Tides of Madness is a theme‑rich and fast‑paced 2‑player card game based on set collection and card drafting. It is a thematic successor to Tides of Time, but introduces a new mechanic — Madness — which makes the game more tense and strategically intriguing.
The game is set in a Lovecraftian world filled with mysterious symbols, ancient gods, and creeping insanity. Players take on the roles of investigators seeking forbidden knowledge and power, but risking their sanity along the way. Each card represents a fragment of this eerie world — from ancient cities to forbidden tomes — and carries icons that influence both scoring and the accumulation of Madness.
The game is played over 3 rounds. Each player is dealt 5 cards, chooses one to play in front of them, then passes the remaining cards to the opponent. This continues until all 5 cards are played. After each round, players score their cards:
- Players earn points based on the goals written on their cards (e.g., majority of a symbol, sets of symbols, etc.).
- Each card with a Madness icon gives the player a Madness token.
- The player with the most Madness may choose either to gain 4 extra points or remove 1 Madness token.
If a player ever reaches 9 or more Madness tokens, they immediately lose the game.
After scoring each round, players select one card to keep for the next round and permanently remove one from the game.
If you enjoy games with a dark atmosphere, risk management, and clever strategic choices, Tides of Madness is an excellent choice for intense two‑player sessions. 🐙
