board game review Archives

Dawn [Review]

I imagine some gamers might take their first step into the board game world with more accessible games. Social deduction is one of the entry points. Easy to learn and ready-to-play in just a few minutes of explanation. We are granted some big titles, one of them being The Resistance. Of course, I would not forget the more classic Werewolf, which for some of you maybe more well-known as Mafia. These are undoubtedly fun games. However, they share one particular trait that Taylor Hayward has notably refined in Dawn.

Shallow Sea [Preview]

by Stephan Sonny

Scary is the sea and whatever enigmatic inhabitants — yet don’t mistake the unsettling underwater wonders for monotony. There’s an entire world beneath the waves, brimming with vibrant lives. Shallow Sea takes that deep dive into the colourful spectacle of Great Barrier Reef. Its splendor breaths live on your table. It’s a labour of love from Bad Comet Games, the South Korean studio that’s no stranger to visual opulence. This one is delivered as something that looks to be their most stunning creation yet.

An interview with Michael Raftopoulos, MOB Vanguard [News]

by Stephan Sonny

We had the pleasure of interviewing none other than Michael Raftopoulos, the founder and co-owner of MOB Vanguard. The company is well-known for specializing in board game licensing. And they have been working tirelessly to bring games to a global audience, negotiating localization and publishing deals are their bread and butter. Making sure your favourite titles are available in your own language. I think breaking language barriers is their hobby.

Dragon vs Kingdom [Preview]

by Stephan Sonny

Dragon vs Kingdom is, as the title suggests, about a furious dragon facing off against a kingdom. Or a bunch of them, actually. Each player receives his/her own sheet — it represents his/her dragon’s side. Meanwhile, the rest of the player will act as the kingdoms’ rulers on that dragon’s sheet. It might sound like a complex setup at the first glance, but practically, it’s much more straightforward. And what’s important: it’s entertaining.

West Story: A Town Building Game [Preview]

by Stephan Sonny

I promised myself: no more crowdfunding after Spiel 2024. No more Gamefound or Kickstarter rabbit holes. Yet here I am, staring at West Story: A Town Building Game, and honestly, it’s testing that resolve. The campaign is live on Gamefound. Check it out, though. So I might not be the only one giving in to temptation.

Jekyll & Hyde vs Scotland Yard [Review]

by Stephan Sonny

Jekyll & Hyde vs Scotland Yard is a spin-off, if not a sequel, to the earlier competitive trick-taking games. It shares the same name and, largely, the mechanics of its predecessor. Yet, the shift from competitive to a cooperative affair makes all the difference.

Old Salt [Review]

by Stephan Sonny

In many wargames, the designers dive into historical facts. Their aim to recreate those events is complimented with some possible what-if scenarios that alter the course of events. Yet, I long for another approach. I believe there’s value in using fiction as a background story for this kind of game.

Verdun [Preview]

by Stephan Sonny

Regarded as the longest battle in World War I — if not the most devastating — The Battle of Verdun saw German and French armies locked in a brutal trench warfare. This conflict resulted in staggering casualties. Ren Multamäki from Dragon Dawn Productions, he’s not a stranger to trick-taking card game. Taking this grim historical event, he transformed it into his next card game project. I expect another great game coming out of Verdun.

Nilo [Review]

by Stephan Sonny

For centuries, if not millennia, El Rio Nilo, or the Nile River, has symbolized prosperity and the lifeblood of Egyptian civilization. Its significance is chronicled in the Book of Exodus. From the infant Moses drifting in a reed basket to prevent death out of the Pharaoh’s decree, to the first of the Ten Plagues of Egypt, where the river turned into blood. So paramount the importance of Africa’s longest river, even GDM Games desires to romanticize and capture the founding and flourishing of civilizations along the Nile’s banks. Nilo will narrate this story.