Android: Netrunner

About this board game

Android: Netrunner is a thrilling, dystopian card game for two players. It’s a game of high-stakes, futuristic intrigue, set in the world of the ‘Android’ universe, where players take on the roles of a mega-corporation and a hacker, battling for control in the cybernetic future.

The game is set in a not-so-distant future where humanity has advanced technology to incredible heights. However, this has resulted in a dystopian society, where large corporations hold immense power and hackers or ‘runners’ are the subversive elements trying to disrupt their plans.

The game is asymmetrical, which means each player has different objectives and methods of achieving victory. One player assumes the role of the Corporation, aiming to advance their agendas and protect their intellectual property. The other player, the Runner, seeks to infiltrate the Corporation’s systems and steal valuable data.

As the Corporation, your goal is to secure your servers and advance your agendas before the Runner can steal them. You do this by installing ice (Intrusion Countermeasures Electronics), which are essentially firewalls that protect your servers. The Corporation also has access to various assets, upgrades, and operations which help them in their goal.

On the other side of the table, as the Runner, your goal is to successfully run on the Corporation’s servers to steal their agendas. The Runner has various programs, hardware, and resources at their disposal to help them bypass the Corporation’s defenses.

The game is unique because of its heavy emphasis on bluffing and risk assessment. As the Corporation, you can install your cards face down, keeping the Runner guessing about what dangers lie in wait. As the Runner, you must decide when to risk running on unknown servers and when to build up your resources for a more substantial assault.

Here are some core mechanics of the game:

1. Clicks: Each turn, players have a certain number of actions, or ‘clicks’, they can take. This includes drawing cards, installing cards, making runs (for the Runner), or advancing agendas (for the Corporation).
2. Credits: The in-game currency. Players spend credits to install cards, break ice, advance agendas, and more.
3. Runs: The primary way the Runner interacts with the Corporation. A run is an attempt to access the Corporation’s servers and steal their agendas.
4. Agendas: The primary win condition for both players. The Corporation tries to advance agendas for points, while the Runner tries to steal them.

Android: Netrunner is a deeply strategic and immersive game, where every decision matters and a single mistake can cost you everything. The combination of its rich theme, asymmetrical gameplay, and bluffing mechanics make it a truly unique and engaging experience.