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Origin Story - Heroes and Villains: Review Information: Mechanics: Trick Taking, Engine Building Player Age: 14+ Player Count: 1 - 5 Players Time to Play: 45 Minutes  Game Designer: Jamey Stegmaier, Pete Wissinger Game Artist: Clémentine Campardou Publisher : Stonemaier Games  Year Published: 2026 BGG Weight:  1.50 Disclaimer: A review copy for the game was provided by the publisher. Introduction : Origin Story is a trick taking game with a very unique difference. This game also focuses around enhancing a player's engine. Before each round players will gain a new hero card. These cards enhance the player's engine or create new scoring possibilities. One new story card has been included in this expansion. For the full review of the base game click here.  New Cards:  Each player will also gain two super heroes and choose one in the final trick. This gives players a strategy to plan towards when building their engine but a chance to p...

Origin Story: Review Information: Mechanics:  Trick Taking, Engine Building Player Age: 14+ Player Count: 1 - 5  Players Time to Play: 45   Minutes  Game Designer: Jamey Stegmaier, Pete Wissinger Game Artist: Clémentine Campardou Publisher : Stonemaier Games  Year Published: 2026 BGG Weight:  2.10 Disclaimer: A review copy for the game was provided by the publisher. Introduction : Trick taking games is a genre I'm open to, but still exploring. Stonemaier intrigued me as soon as it was announced with Origin Story a trick taking game that had a large focus on Engine Building. Four out of five rounds every player will add one of three story cards to their engine. They will then charge the abilities from these story cards based on their strategy for the round determined by cards in hand and the alignment decided (different ways to score per round). The game is an interesting mix of engine building and planning the round ahead. Game Anatomy...

Cvlt: Review Introduction: Cvlt is a core trick-taking game turned on its head. The main gimmick that a lot of mechanisms stem from is that players draft cards from the trick in clockwise order starting with the winner. The player can put their drafted card in one of two piles. Each pile will contain only four cards by the end of the round (eight cards for each player). There is a face-down pile, which is the dream. This will make up half of your hand next round and also respond to some scoring objectives. Then there is the offering. There is a lot to understand with the offering, but essentially, it removes the cards from the game and also builds a sequential scoring column, which, if planned right, can net the players' large points. Game Anatomy: Laurel Card: This card is used to denote the trick winner during the game. As the winner of the trick is the player who will lead the next turn, this can help players keep track, especially between rounds. Offerin...

Jekyll & Hyde Vs. Scotland Yard: Rapid Review  Information: Mechanics:  Cooperative, Trick Taking, Track Movement, Hand Management  Player Age:  10+  Player Count:  2   Players Time to Play:  20  Minutes  Game Designer:  Gaëtan Beaujannot, Olivier Cipière Game Artist:   Vincent Dutrait Publisher : Mandoo Games Year Published:  2023 BGG Weight:  2.24 Disclaimer:  A review copy for the game was provided by the publisher. Rundown: Jekyll & Hyde vs. Scotland Yard is a cooperative trick-taking game played over two rounds where players are trying to get their token to reach the end of the track. If they fail, they lose. Each movement is gained by the amount of tricks the lower-scoring player has won, and any highest value eight cards in any of the players won tricks. If Scotland Yard catches Jekyll & Hyde then the players lose. Scotland Yard will move if Jekyll & Hyde moves any further than the las...

Tidal Blades - Banner Festival: Rapid Review Information: Mechanics:  Area Control, Trick Taking Player Age:  8+  Player Count:  2 - 5 Players Time to Play:  30 - 45   Minutes  Game Designer:   J.B. Howell, Michael Mihealsick Game Artist:  Lina Cossette Publisher : Lucky Duck Games, Druid City Game Year Published:  2022 BGG Weight:  1.86 Disclaimer:  A review copy for the game was provided by the VR Distribution. Rundown: The Banner of Festivals has arrived in the coastal city of Tidal Blades. Over three days (rounds), you are a merchant trying to sell the best wears and bid successfully on the watercraft races. The gameplay of Banner Festival works as a trick-taking and area control game. There are four quadrants that each have their own hierarchy of best to worst suit out of the four colours. These colours are teal, purple, orange and yellow. The lowest player of the last trick will be able to move the trade gate 1, 2, 3...

Thrones of Valeria: Rapid Review Information: Mechanics:  Trick-Taking Player Age:  8+ Player Count:  2 - 6 Players Time to Play:  30 - 45  Minutes  Game Designer:  Matt Jacobs Game Artist:  Mihajlo Dimitrievski Publisher : Daily Magic Games Year Published:  2022 BGG Weight:  2.00 Rundown: Thrones of Valeria introduces trick-taking to the Valeria universe. Players will attempt to win tricks throughout two rounds and whoever has the most coins at the end of the game will be the winner. The standard trick-taking rules apply, there are five houses each ranked from 1 to 9 (only one of each number per house). One player will lead the first trick each round and each subsequent player must play the same house if able, if unable then they can play any house from their hand. The game differs from other trick-taking games now as each house will be on the standing board and the winner of each trick is the player that plays the highest ranked card o...

Vamp on the Batwalk: Review Information: Mechanics:  Trick-Taking Games Player Age:  10+  Player Count:  2 - 6  Players  Time to Play:  2 0 - 25  Minutes  Game Designer:  Jon Simantov Game Artist:   Michael Rankin Publisher : Jellyfish Game Studios Year Published:  2021 BGG Weight:  1.80 Disclaimer:  A review copy for the game was provided by the publisher. Objective: Being an immortal who can't see their reflection, doesn't mean you should be caught undead in the styles of the last decade. Vamps on the Batwalk is a trick-taking game that has players unable to see the cards in their hand, Hanabi style (no reflection after all). Instead, all they can see is the colour of their cards and the cards of the other players.  Players are showing off their style, trying to win the batwalk. After three shows (five tricks per show), the player who is furthest on the batwalk, or first to score 10 points, is the current ...