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Read more about the article Paladins of the West Kingdom Review

Paladins of the West Kingdom Review

  • Post published:14 April 2024
  • Reading time:4 mins read

Paladins is the second game in the West Kingdom series and is notably the heaviest and most involved one. This is a worker placement game with a unique twist. There…

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Read more about the article Art Society Board Game Review

Art Society Board Game Review

  • Post published:11 April 2024
  • Reading time:5 mins read

Art Society is a tile-placement game for 2 to 4 players. In this game, players build their art gallery by bidding on paintings and placing them on their boards that…

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Read more about the article 7 Wonders: Architects and Medals Expansion Review

7 Wonders: Architects and Medals Expansion Review

  • Post published:3 April 2024
  • Reading time:7 mins read

7 Wonders: Architect is a reimplementation of the highly acclaimed board game 7 Wonders. In this game, players race to construct a wonder while engaging in battles and making scientific…

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Read more about the article Agricola 15 (Anniversary Edition) Review

Agricola 15 (Anniversary Edition) Review

  • Post published:29 March 2024
  • Reading time:7 mins read

Agricola and its anniversary editions have a long history. Years ago, many people were actively testing hundreds of cards for what was expected to be an all-inclusive deluxe version of…

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Read more about the article Kutná Hora: The City of Silver Review

Kutná Hora: The City of Silver Review

  • Post published:22 March 2024
  • Reading time:5 mins read

Kutná Hora: The City of Silver is a city-building Eurogame for 2-4 players. In this dynamic and interactive game, players construct buildings and mines to increase their production and income,…

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Read more about the article Expeditions Board Game Review

Expeditions Board Game Review

  • Post published:9 March 2024
  • Reading time:5 mins read

Expeditions, a new game by Stonemaier Games for 1 to 5 players, continues the legacy of Scythe with some familiar design elements while also forging its own identity. Gameplay Similar…

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Read more about the article Forest Shuffle Review

Forest Shuffle Review

  • Post published:24 February 2024
  • Reading time:4 mins read

Forest Shuffle is a quick tableau-building card game for 2 to 4 players. The goal is to build a thriving ecosystem within your tableau by placing trees and tucking cards…

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Read more about the article Vampire The Masquerade CHAPTERS Review

Vampire The Masquerade CHAPTERS Review

  • Post published:19 February 2024
  • Reading time:10 mins read

Vampire: The Masquerade – CHAPTERS is a cooperative campaign game for 1 to 4 players based on the popular Vampire: The Masquerade IP. In this story-rich experience, players take on…

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What is your favorite tile-laying game?Kalypso i What is your favorite tile-laying game?Kalypso is a new tile-laying game from Inside Up Games, coming to Kickstarter soon!I received a prototype copy of this game, and while the rulebook is still a work in progress, I tried the solo mode and can say it has a lot of potential! The game can be played cooperatively or competitively. You place salvage tiles on the board to form a base layer, then build on top of it to create a settlement that can house and sustain people/survivors.There are end-of-round and end-of-game objectives that guide both your short- and long-term goals, and each building provides benefits that help you expand your settlement, support the population, or move closer to completing objectives. It may take a game or two to understand how the buildings interact and how their effects can help you achieve your goals, but once you’re familiar with them, the gameplay feels quite straightforward (again, keep in mind that the rules are not finalized yet).The components are an interesting aspect of the game. The boards and base layer tiles are covered with a special material that creates friction and holds the tiles firmly in place. I’ve never seen this in a tile-laying game before, and I love it. In most tile-laying games, it’s easy to mess up your board with sudden movements. While the second layer of your settlement in Kalypso is no exception, the secure first layer makes it far less likely.Kalypso is launching on Kickstarter on September 23, and there will be a pre-launch bonus if you follow the campaign before the launch date. You can find more information about the game here: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/insideupgames/kalypso?ref=3y25qxDo you enjoy tile-laying games? Does Kalypso pique your interest?
Do you have a favorite game with a gardening theme Do you have a favorite game with a gardening theme? Have you played Botanicus?In Botanicus, each player has a board that acts as their garden. You move your gardener around (by paying coins) and plant flowers. The flowers start as seeds in pots and grow as you water them. The twist is that each row of the garden has objectives, which determine the types and levels of flowers required in that row. So, you need to plan and match the objectives to score their points while also aiming for endgame scoring.Gaining seeds, planting them, watering the pots, and earning coins all happen through action selection on the main board. There are four possible actions available to players in each round, and they are taken one by one, so the options are always limited and making decisions is quick and easy.There are also three tracks that provide various benefits. You can move along these tracks using main actions on the board. Reaching the end of each track scores points, and then you go back to the start of that track.The game comes with both basic and advanced modes. In the basic mode, all player boards are the same, and the five critters in player colors only score points. In the advanced mode, player boards are asymmetric and the critters provide various benefits.This game is quick and fun. Even though it comes with two modes and the basic mode is good for teaching the game, the advanced mode is the only way to play. The boards provide variety, the critter powers add depth, and overall there are more decisions to make. The production quality is great with thick cardboard and included tuckboxes to organize everything in the box. The mechanics aren’t revolutionary, so if you don’t like the theme, there’s no reason to get this game. But if you like the theme or don’t mind it, there’s a good chance you’ll have a great time with it. It’s also available on BGA if you want to give it a try.What are your thoughts? Have you played this game?Please keep in mind that we received a review copy of this game from @asmodee_canada.
Finspan or Wingspan? Have you played the latest ad Finspan or Wingspan? Have you played the latest addition to the Wingspan lineup?Finspan shares a lot of DNA with Wingspan and feels familiar in many ways, but it also introduces new mechanics and changes things up. Overall, it’s more streamlined and straightforward than Wingspan. That said, it’s not quite simple enough to be the absolute entry point to the series. If someone can learn Finspan, they can learn Wingspan with just a bit more effort.We weren’t sure how much we’d enjoy a fish-themed game, but it turned out to be incredibly fun and plays quickly. If I had to pick only one, I’d still choose Wingspan, but Finspan is different enough to justify owning both, especially for lighter gaming sessions.The component quality is excellent, just like other games from Stonemaier Games. As for the art, the player boards are beautiful, but I’m not the biggest fan of the cards. They look a bit bland, though that’s understandable given they depict fish.The full review is now live on the website (link in bio).What are your thoughts? Have you played this one?[Please note that we received a review copy of this game @jameystegmaier]
Have you played Crafting the Cosmos?Crafting the Have you played Crafting the Cosmos?Crafting the Cosmos revolves around gathering different types of resources and using them to fill your board with nebulae and completing them to score the most points.You gather resources by moving your energy tokens or the neutral black ones around the console. You have up to three moves and then gain resources next to all tokens. That includes your own token, which gives you a bigger reward, and all other tokens, including your opponents'. The three movements are not always enough to get everything you want, depending on what your opponents do. So, you have to make tactical decisions every round.In the crafting phase of your turn, you place everything you've collected onto your board. The main goal is to surround nebula tokens with the required stars printed on them to score points. The way placements work and how you move stars around your board is fun and requires careful planning.The biggest downside of the game might be the downtime. Since there are shared objectives, ideally you want to wait for your opponent to fully finish their turn before you start yours. However, if someone is prone to analysis paralysis, you could be waiting a while. That’s why we ended up playing simultaneously as much as possible and ignored the competetion for the objectives. It's also a reason why we wouldn’t play it with more than two players.The best part of the game is its components and production quality. The resources are excellent, the dual-layer player boards are fantastic, and the insert is functional. Half of the insert goes on the table and is used in gameplay as the console, keeping the resources accessible in the middle of the table. That said, considering the size of the box, the insert could be improved to provide more space for the components. Fitting everything back in the box isn't exactly easy. Player aids could have also been a helpful addition.What are your thoughts? Have you played this game?Thank you to @officedoggames for sending us a review copy of this game.
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