Growing up, I was a big fan of 4X computer games such as Civilization and Master of Orion. In recent years I’ve been more into tabletop gaming, but I’ve always hoped to find a board game that adequately captures the feel of a 4X. It’s a tough ask to distill all those 1’s and 0’s… Read More Review: Twilight Imperium (Fourth Edition)
What if I told you that Agricola was not originally designed to be about peaceful 17th century farmers? In fact, Uwe Rosenberg originally intended the game to be his first foray into heavily thematic Ameritrash games. He only decided to change the theme to farming at the last minute, under pressure from the publisher that… Read More Fan Theory: Agricola as an Ameritrash Game
Root’s deep asymmetry is one of its defining characteristics, making it a game that begs to be played over and over again. It is a game that takes concepts of real life conflicts and transposes them across a forest filled with charming creatures. The direct interaction in this game means that it’s up to the… Read More Review: Root
Time travel is a concept that is both fascinating and frustrating. It has inspired countless works of film and literature, with its enticing potential for intrigue and imagination. Yet attempting to manipulate the rules of time is often fraught with unforeseen consequences for the protagonists — and gaping plot holes for the writers. Few have… Read More Review: Anachrony
Concordia harkens back to the beginning of board gaming’s golden age. A time before the terms ‘Kickstarter’ and ‘stretch goal’ were part of the lexicon. Back when most of the hottest titles among board game connoisseurs were about producing and trading little wooden resources. Although Concordia feels like it is from 2003, it was actually… Read More Review: Concordia
Recently, I managed to get a group of friends together to play A Game of Thrones. I had played it once before, and had wanted to give it another try for a long time – hopefully this time with the full player count of 6. Here’s how it went.
If you’ve been following my blog for a while, you’re probably aware that I love games that push boundaries. Well, Azul does just that, offering a fresh new take on tile placement games. Rather than using the classic mechanic as simply a means to an end, the designers have asked a poignant question: why can’t… Read More Review: Azul
Starling – Atlantis – February 15, 2087 The sea has always been my home. That doesn’t mean I can’t handle the mainlands. But the team asked me to stay back in Atlantis this month, to practice my building skills. I’m the best craftsman among our task force, and we need to be able to put… Read More The Haven Journals: February 15, 2087
On the BoardGameGeek database, a few things immediately stick out about Santorini. You might immediately notice the cutesy cover art, with the cartoon images of Poseidon and Aphrodite gazing gleefully over the picturesque town of Santorini. Or the ‘weight’ of the game as voted by BGG users, a mere 1.76 out of 5. This apparent… Read More Review: Santorini
As board gaming has rapidly evolved over the past couple of decades, it’s always exciting to see the innovations people come up with. There are plenty of games that have offered a fresh take on existing mechanics, and a select few that have introduced new concepts entirely. And on rare occasions, a truly great game… Read More Review: Mansions of Madness (2nd Ed.)
The Top of the Table 