Tides of Madness

Tides of Madness is the direct sequel to Tides of Time, reviving the classic two‑hand draft while adding a sinister twist: madness. The game unfolds over three rounds; each round both players receive a hand of cards, select one to stay in their kingdom as a "relic of the past," and pass the remainder to the opponent, who does the same. Cards belong to five suits and carry individual scoring objectives, so at round's end you tally points for the suits you collected and the specific effects on each card. The Madness addition means eight of the eighteen cards feature a madness icon; when scoring you receive a madness token for each icon you own. The player with the most madness that round may either score four extra points or discard a token – and discarding can be a lifesaver, because reaching nine or more madness tokens triggers an instant loss. This risk layer forces tense choices: do you take a powerful card that also pushes you toward insanity? The game is quick, roughly 20 minutes, and its learning curve is gentle, perfect for fans of fast drafts who enjoy balancing power and peril. Components consist mainly of standard playing‑card‑sized cards, with no boards or complex tokens, making it portable and easy to set up. If you love card games with a horror flavor and a set‑collection strategy, Tides of Madness offers a tight, thrilling experience, but watch your sanity meter or the game may end before you can claim victory.