In early 2009, we launched a new feature called Co-Op Casual Fridays. This series was intended to cover games that were intended for young gamers, or more casual fans. In the more than two years that have passed since we launched that column, we've covered the LEGO series, all manner of music games, and many other casual-friendly favorites.
Over the past year or so, we've given increased coverage to cooperative board games, and Co-Op Casual Fridays seemed like a natural fit. These articles have proven to be extremely popular; it turns out that people who enjoy co-op in video games also like playing board games were teamwork is important. And so, today, we have decided to retire Co-Op Casual Fridays in favor of a "new" column that will cover board and card games exclusively: Tabletop Co-Op!
The Warhammer 40,000 universe is one that is familiar to most gamers. The complex miniatures wargame has been around for many years, and many video games set in that far-flung, war-torn future have been released in that same time frame. The Dawn of War RTS series and the recent third-person action Space Marine are perhaps the most notable. A cooperative card game, featuring a group of Space Marines cleaning out an infestation of alien Genestealers from an abandoned spaceship, was released last year.
Space Hulk: Death Angel The Card Game (henceforth referred to as Death Angel) is a fast paced game of teamwork and coordination. Up to six players can work together to take down an unrelenting horde of Genestealers. Twelve Space Marines, grouped into six teams of two, are controlled by the players. Space Marine cards are arranged in a vertical column at random, with half facing left, and half right. At the top of the column, a location card, with different terrain effects and other modifiers, is placed. The location card also determines where, how many, and at which facing the Genestealers are spawned at each round.