In the aftermath of Omega, humanity has been lulled into a peace and complacency as premature as it is dangerous. The Infinity Orb has been shattered, and its pieces scattered across Gaïa... but our brief respite, which was hard-earned by a band of anonymous heroes, is not to last. Something dark and sinister- an alien to this world- is using the fragments of the Orb of Infinity to creep into existence. The greatest heroes and villains, formerly the most bitter of enemies, will have to put their differences aside to focus on their common foe. They will need a leader. It’s up to you to marshal them, wield their abilities, and stop the final horror.
It’s time to go... Beyond Good and Evil.
Fantasy Flight Games is pleased to announce that Anima: Beyond Good and Evil will hit the shelves at your friendly local game store as early as next week! Anima: Beyond Good and Evil is a fully independent card game that can be enjoyed by two to four players, but you can also combine this set with the revised edition of Anima: Shadow of Omega (also available next week), thereby deepening your adventures while adding enough cards for a fifth player! Playable in roughly an hour, Beyond Good and Evil takes players to the fantasy realm of Gaïa, where they must assemble a party of heroes, seek out helpful items and techniques, and ultimately engage in a final battle... all in an often combative race with the other players.
To accomplish this, a player guides his party across the realm, represented by several face-up Area cards. Players can “seek new horizons” in order to cycle the available Areas, but these cards offer a myriad of rewards and dangers. Some allow you to trade with other players or otherwise acquire new advantages, others provide new party members, and some Areas offer objectives for minor missions, the completion of which mean certain rewards. Most, however, require that your party faces one or more encounters: the often dangerous denizens of Gaïa.
Like Anima: Shadow of Omega (the revised edition of which will be previewed later this week), Beyond Good and Evil features stunning artwork by some of the most talented fantasy and anime artists of Europe, Japan, and the US as well as a new Crisis! mechanic that will facilitate tight and exhilarating endgames. Additionally, it includes an exciting new character type: the Arcane Character.
Arcane Characters are powerful and unique individuals that may, under special circumstances, join a player’s party. If a player has three normal characters in his or her party, and that party moves to an area that allows recruitment, it may obtain an Arcane Character. With five Arcane Characters in the game, including the ruthless Matthew Gaul and the mystical Millenium, players will find them a rare and valuable commodity to manage. Their enhanced statistics and potent special abilities will add a new level of strategic depth to your Anima party!
Anima: Beyond Good and Evil offers a new world of adventure to fans of the popular fantasy universe, but because it can be played on its own, it’s also perfect for newcomers to the lore. Call your FLGS and make sure that they’re prepared to take you to a world beyond fantasy... the world of Anima.