Review: Free Radicals (WizKids/NECA)

When we gaze across the variety of game systems, our eyes always linger on asymmetrical games. The idea of a game where the players are evenly yet differently matched is like a siren song to the billfold. We must buy it; we must try it. And then we typically must crash on the rocks of the box text’s unfulfilled promises.

Then we found Free Radicals from WizKids/NECA. This 2-5 player asymmetrical game offers players 10 factions, each driven by a unique mechanic. All of the factions aim for the same goal of racking up victory points and influencing the other factions, but each uses a completely different approach. To ratchet up the challenge one more step, every game is limited to 12 rounds regardless of the number of players.

Let’s unpack the top five things that make Free Radicals tick. Where will you find your unique path to victory?

Ten Factions, Five Colors

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The heart of an asymmetrical game is the idea that each player wields a unique set of tools but all players work toward the same ultimate goal. Balancing those unique tools against each other is a huge challenge. Free Radicals begins that process by applying colors.

The factions are split into five color groups. Since two players can’t share the same color, this prevents the paired factions from ever playing against each other. Even though the game contains 10 factions, only five of the factions can be in play at the same time.

Starting with Shared Stuff

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The main board tracks the current turn, player victory points, and faction knowledge levels. It also displays the 10 buildings that players can control and provides display space for the draw deck and the available data cards.

All player factions use data cards to claim control of buildings or power their individual special abilities. Each data card shows two faction colors at the top, a picture of the building it represents, and the resource cost it requires to open that building.

Factions Get Their Own Toys

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Since the game is all about the asymmetrical factions, it includes a lot of faction-specific components, starting with five double-sided player boards, one in each of the game’s five faction colors.

Each side of each board is the playing space for one faction. If you have the green board, you’ll either play the Hoteliers or the Merchants; take the yellow board, and your faction choices are the Artisans or the Underground.

Cards and Piece Manipulation

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The factions differentiate themselves through unique game mechanics. Let’s take a closer look at how that works with the first five factions.

Playing the Farmers and Hoteliers involves placing pieces on a grid. The Hoteliers use Tetris-like polyominoes to fill rooms, while the Farmers play pieces styled like dominoes, gaining special abilities by making runs of matching tile ends.

The Artisans, Entertainers, and Underground all involve types of card management. The Artisans power their tools with the faction symbols from data cards. The Entertainers and Underground use faction-specific custom card decks for deck management (Entertainers) and ability crafting (Underground).

A Smorgasbord of Mechanics

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The other Free Radicals factions borrow mechanics from all over the tabletop gaming world — even reaching into historic cultural games.

Merchants manage resource and strategically place stalls to expand their options each turn. Couriers are all about carefully planning pickups and deliveries while adapting to the constantly varying price of goods.

Adventurers use action points to explore a randomly generated board of face-down tiles. Paladins program their actions in advance and earn bonuses for completing “quests” from their custom card deck. Finally, in a nod to the classic game Mancala, the Executives move asset tokens around a circular board to trigger actions and abilities.

Buildings and Knowledge

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Although the factions have different ways of accomplishing their goals, they share the 10 buildings on the main board. They also all have an impact on the knowledge tracks.

Factions can use data cards to open (“awaken” in the game’s lingo) and claim control of the shared buildings. Once open, all factions can visit the building and use its ability, provided they pay the controllers. Each building also a special bonus power available to its preferred faction. Two factions can control each building.

Regardless of how many players are in the game, all five of the faction colors are always in play on the knowledge track. Players can move any faction color — their own, an opponent’s, or a faction not in the game — forward on the knowledge track. Doing so gives that player victory points plus occasional bonuses.

Verdict

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Free Radicals lives up to its promise — it’s an asymmetrical game that really works. That’s the highest compliment we can give.

The factions offer players multiple mechanical ways to win, while balancing all of the unique abilities with the shared opportunities of owning and using buildings while growing knowledge for all factions.

To make your first game easier, familiarize yourself with the icons in the game. Keep the overview sheet handy as well, because questions will come up.