Techlandia (2020)

About this game

It's Silicon Valley meets Lovecraft in Techlandia, a funny+scary tabletop game for 1-4 players. Imagine a world where people are enslaved by their electronics. Where we willingly allow smartphones to spy on us, and even pay for the privilege. A world where a handful of all-powerful multinational corporations control the flow of information by dominating hardware, operating systems, social networks and search engines... Oh wait, that actually kinda sounds like real life. But, imagine all that stuff, plus the twisted CEO of one of these tech giants also using his power and influence to open the floodgates to another plane of existence, bringing ancient evils to Earth and generally causing a big mess. Playing as heroic tech bloggers, players must gain access to the inner realms of the tech company's HQ by investigating rooms on a variable hex tile map, collecting clues and QR codes, and fighting off cultish company Public Relations goons through a combination of dice-rolling, deck management, and maybe a little backstabbing. Techlandia is an episodic game, with future chapters released as add-on Lore cards and hex tiles, carrying the evolving story forward. —description from the designer

Does it fit your group?

• Group size. Works with 1 to 4. It has a designed solo mode.
• Rules load. At 2.0/5 this is a mid-weight game — expect a proper rules explanation before you start.
• Age. The publisher suggests 13 and up. That rates the rules rather than the artwork, so judge the box yourself for younger players.