Beacon Patrol is a cozy tile placement game where you need to discover the sea and create logical landmasses to gain points.
Based on the board game of the same name, this game is a cooperative (or single player) experience in creating a complete sea map with light houses, buoys, and waterways that just make sense. The game itself feels very cute and cozy, with simple-to-understand tile sets that flow well and have arrows to help you figure out exactly what direction you intent to go.
At the bottom of the screen, you get a small hand of tiles which you can place on the map around your boat. Your boat will then move onto that tile. You will need to be careful about tile placement as things like land masses need to line up, and you will be drawing your boat closer to the land, which in turn affects where you can next play your next tile.
The goal is to complete a map which you are drawing as you place tiles. Putting down complete land masses and waterways will score you points. You can move your boat on its own, but this will cost you propeller tokens which are limited per round. It’s a balancing act of putting down new tiles and making sure you are moving in the right direction.
It did take me a bit to figure out exactly how I was earning points, but seeing the map come to life and watching my little boat move around felt very fun. It’s a great mix of strategy while providing for a more cozy gaming experience. There is also a creative mode, that allows you to navigate the seas without scoring or needing to pay attention to any of that. Over time, you can also unlock different ships that have their own abilities and seagull companions to hang out with you on the map. I played Beacon Patrol at Gamescom in the single player mode, but I do feel the game would really shine in a cooperative multiplayer setting.
Beacon Patrol will be made available today on Steam.
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