Returning to The Flood – Biblical Fun, Despite the Flood?

One of my favorite designers right now is the team at Bedouin Games, who have released a number of biblical themed board games. I’ve had the pleasure of previewing and reviewing The Flood, previewed Tower of Babel, and hopefully one day will get to play their newest Kickstarter adventure, 3 Magi. I like how this company takes Biblical stories and turns them into really good board games. Many companies have attempted to jump on the Biblical Board Game train and have failed miserably. In my opinion, Bedouin Games are 2 for 2!

Granted, I’ve only played a prototype version of Tower of Babel, and I do hope to review the game itself at some point in the near future. But I have reviewed a released copy of The Flood, and I think it is excellent. The Flood has players moving around a map, creating paths to move resources from one place to another, all with the goal of building your Ark faster than everyone else. The map can be manipulated by players who can build a variety of buildings and other things to aid in their resource collection, but there is always a bit of mystery and intrigue – what some might call a luck element to be fair – that keeps players transitioning their strategy.

I’ve heard it said that The Flood is simply a more detailed and complex version of Settlers of Catan, and while I see the comparisons, it’s not completely true. There are obvious luck elements in The Flood, notably around cards that will increase the water and eventually bring on a full on flood, and certain resources you want might not be as readily available as you need them to be. The intricate rules and design of the game, though, mediates these issues in my opinion, and in the experiences I have had, they seem to impact everyone equally. This isn’t a situation like Settlers of Catan where, if you go last, you are probably going to lose.

There is more agency in this game as well. Whether trading with the market, collecting even tokens to use on cards or in trading, or a host of other things, for me, I think The Flood always provides a path forward for players. If one thing isn’t going right, there are other options. This sort of thing is missing in Settlers of Catan, but is very prevalent here in The Flood.

There is something very interesting about The Flood, and I can’t quite put my finger on it. When I first started playing, I thought the setup time and rules explanation would keep it from getting tabled, but the effort involved always seems to be worth the entertainment payout. If you want a biblical themed board game that has some Settlers of Catan vibes, but without all the bad stuff, then I think you should invest in The Flood. It’s one you are sure to enjoy! It doesn’t hurt that the production is PHENOMENAL as well!