2023 夏日電玩展 (四) / 2023 SUMMER GAME SHOW (Part 4)

不知道從何時開始，桌遊樂園成為電玩展中不缺席的一份子，之前，桌遊是非常非常小眾的玩意，玩家不多，市場不大，電玩產業一直都是領頭羊的角色，而桌遊進駐電玩展，從一開始的小小角落，慢慢地變成一大區塊，甚至變成一個主題館區，真是令人意想不到啊，桌遊也慢慢進入年輕人的生活，成為一個紓壓、社交、休閒的好工具，而桌遊產業，也從一開始的國外輸入、國內代理，慢慢地演變為國內開發，輸出國外的情況。

在夏日電玩展中，最適合親子同樂的，莫過於「夏日桌遊樂園」，此區中，除了鬥智鬥勇、寓教於樂的陣營及策略類桌遊外，亦有適合好友相聚的派對、卡牌等，當然一定有適合親子共樂的「親子體驗區」，新天鵝堡代理的《閃靈快手》，是一款考驗反應能力及記憶力的反應型桌遊，這款桌遊特別受到小小孩的歡迎，我的小表弟妹，最最喜歡玩這款桌遊，雖然有時候會玩到吵起架來，但是這是他們的最愛，總是看到他們玩到笑聲不斷， TBD 台灣桌遊設計帶來的《小農夫》與《三隻小豬》，可愛畫風很吸引孩子目光，TBD團隊很不錯，致力於推廣台灣桌遊產品及團隊到國際上。

《封願。封怨》 是由醫學系、人文社會學系的學生攜手組成的「醫起玩工作室」推出的作品，玩家要實際扮演醫護人員、體驗新興傳染病爆發的恐慌無助與面臨醫療決策的兩難，剛好和前陣子的疫情相呼應，所以備受機關單位關注，希望人們能從遊戲中，學到理解醫療單位的同理心，並關注及體驗傳染病爆發的恐慌與無助，是款必須推薦的桌遊佳作，這款桌遊正在嘖嘖集資，也和電視劇聯名合作，集資目標已經達標，預計之後會上市，這款桌遊完成度及關注度很高，上市成功並不意外。

《VITA MORS》是款有意思的小桌遊，玩家將扮演著死神，手握生死硬幣，玩弄瘟疫醫生並掌控王國人民的生死。玩家們合力透過投票、發動特權來恩准他們活著，又或者賜予他們死亡，玩起來有種用上帝視角看人的感覺，這款桌遊今年打敗了數百款桌遊，從中脫穎而出，獲得「英國桌遊博覽會大賞：最佳卡牌遊戲（策略類）評審獎」 UKGE Judge’s Awards Best Card Game (Strategic)，《艋舺花巷》 的攤位在整個展場的角落，但是它很引人注目，因為團隊大手筆，請來身著旗袍的美女與您對玩喔，遊戲中玩家將扮演黑道組織成員，以租賃車業為掩護，在繁盛的艋舺地區四處奔波，運用智慧和權謀，組織手下的小姐霸道地佔領每處有利可圖的地盤，讓我想起多年前國片《艋舺》的經典台詞：「今天您不弄死別人，明天被弄死的就是您！」，咦！好像有點兒童不宜。

您常常不知道午餐要吃甚麼嗎？那麼這款集換式卡牌《食牌》，會讓選擇障礙的您，將吃飯的痛苦化為驚喜與快樂，這是款桌遊嗎？有點不像是，它有卡牌，無需下載任何APP，僅需將手中的實體食牌卡牌輕觸手機感應，即可在手機上給您一個清楚的答案，當您和朋友在食物選擇上產生分歧時，《食牌》的「掠食者系統」能夠將爭執轉化為有趣的戰鬥，這是一款我最近看過最有創意的桌遊。

「夏日桌遊樂園」今年有25個團隊或工作室帶來50款作品，栢龍玩具帶來的全故事式RPG桌遊《命運之輪》，是我整個展覽看完後，我最想買入的桌遊，其實我最喜歡的桌遊類型是情境類桌遊，情境類桌遊因有一個非常明確的主題，且每個玩家在故事裡都有一個角色，玩起來很有帶入感，這款桌遊是一款桌遊與APP 結合的競爭性故事 RPG 桌遊，因為我在現場看其他玩家的體驗，規則需要學習的部分很少，APP的操作算是容易好上手，就像是看一本自由度很大的故事書一樣，希望後面有很多擴充，來增加遊戲的耐玩度。

I'm not sure when it started, but tabletop games have become an essential part of gaming exhibitions, such as electronic gaming expos. In the past, tabletop gaming was quite niche with a limited number of players, and the market wasn't as significant. The video game industry took the lead role, while tabletop games occupied a small corner at best. However, over time, they've grown to become a substantial presence, even having their own dedicated sections and pavilions. It's truly unexpected how tabletop games have gained traction, gradually integrating into the lives of young people as a tool for stress relief, social interaction, and leisure. The tabletop gaming industry has evolved too, transitioning from being predominantly imported to being developed domestically and exported abroad.

Among the highlights of gaming expos, the "Summer Tabletop Gaming Park" is perfect for family bonding. It features a variety of games, from strategic and educational board games to party games and card games that are ideal for friends to gather around. There's also a "Family Play Area" with games suitable for parents and kids to enjoy together. Games like "Swift Hands" by New Swan Castle and "Little Farmers" and "Three Little Pigs" by TBD Taiwan Boardgame Design showcase captivating art styles that draw the attention of children. TBD's commitment to promoting Taiwanese tabletop game products internationally is commendable.

"Vow of Hope, Vow of Grudge" is a creation of the "Medicine at Play Studio," formed by students from medical and humanities departments. Players step into the roles of medical professionals, experiencing the panic, helplessness, and ethical dilemmas of dealing with emerging epidemics. This game is especially relevant given recent outbreaks, and it's gained attention from various institutions. Its goal is to foster empathy for healthcare workers and allow players to understand the fear and helplessness that come with disease outbreaks. This game has garnered substantial interest and crowdfunding, with plans for an official release after reaching its funding goal.

"VITA MORS" is an intriguing small tabletop game where players embody the role of a grim reaper, manipulating plague doctors and controlling the life and death of kingdom citizens. The game involves voting and using privileges to decide who lives and who dies. Playing it feels like observing humanity from a god-like perspective. This game stood out among hundreds and won the "UKGE Judge’s Awards Best Card Game (Strategic)" at the UK Games Expo. "Mengjia Sexy Tea House" has an eye-catching booth despite its corner placement, thanks to its team's efforts in using a cheongsam-clad beauty to engage players. In this game, players act as members of a criminal organization, vying for control over profitable territories in the bustling Mengjia district.

If you often struggle with deciding what to have for lunch, the collectible card game "Food Cards" turns meal choices from a dilemma into a source of surprise and delight. It's not exactly a traditional tabletop game; it involves physical cards and smartphone interaction. By tapping the physical cards on a smartphone, you receive a clear answer about your meal choice. The "Predator System" in "Food Cards" transforms disagreements over food choices into fun battles with friends. This game stands out as one of the most creative recent releases.

The "Summer Tabletop Gaming Park" this year featured 25 teams or studios presenting 50 different games. Among them, "Wheel of Fate" by Baolong Toys caught my attention. It's a full story-based RPG tabletop game, and after exploring the expo, it's the game I'm most interested in purchasing. Personally, I enjoy scenario-based games where players have distinct roles in a well-defined theme. "Wheel of Fate" combines tabletop gameplay with an app, creating a competitive story-driven RPG experience. Learning the rules seemed straightforward, and the app interface was user-friendly. It's like diving into a highly interactive storybook. I hope there will be expansions in the future to enhance replayability.

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