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Showing posts from August, 2023

Eminent Domain Escalation: Review

Eminent Domain Escalation: Review Information: Mechanics:  Deck Building, Follow, Hand Management Player Age:  10+  Player Count:  2 - 5  Players Time to Play:  45   Minutes  Game Designer:   Seth Jaffee Game Artist:   Gavan Brown,  Eric J. Carter,  Ryan Johnson Publisher : Tasty Minstrel Games Year Published:  2014 BGG Weight:  2.88 Disclaimer:  A review copy for the game was provided by the publisher. Introduction: Escalation is the first expansion for Eminent Domain. The expansion covers a wide range of content including new technology, new planets and, more specifically, it enhances the options available to you when you go down the path of war. Fleet: In the base game the ship tokens were shaped differently but had no gameplay alteration. That has changed with the inclusion of Escalation. There are now three levels of fleets; the fighter, destroyer and battlecruiser. This is shown in the fleet tile that will ...

Tarantula Tango: Review

Tarantula Tango: Review Information: Mechanics:  Party, Speed, Pattern Recognition, Real-Time  Player Age:  7+  Player Count: 2  - 5   Players Time to Play:  20  Minutes  Game Designer:  Jacques Zeimet Game Artist:  Rolf Vogt Publisher : Drei Magier Spiele Year Published:  2009 BGG Weight:  1.21 Introduction: Drei Magier Spiele has a series of animal/insect themed party games that play quick and come in an easy portable case. Tarantula Tango, otherwise known as Tarantel Tango, is a speed game where the beautiful female tarantula is looking for a dance partner. Each turn a player will respond to the last card played and then flip and place their top card. Any mistakes will see that player picking up all the played cards. Once a player has no cards left they are the ultimate dance partner and win the game.  Game Anatomy: Tarantula Board: In the centre of play will be a five-sided tarantula board and players will play ca...

Widget Ridge: Review

Widget Ridge: Review Information: Mechanics:  Head to Head, Engine Builder, Deck-Building Player Age:  12+ Player Count:  1 - 2 Players Time to Play:  15 - 45  Minutes  Game Designer:  Ian Taylor Game Artist:  Matt Burton Publisher : Furious Tree Games Year Published:  2019 Disclaimer:  A review copy for the game was provided by the publisher. Introduction: Each player will start with a ten-card deck used to generate gold and spark. Gold is only valid for that turn but the spark is saved from turn to turn. When a player reaches 100 spark they win the game. Following the rules of all deck-building games, players will improve their deck throughout the game, and will gain new ways to generate gold/spark. As well as this, players will build a modular engine in front of them in the form of their invention. The invention can be built by combining three types of cards and can be augmented and changed throughout gameplay. Card Anatomy: Starting ...

Clank Catacombs: Rapid Review

Clank Catacombs: Rapid Review Information: Mechanics:  Deck-Building, Push Your Luck, Exploration, Tile Placement Player Age:  13+  Player Count:  2 - 4  Players Time to Play:  45 - 90  Minutes  Game Designer:  Paul Dennen Game Artist:  Clay Brooks, Anika Burrell, Nate Storm, Dan Taylor (II) Publisher : Direwolf Year Published:  2022 BGG Weight:  2.18 Rundown:  Clank has returned with a standalone expansion, Clank Catacombs. The main change in this version is instead of having one static board, the board is constructed as players play through numerous tiles. Appeal: The appeal is easy with this game, it targets two types of players;  those intrigued by the mechanisms but prefer tile-laying games/variable maps, and the players who are pre-existing fans of Clank. For the fans, this standalone game is completely compatible with existing content (unlike Clank in Space). This means that the cards in the deck...

Liberatores: Rapid Review

Liberatores: Rapid Review Information: Mechanics:  Social Deduction,  Negotiation  Player Age:  13+  Player Count: 3 - 6   Players Time to Play:  30 - 60  Minutes  Game Designer:  Yan Yegorov Publisher : Moaideas Game Design Year Published:  2017 BGG Weight:  3.00 Rundown: The liberatores hide in the shadows manipulating forces to try and remove Caesar from power. The liberatores cannot trust each other, though, as there are competitors who want Caesar’s power for themself and Caesar’s personnel agent to keep him safe. Liberatores lasts seven rounds and each player will have seven turns. On your turn, you chose a citizen from the display and either endorse, bribe, or hire them. Each role has its victory condition (explained later) but essentially the players want to have more influence than caeser at the end of the game. If the track reaches 15 on Caesar’s influence during the game or Caesar has a higher influence total than t...