I’ve gotten a lot of great gaming sessions in these past few months. Consequently, there’s a long backlog building up of games that I haven’t quite had time to review in the usual full-length format. I’ll get around to some of these when the time is right, but for now, here are some brief thoughts… Read More Winter Recap
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.)
Hansel – Cairo – January 15, 2087 My little sister asked me to document my journey on the mainlands. She says that maybe one day someone will read it. So here I am, sitting in the newly built Cairo Central Supply Center, with dirt and sweat caked into my favorite scarf, jetlagged as all hell,… Read More The Haven Journals: January 15, 2087
Happy New Year, everybody! With the calendars changing, this seems like a good time to look back on my progress over the past year. Since setting out one year ago to play every game in the BoardGameGeek Top 100, I have nearly reached the halfway point. By my count, I’ve played 46 games on the… Read More 2017: Year in Review
How many thousands of words have I written about worker placement games so far this year? I’ve lost count. It’s a great mechanic which many of the best games are built upon — but it feels like there are just SO MANY of them in the BGG Top 100. So, at this point, I think… Read More Review: The Gallerist
There are a lot of really comprehensive reviews of Terra Mystica out there. This is not one of them. Terra Mystica is a game of incredible depth, and I’ve barely scratched the surface. So far I’ve only had a chance to try out seven of the fourteen available factions, which each come with their own… Read More Review: Terra Mystica
Hale – Q’anyda – December 31, 2086 To all those who read this letter – this is the story of humanity’s heroic last stand, in the face of insurmountable odds. Our leaders have vanished, and supplies are dwindling. Five of us have stepped forward to venture out to the mainland in search of supplies, aid,… Read More The Haven Journals: December 31, 2086
The Top of the Table 