A game of war and politics.
For a while there I was completely immersed in the Saxon stories of Bernard Cornwell that begin with The Last Kingdom (2004) – and not just the 13 books, but the Netflix series, which ran 5 seasons (and wrapped up with a rather rushed movie). And considering the books and the series were very different at times, this could get a little confusing! So I was very happy to hear that the Gamelyn Games board game adaptation was getting good reviews, and snagged myself a copy from the publisher.
The Last Kingdom Board Game is a very successful realisation of the IP, featuring the main characters of the Netflix series and using screen stills and some nice graphic design (except, unfortunately, in the case of an ugly game board). The gameplay is engaging and just that right mix of thinkiness and luck and strategy. There are only two rounds, and you only have a single hand of cards for each, obtained by drafting in way that recalls Blood Rage, so your choices are limited and need to be well thought through. During each if those rounds you and your opponents will be vying for control of 5 areas in succession, and if you’re on the winning side – Dane or Saxon – you’ll be able to score the winning armies and leaders for a number of victory points equal to your individual affinity with those army factions. The twist is, given the right cards or actions you can swap sides, so there’s a constant push and pull between increasing your affinity with the armies and deciding which allegiance is the most profitable when the battles are resolved.
For more detail on gameplay and my personal thoughts on the game, check out my full video review!
