Echo Bazaar

In my post a little while back about Steel Legions (SL), I concluded that SL would probably be my 'bit on the side' but not a threat to my long standing relationship with Pirate Galaxy (PG). Since then I haven't played SL, but I have become infatuated with a completely different game, Echo Bazaar.

My latest obsession

Echo Bazaar (EB) is a card based browser Role Playing Game (RPG) and I love it. It's free to play in the same way as PG is, so you can spend money to get advantages or bypass some restrictions. The scenario is that you have moved to Fallen London, a Victorian-esque city deep beneath the earth. You make your way through life in whichever manner you choose, using your four skills of Dangerous, Watchful, Persuasive or Shadowy. You can be a soldier of fortune, a detective, a schmoozer, a thief, or all of them and more.

You move through Fallen London and find opportunities for profit, either fixed for that location or through a random card that you are dealt. As you use your skills they increase, unlocking more opportunites, harder tasks and greater rewards. Every so often story cards appear which, if you choose to play them, open up a mini storyline. You can also select an Ambition, which is personal story arc through your adventures.

My Ambition is to find and take revenge on my wife's murderer, which I use to guide my play. For example I now need to gain access to the University to continue my vendetta, which requires that I either bribe my way in with jade and Moonpearls, or become a scholar of the Correspondance which is a whispered rumour of a myth. Now I am taking up any opportunity to earn jade or pearls and ignoring more profitable options.

So far in my adventures I have gone insane twice, died once but wrested back my life, seduced an artists model, an heiress and a vicar's sister, had my home invaded by sentient rats, become marked by the Eater-of-Chains and am growing a sinister looking plant in my lodgings.

EB is played through either your Twitter or Facebook account which is used to attarct more players and spread the word. Having friends help you is one way to gain an advantage in the game so if you can convince a friend to join you then you should do so. Your number of moves per day is limited which makes it even more addictive.

Echo Bazaar is an excellent game in which you can guide your own destiny and write your own legend. It takes little more than 15 minutes a day to play but rewards careful thought and a love of story. Give it a go and you won't regret it, you'll still have time for PG.