Red Rising

Building on the mechanics from Fantasy Realms, Red Rising is a hand building game where you’re looking to score the most points by having cards that work together the best. If you’ve read the books, the characters that combo together make a lot of sense thematically.

Year of Release: 2021
Number of Players: 1-6
Playing Time: 45-60 min
Listed Age: 14+
Mechanics: Card Drafting, Hand Management
Theme in a Nutshell: Science Fiction Dystopian Caste System

What I like:

I was introduced to the world of Red Rising via the game which piqued my interest so much I read the books. The gameplay itself is not very thematic, but the excellent art on the cards are very good at bringing the fictional world to life. The production value for the collector’s edition that I own is top notch.

If you like combos, this might be something you should look at, as it is nothing but synergies!

I’ve never played Fantasy Realms myself, but I do enjoy this game very much. There’s lots of crunchy decisions to make all through the game, even though the gameplay itself is fairly simple.

My Rating: 8.5/10

What I don’t like:

It is a challenge for new players to understand all the cards, and what they should focus on. The initial deal of cards is a large dump of reading for players to do, so it can take a few minutes to get started; players of Agricola can relate. That being said, it doesn’t take too many games to become proficient at what you should do to be a competent player.

Is it good for kids and families?

I wouldn’t want to play this with any kid under 12. The cards and their interactions can be a bit complicated and it would be tough for the younger ones to know what to do. Probably too heavy to introduce to casual family members as well.

Learn more about the game:

• Red Rising – How To Play (video)
• Red Rising Board Game – Teach & Playthrough (video)
• Red Rising Rulepop
• Red Rising on BGG
• Where to buy Red Rising online in Canada