Since legacy games became a big thing in the board game world, we’ve seen legacy versions of many favourites. Risk, Android: Netrunner, and of course Pandemic have all had massive success with their legacy versions. Now, perennial Halloween favourite Betrayal at House on the Hill will be joining the genre with Betrayal Legacy.
Announced at PAX Unplugged this past weekend, Betrayal Legacy is scheduled for release in Q4 2018. Taking the concept of the original Betrayal game where players explore a haunted mansion, Betrayal Legacy adds permanent changes and a multi-game story arc taking place over thirteen chapters spanning multiple (in-game) decades. Players will play as members of a specific family, with some characters ageing during the story arc and possible descendants will make an appearance.
Leading the project for Wizards of the West Coast is board game designer Rob Daviau. Daviau helped create the original Betrayal at House on the Hill back in 2004. Since then, he has worked on both seasons of Pandemic: Legacy as well as Seafall, V-Wars and the original Risk Legacy. So if there’s anyone who’s capable of making a legacy version of Betrayal work, it’s definitely the guy who designed the original and perfected the legacy concept!
Legacy Games are games where player choices permanently alter the game. Players may have to place non-removable stickers on cards or the board itself, permanently destroy cards or other board elements or open sealed packs. To play through a Legacy game a second time requires buying another copy of the game.
Original Heretic
In these legacy games, instead of destroying cards and putting stickers on the board, can’t you work around it?
For example, instead of destroying a card, put it aside so that it can’t be used again.
Instead of permanently sticking something on the board, use some sticky tape to keep it there temporarily.
That way, no need to buy a second copy of the game for a second playthrough. Thus allowing OTHER people to also enjoy it.
Magoo
Buy the normal game, not the legacy edition.
Original Heretic
So I’m guessing then that the legacy editions are more for the people who want to take their boardgaming to the next level? Those that follow the “if you cheat at this game, I’ll cut you with shards of broken glass” philosophy?