We first unpacked Darrington Press’ Queen by Midnight: Quarter Past in the Shadow of Edinburgh Castle. Actual Queens have sat in that formidable fortress, ruled, lost, commanded generals, schemed and been killed.
Pretty cool, huh? Sadly, our first foray into Queen by Midnight – Quarter Past was a disaster. Bronwen and I had rendered in a pub owned by a local brewery and were going to dine on fine meat, quaff excellent beer (well, I would), play this deck-building battler, and then trot up the road to one of the screenings in Scotland Loves Anime.
What went wrong?
We couldn’t make out the cards in the mood lighting of the Lothian Road pub. Oh, sure, we could read the text, but you need to see the colours and little icons to know which Princess could use the power or what type of card it was.
We’d even been given an advanced copy of the game. That was our one chance to review before Queen by Midnight: Quarter Past was available in retail. An honour! Wasted.
Queen by Midnight – Quarter Past – The Second Coming
I took the game home (eventually), where I had better lights and gave the game a second chance.
Firstly, you don’t need the original Queen by Midnight to play Quarter Past (although that might have helped us). This new game is standalone, but you can also use it as an expansion. Right now, the Critical Role Shopify has both in a discounted bundle.
Secondly, when Bronwen and I meet up for a gaming session, the usual gotcha are games that require more than two people. Queen by Midnight does (at least three), but Queen by Midnight – Quarter Past does not.
Once the thorny issue of working out the cards needed to build the decks is sorted, then Queen by Midnight: Quarter Past is straightforward. I’ve only ever played it two-player, and in my games, it’s either a knockout or a points tally when the clock counter hits midnight. So far, it’s about a 50/50 chance of either.
My sense is that three-player games would be different, and the potential Queens all have different powers, some of which seem to suit multiple targets, making them a more attractive choice of character in larger games.
So, eventually, my impressions of Queen by Midnight: Quarter Past is that it’s a relatively fast-paced game (sometimes it feels like you spend more time setting down the playing areas), and surprisingly straightforward despite seeming complex to begin with (or perhaps that’s my first impressions lingering) and high quality.
I want to pause a minute on the quality because I think Darrington Press has done a bang-up job. You punch and poke tokens and counters out of their card stock without any tears. The artwork is fantastic. The pieces you need to keep the potential muddle of market cards played cards and to-play cards in a semblance of order are provided.
Queen by Midnight – Quarter Past – Game Play
In this game, Clout is queen! Use it to build your deck by buying powerful cards from different sources.
- Princess Vaults: Snag unique abilities from specific princesses to gain an edge.
- The Bazaar: Stock up on a variety of useful, if less flashy, cards.
It’s a balancing act! Spend too much, and you’ll be Clout-poor. However, if you hoard too much, you might not have enough assets to play, and your rivals are likely to move in.
The game unfolds in real-time, with the clock advancing every turn. At certain hours, big things happen:
- New cards arrive. The Bazaar gets upgraded with more potent abilities.
- Your hand grows. Hold more cards and unleash more powerful combos.
The game ends at midnight or when a single princess reigns supreme. This time limit keeps the game moving and prevents things from getting too crazy.
Overall
Don’t: Try to unpack Queen by Midnight – Quarter Past to learn and play against the real-life clock in a moodily lit pub in the shadow of a real castle.
Do: Now that this review is late and I’ve had time to give the deck-building game a fair chance, I’m pleased with it. I think it’ll be a good gift this shopping season and absolutely one for Darrington Press and deck builder fans to consider.
Please note: Geek Native’s copy of “Queen by Midnight – Quarter Past” was provided for free to review.
Quick Links
- Queen by Midnight – Quarter Past: Crit Role Shop ($39.99) | Amazon ($41.99)
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