Mass Effect: The Board Game by Modiphius isn’t the first time the sci-fi franchise has been ported to analog, but it’s by far the best adaptation of the tight, squad-based combat of Bioware’s trilogy we’ve played. While Mass Effect: The Board Game – Priority: Hagalaz is already shipping out to Kickstarter backers, a general release is planned for October — just in time for N7 Day, the annual celebration of all things Mass Effect on Nov. 7. Right now, you can reserve a copy of the board game exclusively through the Modiphius storefront for around $51.
Mass Effect: The Board Game is set during the events of Mass Effect 3, and like the third installment in the trilogy, it’s very action-oriented. The Reaper invasion is in full swing and Cerberus, the shadowy organization led by the Illusive Man, is attempting to take advantage of the situation. There isn’t much in the way of role-playing here, but the game does offer bonuses for making specific Paragon or Renegade choices during its three-to-five-mission campaign. While the game technically supports up to five players, Mass Effect: The Board Game can also be enjoyed as a single-player experience.
Because it wouldn’t be a Kickstarter board game without them, The Mass Effect Board Game is also launching alongside a small army of resin miniatures to supplement the six figures included in the base game. Most of the miniatures represent the various Reaper and Cerberus threats you’ll face in your campaign. however, Modiphius is also offering alternate miniatures for the six-player characters with the Heroes of the Normandy Pack. Each pack of minis is unpainted, requires some assembly, and are available to pre-order for as little as $37.42 from the Modiphius store.
