Queen’s Dilemma board game features a cast of ambitious Game of Thrones-esque characters
Which house will you choose?
The sequel to The King’s Dilemma, The Queen’s Dilemma, features a cast of playable characters who feel like they’ve come straight out of a season of A Game of Thrones.
Revealed via the description found on the page for the Kickstarter crowdfunding campaign for the upcoming board game, the collection of playable characters players will be able to choose from provide a variety of political perspectives and ambitious personalities. Similarly to many of the characters featured in A Game of Thrones - the television series based on the fantasy novels written by George R R Martin – the cast of characters in Queen’s Dilemma each represent a house and its interests.
Players will be able to choose from six different playable characters. Jilian, the silk weaver, originates from a mercurial house who believes that subterfuge is the best weapon, whilst Elinor trusts her knowledge of trade and connections will give her an advantage. Xanthe is a childhood friend of the current queen and believes that a blunt approach is the most honest option, whereas Aesyas utilises his great education to his benefit. The last two playable characters featured in the fantasy board game are Lyrie – who has connections to the occult and otherworldly abilities – and Syd, an ambitious baron who poisoned every one of his regional lords in a deadly banquet.
Rather than remain loyal to any particular political belief, like in its predecessor, players in Queen’s Dilemma are encouraged to sway towards whichever decisions will most benefit their house’s and character’s interests. As they progress through the game, players will be able to gain new skills and powers to stick into their character books, granting them advantages. Important decisions that players make during the legacy board game will lead to keyword stickers being placed into their character books, resulting in potential rewards or consequences later down the line. Each character also has their own unique story to pursue throughout the game, with branching narrative paths and several possible endings to experience.
The Queen’s Dilemma is a board game for three to six players that takes place in the fictional world of Ankist, a low-fantasy kingdom in which the original King’s Dilemma was also set in. Taking place 100 years after the first game, Queen’s Dilemma revolves around the newly crowned monarch Serene of Lybra, who became the last remaining heir after the line of succession dried out. As the queen’s council of advisors, the players are responsible for helping Serena make decisions on how to rule Ankist, with more than enough challenges set to come her way.
Each session of the game will see the players being proposed one or more dilemma cards that the queen will need to make a decision about. Depending on where their character’s interests lie, players will want to attempt to persuade their fellow council members to vote either aye or nay to the proposed action. Players can vote whichever way they want regardless of whatever they said during the debate phase, with the final result being determined by the number of votes tallied. The world of Ankist will then be shaped by the decisions the players make, whether for the better or worst.
The Queen’s Dilemma was co-designed by Lorenzo Silva and Hjalmar Hach, who both co-created the original The King’s Dilemma. Horrible Guild is the studio responsible for releasing The Queen’s Dilemma, after launching The King’s Dilemma and other titles such as the Dungeon Fighter and Railroad Ink series.
The Kickstarter campaign for The Queen’s Dilemma is live until November 15th, with a pledge of €130 (£113/$130) getting backers a copy of the core game in December 2023.