Stephen Buonocore of Stronghold Games has announced Space Sheep, a real-time, customizable, cooperative game with a possible traitor in the midst. We're still many months out from availability, but here's the press release:

"In Space Sheep!, you are Defenders in the Strategic Sheep Command (SSC) of the Lambda sector. A new race, known only as 'Wolf,' has been found. Their message is clear: total annihilation of Sheepkind. The Flock Commander and the most elite Defenders are ordered into the latest 'Shepherd' class ships with the mission of recovering all SpaceSheep, and returning them to their Home Systems via the complex hyperspace network. Unfortunately, SSC intelligence has determined that there could be members of Wolf in Sheep Commanders' uniform secretly working against you. The Defenders only have limited time and resources to bring the SpaceSheep and Shepherd ships back home, thwarting the evil Wolf plans.

For 1 to 8 players, Space Sheep! is extremely customizable, making each play experience different. Players choose the number of Systems in play (to change game complexity), the number of Tactics cards to use (changes game difficulty), the strength of the Wolf (changes game difficulty), from 0 to 3 Allegiance Cards to use (cooperation vs. competition), and the Direction Cards to use (creates variability in the game).

Tactics Cards are your resources used to move the Spacesheep and Shepherds between the Systems or for defense. The sandtimer is managed by one player, who must flip the timer over before it runs out, but ensuring that enough defense is in place, or a Wolf attack occurs forcing players to lose more cards.

'Space Sheep! is unlike other real-time and cooperative games,' said Stephen Buonocore, President of Stronghold Games. 'Anthony Rubbo has designed a puzzle-solving game that is very customizable and very scalable. By adding traitors, there is an amazing degree of tension for advanced players.' "

This sounds fun; we can't wait to try it out!

And speaking of Stronghold Games, we'll soon have reviews of the trick-taking game Little Devils, and The Crazy Creatures of Dr. Gloom—both from Stronghold. Stay tuned, and thanks for reading!