Stats:
No. of players: 1-6
Amount of time to play: 45-60 min
Age requirements: 14+
Set-up time: 5 min

Libertalia Winds of Galecrest combines simultaneous action selection and set collection into a sky pirate-themed board game. You play crew members to gather booty in order get the most doubloons and win.

Libertalia Winds of Galecrest Rules Description:

Libertalia Winds of Galecrest is a 2022 remake of Libertalia from 2012. The game is broken into three voyages which are made up of four to six days. Each player starts with the same deck of 40 crew members. Every voyage all players have the same six random crew members in their hand. Crew members are numbered from one to forty and have abilities that activate during different times of the day or voyage.

Each day you secretly select one crew member to play. Once all players have selected a crew member they are turned face up and placed in ascending order. Then you resolve any daytime abilities starting with the lowest numbered crew member. Next, starting with the highest numbered crew member, players take a loot token, activate any dusk abilities on their played crew member, and place the crew member on their ship. After the lowest numbered crew member is resolved, players simultaneously activate night abilities for any crew members on their ship.

Once you have played through the specified number of days the voyage ends. Now you activate any anchor abilities on your loot tokens or crew members on your ship. Next, total the amount of doubloons you gained from this voyage and add it to your score dial. And lastly discard all your loot tokens and crew members on your ship. To start the next voyage another random six crew members are added to everyone’s hand, you gain income, and loot tokens are put on the specified number of day spaces.

Reputation is used to break ties. Since all players have the same exact hand to start the game (and generally the same hand throughout the game), there will be crew members played with the same number. When this happens a player’s reputation is used to break ties. Your reputation is determined randomly to start the game and it may increase or decrease based on the crew members you play. Anytime two or more of the same crew member are played on the same day the player with the lower reputation’s crew member is placed first. Reputation also determines your starting doubloons and income each round. The lower your reputation the more doubloons you get.

After three voyages the game ends and the player with the highest value on their score dial wins. If tied, the player with the higher reputation wins the tie.

Quick Review of Libertalia Winds of Galecrest:

I do not own and have only played the original Libertalia a few times. Libertalia Winds of Galecrest refreshes things and adds the reputation mechanic. It also adds 10 new characters and new artwork. It is different from the original but not drastically.

The components for this game are great. There is some debate but I like the updated brighter artwork with animal crew members. It is less gritty but I like the new fun whimsical design. The rule book is easy to read and follow. And while the game is pretty easy to teach and learn, you can always watch the tutorial here.

There is some social deduction in Libertalia Winds of Galecrest. Especially early in the game when everyone has the same cards. Guessing what others will play can help you gain an advantage.

I also like the new reputation mechanic. It makes tie-breaking easier and another way you can influence the game. Sometimes having a low reputation, more money, and playing earlier in a day will be to your favor. It isn’t that always having a higher reputation is better.

More characters means more variety from game to game. This equates to more replay value. It also means sometimes you might get a hand of crew members that don’t work together well. This can be annoying, but if you can still try to figure out a better synergy than your opponents.

You should know the board is double sided with a nicer and meaner side based on the loot token abilities. You can even use a mix of nice and mean abilities using the loot tiles. But no matter what there is some take that in this game.

It can also be random as you play crew members with the best of plans that get derailed by other players’ actions. If you are someone that does not like disruption in your board games take note.

If you enjoyed the original Libertalia or like games with lots of interaction give Libertalia Winds of Galecrest a try. It plays differently every time you play and if you don’t mind a bit of chaos is fun every time too.

Score and synopsis: (Click here for an explanation of these review categories.)
Strategy 4 out of 6
Luck 4 out of 6
Player Interaction 5 of 6
Replay Value 5 out of 6
Complexity 3 out of 6
Fun 4 out of 6
Overall 4 out of 6