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FroGames — Moments You'll Remember
Some rebuild quickly, some explore too far, some fight creatures that shouldn't exist. And in the end, there's always a story to tell.
WHAT IT'S ABOUT
A lost village, four heroes, one chance to return home
Ryan Laukat (author and illustrator of Above and Below and Near and Far) concludes the Arzium trilogy with Now or Never, a narrative strategy game set twenty years after the fall of the Monument. A crystalline meteorite has poured alien creatures onto the land, forcing villagers into exile. Now the creatures are weakening, slowly petrifying. It's time to return, rebuild, and reclaim home. Before someone else does.
At the table, you compete with other players to rebuild the village most efficiently, choosing where and what to build to maximize benefits. Fight residual creatures to save travelers on their way home. Explore bizarre territories, hire specialists from other players for unique actions, and if you play in story mode, read paragraphs from the narrative book that change based on your choices and the character you play. Each game tells a different story.
What they say abroad
A return to the world of Arzium rich in narrative choices and strategic building.
— FroGames
Four asymmetric campaigns, each with its own perspective on the world.
— FroGames
Now or Never
The game includes official solo rules with a bot opponent who manages building and combat via card decks. The experience is complete, and the story mode remains intact, but it loses interaction with other players' specialists and competition over building spaces. Excellent for those who want to explore narrative campaigns alone.
FrogScore · FroGames editorial rating · based on rules, international reviews, and gameplay sessionsWhat you have in front of you
The elements of your village
Building Tiles
Each tile is a building to place in the village. It generates resources, abilities, victory points. Where you place it determines future synergies and bonuses.
Asymmetric Characters
Four protagonists with unique decks, abilities, and narrative campaigns. Each has different goals and paths through the world.
Creatures of the Meteorite
Bizarre monsters that block paths. Fighting them frees travelers and brings rewards, but requires planning and resources.
Story Book
In story mode, read paragraphs based on your choices. Each character has their own narrative branches, with different tones and perspectives.
Recommended sleeves 90 cards in 1 size ▼
If you play often, we recommend protecting your cards with clear sleeves to make them last longer.
| Size | Quantity |
|---|---|
| 59 × 92 mm | 90 |
| Total cards | 90 |
In three hours, you'll have rebuilt a village. In six months, you'll still remember your story.
A game in five moments
What happens at the table
Not the rules. The experience.
The Return
Choose your character, read their introduction from the book. The village is empty, the tiles are shuffled. You draw the first cards, look at the options. Where to build first is the question that decides everything.
The First Construction
You place the first building. Some go for immediate resources, others aim for the long term. The character's special abilities begin to emerge. Choices diverge immediately.
Exploration
You start sending your character out of the village. You fight creatures, save travelers, read paragraphs from the book. Each narrative choice opens or closes future paths. Campaigns branch out.
The Village Takes Shape
The tableau in front of you has grown. Synergies between buildings activate. You hire other players' specialists for actions you don't have. Everyone is rushing towards the conclusion, but with different strategies.
The End of the Journey
Last turn. You count building points, saved travelers, completed narrative objectives. Someone wins on points, but everyone has a story to tell. And they'll probably want to play another character.
How to play
The flow of each round
Each player takes their full turn, then passes to the next. Play is not simultaneous.
Draw cards from your character deck or the common reserve. Choose which ones to keep in hand and which to discard to activate abilities.
Perform up to 3 actions: construct buildings (by placing tiles), hire other players' specialists, explore (move your character), fight creatures, or use building abilities.
If you fight a creature, roll dice and resolve effects. Win: save travelers and gain rewards. Lose: suffer damage or lose resources.
If you explore a location, read the corresponding paragraph from the book. Make choices that influence your campaign. Some open new cards or abilities.
Why it's different from others
Six mechanics that make a difference
Non-Euclidean construction
You don't build on a grid. Buildings attach to the sides of existing ones, creating irregular shapes. Where you place determines which bonuses activate and which synergies you unlock. Every village is unique.
Total asymmetry
The four characters are not variants of the same game. They have different decks, unique abilities, exclusive narrative paths. Playing with one character is playing a different game.
Branching narrative
In story mode, the choices you make open or close future paragraphs. Each character has different perspectives on the same events. You can play 4 complete campaigns without repeating stories.
Deep indirect interaction
You don't attack others, but you hire their specialists for unique actions. You compete for the best building spaces. Interaction is silent but constant.
Combat as a puzzle
Creatures are not random encounters. You need to prepare, bring the right cards, calculate the risks. Combat is a strategic choice, not a random event.
Scalable duration
You can play games of 45 minutes (standard short mode) or campaigns of 3 hours (full story mode). The game adapts to the time you have.
How it ends
How to win and how to lose
The game ends when a player reaches a certain number of victory points or when the exploration deck runs out.
Victory
- Maximize building points: constructions with active synergies are worth more
- Save travelers: each group saved from creatures brings points and resources
- Complete narrative objectives: in story mode, some choices give additional victory points
Low score
- Build without planning: isolated buildings yield little
- Ignore combat: unsaved travelers are lost points
- Explore too early: wasted resources on exploration instead of efficient construction
Now or Never is the game for those who want strategy with narrative weight. Every game is a campaign. Every character is a new game. The world of Arzium awaits you.
Frequently asked questions
FAQ about Now or Never
Do I have to play Above and Below and Near and Far before Now or Never?
No. Now or Never is set in the same world but is completely standalone. The story takes place twenty years after the events of the previous games, but you don't need to know them to play. That said, those who have played them will recognize places, characters, and references that enrich the experience.
Is story mode mandatory?
No. You can play in standard mode (mechanics only, without a narrative book) for faster, more competitive games. Story mode adds narrative branches and paragraphs to read, but the game works perfectly well without it. Many prefer the story for the first few games, then alternate.
How long does a game really last?
It depends on the mode. Standard short: 45-60 minutes. Standard full: 90-120 minutes. Full story: 120-180 minutes. The first game is always slower (add 30-45 minutes). After 2-3 games, times stabilize.
Are the characters balanced?
They are asymmetrical, not symmetrical. They do not have the same strength in the same areas. Some excel in combat, others in construction, others in exploration. The balance lies in the fact that each character has different winning paths. There isn't one objectively stronger character, but each requires different strategies.
Is it available in Italian?
Yes, this is the Italian Pendragon Games edition. All cards, the rulebook, and the storybook are translated into Italian. Ryan Laukat's illustrations are identical to the original edition.
Now or Never is a narrative strategy game for 1-4 players, aged 14 and up, with games lasting 45 to 180 minutes. Designed by Ryan Laukat, it concludes the Arzium trilogy with a hybrid mechanic that combines tile placement, tactical combat, and branching narrative. Each player takes on one of four asymmetrical characters, rebuilds the lost village of the Monument, and fights the alien creatures of the crystalline meteorite. Story mode offers unique narrative campaigns for each character, with choices that open or close future paths. Published by Pendragon Games in the Italian edition, it includes a complete storybook, building tiles, character decks, and official solo mode. Available on FroGames.it.
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