Fans of Merchants Cove have something new to look forward to! Co-designer Carl Van Ostrand is back in the spotlight alongside Douglas Hettrick and publisher Pandasaurus Games with a brand-new title slated for 2027: Echoes of the Apostate Crown. Designed for 2 to 4 players aged 8 and up, this worker-placement adventure invites players to explore and loot a ruined palace across two distinct time periods simultaneously.
The game’s standout mechanism lies in its temporal dynamic—every room on the board has two faces. In the present, you will battle monsters and dig through collapsed chambers; but by tethering back into the past, the room shifts to its former glory. Manipulating time changes the available actions for everyone at the table, allowing you to barter with the court, steal ancient treasures, and leave behind “echoes” that grant boons when rivals follow in your footsteps.
On the management side, prepare to tightly optimize your inventory space! Stones, medallions, idols, scarabs, and annoying whisps all compete for the exact same slots in your pack, and only what you physically carry back can be sold for victory points. With a brisk playing time of 45 to 60 minutes, Echoes of the Apostate Crown promises a clever, fast-paced tactical adventure.
https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/479706/echoes-of-the-apostate-crown
