Roar and Write! Review


22 September 2022
|
If you go down to the animal kingdom today...

The boom of roll-and-writes has begun an interesting trend in board gaming: certain board games have acquired a roll-and-write sibling. These are the same games, but their mechanics are reimagined with the use of dice, pencil and paper. Think Catan and Catan the Dice Game, or Patchwork and Patchwork Doodle. Animal Kingdoms, a family-oriented area-control game has also recently acquired a roll-and-write counterpart, Roar and Write!, although perhaps this game is more like a distant cousin than a sibling.

Roar and Write! takes place in the same universe of Animal Kingdoms, retaining the same gorgeous aesthetic as its predecessor. However, unlike Animal Kingdoms where players would compete for dominance of a certain area, Roar and Write! is mostly a solitary experience. Each round the dice are rolled and players select certain results to mark on their individual sheets. They may want to appease animal council members, which want specific number combinations. Or players can add numbers to the kingdoms, although these come with their own set of rules. Each player will also have a personal goal that will give them bonus points at the end of the game.

There is a certain amount of flexibility and push-your-luck within the game as players roll three sets of dice and decide which number to record each time. If the luck was not on their side the first roll, then perhaps the second will be better. Even if it’s not, there is always a way to record numbers so that they earn rewards during scoring.

Although the rules of Roar and Write! are initially hard to grasp, the game really benefits from its brain-scratchy elements. A lot still hinges on chance and luck – that’s the nature of aprimarily dice rolling game after all! However, decision making plays a big part in the swing of the total scores making players feel that no matter what dice decide, they still have agency within the game.

ALEXANDRA SONECHKINA

PLAY IT? YES

Pick up your copy here

Designer: Carla Kopp

Content continues after advertisements

Publisher: Galactic Raptor Games

Time: 15-20 minutes

Players: 1-99

Ages: 8+

Price: £19

Looking for more?

The front cover of Tabletop Gaming Magazine

This review came from Tabletop Gaming Magazine, which is home to all of the latest and greatest tabletop goodness. Whether you're a board gamer, card gamer, wargamer, RPG player or all of the above, find your copy here.

Get your magazine here

Read More... 

The box art for ARCS by Cole Wehrle

If you want to read more about one of the most hotly anticipated games of the year, check out our interview with Cole Wehrle on ARCS! A new game from the designer of Root and Oath, and we've got all you need to know.

To infinity and beyond

 

Join us in person

The logo of Tabletop Gaming Live 2022

We can't wait for Tabletop Gaming Live 2022! An epic weekend in Manchester full of board games, card games, roleplaying games, wargames and more, with amazing exhibitors, great games, and an opportunity to game together in person.

See you there!

Treat Yourself! 

Tabletop Gaming Game Store Contains Power Rangers Heroes of the Grid

Have you visited our game store? We have everything from mystery boxes, to games and accessories – including the above Power Rangers: Heroes of the Grid, with a great discount! Head over to find your new favourite game.

Visit the Game Store

 

Sometimes we may include links to online retailers, from which we might receive a commission if you make a purchase. Affiliate links do not influence editorial coverage and will only be used when covering relevant products

Content continues after advertisement
Comments

No comments