It has been more than two years since developer Playdek announced a digital adaptation of Labyrinth: The War on Terror as part of a multi-title deal with GMT Games. Serious fans of the board game may have jumped in when Labyrinth hit Early Access this past March on Steam but the recent focus on the game through Steam's Table-Top Event likely has piqued more interest.
Are you wondering whether the game is ready for prime time? Read on.
It hardly seems possible to consider Labyrinth: The War on Terror without returning first to Twilight Struggle (2005). The similarities are no accident. Designer Volko Runke explains that the idea came out of a discussion on how to make a serious game about the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and the overall War on Terror. Runke saw a parallel with the bipolar, ideological struggle of the Cold War and imagined that his game could capture the essence of our current clash of civilizations using Twilight Struggle's mechanics.
While fans had to wait until 2020 for a true follow-on, the board version of Labyrinth started down that path ten years ago. Computer players, on the other hand, were kept waiting until 2016 for the much-anticipated computer version of Twilight Struggle. Shortly thereafter, an extended collaboration was announced for more conversions. Not surprisingly, Labyrinth topped that list, a promise now on its way to fruition.
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