Adam has been writing about video games since 2014 and board games since 2018. If he's not rooting for the Toronto Maple Leafs or Toronto FC, he definitely has a controller in his hand - probably playing on a Nintendo platform - or is sitting at a table playing a board game. Adam also has firm opinions on a few key topics: there are much better board games than Settlers of Catan, and Nintendo doesn't need to compete with Sony and Microsoft.
Pixels to Pieces – Like Red Dead Redemption? Try the Western Legends board game
By Adam Roffel
In games, we’ve kept our entertainment preferences separated; you either were a video game player or a board game player, but rarely both. We aim to challenge that thought process, and highlight video games and board games that have much more in common than you might think.
In this first article in what I hope is a full-blown series, we will be exploring board games and video games that are linked by more than just theme. This is Pixels to Pieces.
The world of the Wild West has been used in every entertainment medium possible, from movies and TV to video games and, yes, even board games. So when fandoms cross different mediums, are we interested enough to take a look?
Why Red Dead Redemption is so popular
Although not quite as popular as Grand Theft Auto, the Red Dead Redemption franchise has made Rockstar Games a lot of loyal customers. It all began with Red Dead Revolver in 2004, followed by Red Dead Redemption in 2010, and Red Dead Redemption 2 in 2018. The series has been a favorite among video game players because of the freedom Rockstar Games provided. Players had the choice of playing good or bad, helping or harming, and using the world to their advantage. It might be a cliché, but the phrase “the world is your oyster” fits this experience perfectly.
It’s not just about the beauty of the world you get to explore, or the interesting characters you’ll meet along the way. It’s not just about the trains you can rob, the homesteaders you can help, or the law that you can manipulate. None of these things, on their own, make the Red Dead Redemption franchise what it is. It is all about the collective, all these things mixed together, and providing that to players on a platter to pick and choose from what they want for their game.
The disconnect between video games and board games
Games like Red Dead Redemption take the rigid formula of so many role-playing and adventure games and turn it on its head. The narrative pushes the story forward, yes, but what you choose to do in most other situations is up to you. The disconnect for many – and this is true of myself as well – is how can a board game, which is inherently driven by a set of rules on a page, provide that type of experience?
I have found over the years that this is the biggest issue when I try to convince people who play video games to sit down to a board game. Board games confine the experience into a set of rules. Board games limit the fun you can have. Board games don’t inspire creativity and freedom. For many games, all of these points are very true, but not all. That’s where Western Legends from Kolossal Games comes into play.
How Western Legends bucks the trend
It is true, Western Legends is still a board game, and does have a book of rules. However, those rules are more like the narrative you find in Red Dead Redemption: it’s there to keep you moving forward, but that’s about it. Under that façade, Western Legends, as a board game, is technically just as free as Red Dead Redemption.
Remember in Red Dead Redemption 2, during the Chapter 2 mission, “The Sheep and the Goats”, where you steal a bunch of sheep and offload them at the local auction for a decent bit of coin? That is a key mechanic in Western Legends. You’ll wrangle cattle from one ranch and sell them to another ranch, pocketing the profits of your theft.
Ever robbed a train in Red Dead Redemption 2? You can definitely rob a train in Western Legends. Have you ever shot a lawman, have you ever helped a lawman, have you ever played poker…all of that is available in Western Legends, and more.
Western Legends looks the part, too
If you hear the words “board game” and instantly think of Monopoly or The Game of Life, you have a very old-school view of what the hobby has become. One thing I’ve had people ask me when I suggest they play Western Legends is, “I get you have freedom, but does it look good and feel immersive?” Immersion is just as important in board games as it is in video games, and once again, I can provide a resounding, yes.
Western Legends uses a lot of cards and cubes to mark tracks and highlight the various items and horses your characters have. But the characters themselves on the board are little plastic miniatures, all unique with their own poses, accessories, and more. The train is a miniature, the traveling salesman is a miniature, and the sheriff is a miniature. With a few component upgrade packs, you can add 3D buildings to your board in the various towns, replace cardboard cattle with poker-style chips, and so much more.
Even without the various upgrades, Western Legends is a gorgeous game out of the box, with fantastic art, and colors that really highlight you are playing in the Wild West. I cannot emphasize this enough – if you love games like Red Dead Redemption and you are looking for an entry point into the hobby, find a local board game café, or a friend who might own a copy, and give Western Legends a try. I think you will be pleasantly surprised.
