The Rise of Fenris – a solo review (non-spoiler)

Europa is still in disarray. Where is the man who can put an end to this conflict – where is Nicola Tesla? And where did these soldiers with their glowing eyes come from? They look innocent – for now. Take control of your faction and take part in a campaign that will settle the future of Europa once and for all!

Name: The Rise of Fenris (2018)
Designer: Ryan Lopez DeVinaspre, Jamey Stegmaier
Publisher: Stonemaier Games
Play type: action selection, grid movement, worker placement, campaign, modular play

What the game is about

The Rise of Fenris is an expansion to Scythe, Stonemaier Games’ immensely popular board game that got me back into boardgames after a year-long hiatus. Check out my Scythe review for a conclusive overview of how to play this game.

The Rise of Fenris is an eight game replayable (non-Legacy, which means you can play it again as there are no destructive elements) campaign that contains eleven modules that you can add to your future games of Scythe. Granted, some modules add only minor chances, so that number looks more impressive than it actually is.

This review will give an overview, mostly of the campaign, but in a non-spoilery fashion. Welcome to my first expansion review!

How the campaign works

Strange new forces have been spotted around Europa, but they seem harmless. Meanwhile, the quest to find Nicola Tesla continues. These are the basic premises that put the campaign story into motion.

The Rise of Fenris comes with a ringband book that allows you to flip through each campaign without accidentally spoiling anything and in a way that allows the manual to lay on the table without falling shut.

At the beginning of each scenario, the manual instructs you to find certain components in the closed boxes packed in the game box. You won’t know what’s gonna happen until you are ready to play! Deviations from the standard game of Scythe are explained per scenario. At the back of the manual you can find how to incorporate the modular elements in your upcoming standalone Scythe games.

The campaign contains eight scenarios that all change things about the way you know how to play Scythe. As promised, I won’t go into detail – if you have played Scythe, though, you can probably make a few estimated guesses about what you can expect to find in this box. It’s a pretty big box for just cardboard…

Each scenario also has some consequences for upcoming games. You are able to purchase bonuses that give you a one-time benefit or that increase your starting resources for the next game. This ties the campaign games together from your perspective as a player. At the start of each consecutive game you get to choose which, if any, upgrades you wish to deploy. What’s temporary and what’s permanent? You’ll see when you start playing.

How does it play solo?

The Automa works much the same as the regular game. But as the rules of the base game change per scenario, so do those by which the Automa operates. It takes some getting used to, and I definitely found using the ScytheKick app helped me a lot. It takes care of a lot of details you’d otherwise have to manage.

While this expansion was designed with solo play in mind, I feel like some scenarios where better equipped for an Automa opponent. I can envision they were quite difficult to get right for the designers!

What does this mean for me as a human player? Even with the app, taking care of both the new scenario-specific rules and the way the Automa operates was quite a lot to manage. Every new scenario was like a new game on its own, even the scenarios with minor changes. I think part of the charm of campaign games (expansions) like this is that you share it with other players – the excitement of big revelations and shifting gears according to the rules of each scenario. It detracted from my desire to play the next game, which is not the way a campaign game should leave you feeling.

What I like

• individual modules add more content to your base game to increase longevity
• non-destructive, which means I can replay the campaign anytime
• the campaign has some really smart choices and great surprise moments

What I didn’t like

• Automa acts slightly different every scenario, which turns out to be quite the upkeep (unless you’re using the ScytheKick app) next to regular Automa movement and the adjusted scenario rules
• playing solo, the surprises feel less impactful – I want to share them!
• this expansion definitely has its moments, but some modules and scenarios don’t add enough to warrant their name

Conclusion

I had high hopes and expectations for The Rise of Fenris, but I was left feeling unsatisfied at the end of the campaign. Maybe part of my disappointment with this expansion is the fact that this was my first campaign game experience and it really shines with other players. Maybe part of my disappointment was because of my (probably too) high hopes.

I still feel this campaign was an enjoyable experience, but I also feel it is better played with other players. As a big Scythe fan, I am happy to incorporate this expansion’s modules into my regular games – but maybe I wouldn’t be left with an unsatisfactory feeling had my hopes not been so high.

Rating: ★★★☆☆

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