Faraway
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The FroGames Card
You're playing the eighth card. You look at your row from the left and realize: in five minutes you'll start counting from the right. And that card you played on the second turn now seems like a huge mistake.
WHAT IT IS ABOUT
A puzzle of anticipation where the future is already written, but you read it in reverse
Faraway is a game by Johannes Goupy and Corentin Lebrat, published by Catch Up Games in 2023 with illustrations by Maxime Morin. The continent of Alula changes shape with the rhythm of the seasons: players explore these shifting lands trying to gain fame through discovered secrets and encountered inhabitants.
Each player builds a row of 8 cards from left to right, representing the regions traveled. At the end of the game, you go back and count points in reverse order: from right to left. The cards played at the beginning become objectives, the final ones resolve them. The heart of the game is right here: each card serves both to create new conditions to be met and to complete those established previously. The draft is simultaneous with a priority system that makes every choice a gamble on time.
What they say abroad
A simple card game that hides surprising depth. Each game is a different puzzle to solve with hindsight.
— FroGames
"The reverse scoring creates delicious tension as you watch your carefully laid plans unfold backwards."
The reverse counting creates a delicious tension as you watch your plans unfold backward.
— Board Game Quest
Faraway
FrogScore · FroGames editorial rating · based on rules, international reviews, and play sessionsThe cards that build the puzzle
Four elements that make Faraway a different game
Region Cards
Each card represents a place in Alula. Some give you immediate points, others require conditions to be met later. The choice is never neutral: you are writing your game in two directions.
Conditional Objectives
Many cards are only worth points if, later in your row, you have played certain symbols or colors. The problem? You play them before you know what you'll draw next. Anticipate or pray.
Priority System
After playing your card, you draw from the shared river. Whoever plays last has less choice. Being slow can cost you the perfect card; being fast leaves you with less information.
Reverse Scoring
End of game: you count points from right to left. The first cards played become the last to be resolved. That character who asked for 3 mountains? Now you find out if you actually played them in subsequent turns.
🎲How to playThe rules in four steps▼
How to play
The flow of each round
Eight identical turns, but each heavier than the last.
From your hand of 3 cards, choose one and play it face up in your personal row, from left to right. Everyone plays simultaneously. Whoever finishes first has priority in the draft.
In order of priority (whoever played first chooses first), each player takes 1 card from the shared face-up card river. Remaining cards slide down, a new one is added.
You now have 3 cards in hand again. You look at your row, you look at what the cards you've already played ask for, you try to understand if what you have in hand will save you or doom you.
Start over from step 1. After 8 turns, everyone has a complete row of 8 cards. At that point, everything is flipped and counted: from right to left, card by card, condition by condition.
⏱️Your first gameThe chronicle, moment by moment▼
A game in five moments
What happens at the table
Not the rules. The experience.
The optimistic beginning
Everyone draws 3 cards, looks at the shared river. The first choices seem easy: take the one with the most points, play the one you like. You haven't yet realized you're writing the end of your game.
The first regret
Fourth turn. That card you wanted was taken by the player before you. You draw another from the river, but it asks for symbols you don't have. You start to calculate: what have I already played? What do I still need? The table gets quieter.
The central gamble
You're halfway through your row. In front of you are cards that promise big points, but only if you complete impossible sets. Do you play it safe or risk it? Who's winning can already be seen by the length of the pauses: the more you think, the more trouble you're in.
The last card
Turn 8. Your row is complete. You look at those 8 cards from left to right and try to remember what the first one asked for. Someone at the table smiles. Someone else shakes their head. No one is sure of anything.
The backward count
You count from right to left. Each card reveals if the previous ones were brilliant or wrong. When you reach the first card, you discover the result of your plan made 20 minutes ago. Someone wins by 2 points. Everyone wants to play again immediately.
🐸Good to know beforehandThree honest things, from friends▼
Good to know beforehand
Three things you need to know before playing
The first game is a disaster
You don't understand how important the order is until you count the points. The first time you play cards randomly, you get to the end and discover you've scored 15 points instead of 60. That's normal. The second game you're already a different player: you start thinking in reverse and planning from the last card.
The priority system punishes slow players
Whoever plays last drafts last. If you take too long to decide, others have already taken the best cards from the river. With 5-6 players, you might be left with only useless cards. Thinking fast is part of the game, not a flaw: you have to evaluate quickly and accept the risk.
Zero control over opponents
You can't attack anyone, sabotage plans, or steal points. Everyone plays their own game. Interaction is indirect: they steal the card you wanted from the river, but there's no strategic malice. If you're looking for a direct confrontation game, this is not it.
🏆Victory and defeatWhat the ending rewards▼
How it ends
How to win and how to lose
After 8 turns, you count. From right to left, each card is worth the printed points plus bonuses from fulfilled conditions. The player with the most points wins.
Victory
- You anticipated well: the cards played at the beginning required symbols that you later lined up
- You exploited the draft: you took the right cards at the right time, outsmarting those who came after
- You balanced risk and safety: some cards gave certain points, others big gambles that you hit
Defeat
- You played cards with impossible conditions to meet: promised points, zero realized
- You missed the timing in the draft: you were always last, always drafting scraps
- You played too safe: certain but low points, while others risked and won
A game of Faraway lasts half an hour and teaches you something about how to plan backward. That's a lot for a card game.
💬Frequently Asked QuestionsQuick answers before checkout▼
Frequently Asked Questions
Faraway FAQ
What mechanics does Faraway use?
The core is hand management and open drafting. You play cards from your hand to build a row, then draft from a shared river with variable priority. It also includes set collection (collecting symbols/colors to meet conditions) and simultaneous action selection (everyone plays together, speed matters). The twist is reverse scoring: you count points in the opposite order to how you played the cards.
Does it work well with 6 players?
It works, but it's less fluid. The draft slows down because you have to wait for 5 people before you to choose from the river. If you play last, you often end up with the least useful cards. With 2-4 players, the rhythm is better: less waiting, more control over the draft. The game rules don't change, but the feeling does.
Is it a game that you learn quickly?
The rules are: 5 minutes and you're in the game. The problem is that you don't understand what to do until you've played a full game. The first game is almost always a disaster: you count the points and discover that the card from turn 2 was worth nothing. From the second game onwards, you start thinking ahead and the game truly opens up.
Can it be played solo?
No, there is no official solo mode. The game thrives on competitive drafting: drawing cards from a shared river knowing that others are looking at the same things. In solo play, all the tension of timing and priority would be missing. You need at least one other player for it to make sense.
Is it available in Italian?
Yes, this is the Italian edition published by GateOnGames. Cards, rulebook, and all materials are translated. The text on the cards is minimal (mostly symbols and numbers), but where needed, it's in Italian.
The people behind the game
Who invented it, who designed it, who publishes it — and what else they've done.
Faraway is a card game for 2-6 players, ages 10+, duration 15-30 minutes, designed by Johannes Goupy and Corentin Lebrat. It uses hand management, simultaneous drafting, and set collection mechanics with a twist: cards are scored in reverse order to how they are played. Each player builds a row of 8 cards from left to right, then resolves them from right to left, discovering if the conditions set at the beginning have been met. Published by GateOnGames in Italian, it includes a priority system in the draft that rewards fast players. Available on frogames.business with immediate shipping.
Faraway
Frequently Asked Questions
The answers you're looking for, no beating around the bush.
📸Do the images match the actual product?
The photos on the website often come from BoardGameGeek and are intended to give you an idea of the game. They may vary slightly from the version you receive. The content declared by the publisher is always binding.
📦Does the content of the box match what is indicated?
We always strive to provide the correct content, but minor variations are possible due to reprints or updates. The information comes directly from the publishers. If you have any questions, please contact us!
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