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Read more about the article Coffee Rush Board Game Review

Coffee Rush Board Game Review

  • Post published:18 January 2024
  • Reading time:3 mins read

Coffee Rush is a quick filler game designed for 2 to 4 players. In this game, players take orders, collect ingredients, and race to fulfill as many orders as they…

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Read more about the article Descent: Legends of the Dark Review

Descent: Legends of the Dark Review

  • Post published:14 January 2024
  • Reading time:8 mins read

Descent: Legends of the Dark is an app-driven dungeon crawler campaign designed for 1 to 4 players. In this game, players step into the roles of heroes, engaging in battles,…

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Read more about the article Trailblazer: The John Muir Trail Review

Trailblazer: The John Muir Trail Review

  • Post published:25 December 2023
  • Reading time:3 mins read

In Trailblazer: the John Muir Trail, players embark on a 12-day journey along the iconic John Muir Trail, aiming to earn the most points through exploration, reaching milestones, and collecting…

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Read more about the article Furnace and Furnace Interbellum Review

Furnace and Furnace Interbellum Review

  • Post published:26 November 2023
  • Reading time:4 mins read

In Furnace, a quick and engaging engine-building game, players compete for cards through bidding, either adding them to their tableau by winning bids or gaining compensation in the form of…

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Read more about the article Earth Board Game Review

Earth Board Game Review

  • Post published:8 November 2023
  • Reading time:5 mins read

Earth has been very popular this year, and there's a good reason for that. This game, which revolves around constructing an ecosystem using flora and terrain cards, beautifully combines nature's…

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Read more about the article Targi & Targi: The Expansion Review

Targi & Targi: The Expansion Review

  • Post published:26 September 2023
  • Reading time:4 mins read

Targi is a fun game for two players that's a bit different from your usual board game. The game board is formed by a 5 by 5 grid of cards.…

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Read more about the article Eila and Something Shiny Review

Eila and Something Shiny Review

  • Post published:7 September 2023
  • Reading time:5 mins read

Eila and Something Shiny is a captivating solo/cooperative campaign game that delves into the journey of a mythical creature called Eila. Initially funded through a successful Kickstarter campaign, this once…

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Read more about the article After Us Board Game Review

After Us Board Game Review

  • Post published:28 August 2023
  • Reading time:4 mins read

Overview After Us is a new card game from Catch Up Games and Pandasaurus Games for one to six players. The game is a race to 80 points and is…

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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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