed overboard by a huge wave, and you must try and survive to one of the 13 different endings the story can develop into.
The game mechanics are very similar to the old fighting fantasy game books from years back, and your choices on each card develop your storyline and determine what you find, encounter and ultimately how the story ends.
Gameplay:
Gameplay is quick and relatively simple in that you make choices based on options available, and those choices lead to more choices as the story reaches it’s climax.
You will be instructed to take different cards and expend cards as you make choices and your story unfolds, and you will move up and down on the 3 tracks namely, SAFTEY, FOOD & ENERGY.
You will at times be instructed to take certain cards with symbols and you will look through the deck to find these at random.
Some of these cards will be equipment, or even BODO the monkey may become a companion.
I won’t go into too much detail so as to avoid more spoilers.
Artwork and Components:
Artwork is fairly minimal on the cards and the only other component apart from the cards and rules are 3 clips used to track your resources as outlined above.
The Good:
Washed Ashore flows nicely and the cards are clear and concise in what your next ‘moves’ can be.
The Other:
The rulebook is small, and there are a couple of examples of gameplay, but personally I would have liked a little bit more meat to the bone of the rules, and maybe some more clear explanations of gameplay. It may not be fully clear what to do for first time gamers.
Final Thoughts:
All in all, for the cost of this game it does a pretty good job of keeping you intrigued and involved in the story, and the 13 different endings should be good for replayability.
If these types of games are your thing, and if you used to play the old fighting fantasy book adventures then Washed Ashore is going to be a game you will enjoy.
