Above And Below

Categories: Adventure, City Building, Economic, Exploration, Fantasy, Farming, Negotiation

Mechanics: Action Points, Dice Rolling, Narrative Choice/Paragraph, Set Collection, Storytelling, Trading, Turn Order: Progressive

Players: 2–4

Ages: 13+

Playtime: 90 Min

Above and Below is a unique blend of town-building and storytelling, where you and up to three friends compete to create the most thriving village both above and below ground. In this game, you'll assign your villagers to various tasks, such as exploring caves, harvesting resources, and constructing buildings. Each villager possesses distinct skills and abilities, and you'll need to strategically decide how best to utilize them. Your personal village board helps you manage your villagers' activities—whether sending Hanna on a cave expedition or having her teach valuable skills to younger villagers.

Beneath the surface lies a vast cavern waiting to be explored, which is where the storytelling element shines. When you send a group of villagers into the depths, one of your friends reads from a book of paragraphs that describes what happens on your journey. You'll face choices on how to respond, with outcomes depending on which villagers are on the expedition and what risks you're willing to take to succeed. The book is filled with a variety of encounters, ensuring a new adventure each time you explore.

The player who develops the most successful village by the end of the game emerges as the winner!