Tears of a Goddess and the Bounty Hunter’s Journey

Sneak through a Graphic Novel Adventure full of intrigue and mystery surrounding a trio of thieves with Tears of a Goddess.
I have to admit that my collection of Graphic Novel Adventures is doing well with some new attention! Tears of a Goddess features a rather unique premise and the ability to play with 1 of 3 specialties. It’s the last gamebook I already completed, yet it felt appropriate to return to this wonderful world. I only hoped my character could survive to the end!
Game Overview
Game Name: Tears of a Goddess
Publication Year: 2015
Designer: Emmanuel Manuro
Artist: Ben Jurdic
Solo Mode: Designed for Solo (Included in the Base Game)
The protagonist is a bounty hunter sent to track down a trio of thieves. There are plenty of gruesome scenes, yet the task of retrieving the lost relics takes center stage.
Perhaps the best part is the ability to choose a specialization at the start, which opens up unique paths.
Traveling the World
A map exists with 3 distinct areas to explore. The goal is to find the thief in each region before time runs out!
There are all sorts of objects to come across, both hidden and rather obvious. Most are useful at the perfect moment, but a few of them provide ongoing bonuses.
The city is very busy, and one thing often missing is the ability to backtrack. It’s all about moving forward since the stolen relics must be found by sundown.
Every panel is interesting, often with a pop of very bright colors! It’s beautiful, but still a very dangerous adventure.
Sneaking About
Many areas involve making use of the starting specialization. Disguise can be very helpful when sneaking around and looking for pieces of information!
In other ways, though, the challenge is to carefully examine each panel. There are hidden numbers in unusual places, along with other stealthy elements.
There are a few options that lead to instantaneous death, but there are usually a few ways to improvise!
I had a wonderful time returning to this world to find some unexpected surprises once again.
A Matter of Limited Time
The timing mechanism in some gamebooks can be better than others. Here, it makes sense that not everything can be examined. The countdown to the end of the day is a central part of gameplay, and wasting valuable time often leads to a failed adventure. That’s no good! For even though the goal is to find the thieves, there is a final part of the story.
During my first attempt, I only managed to find 2 of 3 thieves before time ran out. There is a somewhat optimal way to proceed through the adventure, mainly based on the items that can be collected. I definitely didn’t remember the order!
Session Overview
Play Number: 11 and 12
Solo Mode: Designed for Solo (Included in the Base Game)
Required Play Space: 22″ x 12″
Setup Time: Almost None
Play Time: 25-30 Minutes per Play
Outcome: 13 and 27 (1 Win and 1 Loss)
After failing to collect all of the relics, I decided to start over with a different specialization. Weapon throwing just didn’t pan out! Disguise was a different story, though.
I guided my character through it all, and won!
%
10 Plays
Affordability
Price & Value
8
Functionality
Challenges & Mechanics
10
Originality
Design & Theme
7
Quality
Components & Rules
7
Reusability
Achievement & Enjoyment
8
Variability
Distinctness & Randomness
1
Continue the Conversation
Have you played Tears of a Goddess? Which one is your favorite specialization? I thought I would remember a lot more about the adventure than I did. I suppose this is another candidate for a gamebook I can return to every year. There may be some gruesome scenes I don’t particularly enjoy, yet they don’t dominate the panels. It’s a great adventure!
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