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Read more about the article Under Falling Skies Review

Under Falling Skies Review

  • Post published:3 April 2023
  • Reading time:3 mins read

Under Falling Skies is a solo dice placement game with the objective of reaching the top of the research track before alien ships swarm and destroy your city.

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Read more about the article Hadrian’s Wall Review

Hadrian’s Wall Review

  • Post published:27 March 2023
  • Reading time:2 mins read

Hadrian's Wall is an excellent flip-and-write game that offers more complexity than other games of its kind.

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Read more about the article Scythe Review

Scythe Review

  • Post published:27 March 2023
  • Reading time:2 mins read

Scythe is considered by many to be one of the best board games out there, and it's easy to see why.

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Read more about the article Splendor Duel Review

Splendor Duel Review

  • Post published:27 March 2023
  • Reading time:2 mins read

Splendor Duel is the new two-player version of Splendor. If you'd like to read more about the original game, check out this post on Instagram. Splendor Duel is still Splendor,…

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Read more about the article Dungeons, Dice & Danger Review

Dungeons, Dice & Danger Review

  • Post published:27 March 2023
  • Reading time:2 mins read

Dungeons, Dice & Danger is a new roll-and-write game from Alea/Ravensburger where players explore dungeons, combat monsters and discover treasures by rolling dice and marking off rooms on their player…

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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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