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Vale of Eternity: Review Information: Mechanics:   Resource Management, Hand Management, Engine Building Player Age:  14+ Player Count: 1 - 4 Players Game Designer:  Eric Hong Game Artist: Jiahui Eva Gao, Gautier Maia, Stefano Martinuz, Erica Tormen, Jens Wiese Publisher:  Renegade, Mandoo Games Time to Play:  30 - 45 Minutes  Year Published:  2023 Disclaimer:  A review copy for the game was provided by the Lets Play Games.  Introduction: Vale of Eternity is set in a world of monsters, myths, and gods. Filled with 5 families spanning 70 cards, players are aiming to create an engine that will score them 60+ points in order to end the game and win with the most points at the end of the round. This is a game about optimising your engine once built, and knowing when to keep a card and when to sell it for peak efficiency of your engine.  Game Anatomy: Cards: The deck is made up of 70 unique cards featuring five different families; f...

Shadow Theater: Legend of the Monkey King - Review Information: Mechanics:   Worker Placement, Set Collection, Variable  Player Age:  10+ Player Count:  2   Players Game Designer:  Cédric Lefebvre, Florian Sirieix Game Artist:  Julien Rico Publisher:  Space Cowboys Time to Play:  20 Minutes  Year Published:  2025 Disclaimer:  A review copy for the game was provided by the VR Distribution.  Introduction : Shadow Theater is a quick back-and-forth, two-player game of monkey and resource dominance.  Players are aiming to win two rounds by having the most points at the end of a round. Once players understand the game, it is a race to gain enough points then push for the end-of-round condition of one resource being depleted.  Game Anatomy: Scroll Tiles: Scroll tiles allow for various player abilities. Each round players will be given two and choose one. These include a vast array that will activate throughout...

Everything Ever: Review  Information: Mechanics:  Hand Management, Party Player Age:  12+  Player Count:  2 - 10  Players Time to Play:  20   Minutes  Game Designer:   Nathan Thornton Game Artist:  Danielle Deley Publisher : Floodgate Games Year Published:  2023 BGG Weight:  1.00 Disclaimer:  A review copy for the game was provided by the publisher. Introduction : Everything Ever is a party game that finally uses of all that information in your head that is perceived as useless. This isn't a trivia game focused on a certain period, or form of entertainment, instead, this game is for those who know a bit of everything there ever was. Players will take turns saying something that belongs to each category displayed in the centre of the table, being careful not to say anything that has already been said.  Card Anatomy: Category Cards: 250 category cards are included that covers a vast array of topics including, well,...

Tavern Tales: Review  Information: Mechanics:  Hand Management, Modular, Betting, Set Collection Player Age:  14+  Player Count:  2 - 5  Players Time to Play:  20   Minutes  Game Designer:   Gregory Skulnick Game Artist:  Gong Studios Publisher : Phase Shift Games Year Published:  2021 BGG Weight:  1.33 Disclaimer:  A review copy for the game was provided by the publisher. Introduction: The dungeon from Phase Shift Games' previous ‘Dungeon Drop’ has been raided and cleared out of anything even remotely valuable. Now, those raiders have come to the local tavern to boast away. If your heroes are truly doing what they say, and no one can spin a better tale, you will gain one or more feats which gives you points based on their condition. The first to 30 points is the winner.  This review focuses on the 3-5 player game mode, however, there is an adjusted game mode for two players. Game Anatomy: Hero: At the top of the...

Chessplus: Review Information: Mechanics:  Abstract Player Age:  6+  Player Count:  2  Players Time to Play:  2 - 45  Minutes  Year Published:  2019 BGG Weight:  2.67 Disclaimer:  A review copy for the game was provided by the publisher. Introduction: Love it or hate it, chess is one of the most famous abstract games ever, with many non-board gamers enjoying its depth of strategy. Chessplus is a re-imagining of this epic classic but with one slight, redefining change. Each piece (except the king) is a half piece that can combine with another of their own colour to create a piece with both strategic properties (that is to say the combined piece has both moement styles). Having pieces combined increases the risk of losing both at once, however, with iconic chess-like strategy and contingencies, players can use them to outplay opponents and bring home the victory. Game Anatomy: Pieces: Besides the king, each piece in the game is a half...

Mezen: Review Information: Mechanics:  Tile Placement, Sliding Puzzle  Player Age:  8+  Player Count:   1 - 5 p layers Time to Play:  30  Minutes  Game Designer: Nikita Sorokin Game Artist:   Mariya Stankevich Publisher : Arcane Wonders Year Published:  2023 BGG Weight:  2.00 Disclaimer:  A review copy for the game was provided by the publisher. Introduction : Mezen is an abstract grid manipulation game based on the beautiful art style of Mezen Painting. Players have a five-by-five grid which will be manipulated each turn by flipping a group of animal tiles, sliding the old tiles down and placing in the newly flipped tiles. This is done to try to score the most points from 10 communal goal cards. Game Anatomy: Tiles: Each tile has a light and dark side, with each side containing one of five different animals. Several tiles will include a spruce tree on the dark side which is also denoted by an icon on the light side. If a spru...

Paupers Ladder: Rapid Review Information: Mechanics:  Exploration, Set Collectio  Player Age:  13+  Player Count:  2 - 4 p layers Time to Play:  60 - 90  Minutes  Game Designer and Artist:   Paul Stapleton Publisher : Bedsit Games Year Published:  2019 BGG Weight:  2.13 Disclaimer:  A review copy for the game was provided by the publisher. Rundown: Paupers Ladder is an exploration game, where the map will be changed as players explore five different sceneries. These are beaches, forests, mountains, mines, and swamps, all with different decks.  Each deck contains events that are either one-off activations or that remain at the location such as: limited or permanent encounters; ingredients; or hazards, like enemies to be defeated for gold/ingredients/equipment/trophies. The first player to complete three virtues is the winner. Virtues: The virtues include: - Generosity: discarding 30 or 40 gems (two players). - Bravery: disc...