Ravensburger Releasing Disney RPG Chronicles of Light: Darkness Falls

Ravensburger announced a new Disney-branded game Chronicles of Light: Darkness Falls (Disney Edition).

The game exists in the space between storytelling board games and rules-lite roleplaying games to act as an introduction to roleplaying. Players take on the role of Disney and Pixar characters and work together accepting quests and forming alliances to battle an unnamed Darkness threatening the land.

From the product description:

In Chronicles of Light: Darkness Falls (Disney Edition), players work together to form dynamic alliances of Disney and Pixar heroines, including Moana (Moana), Violet (The Incredibles), Maid Marian (Robin Hood) and Belle (Beauty and the Beast). Materializing as radiant crystal versions summoned into the realm, the heroines drive back shadows of infamous Disney Villains and restore the Realm of Light. Along the way, the team explores a brand-new illustrated world and encounters familiar characters, items, and creatures on their quests. Fully designed and illustrated by women, the game’s diverse missions and modular board generate new adventures every time it’s played.

Lysa Penrosek, Head of New Games Marketing for Ravensburger, said:

“As we’ve seen time and time again with games like Disney Villainous and Disney Lorcana TCG, bringing Disney heroes and villains into one shared universe reignites powerful nostalgia and provides a platform to bring friends and families together in an immersive and highly creative experience. We know how imaginations ignite when you bring Disney storytelling to life in board games, and we can't wait for you to see what happens when Disney Princess characters and other Disney heroines join forces and take center stage."

The board game will retail for $29.99 with Target exclusive pre-order starting on July 7 and a nationwide release at Target and hobby game stores on July 21.

 

[Baumi]

I find that a great combination! Disney Characters with Roleplay will surely work great to play light-RPGs with Kids 8D The only downside is they don't include boys/men, so it will be hard to play with a mixed group of kids.

Do we know anything about the mechanics of the game?

 

[stadi]

I find that a great combination! Disney Characters with Roleplay will surely work great to play light-RPGs with Kids 8D The only downside is they don't include boys/men, so it will be hard to play with a mixed group of kids.

Do we know anything about the mechanics of the game?

Yes, why girls only? And why not include Frozen? I see a lot of wasted opportunity here. I'm always looking for children's RPGs by the way, this won't be the perfect one probably, but who knows, I will still have a look once we have more infos.

 

[Umbran]

Yes, why girls only?

I suspect it is because Disney is one of the few places you can depend on for heroines, and they like to keep focus on that fact.

And why not include Frozen?

Likely because Frozen already gets a lot of attention, and doesn't need the marketing lift?

I see a lot of wasted opportunity here.

We, as adult gamers, may think that comprehensive options are a major design point, but for board games, that's not really the case.

From Ravensberger, if this is successful, you are likely to see variants in the future. For example, they make a board game called "Horrified", in which you play characters trying to stop monsters from killing people. The first version is Universal Horror movie monsters - Frankenstein's monster and his Bride, the Werewolf, Mummy, Invisible Man and the Creature from the Black Lagoon, and Dracula. They then have a second version of the game focusing American Cryptids - the Jersey Devil, Mothman, Sasquatch, etc.

 

[sevenbastard]

And why not include Frozen

I assume so they can sell expansion packs. Keep some popular ip for the next wave to keep the cash flowing. Then if it's a hit a few years latter make a 2nd eddtion and sell it all over again.

 

[Undrave]

And why not include Frozen?

Disney is kinda weird about Frozen being it's own brand separate from the other generic 'Disney' and 'Disney Princess' branding. If you see a multipack of Disney Princess dolls that includes Elsa and Anna you'll notice they're separated from the other dolls into their own Frozen branded background.

 

[MatthewJHanson]

From Ravensberger, if this is successful, you are likely to see variants in the future.

Yeah, I could see even see an expansion purely focused on Frozen with Anna, Elsa, Kristoff, and Olaf as characters.

While we're over-analyzing character choices, I feel Marion is a surprising choice. Belle and Moana are both protagonists, and Violet has super powers. Marion is mostly there to be Robin's love interest. Also is Robin Hood still popular these days? Maybe they're trying to include a range of characters reaching deeper back in time, but I think there are still stronger characters for that. What about Bianca from The Rescuers?

 

[Undrave]

So is this gonna be the same universe as Lorcana?

 

[Vexorg]

Yes, why girls only?

Because the boys would just play Stitch and Kuzco all the time.

 

[Bagpuss]

I feel Marion is a surprising choice.

Marion's for the furry market.