Perseverance: Castaway Chronicles – Episodes 1 & 2

A luxurious ocean liner is torn apart by a mysterious storm and wrecks on an island ruled by massive, territorial dinosaurs. You and up to three companions must turn disaster into opportunity: erect walls, set traps, found a town and gradually win the trust of the prehistoric inhabitants. The game arrives in two episodes that can be played as stand‑alone modules or linked together as a continuous campaign. Episode 1 focuses on defending the newly founded city of Perseverance against waves of dinosaurs, using a dice‑placement system that determines who controls each zone of the board. Episode 2 sees the wall completed and the survivors venturing into the surrounding wilderness, expanding the settlement on a hex map while customizing leaders with dozens of unique skills. Core mechanics – worker placement with dice, tile placement, area majority, and dice rolling – evolve smoothly between episodes, easing the learning curve. The game supports up to four players or solo play, and contains no legacy components; the story can be replayed endlessly. With a playing time of 80‑180 minutes and a weight of 4.2, it delivers a medium‑heavy strategic experience, perfect for fans of euro‑style city‑building, dinosaur adventure, and evolving campaign narratives. High‑quality components, including dinosaur miniatures and leader tokens, give the setting a tactile presence. While the dinosaur theme is a strong draw, the abundance of strategic choices and dice‑as‑workers may overwhelm absolute beginners. Nevertheless, anyone who enjoys evolving campaigns without legacy and the challenge of building civilization in a hostile world will find much to love in Perseverance.