
- BGG rating
- 8.0
Tough Calls: Dystopia – Emergencias y Desafíos
- 3–5 players
- 40–50 min
- Complexity 1.0/5
- 2022

2020
Rules assistance for Tough Calls: Dystopia
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
For 3 players

What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Tough Calls: Dystopia is a board game released in 2020 for 3–5 players, 45–60 minutes per game, and ages 12 and up. It was designed by Diego Burgos and Margarita Pino and its main mechanics are Storytelling, Role Playing, and Voting.
Tough Calls: Dystopia is a narrative and argumentative game set in a series of post-apocalyptic scenarios like an alien invasion, the attack of colossal beasts that have emerged from the depths of the sea or even a drought that has almost completely desertified the planet, making water the most valuable resource. Each participant must build a character and try to convince everyone else on how to best manage and survive the adversities of each playthrough. The game's main mechanism is similar to a debate in which each player must confront different complications and events that may happen during a round, trying to find clever ways of surviving in order to prove to your fellow survivors that you are the best choice to lead the colony of survivors. Tough Calls is a board game that incorporates some aspects of role-playing games, where the competitive part remains in the background while the immersive and narrative part takes more prominence. This can be seen in the different roles that each participant will take, as well as the choice of the scenario and the unique story that players will tell. The sum of this makes it practically impossible to have two equal playthroughs. —description from the publisher Tough Calls es un juego narrativo y argumentativo ambientado en una serie de escenarios post-apocalípticos que van desde una invasión alienígena, el ataque de colosales bestias que han emergido de las profundidades del mar o incluso una sequía que ha desertificado casi por completo el planeta transformando al agua en el recurso más valioso. Cada participante construye un personaje que intenta convencer al resto de como sobrellevar del mejor modo las adversidades del escenario, y demostrar ser la mejor opción para liderar la colonia de sobrevivientes. El juego usa una estructura similar a los debates presidenciales, donde en cada ronda los jugadores deberán responder a distintas complicaciones o sucesos del escenario, buscando conseguir los votos del resto. Tough Calls es un juego de tablero que incorpora ciertas dinámicas de los juegos de rol, donde la competencia queda en segundo plano, mientras cobra más protagonismo la experiencia misma que surge en la partida. Tanto por los distintos roles que tomarán los participantes, como por la elección del escenario o los eventos que sucedan, es prácticamente imposible tener dos partidas similares con este título. —descripción de la editorial
Tough Calls: Dystopia supports 3–5 players according to the catalogue. This range comes from the publisher’s listed player count, so the game can be set up for any group size within it. Some setups, rules and scoring details may still vary by player count, so check your edition’s rulebook for the exact configuration.
The listed playing time for Tough Calls: Dystopia is 45–60 minutes. This is the publisher’s estimate for a full game. The actual duration depends on the group, the player count and familiarity with the rules: first sessions usually run longer, while experienced groups often finish faster. Setup and teaching time are not included in this estimate.
The catalogue lists Tough Calls: Dystopia for ages 12 and up. This is the publisher’s recommendation and reflects reading demands, rule complexity and small components rather than theme alone. Younger players can often join with help from an adult, so check the age guidance on your edition and consider your group’s experience with board games.
Tough Calls: Dystopia has a complexity rating of 1.2 out of 5 from BoardGameGeek players, which makes it a light game. The rating reflects how much rules knowledge, planning and decision-making a typical game demands. Expect a longer first teach for heavier games, and use a preparation guide before game night.
Tough Calls: Dystopia belongs to these categories: Science Fiction. Its main mechanics are Storytelling, Role Playing, and Voting. Categories describe the theme and setting of a game, while mechanics describe what players actually do on their turns. Each mechanic links to a catalogue hub with similar games, which helps when you want something comparable.
The credited designers of Tough Calls: Dystopia are: Diego Burgos and Margarita Pino. These credits come from the published game data and name the people responsible for the game’s design, not its illustrators or publishers. Designer pages on MeepleRules collect other titles by the same designers, which helps when you enjoy a game and want to find similar ones.
The catalogue lists Tough Calls: Dystopia as a base game. It can be played on its own with the components in the box and does not require any other title. Expansions, if any exist, add new content or rules on top of it and are listed separately in the catalogue with a link back to this base game.