All Fathomed Out is a boardgame I designed and funded via Kickstarter. It's a family friendly exploration/race game based around collecting and cataloging aquatic species in the south pacific during the 19th century.
It's 1878, and All Fathomed Out pits 3-6 players against each other in a race to discover and catalog the most noteworthy new species brought up from the uncharted waters of the South Pacific. These mustachioed men of science face not only stiff competition from their fellow explorers as they dive (only one man can take credit for discovering each species, after all, and science waits for no one) but also the multitudinous natural dangers and perilous creatures that lurk in the briny deeps.
As you explore the beautiful hex-based ocean you'll uncover aquatic species ripe for the cataloging, environmental events both fair and foul, and underhanded shenanigans the unscrupulous can use to tip the balance in their favor (the scallywags!). Want to see it in action? Check out the how-to and play through videos below:
In All Fathomed Out, the goal is to amass the most impressive collection of previously unknown aquatic species as you possibly can before your competitors beat you to it. You'd best hurry though, for only the first specimen of a given species is worth academic accolades and can be cataloged; the rest are old news best used for bait!
Each turn you move across the ocean floor, flipping over new tiles as you venture forth into the unknown or hustling over previously mapped areas on your way back to the ship to drop off your catch or in search of better hunting grounds. Be careful about wandering too far, though, as the air hose connecting you to the ship and all that sweet, sweet oxygen is only so long and it'd be a real shame if the ship got hit by a sudden typhoon and was sent careening away...
Exploring a new tile nets you a number of cards (listed on the tile itself) from the game's four decks that could be the specimens you're looking to collect, environmental events that shake the game up, or shenanigans that you can use against other players (or keep for later). You've only got so much space, though, so at the end of your turn you can only keep two cards. Choose carefully!
Once one player catalogs five fish or the ocean is completely explored, the game is over and the player with the most impressive haul (determined by adding together the publication points from each specimen they have cataloged) wins!
What sort of bounty are we dealing with, exactly? I'm glad you asked:
In addition to the lovely figures, catalog sheets (to help keep track of your catches), and rules packet, each game also comes with:
120 beautifully rendered cards depicting everything from new (to 19th century science) species to dramatic events to underhanded shenanigans to mess with other players.
60 tiles, just as gorgeously illustrated as the cards, that come together to form a new ocean-scape with every game.
