Light and Darkness

I love tug-of-war duel games, and I love Egyptian mythology. Coincidentally, Sunrise Sunset 🌅 combines exactly these 2 elements! 😁 This was a small box release from @perrolokogames at Spiel 24, in which the gods Horus and Seth face off against each other. To quickly give you a gist of the game I could mention Critters At War or Caper, but let's check it in more detail. 😉

The game includes a deck of 13 cards, from which each player receives 5 at the start of a round—plus their god (Horus or Seth), which serves as a 6th card. These cards are played in the game’s three regions, which you’ll want to control by the end of the round. Each region can hold only two cards per side, so choosing where to play each card is crucial. ☝️

Players take turns playing one card at a time. Some cards have “stealth”, meaning they enter play face down. Certain cards trigger effects when played (such as moving or revealing other cards), while others only activate during the Combat ⚔️ phase.

The Combat phase occurs after every card is played. First, you apply any combat abilities then check the 3 regions to see who has more power on their side. Most cards have an individual strength value, while some scale with the power depicted on the region's card. 🧐 The region's power can be modified though, which can easily counter or buff such cards.

If you win a region which you already control you inflict 1 damage to your opponent, otherwise you take control of it by turning its card to your side. To win you have to deal 3 damage, which could take several rounds. After all, just winning a battle or two isn't enough, you need to win the war. 😉

💬 The core concept of Sunrise Sunset isn’t entirely new, but if you enjoy games like this, it offers a fresh take with some interesting card synergies, making it an easy recommendation. 🙂 It’s all about bluffing, taking risks, and outsmarting your opponent by leveraging card abilities at just the right moment!