Buffalo GameBuffs Blog

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Most gamers and even strategy gamers remember Risk.  It has many detractors because of the obvious flaws of tedious long gameplay and too much reliance on the luck of the dice roll.  However, I have faith in Risk, faith that it can be a great gateway light strategy game.  It looks as though Hasbro is trying to change the gameplay of Risk to do just that. 

Through Board Game News I found out about an article at Gamers with Jobs about an updated Risk.

“Hasbro will soon introduce new rules and components for Risk, designed to make the game sleeker, quicker to play and more accessible. It’ll be a full restart of the Risk universe, a new Risk for a new generation.”

In the article they had the chance to play a limited promo of the game.  The new gameplay adds strategy elements of capitals and cities as well as a revamped resource sysytem.  Above that, they are adding objectives that players need to accomplish.  Things like minor objectives “Control Europe” or major objectives like “Take over ten territories in one turn.”

“What’s great about the Objective system is that you still get all the things that made the original Risk worth playing - strategy, alliances, wholesale military destruction, etc. - but with a shorter time commitment. Now, instead of taking six hours, a game of Risk only takes one or two.”

Those familiar with Xbox games and live arcade games know about Achievements.  Objectives remind me alot about them.  One can also guess that the new shorter gameplay and objective based gameplay will work well for a translation of Risk into video game form.  This would fit well within the cooperation of EA and Hasbro to make video game versions of their board games. 

I am excited about this new Risk.  Even with its original flaws I remember playing it alot when I was younger and it still helped move me to more sophisticated games.  I hope the new Risk plays well and works toward its strengths.  And as an additional note, I’d love to play this with friends on Xbox live. 

Read full article and see more images here

image above from Gamers with Jobs