Red Raven Games: Sleeping Gods and More

Red Raven Games: Sleeping Gods and More!

In my free time I often look at the Board Game Geek’s top lists, trying to find the next addition to my board game collection. I cannot tell you the amount of times I have seen Sleeping Gods mentioned in review lists for its amazing gameplay, including what had been described to me as one of the best solo games ever! Naturally, I had to give it a try and make that decision for myself.

Sleeping Gods (OG):

The year is 1929, you and your crew are lost on the open seas. You must work together to get your steamship and crew safely back home. Along the way you will be exploring exotic lands, meeting new creatures, and fighting for your life on your journey home. Sleeping Gods is not for the weary, but wildly rewarding for the determined.

As I mentioned before, I have seen this game EVERYWHERE! I’ve seen reviews, playthroughs, and even posts by the publisher that intrigued me to get this game to the table. From the second the box arrived I knew I had my work cut out for me. This game is HEAVY… in the best way possible. It only makes sense that the box would have some weight to it since there is so much game packed inside.

One of my favorite aspects of all 3 of the Sleeping Gods games is the atlas book! There are so many maps to explore over the course of the game and I absolutely love seeing how much game I have ahead of me, even if I shouldn’t be looking ahead 😉

I have to say I am impressed by the amount of content this game holds! Red Raven claims that the entire campaign will last from about 10-20 hours. While I have not completely finished the campaign yet, I can say that there is more than enough game here for me. The replayability is also off the charts as it seems that to experience everything the game could offer, you would have to play multiple campaigns. I absolutely love this, and will be sure to report back after completing multiple playthroughs of the campaign.

Sleeping Gods Distant Skies:

Sleeping Gods Distant Skies is a standalone sequel to the original game taking place 8 years after the OG. This 15 hour campaign game might share the same name as its predecessor, but it is entirely unique in its own right. Over the course for the campaign you will be working to uncover lost ruins and mythical treasures while defending yourself from the mysterious creatures you’ll encounter along the way.

While I still love the atlas, and think it is one of the best parts of the game, I love how Red Raven changed the vehicle of travel from a steamboat, to a new and improved airplane. It gives the feeling of a more open world to explore. You can get everywhere by plane, even places that aren’t exactly safe for your crew…

Another aspect of the Sleeping Gods games that I really enjoy is the idea of collaboration. I know many people in my family love a good competition, but there are many instances where we want to play a game for fun rather than to beat each other… even though I might not see much of a difference between the two. This aspect of collaboration really helps games get to the table as my family will be playing games together rather than against each other. 

The other added bonus in Sleeping Gods Distant Skies is the inclusion of a new miniature! I have always loved when games incorporate the use of miniatures but with my family recently trying our hand at painting resin prints, these miniatures give us even more of an experience beyond the game itself.

Sleeping Gods Primeval Peril:

Sleeping Gods Primeval Peril is the smallest of the three Sleeping Gods games that we’re unpacking today, offering a quicker stand alone campaign for people who either already love the base game, or are looking for a lower commitment starting place for the franchise. 

In Primeval Peril, we’re back to the water, navigating our boat through a new and unfamiliar jungle. Along the way you will need to work together to explore mysterious islands, all while defending yourselves against the creatures that inhabit these unknown lands.

The atlas has a new format, including combat pages adjacent to the maps that are used for exploring. I enjoyed this change to the atlas as it helps cut down on the table space needed and goes with the idea of a smaller game. A quick note about the components is that the boat in Primeval Peril is a standee rather than a miniature. While it doesn’t make a huge difference for me, my kids convinced me to use the miniature ship from the base game for Primeval Peril in between plays. 

If you are new to Sleeping Gods and looking for a good entry point, I recommend either the OG base game, or the Primeval Peril expansion!

Creature Caravan: 

While Sleeping Gods is what brought us to the Red Raven Games site initially, they offer a wide variety of games belonging to other titles all with their own unique draws. For us, the game that stood out the most besides Sleeping Gods was Creature Caravan.

In Creature Caravan, players will work to build a tableau of cards (creatures) on their journey through a beautiful, yet dangerous new land. The game includes stunning illustrations and adorable art that truly helps to immerse players into the game. Players take turns simultaneously, helping to cut the downtime between turns, as well as the overall playtime of a play through. 

My favorite aspect about Creature Caravan is all about the map and components. I don’t know why but I absolutely LOVE the dice! Wooden dice scratch an itch in my brain that I just can’t explain. It’s one of the reasons I keep going back to Wingspan, and I am sure it will be a force to get Creature Caravan back to the table. I also really like the map tiles for the game. They are easy to set up, and the randomization aspect of the tiles helps add an extra layer of replayability to the game. 

Overall, I was really impressed by the games Red Raven offers and will be keeping an eye out for their future titles at my LBGS. Sleeping Gods did not disappoint, and I am so excited to finish the campaigns I have started in these games! While the team over at Red Raven was kind enough to send us these games in exchange for a review, all of the opinions in this post remain my own.