The moment I finally opened Gloomhaven: Jaws of the Lion and dug into its contents, excitement and intimidation set in. Billed as a streamlined intro to the sprawling Gloomhaven franchise, deep tactical gameplay sans the setup and complexity of the original was promised. Even in this more palatable format, though, I would soon learn that in order to succeed, careful planning, teamwork, and adaptability are called for. My first scenario saw me playing as the…
Uwe Rosenberg’s Agricola, published by Lookout Games, is a masterful blend of the resource-management, worker-placement, and strategic planning. The players…
Wolfgang Warsch could be a broom designer—he has some sort of magic dust to sprinkle on board games to make…
Alright, let’s talk about something that’s a little risky but oh-so-exciting—a game on Kickstarter. Kickstarter has turned into a mecca for both the players of board games and the creators of them, a place where the wildest thoughts and ideas of making new, innovative games come to life thanks to people all around the globe who are willing to take that risk. Every backer has a vested interest now: a novice or an experienced one…
“On Mars” is a daring and incredibly complicated board game. Its designer is Vital Lacerda, and it’s published by Eagle-Gryphon…
Oh, the thrill of being the bad guy. There is always something special about playing the antagonist, donning the villain’s…
Consider this: you’ve got game night with friends all set up, snacks ready, and instead of flipping on the TV for a quick movie marathon, you set out the board game of one of your favorite films. Not much gets cooler in the world of board games than when our favorite movies become them. There has been, over the years, a growing trend toward bringing acclaimed, much-loved movies into our world of board gaming. Starting…
Tzolk’in: The Mayan Calendar is a game that will envelop you with its brilliant details and intricate design. Paolo Mori…
My earliest recollection of playing Catan was on a family vacation. At first, the game seemed difficult, but we soon…
The inspiration for Robinson Crusoe comes from the classic novel of the same name by Daniel Defoe. What follows that, though, is some of the most finely designed multiplayer survival “gaming” in existence. The carpenter (good at building stuff), the cook (good at staving off hunger), and the other characters you can choose from are all about as thematically perfect as you can get. Whether landing by happenstance or being tied up and led to…
Splendor, designed by Marc André and published by Space Cowboys, has been widely acclaimed since its 2014 release as a…
Scythe is a game for board game enthusiasts. It fascinates, baffles, and questions their basic terms. Set in an alternate-historical 1920s, Scythe : the Board Game skillfully weaves together elements of strategy, resource management, and area control. For those who take the plunge into this intricately-wrought world it is an overwhelming experience. Created by Jamey Stegmaier and published by Stonemaier Games, Scythe has turned the tables in my own board game collection ever since its…
Viticulture is a game that swiftly makes you forget your surroundings and transports you to its alternate reality—the peaceful vineyards…
In the cooperative adventure, The Crew: The Quest for Planet Nine, 1-4 players work together to complete a series of…