Originally published at: http://statelyplay.com/2018/07/05/hostage-negotiator-adds-its-final-villain/
iOS Universal, Android •
Released earlier this year, Hostage Negotiator from Peter Kossits and Van Ryder Games, has been a reliable go-to when looking for a solo game that I can't possibly win. It may have been overshadowed a bit by the more recent release of One Deck Dungeon, but Hostage Negotiator remains a tense, anxiety-inducing experience AND you can play it on your phone. It's received a lot of new content since release, and recently it received one more bad guy: Gonzalo. Not only is Gonzalo the most difficult baddie to date, he's also the last expansion planned.
If you’re unfamiliar with Hostage Negotiator you should read our review. If you’re too lazy to do that (and I wrote it, so I don’t blame you for avoiding my nonsense), here’s a synopsis: you’re a hostage negotiator and you’re trying to save – wait for it – hostages.
The board game version of this life or death occupation seems more difficult than its real-world counterpart. Seriously, the game is hard. It offers minor deck-building along with a success/fail dice mechanism that always seems to bite me in the backside. Each bad guy offers a slightly different challenge with new motives, numbers of hostages, and more.
The new guy, Gonzalo, is a real piece of work. He’s hijacked a bus and is heading for the border and it’s up to you to stop him and save the innocents. The pack introduces a new card type, “locations”, which are necessary as the bus motors to Gonzalo’s freedom. Even the designer warned me that this guy is brutal, so only the most iron-willed need apply.
If new DLC isn’t enough to get you on board the Hostage Negotiator bandwagon, how about a sale? The app is currently only $1 (down from $4), so it’s the perfect time to give it a go.