Expedition: Northwest Passage looks like a very interesting game.  Players each have a ship, a sled and some crew and are trying to explore the unknown, find the Northwest Passage and return back to Greenland (from where they start).  Players score victory points (VPs) for finding the Northwest Passage, returning to Greenland, and for finding evidence of the (real-life) expedition that disappeared in a previous attempt.

Two key things make this task tricky.  First, the landscape of land and sea is only revealed by the players placing tiles as they cross into the unknown territory.  Second, and more unusually, the position of the sun (which moves predictably each round) makes a massive difference because any tiles that are north of the sun’s position are frozen – this means ship’s on frozen tiles can not move across the frozen sea, but sleds can.  Of course, you need to be careful not to trap your sled on the frozen sea when it melts too or it will be lost.

Players allocate their crew (meeple/workers) to the ship or the sled and then use them to perform tasks like move, discover new tiles, discover bonuses, etc.  So, it’s kind of a worker placement game (but you’re placing workers purely in your own area) mixed with discovery and a changing board.  Sounds like fun and the sun’s movement will definitely add a new game element.

For more info, you can read the rules which are posted on the game’s BGG page and on Matagot’s web site: bga.me/ExpeditionNWP

James.