Ever since I was a kid and saw Raiders of The Lost Ark, I’ve had a fascination with being a daring explorer. Just the idea of delving into mysterious, ancient ruins, fighting exotic creatures, and discovering untold riches had me glued to the screen every time I’d watch a movie. Who wouldn’t want to be Indiana Jones?

Well now you have your chance (kind of). Our newest Game of the Week lets players step into the shoes of a team of explorers as they try and find the lost city of El Dorado.

The Lost Expedition

The Lost Expedition is based on Percy Fawcett’s attempt to find El Dorado, made more famous in the novel (now a movie) by David Grann called The Lost City of Z. In the game, players aren’t in control of individual characters, but share control of the team of three explorers. They act more as the hand of fate, choosing cards and paths the explorers will take.

Each round of the game is played over a day and a night phase. During each phase, players will choose cards to form a path for the explorers to take, with each card having good and/or bad things that will happen to the team. The day and night phases play out similarly, with the only difference being how the cards are played.

One of the nice things about The Lost Expedition is how easy it is to get into the game. Choose a few characters, add some tokens, and get going. The card resolution system is intuitive and easy to follow. However that doesn’t make the game easy to win. As with any cooperative game, The Lost Expedition definitely can be challenging. I also really enjoy how unique the game feels. As players don’t control a specific character, they have to work together as they try and guide the team as efficiently as possible. The game also includes  options for solo or competitive play, which helps to add to the variety.

1-5 PLAYERS • AGES 12+ • 30 MINUTES • $20