“Your mission: catch Jack before he strikes again. Trace your path on the map, defeat the criminals you encounter, and find the clues that will lead you to the place where Jack will strike. Stop him before he succeeds in his evil plan,” explains the designer.
To play, you simply print the map, eight cards, and eight tokens—resulting in a refreshingly small print footprint for a solo game.
You begin at a designated starting point on the map and trace the paths you take as you explore. A pencil works if you don’t mind marking the map, but sleeving it and using a dry-erase marker is the wiser long-term solution.
“When you reach a point of interest marked with a number, draw a card and try to capture the enemy using your skills and the dice. If you succeed, you earn a clue,” the designer continues. “Once you’ve collected three different clues, compare your combination with the table in the rulebook. It will tell you where to go on the map to face the final boss, ‘Jack’. Defeat Jack to win the game.”
A major part of the game’s appeal comes from the artwork by Marco Salogni, which is arguably Jack’s biggest selling point. The visuals are striking and evocative, making it genuinely appealing to bring to the table.
Jack also plays quickly. With a suggested playtime of 10–15 minutes, this is very much a coffee-break solo game.
Given its small deck of cards, single map, and brief playtime, Jack isn’t a deep strategic thinker. Luck plays a significant role thanks to the dice. Still, there’s a definite Victorian-era charm at work here—one that makes Jack: Shadows in the Fog a solid little solo time-filler.
About Author
Calvin Daniels is a Saskatchewan-born, self-taught journalist. He is currently Editor of Yorkton This Week, with 35-years in the newspaper business.
‘Jack’: A Fine-Looking Solo Filler
“Your mission: catch Jack before he strikes again. Trace your path on the map, defeat the criminals you encounter, and find the clues that will lead you to the place where Jack will strike. Stop him before he succeeds in his evil plan,” explains the designer.
To play, you simply print the map, eight cards, and eight tokens—resulting in a refreshingly small print footprint for a solo game.
You begin at a designated starting point on the map and trace the paths you take as you explore. A pencil works if you don’t mind marking the map, but sleeving it and using a dry-erase marker is the wiser long-term solution.
“When you reach a point of interest marked with a number, draw a card and try to capture the enemy using your skills and the dice. If you succeed, you earn a clue,” the designer continues. “Once you’ve collected three different clues, compare your combination with the table in the rulebook. It will tell you where to go on the map to face the final boss, ‘Jack’. Defeat Jack to win the game.”
A major part of the game’s appeal comes from the artwork by Marco Salogni, which is arguably Jack’s biggest selling point. The visuals are striking and evocative, making it genuinely appealing to bring to the table.
Jack also plays quickly. With a suggested playtime of 10–15 minutes, this is very much a coffee-break solo game.
Given its small deck of cards, single map, and brief playtime, Jack isn’t a deep strategic thinker. Luck plays a significant role thanks to the dice. Still, there’s a definite Victorian-era charm at work here—one that makes Jack: Shadows in the Fog a solid little solo time-filler.
About Author
Calvin Daniels
Calvin Daniels is a Saskatchewan-born, self-taught journalist. He is currently Editor of Yorkton This Week, with 35-years in the newspaper business.
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