Shipwreck Arcana

Trapped in a drowned world, you and your allies are doomed -- or are you? Using a mystical deck and a healthy dose of logic, you can predict each others' fates and escape unscathed.

The Shipwreck Arcana is a compact, cooperative game of deduction, evaluation, and logic, combining simple, speedy play with incredibly deep strategy. Players take turns playing tokens according to rules found on an ever-changing tableau of cards, in order to convey information to the rest of the group before their doom arrives.

The Shipwreck Arcana is about cleverly conveying information. Each turn, the active player draws 2 fates from the bag (without showing the rest of the group), and plays 1 of those fates in front of a card, according to that card's ability. After this, the rest of the group may try to predict the value of the active player's hidden fate (the one they still have) by evaluating where they played (and where they did not play). If the group chooses not to make a prediction, the active player keeps their fate hidden and only draws 1 new fate on their next turn. Number line tokens track information between rounds. The players collectively earn points for correct predictions, and advance the doom track with incorrect predictions. Arcana cards also fade over time, which changes the tableau, advances the doom track, and unlocks special powers. The game ends when the players earn 7 points or their doom reaches 7.