tabletopgaming.co.uk 75 e trouble is that there are times when
you’ll want to test a theory, but just won’t
have the cards in your hand that let you
do it, leading to some unsatisfying turns.
en there are the game’s production
values. It comes with some thin card
components; several arrived already
bent in our review copy. e graphic
design doesn’t do much to enhance
the atmosphere, with lots of sparse
elements which try to look mysterious
but end up seeming a bit empty.
It’s a nice idea, and one that plays well
with its ‘80s-inspired sci- theme. But it
stumbles in the execution, and it doesn’t
do much to inspire repeat visits.
OWEN DUFFYD
eduction games can be some of
the most engaging entries in a
gamer’s collection. ey come
with the potent appeal of problems to
solve and mysteries to unravel, taxing
players’ powers of logic, observation
and intelligence. In recent years, though,
there’s been a glut of games revolving
around hidden information, and the
result is that it can be hard to get excited
about a new one hitting shop shelves.
Visitor in Blackwood Grove stands out
from the pack with the allure of its theme.
A ying saucer has crash-landed near a
small town, with a child as the only witness.
Government agencies descend on the site,
intent on capturing the occupant. But the
alien has a powerful defence mechanism:
a seemingly impenetrable force eld
which stops the FBI, CIA and other shady
three-letter government departments
getting anywhere close. It’s reminiscent
enough of E .T. and e X-Files to spark a
surge of nostalgia in ‘80s or ‘90s kids.
e game sees one player adopt the
role of the alien, while the others attempt
to discover a way to break through the
force eld. One, playing the child, aims
to help the visitor escape. e others,
playing the agents, intend to capture it for
their own nefarious purposes. Whichever
side you’re on, you’ll need to test theboundary by attempting to pass various
objects through it, drawn from a shu ed
deck of cards containing everything
from toys and musical instruments to
pieces of fruit and electronic gadgets.
Before the game begins, the alien
player secretly chooses a rule determining
what kinds of objects can pass through
the force eld. It might be “red objects”,
“things that make noise” or “things made
from metal”. Each round, players attempt
to breach the barrier with dierent items
and, by carefully observing the ones that
make it through, you’ll be able to spot
similarities and start speculating about
what the common factor might be. Have
a chair and a skateboard both made it?
Maybe you’re looking for things made of
wood. A guitar and a smartphone? Maybe
the answer is objects that make noise.
ere are a handful of other
mechanical elements – most notably a
system representing the growing trust
between the child and the alien, letting
them exchange information without
giving anything away to the agents. But
the process of testing, observing and
speculating is the heart of the game.TRY THIS IF YOU LIKED... DECEPTION: MURDER IN HONG KONG
Like the well-regarded investigation game, Blackwood Grove challenges you to
spot the links between groups of apparently unconnected images.PLAY IT? NO
Deduction games are often thematically
thin, but Visitor in Blackwood Grove is a
welcome exception with its nods to the
1980s Spielbergian concept of a child
befriending an extraterrestrial being. Its
actual gameplay does little to make it stand
out from the crowd of similar releases,
though, and the quality of its components
leaves quite a bit to be desired.I want to believe in this alien deduction game, but...
Visitor in
BLACKWOOD GROVE
5-15m 3-6 8+ £20WHAT’S IN
THE BOX?
◗ Forcefield board
◗ Trust board
◗ Alien player screen
◗ Flying saucer tokens
◗ Agent tokens
◗ Six role cards
◗ 142 object cards
◗ 13 forcefield
rules cards