Game Nite Magazine Issue 27

Game Nite

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the magazine of tabletop gaming

August 2018

Mobile Platform reviews

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Issue # 27

Leonard Koh - Playtography

game reviews

In this issue: Interview 18

Leonard Koh - Playtography 10

Gear Works

14

Grackles

For Android and iOS

32

Maiden’s Quest

Top 10

38

The Veil

Photographer

mobile Review 06

game Reviews

Istanbul: Digital Edition

Steampunk meets Sudoku.

Thematic Abstract.

Make Mine Marvel.

Dark Fatasy Deck Builder.

04 Top 10 Anticipated Gen Con Games

Mobile Review index 50

Index of Reviewed Apps

abstract games 42

Interview Gallery 46

Index of Past Interviews

Review index 52

Back Issue Index

PUNCT by Tom M Franklin

Calendar 62

September 2018

Contributors 61

Game Nite Contributors

Š Game Nite 2018. All rights reserved. No part of this magazine may be used or reproduced without the written permission of the publisher.

All information contained in this magazine is for educational purposes only and is, as far as we are aware, correct at the time of release. Readers are advised to contact manufacturers and retailers with regard to the price of their products. All material remains the property of its respective creators. Opinions expressed by the writers are their opinions alone and may not reflect the opinions of Game Nite. Disclaimer: Game Nite receives review copies of games, but does not accept payment for reviews.

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From across the table

Game Nite ISSUE # 27

O

riginality is rare in the realm of artistic endeavors. In this issue I am happy to say that we have two “originals” that stand out from their peers. In the realm of board game photography, in my opinion there is no one better than Leonard Koh, better known as “Playtography”, whose gorgeous photos have appeared all over the internet. For those of you who are unfamiliar with his work, you are in for a treat! In the realm of board and card games, I’m happy to say that this issue we feature “Maiden’s Quest” designed by Ken Shannon and published by WizKids Games, an innovative card game that stands out from amongst its peers. I hope you enjoy the two innovators that are featured this issue!

Cover Photograph by Serge Pierro.

Grackles © Fireside Games

Editor in Chief/Publisher: Serge Pierro

The September calendar features “Maiden’s Quest” and provides the release date for issue #28.

Editor:

In this issue: Tom M Franklin’s Abstract Games column takes a look at “PUNCT”.

Congratulations to Ken Shannon and WizKids Games for winning an “Editor’s Choice Award” for “Maiden’s Quest”.

Special thanks to Leonard Koh for taking time from his busy schedule to share his thoughts and wonderful photos with our readers.

Eric Devlin Writers:

Photographers:

Tom Franklin Serge Pierro Tom Franklin Jeff Rhind Jeff Rhind

If you are interested in contributing to Game Nite, feel free to contact us, as we’d love to hear from you!

Serge Pierro

Editor in Chief/Publisher editor@gamenitemagazine.com

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@GameNiteMag

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Top 10 -

Anticipated Games from Gen Con

1

KeyForge Fantasy Flight Games

2

Root Leder Games

3

Shifting Realms Soaring Rhino, Inc.

4

Gunkimono Renegade Game Studios

5

Horizons Daily Magic Games

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By Serge Pierro

6

Blue Lagoon Blue Orange Games

7

Batman: Gotham City Under Seige IDW Games

8

Tower of Madness Smirk and Dagger Games

9

Symphony No. 9 Moaideas Game Design

10 Speakeasy Blues Artana Game Nite Issue #27

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Mobile Review

By Serge Pierro

Istanbul: Digital Edition

A

n abundance of high quality games continues to permeate the mobile platform market, this time we take a look at the digital edition of the award winning game, Istanbul. For those who are unfamiliar, this game has won numerous awards including the 2014 Kennerspiel des Jahres, as well as being in the top 100 games on Board Game Geek.

With that type of pedigree, it will be interesting to see the results of Acram Digital’s port of the game over to Android and iOS. Istanbul is a game in which players are maneuvering around a group of tiles trying to accumulate goods and coins in order to purchase rubies, which are the means of winning the game. They’ll be doing this by moving their stack of Assistants one or two spaces and leaving behind one of their Assistants and taking the relevant action at that location. Each of the tile locations has an action and strategizing on how to maneuver the board is paramount to winning the game. And since tiles are used instead of a board, the setup and strategies for each game can be completely different from the previous one, so players will have to adapt accordingly.

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Upon starting the game you are greeted with the main menu in which you can choose “Play Tutorial”, “New Game” and “Online Game”. Alongside the right edge of the screen are various icons for settings, social media, etc.

As always, the first thing that I check out on a new app, no matter what my experience with the game, is the tutorial. And Istanbul has a fairly solid tutorial.

The first screen welcomes you to the tutorial while also displaying in the upper left corner the current screen number of 22 screens. The tutorial does an excellent job of breaking down the various aspects of the game and prods you forward with what to do. Overall I was happy with the tutorial, as it covered all of the relevant information, as well as providing an easy game at the end or allowing you to further explore the tiles of the game. If there is any uncertainty to the tutorial, you will be happy to know that there is also a rules section that further embellishes various aspects of the game.

You will be spending most of your time on the main game screen in which the tiles are laid out and you are able to move your stack of Assistants around the tiles by clicking on the destination tile.

All of the actions were easily executed and there is even an option to turn off the animation for your opponent’s turn which helped move the game along a little quicker, though the opponent’s turn already did move rather quickly.

The Settings section offers control over the Music and Sound Effects, Animations and some Other settings. The music really adds to the atmosphere of the game and surprisingly I found myself leaving it on, though at a low volume, as I usually turn music off in most games. The Animation section allows you to have a Higher Frame Rate at the cost of more energy usage, as well as previously mentioned, turning off the animation for your opponent’s turn.

The “Other” section includes Language choice from among 8 Languages, the ability to manage your account and a “Colorblind Mode”.

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Mobile Review

(Cont.)

The gameplay was smooth and the AI’s were challenging. I was able to win some games, but none of them were easy wins and the AI was able to defeat me which made the game challenging and forced me to not make any superficial moves.

Although I didn’t delve into the Online aspects of the game, they are available and have a robust set of features, including: crossplatform online multiplayer games with both synchronous and asynchronous modes. Pass and Play is also implemented. All of these are highly desirable features that go a long For those looking for “more” from a game, the way towards providing a platform for those looking digital version of Istanbul offers a large assortment to compete against others, as well as playing with of Achievements to pursue. These go a long way friends. towards making an already excellent game even better and add a great deal to the value of your purchase.

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Overall this is a game that I am happy to have to try this award winning game, this is an excellent on my tablet. With the ability to have randomly implementation of the game and will reward you generated boards and an AI that provides for a with its award winning gameplay. challenging gaming experience, there is a lot to like about it. Also, there’s the aforementioned Achievements which are the “icing on the cake”. Version # 1.0.2 The gameplay is very similar to the board game Price: $6.99 and fans of the actual board game are going to be Devices: Android and iOS delighted with how the game plays. It’s always nice Developer: Acram Digital to see an award winning game receive the port over to the mobile platform that it deserves and Acram Recommended Digital has done a wonderful job in doing so. So, if istanbul.acram.eu you are a fan of Istanbul or you have always wanted

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Gearworks

By Serge Pierro

Steampunk meets Sudoku

E

ven though there are many games with a Steampunk theme, I’m always a bit surprised that there aren’t more. With Gearworks, PieceKeeper Games presents a game that features this popular theme with an area control/sudoku mechanism. We will be taking a look at the game itself, as well as the optional neoprene play mat.

The game comes in a 6 3/4” x 9 3/4” x 1 3/4” linen finished box that features a box top with spot varnishing on the logo and part of the illustration.

Included is a standard white cardboard insert that features two wells, as well as three shelves on which to store the rulebook.

The 12 page rulebook is approximately the size of the box and is well illustrated and contains several examples of game play. The rules should have you up and running rather quickly. The last two pages are devoted to the Solo Variant, “Mechanical Dragon”.

The setup for the game will depend on whether you use the Play Mat or not. For this section of the review we will not include the mat, as we will discuss it below.

To set up the game, place the Gear tokens in a 4 x 5 grid (4 x 4 grid for two players) and place each of the Part tokens next to the corresponding Gear. Place the decks and Sparks in a convenient location.

Each player is dealt 5 Gear cards, 1 Contraption card, 1 Tinkerer, 1 Spark and a reference card.

The game consists of three rounds. Each round a player must play a Gear card or choose to pass.

The cardboard components are all of a decent stock and are also linen finished.

When playing a Gear card there are two things to take into consideration: The color of the card, when dealing with columns and the ascending/descending numbers of the cards when dealing with rows. Each column may only have one card of each color. When placing in a row you must either continue the numerical direction or repeat it. Example: There is a 1 and a 5 in the row. In between them are two spaces. You can play another 1 next to the already placed 1. You can play a 2 next to the one OR next to the 5. If you place it next to the 5, then the order would be 1, “space”, 2, 5. On a following turn a player may only play a 1 or a 2 in the “space”.

The “Sparks” of the game are custom wooden component that are finished in a bright orange.

After a player has played a Gear card, they turn the corresponding Gear tokens to their player color to

All of the cards feature a linen finish. The cards are only shuffled at the start of the game, so sleeves can be considered optional.

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To obtain a Spark from Discarding, you discard two indicate that they are currently in control of that row and column. Example: a card played at column B and Gear cards from your hand to the bottom of the Gear row 3 would rotate the Gear at the top of column B to deck and then you receive 1 Spark. You can do this their color and then likewise do the same to the Gear multiple times on your turn. at row 3.

So what are the Sparks good for? You can spend 1 If you choose to pass, then you are out of the current Spark to draw a Gear card, spend 2 Sparks to draw a round, but you can re-enter when it is again your turn Contraption card, spend 1 Spark to re-enter a round by paying a Spark. If all players pass, the round ends. and 2 Sparks to play a Gear card on top of another card on the board.

Speaking of Sparks, these are attainable by Tinkering and Discarding.

Play continues in the above manner until all players have passed. Then there is an end of round phase Tinkering is a mechanism in which the Gear card that which contains the following: Claim Parts and Build was just played is compared to the cards closest to the Contraptions, and “housekeeping�. card just played, in both directions, and if the numbers add up to, or subtracted from, equal the number of the To Claim Parts, players will check the Gear Tokens along the edges of the board and see who controls which card played, you gain 1 Spark. rows and columns. The controller of each row and column receive the associated Part at that location.

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Gearworks

(Cont.)

To Build Contraptions, players will place the newly acquired Part on the Contraption card(s) for that round, if possible. Contraptions that have both parts on them will score 9 points at the end of the game, whereas if only one Part is used, then it will score 4 points. Parts that aren’t used are placed aside and cannot be used in subsequent rounds, though at the end of the game they are worth 2 points each.

game is certainly playable without the mat, it is nice that PieceKeeper Games has made the mat available to those who want to take the base game to the next level.

Gearworks provides an interesting combination of a Steampunk theme with the puzzle-like nature of a Sudoku game. The controlling of the rows and columns would often go back and forth with players jockeying for position and after several plays strategies started The “housekeeping” phase is just the normal reset of to emerge on when to take control of certain rows/ the game to start the next round. columns. The Tinkering aspect of the game took a while to be fully integrated into each player’s turn, as it was After 3 rounds the game ends and points are tallied. often forgotten the first couple of turns we played, but The highest score wins. eventually everyone would remember to check their play to see if they met the criteria for getting a Spark.

The game also includes a solo mode in which you play against an automated “Mechanical Leviathan”. Gearworks is a solid game that will provide an enjoyable There are four levels of difficulty, with even the easy experience for those who like puzzle-like games, especially one providing a substantial challenge. The gameplay those with a strategic element. The inclusion of the is similar to the regular game, with the main exception challenging solo variant adds value and replayability to being that the “Mechanical Leviathan” draws cards from the game. And should this game appeal to you, then you the Contraption deck and places a Gear card on the will want to take a look at the player mat, as it certainly corresponding space. The “Mechanical Leviathan” only adds to the gaming experience. I could also see this as scores points from the Parts it collects during the game. a family game for improving math skills for younger players. Overall, this is a fun game that is fast, easy to The solo game was enjoyable, however, the luck of the play and has a nice table presence (with the optional draw was a little off-putting as I’m not a huge fan of luck mat). If you enjoy puzzles and area control, then this is in games. But nonetheless, the AI worked surprisingly a game that you will want to take a look at. well and provided an interesting game, especially since you couldn’t plan against its strategy in the same way you could against a human player.

Designer: Kirk Dennison While the base game does not come with a board, PieceKeeper Games makes available a great looking neoprene play mat. The 24 x 20 play mat comes in its own box that measures 21” x 2 3/4” x 2 3/4”. The graphic elements and helpful markings go a long way to enhancing the play of the game. Normally I’d prefer to just save the extra money and play on a regular table, but after playing several games on the mat, I would actually consider it an essential element of the game, both aesthetically and thematically. And while the

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Publisher: Players: Mechanic: Ages: Length:

PieceKeeper Games 1-4 Area Control, Sudoku 10+ 30-45 Mins.

Recommended www.piecekeepergames.com

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Grackles

By Serge Pierro

Thematic Abastract

I

’m always impressed when a company goes out of their way to integrate as many thematic elements into their game as graphically and mechanically possible. With Grackles, publisher Fireside Games has taken the theme of the “phone line loving” grackles and uses their iridescent colors; black, green, blue and purple as the color palette of the game, as well as using the telephone lines on the tiles, thus tying together the graphic design elements and design mechanisms nicely.

The square box measures 9” x 9” x 2” and contains a cardboard insert that has two different sized wells: a larger well for the tiles and tokens and a narrower wells for the playing pieces. Though, either side could easily be switched.

The game comes with a double sided rules sheet that is approximately the size of the box. Due to the simplicity of the game play, the one sheet is sufficient in order to learn the game. It contains several illustrations and examples.

The cardboard components are all of a decent sturdiness. We played on a generic play mat and had no problems with wear or blunted corners.

The main attraction of the game are the plastic bird pieces. There are 45 pieces of each of the aforementioned colors (180 pieces) and each of them measure 3/4” with a flat bottom and a relief of a grackle on the top.

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At the start of the game each player receives 45 Grackles of the color of their choice, 5 Rotate tokens of the same color and a player’s aide. To begin the game there are two starting tiles that are each designated by a black triangle. These are placed in the middle of the play area, with the

triangles touching, thus forming a diamond. The other tiles are shuffled and placed on the table to form the draw deck. The first player is determined by the collection of one bird token from each player and one of them is randomly drawn to determine the first player.

On a player’s turn they can perform one of the following actions: Draw and place a tile, Placing birds to connect two matching color spots, Extend a line of birds and Rotate an empty tile.

The Draw and Place action is fairly straight forward, you draw a tile and place it orthogonally to one of the other tiles, as long as it stays inside the “invisible” 5 x 5 grid. You can rotate it in any direction you choose. This action is the only action that the player who starts the game may take.

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Grackles (Cont.)

The Placing birds action is the main means of scoring. To place a line of birds, there has to be two unoccupied color spots of your color, the line of birds formed starts at one spot and continues to the other spot, placing a bird on each space along the way. Lines of birds may not cross over other lines of birds, including your own.

The one thing we couldn’t seem to figure out was the Rotate tokens. These just seemed to be a waste of a tempo on your turn. Sure, you could rotate a tile, but if it had any significance, other players would just immediately rotate it back. Perhaps there should have been a rule stating that a tile could only be rotated once, at least then there was a significant use of the tempo and token. However, otherwise The Extend action allows you to extend a line of no one was interested in wasting their turn to turn birds from one of your lines of birds already on the a tile when a new tile could be drawn and placed. board to another empty spot in the same direction.

All of the previous rules still apply. You can’t extend The game had a bit of a “Go” element to it, in a line at a ninety degree angle, only in the same that you would sometimes consider giving your direction. opponents a small scoring opportunity in order for you to also score. This was especially true if you The Rotating a tile action allows you to rotate a were in the lead. tile that has no birds on it in any direction. To do so you have to use one of your Rotate tokens. Since Overall this is a fun game that would recommended you have only five tokens, this can only be done five for a family gaming library. While it lacks the depth times per game. of games such as Chess and Go, it does provide an entertaining gaming experience, especially for those Play continues in the aforementioned manner who are just getting started in abstract strategy until all 25 tiles have been placed and all of the games. The bird tokens drew a lot of compliments players have passed. Then the birds are removed and the building of the board was “satisfying”. As from the board and counted - the player with the players become more familiar with the strategies, most birds wins. the time of the game will decrease and you could even consider this for a late night filler game or Grackles is a game that will appeal to a wide age something in between other games on your game range of players. It is a fast paced and light game night. If you enjoy abstract strategy games, then that has enough interesting decisions to find it’s this is one that you might want to take a look at. way to the table often. Parents in particular will enjoy being able to share some game time with their Designers: John Shulters & Sarah Graybill children and expose them to basic strategic planning and exploitation. The game can be unforgiving if Publisher: Fireside Games 2-4 you should make a mistake, but after a couple of Players: games you will find yourself making any corrections Mechanic: Abstract to initial tile laying.

Ages: 10+ The game scaled well with two, three and four players. Needless to say the two player game had longer lines of birds, while the four player game was much tighter, as far as the bird placement went.

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Length:

30 Mins.

Recommended www.firesidegames.com

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Interview

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By Serge Pierro

• Playtography

Leonard Koh - Photographer Thank you for taking the time to share your Did you enjoy playing games at an early age? If thoughts with our readers, can you tell us a little so, do you remember what games you played? something about yourself?

My name is Leonard and I am from the sunny island of Singapore. I have been married to my beautiful wife, Cassilda for the last ten years. For the last four years, I run a little Instagram account called Playtography where I style, shoot and post vignettes of board game components on a daily basis. I used to work as an art director of an advertising agency but have since left that job to run a faith-based Retreat Centre. My passions are: 1) sharing with people about Faith, 2) design & photography and, 3) bringing people around the table to experience the social magic that is boardgaming.

All photos in this interview are courtesy of Leonard Koh/Playtography

Oh yes I did. In fact the seed of my own passion in the hobby was planted in my childhood where family time at home meant gathering around a game of Scrabble or some Parker Brother classic like Payday, Life or Cluedo. That is why Boardgames to me, are all about family, coming around people you love and having a good time.

When the opportunity presents itself, what games have you currently been playing?

I have been playing the snot out of Azul. Its the new Splendor for me and I love it to bits. Another game that hits the table pretty often is a great little push-your-luck game called Celestia, because it’s so easy for newbies to get into. Sagrada, Kashgar, Her Majesty, Bunny Kingdom and Potion Explosion all have seen some recent plays.

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Interview

(Cont.)

Who are your favorite game designers?

My personal inclination is towards the light to medium Euros. I love almost all the games put out

by Wolfgang Kramer and Michael Kiesling, both their collaborative and solo titles. Their games are studies in elegance. They never feel over-wrought and the sense of flow is impeccable which makes them fairly easy to teach and very compelling to play.

I enjoy many of Stefan Feld’s games. What they sometimes lack in sheer elegance, they more than make up for in creativity. Every one of his game feels and plays so differently. I’m always excited to see what he comes up next.

Another designer whose games I enjoy but is relatively under the radar is Gunter Burkhardt. You might recognise his name from recent titles like Ulm and Seeland. His games largely and sometimes literally revolves around the use of grids. One of his earlier titles, a tile-laying game called Maori was responsible for winning my heart back into the hobby. I hope he makes more games.

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What are your all-time favorite games?

My all-time favorite games are games that my wife and I enjoy playing together, so they all work well with two. Games like Bruges, Castles of Burgundy, Firenze, Orleans, Sanssouci and Five Tribes.

I never tire of them and its always a satisfying time

How long have you been interested in photography?

Since Design School. This was back in the days of 35mm film cameras, darkrooms and the nostalgic smells of fixers. I fell in love with the medium for its ability to powerfully affect people.

It can preserve memories, convey emotions and connect with people. As a tool of self-expression there are few things more accessible and easier to get better at.

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Interview

(Cont.)

What led you to specializing in board game photography?

After I got bitten by the boardgame bug, I became very passionate about introducing people into the hobby. I wanted as many people to discover the same fun I was having. But board gaming has a less than stellar rep in my culture with Monopoly and Scrabble being the most common games that people associate with the hobby. So I wanted to find a way introduce people to the wealth of games that are out there. Around that time I was involved in some food styling work for the launch of new meal replacement product that was coming into the market. It begin to occur to me that I could do the same for board games! Thus, the concept of “Food Photography for boardgames” was born. So instead of becoming that ‘crazy boardgame guy’ who can’t stop talking about games, I could simply style and photograph games in tasteful ways and let the images do the talking. Instagram was the natural choice for a platform. But what I was pleasantly surprised was to find the incredibly responsive and affirming board gaming community already on Instagram. It was the encouragement of the community, the burgeoning interest of various publishers for me to showcase their games and the opportunity to bring my work experience, interest in photography and passion for boardgames to bear that has lead me to this point.

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You have a keen eye for composition. Do you have Is photography your profession? an artistic background?

As mentioned above, I studied photography and composition at design school in the days of film cameras. When creating a photograph can cost hours and a week’s allowance, you become very careful about what goes in front of the lens before you hit that shutter.

Strictly professionally, it is not. But during my years at the agency I work together with photographers to create the type of images that best represent our clients.

What is your current camera setup?

I shoot with a Nikon D7500 Dslr camera with a cropped frame sensor. Boardgames look great when they are shown in their full technicolor glory so my color settings are always at ‘vivid’. 90% of my shots Continued on next page>

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Interview

(Cont.)

are taken with spot metering mode. This means tells the camera to base the exposure of the shot on the lighting at a specific spot as oppose to taking the average brightness level of the whole frame. This practice is probably not for everybody, especially if you are shooting for marketing materials where it is important that everything is evenly lit. I shoot to provoke emotion so I Iike a little dramatic contrast and even the occasional blow-out in my shots for effect.

What software do you use?

Most adjustments are made in-camera. In post, I run all my images through a sequence of photo editing apps like VSCO, Mextures and Snapseed to give them a signature ‘Playtography’ look and tone.

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Many of your photos feature a shallow depth of field. Is this all done “in camera” or do you add some effects via plugins or programs?

All ‘in camera’. Having a shallow depth of field is a simple way of immediately elevating your images from the millions of images out there shot with a camera phone. It is a great artistic tool. Apps that create artificial depth of field have come a long way but the discerning eye can always tell. Nothing beats doing it ‘all natural’ especially with the help of some affordable prime lenses.

What is your main lens for shooting board game related photos?

I use a variety of lenses depending on the composition. My three most used are the Nikkor 20mm 1.8G, 40mm f2.8 Mirco and the 85mm 1.8G. The 20mm is probably my favorite of the three. I find the 20mm to be the perfect lens for photographing boardgaming because of its wide angle, close focusing distance and narrow depth of field. It allows me to be seated naturally at the table during a game and still get great shots. I use the 40mm macro for getting larger-thanlife close ups shots of component details. The 85mm I use mostly to capture box art. The longer focal length results in some lens compression, which makes background elements appear closer and larger than they actually are.You get interesting and beautiful backgrounds, coupled with absolutely beautiful bokeh. The net result is an image of box art with a distinguished portrait feel.

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Interview

(Cont.)

Do you ever shoot with an off camera flash or light Do you shoot “handheld” or do you use a tripod? boxes?

No. All of my shots are done with natural light or simply light from my floor lamp. I do use some reflectors that I have jury rigged over the years. Because I do not shoot for accuracy but drama, my preference is to shoot outdoors, mostly either in the early mornings or just before sunset when the light is specular and the shadows are long.

The interplay of light and shadows creates depth, enhance textures and gives your images a rich and evocative feeling. Oh, here’s another tip: shoot outdoors when the sky overhead is cloudy. The diffused light from the clouds above makes all the colors of your game pop.

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I seldom use a tripod as it limits the shooting angles. I like the freedom to approach my subject from many different angles and allowing the spot metering on the camera to produce interesting highlights, blow-outs and contrasts.

How do you choose your subject matter?

I run through a couple of pointers in my head.

First, how has this game been photographed by others in the past? Avoid them. Which singular component is most representative of the game? Hero it in the most flattering way possible. Which piece of illustration is most stunning? Honor that like it’s your own. Which component or perspective is often

neglected by other photographers? Shoot that and you will have an interesting, seldom-seen image to share. To me, it is about bringing something fresh to the table. If your images look like everyone else’s, why should anyone stop to look?

love styling my games with interesting props and textures. The key is not to over do it. They should blend naturally into the look of the game and not become a distraction. Once that it is determined and set up, it is just a matter of pointing the camera at the right direction.

How long does it take you to set up one of your What is your favorite board game related shots? photograph that you have taken?

About ten to twenty minutes depending on the extent of the game I am featuring. Because I do this almost every day, I have a dedicated space where all my equipment, props and surfaces are all within easy reach. Over the years I have built up a collect of various ceramics, wooden bowls, slates, wooden boards and card stands that help me in my styling.

Long time followers of my account know that I

I think my favorite set of board game photos I’ve created is one I did for a little card game called Control by Keymaster Games. In terms of game graphics, they are one of the most design-forward companies out there. Control came in a small smart-looking, typographically-driven design black and gold box. I was so impressed by the aesthetics Continued on next page>

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Interview

(Cont.)

that I went out to sourced for an elegant black and gold stripped backdrop to photograph the game on.

I had it set up and waited for the evening when natural light will stream through the leaves of the trees outside my window. The pockets of light that reflected off the gold foil created a beautiful texture of lines and gradients which I thought complemented the bold graphic look of the box art.

I had a lot of fun with those shots and was pretty pleased with the outcome. It is still my favorite set to date. I love photographing games that have a high visual appeal. But when I find a beautiful game whose aesthetics resonates with my own design style, it gets me really extra excited.

What is the most difficult aspect of taking board game/card game photographs?

I think its finding a fresh and unique perspective among the tons of boardgame-related visual content out there. Unlike a YouTube video where content

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is carried mostly by the personalities of presenters, on Instagram your images do all the talking. With heaps of boardgaming accounts out there, how do you put out something that is not only beautiful but also stand out from the crowd? I feel that the main attraction of Instagram is that it provides a window into a person’s life and allows the viewer to live (and play) vivaciously through them. In other words, its not simply about showing what a game looks like, it is letting your audience see it through your eyes. I believe to the extent your photos have a certain ‘voice’ about them, the more compelling your content will be. Creating and maintaining that ‘voice’ within that frame with nothing but properly placed objects is definitely a challenge.

Where can our readers follow your work?

They can follow me on Instagram: @Playtography.

I am also on Twitter and Facebook.

What advice would you have for aspiring game photographers?

Learn to see and compose your photos well. Some compositions are stronger than others. Understanding things like the rule of thirds can be very helpful. Boardgame photography is basically still-life photography.

Unlike live subjects, objects do not tire or get fidgety. They just sit there. If you just take time to keep moving your arrangement around, you will find one that works. Don’t just settle on the first one you set up. A small tweak of the position of a meeple, narrowing a gap or a slight elevation of a card can make all the difference. Try photographing from different angles, tilt your camera up and down, as well as move in and out a bit for a few shots. Beyond the game components, sensitivity to the interplay of light, shadow, texture, lines, patterns and reflections can help elevate your photos. When you are done shooting, look through all your shots and ask yourself or a friend which one is the strongest image and why. Look at great photos and ask what makes them so captivating. Recognizing what makes a good composition will help you reproduce it.

In a time where anyone can pick up a phone and take a photo instantly, creating a great shot is less about what you shoot, but what you are not willing to settle for.

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Maiden’s Quest

By Serge Pierro

Innovative Card Game

O

ne of the more interesting aspects of today’s state of the hobby, is that every once in a while a game is released that is innovative and commands a certain level of respect and accolades. Recently we have seen these types of games represented by the likes of The 7th Continent and Vast: The Crystal Caverns. Wizkid’s latest release Maiden’s Quest could possibly be added to this list, due to its inventive solo/multiplayer game play. Let’s take a look at an innovative game that embodies the thematic elements of a dungeon crawl with a fresh approach to a handheld game.

Maiden’s Quest comes in a 6 1/2” x 5” x 1 1/2” box that contains a custom insert that includes “thumb holes” to allow easier access for removing the cards. The borders of the insert also allow provide a shelf for the rulebook and quick start guide.

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The quick-start guide seems to have been printed wrong as far as the layout goes. All of the information is there, however the pages don’t follow in “book order”. A little confusing, but you’ll be able to figure it out. The guide does a decent job of presenting an overview of play.

The rulebook itself is 28 pages long, which is a bit surprising due to the ease of play.

Nonetheless, it covers the essential elements of the game and does a somewhat decent job of explaining everything, but there were still some nagging questions that weren’t addressed, though these tended to be better suited for an FAQ. The bulk of the rulebook is devoted to the core mechanics and overview of the solo game, while six pages towards the back were devoted to the other variants.

The game’s components consist of 160 cards.

The cards measure 2” x 3 1/2” and the smaller

width makes them easier to be held in the palm of your hand, which is important as the game is meant to be played in your hand and not on a table. Sleeving is certainly a consideration, as you will be shuffling the cards often. Should you decide to sleeve them you’ll have to find sleeves that are the correct size. There is also the issue of whether or not you want to have clear sleeves, for easy access of the information on both sides of the card, or colored backs and have to re-sleeve the cards more often during the game. Here you are going to have to weigh the sleeve/non-sleeve option against whether or not you want to slow the game down to re-sleeve the new face of the card or the wear obtained from shuffling. Personally, I plan to continue playing without sleeves, as the card stock appears to be fine for now.

Starting a game is easy, you choose a Maiden and a Captor. On the back of each of these cards are a list of cards to include in the deck.

The majority of the cards are chosen randomly.

Example: Priscilla of Icehold health starts with “Charisma” x 2 and 5 random health cards.

Each Maiden has a different “flavor” to it, as do all of the Captors. The Captors list the number of Obstacles that they will include in the deck, as well as their levels. Example: The Captor, “Jeliasta Jones”, uses 3 Level Two Obstacles. These are randomly chosen from: Orc, Mercenary, Undead Orc, Trapped Door, Evil Squire, Evil Princess and Forelorn Lover.

There’s a nice variety of Obstacles for each level, as well as multiple copies available. There are five levels, zero to four, each with their own set of Obstacles to choose from and use.

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Maiden’s Quest

(Cont.)

Once all of the cards are gathered together, the deck is shuffled and the current “Rest” level is placed on the bottom of the deck to let you know when the round ends. After each round the Rest card is rotated or turned over to indicate the new level.

The actual gameplay is quite easy. You will keep “Cellaring” your cards (place them on the bottom of your deck) one at a time until you come to your Maiden, Captor, Obstacle or Exit card. When one of these cards are revealed the player has to make a decision on how to proceed.

What makes the game interesting is the upgrading and downgrading of cards. Most cards have four “sides”. The front and back of the cards are split in half and their orientation it changed depending on what the upgrade or downgrade is. You start with the cards in one state and as the game progresses these can be rotated to the Upgraded gold state or Downgraded, by flipping the card over to the red/black state. When you have to Upgrade or Downgrade a card, you get to choose what card in your hand that is affected.

To win the game you have to either defeat the Captor or escape by using a Key and unlocking The crux of the game is deciding on what to do a Door. You lose the game if you don’t have any when encountering an Obstacle. You can either Hearts left in your deck and you are required to choose to “fight” or “run”. Either way, you turn take damage. over the next five cards. If you “run”, you have to Downgrade a card. If you decide to “fight”, you This is now the second design by Ken Shannon have to check the number and types of icons on that has caught my attention, as we previously the corners of the five cards and compare them awarded Tournament at Camelot with an “Editor’s to the ones needed to defeat the Obstacle. If Choice Award” in issue #16. His designs are you win, the Obstacle is turned over and it tells clearly on my radar as “must plays” for the you what your reward is (Upgrade a card and/or immediate future. receive a Treasure). If you lose, you will have to fulfill the penalties stated on the Obstacle.

The concept and gameplay are both outstanding.

I now leave a deck on my kitchen counter area Some of the Obstacles are Doors and if you and as I walk by I’ll pick it up and play a quick choose to “fight” them, you will need to have encounter and then go back to what I was doing. at least one card with a key icon on it, as well as This is almost like having an “analog app”, as it additional icons. Otherwise they are handled in is the perfect game to play when you want to the same manner as above. spend several seconds playing or devoting 20-30 minutes trying to win in one sitting.

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While the variants for more than one player are interesting, this is a game that is going to mainly be played solo, and rightfully so. However, it is intriguing to be able to walk up to someone who also plays and have the two of you work together on an encounter and then go on your way. This takes the social aspects of gaming to a new level. I loved the fact that you could make two separate decks right out of the box, as this might be the perfect game for couples. You can play against your own deck and then ask your partner for help, if needed.

Oddly enough, taking damage at times or downgrading a card are actually beneficial at times, as the “lower” card state will often

have the icons you need to defeat some of the opponents in later encounters. Learning what cards to manipulate goes a long way towards defeating tougher opponents.

The use of the “Rest” cards is interesting, as it allows each round of the game to be randomly generated in terms of the order that the cards will be drawn. This allows for each encounter to have different results and keeps the game somewhat fresh.

Although I am really enjoying this game, there are some negative things. First of all, unless you are playing this game in one sitting and have a good memory for counting cards, every Continued on next page>

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Maiden’s Quest

(Cont.)

encounter is basically a guess, as you have no idea of what cards might appear in your fan.

You can sort of get a feel for what is in your deck if you are a consciously trying to track it in one sitting, but otherwise any time you pick it up at a later time, you have no idea of what cards you have altered throughout the deck and what cards you have previously seen.

The game has a lot of replayability, as there are many Maidens and other cards that aren’t used in each deck, so all of my initial encounters felt fresh and contained multiple surprises. I’m looking forward to exploring many of the other cards to see how they all react on repeated plays.

The game is also suitable for an expansion, in order to take it to another level of replayability.

Another issue with the game is some timing issues with some of the interactions of cards.

I’m sure that all of these will be addressed upon the game’s release, so it shouldn’t be a huge factor at this point, but it would have been nice if an FAQ was included in the rulebook for clarification.

Overall, this is a game that I can highly recommend if you have any interest in sologaming. Due to its small size this can easily be carried around and played at any time. The multiple decks that I built and played were all challenging and it is likely that you will lose more games than you will win, but after losing a game your first instinct will be to reset the Due to the card size I wasn’t able to find a box deck and try again. Ken Shannon has done it that the game would fit snugly in. I’ve been again and I am looking forward to seeing what storing my main deck in a standard, plastic, his next design has in store for us! card case just to keep it in order, but it would be nice to have actual tuck boxes that are designed Designer: Ken Shannon for the deck sizes and width of the cards. Not Publisher: WizKids Games a major problem, but since the game is being 1-2 touted for its portability, it would be a welcome Players: addition to have a means of carrying the cards Mechanic: Hand Management Ages: 14+ about.

Length:

20 Mins.

Highly Recommended www.wizkids.com

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The Veil

By Serge Pierro

Dark Fantasy Deck Builder

W

hile I enjoy a variety of mechanisms, I’d have to say that Deck Builders and Engine Builders are probably at the top of my list. There is something inherently satisfying as you creatively put together an engine and watching it blossom over the course of a game. Since I’m always on the lookout for games that feature these mechanisms, when I saw the artwork for The Veil I knew that this was a game that I was going to want to take a closer look at. Let’s see what this Deck Builder has to offer.

The Veil comes in a 5 3/4” x 3 3/4” x 1 3/4” sturdy box with a glossy finish. There is no insert and there is just a small amount of space between the cards and the walls of the box. This is also the type of box that doesn’t “close all the way”, thus leaving 1/2” of the box bottom showing.

One of the more unusual things about the game is that the rulebook does not come inside the box, but is available separately. Not only is it the rulebook, but it also serves as the Campaign book. The high quality, spiral bound, 8 1/2” x 11” rulebook contains 32 pages, including the covers. The covers are made of card stock and the pages are in full color. The inside front cover and the next two pages feature the rules for the game.

The rules are fairly clear and you’ll be up and running in no time, especially if you have experience in playing other Deck Builders. The remaining 26 pages are for the Campaign element of the game.

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The game comes with 380 cards which are of a decent card stock. Since you will be shuffling the cards often, you might want to consider sleeving them.

There are essentially five themed decks included, but the interesting thing about them is that each deck has a three separate Hero “starters” and one associated Villain “starter”. Example: The Rogues Gallery deck can be used with the Assassin, Hunter and Thief. The associated Villain is the Crime Lord. Each of these “starters” include 8 cards and the matching Hero/Villain card. Each starter has its own flavor/gameplay and works well with the corresponding themed deck. On the back of each Hero or Villain is the list of cards that they use. I found it easier to just separate all the cards at once, forming them into the five themed decks and then storing the matching Heroes/Villains along with them. This made starting a new game easy, as all of the relevant cards were in one place. However, it would have been nice if the box was slightly larger to include dividers so that locating specific cards would be easier.

To start a game each player chooses one of the themed Fate decks and decides on which of the Heroes/Villains they want to use with it. The Fate deck is then shuffled and placed to the side and four cards are drawn alongside it, this is your “Fate Route” where you will be purchasing the cards to add to your deck. This is another interesting element of the game, as each player has their own Fate Deck in which to purchase cards from.

The 8 cards that your Hero starts with are shuffled and the player going first (lowest Health stat) initially draws four on their first turn and then draws five each turn for the remainder of the game. Gameplay is the same as other Deck Builders in that you have cards that have currency on them to buy other cards to add to your deck, while other cards can deal damage, heal or have some other type of effect. One special class of cards are Minions. Minions stay in play (like Bases in Star Realms) and the ones that have shields on them must be defeated before other Minions or the Hero can be targeted with damage.

trigger system by having synergies between like types of cards, with the additional benefits being made available when two or more of the cards are in play.

The winner of the game is the player who brings their opponent’s health down to zero.

Overall I really enjoyed playing this game and I look forward to spending more time with it. With all of the different Heroes and Villains there is a lot of replayability.

I could easily see an expansion in the future, perhaps featuring another deck and three new Heroes and an additional Villain.

While the Hero’s “starters” each have their own flavor, I only played the first several encounters in the the Fate decks are made up of three different types of cards: Agro (red), Control (blue) and Support (green). Campaign mode, because I was enjoying them and Each of these are geared towards a certain type of wanted to save the rest of them for later so that I could gameplay, however, their real purpose is to be used as a savor the experience. From the ones that I did play, I Continued on next page>

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The Veil

(Cont.)

thought that they were fun and added some interesting backstory to the game. Fans of RPG’s or “choose your own adventure” books will enjoy this aspect of the game. Another interesting element of the Campaign is that the Encounters are printed in the book itself and don’t use a separate deck of cards. However, there were times where there was a little confusion as to what the text meant.

Since this is a Dark Fantasy game, it really isn’t geared towards kids. The age recommendation is 14+ for the card game, however, the cover of the Campaign book states: “Mature Audiences Only. This game module contains disturbing, violent and graphic text. Not intended for players under the age of 17”.

it is not necessary to play the game, it is a nice touch for those interested in adding to the ambience of the game, as well as providing a more suitable surface area on which to play your cards.

The artwork for the game is excellent and really fits the “darkness” of the theme. Unfortunately, there is no listing of the artists that contributed the artwork, as they certainly deserve recognition for their fine artwork.

As I mentioned at the top of the review, I do like Deck Builders and there are enough interesting elements contained within The Veil that I’m happy to add it to my collection and I look forward to spending more time playing it in the future, as I have barely scratched the surface of the combinations of decks available and I’m The game itself is a fairly straightforward Deck Builder looking forward to taking some of the characters through that brings some interesting new elements to the the Campaign mode and seeing what it has to offer at the construction and buying of decks. I really liked that higher levels. If you are a fan of Deck Builders, then this each deck had three Heroes and one Villain assigned to is a game that you should take a look at. it and this allowed for a variety of play all based on one deck. The other aspect that I liked was that each player Designer: Logan Gendron had their own Fate deck to buy from. I really liked Publisher: Self Published this concept, as it kept the decks focused, yet provided enough randomness, via the draw, to keep each game Players: 1-5 fresh and allowed each player to customize the deck Mechanic: Deck Builder they were building without having to worry about their Ages: 14+ (17+) opponent buying the cards they wanted.

It should be noted that a player mat is available for purchase should you be interested. It includes areas for the layout of cards and decks, as well as providing an area of numbers to keep track of health totals. While

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Length:

30 Mins.

Highly Recommended www.theveil.online

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Abstract Games

By Tom M Franklin

PUNCT

P

ÜNCT is a connections game, one where you and your opponent are each trying to be the first to connect one side of a board to its opposite side while also trying to stop your opponent from doing so. The boards for connection games come in a variety of shapes: square (Gonnect), vaguely square (Onyx, which is made up of squares and triangles), parallelogram (Hex), and even triangular (The Game of Y, where all three sides must be connected).

PÜNCT, like many of the GIPF Project games, uses a hexagram for its board shape. No player ‘owns’ any of the six sides and, therefore, can connect any two opposite sides to win the game.

Unlike any other GIFP Project game, however the spaces of the board are made of up holes that have been cut through the board, giving it something of a Swiss Cheese appearance when held up. Much like TAMSK, these spaces on the board, starting at the center, create an everexpanding series of hexagrams until reaching the outer border.

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These holes are necessary to hold the game pieces in place and to show what moves are legal and which are not. Each player starts the game with eighteen pieces, with each piece able to cover three spots on the board. Six of these are triangles, six are straight lines, six are angled to 120º. Each piece has three dots on top, two are left the color of the piece while one is fully blackened. This blackened dot is known as the PÜNCT of the piece. The PÜNCT of the pieces are evenly distributed with regard to position on each type of piece. (Straight lines and angled pieces each have dots at the ends and the center.)

Additionally, each player gets a single dot-sized PÜNCT piece that will be used for reference during the game but does not contribute to any end-game connections.

Players start by placing their pieces anywhere on the board they would like with the exception of the nineteen spaces that make up the hexagon at the center of the board. Pieces are never initially placed in this area, but can only be moved there.

Photo: Tom M Franklin

To move a piece on their turn, a player picks up the piece they intend to move and places their singular PÜNCT piece in spot on the board where the PÜNCT of the moving piece was. Pieces may move only along straight lines radiating from this PÜNCT piece. Once the piece has been moved, the singular, reference PÜNCT piece is taken off board and returned to the player.

however: (a) your PÜNCT piece must always be atop a piece of your own color; (b) triangles must have all three dots resting on other pieces; (c) straight lined and angled pieces can have their middle dot over an empty space, thus creating a ‘bridge’.

Pieces that have other pieces on top of them cannot be moved; you can continue to build up as many levels as pieces allow for.

Along with piece movement, what makes PÜNCT stand out amongst connection games is If all of the game pieces are on the board and no the ability to move pieces atop one another. To connections have been made, the winner is the do so, a player follows the same piece movement player who controls the majority of the nineteen rules as above but then places his piece atop any spaces in the center hexagram on the board. other pieces. There are three limitations to this, Continued on next page>

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Abstract Games (Cont.)

Photo: Tom M Franklin

PÜNCT is a game I respect but don’t often play. To be honest, I prefer the other GIFP Project games to this one and am more likely to reach for one of them to either play or teach to new players. That doesn’t mean PÜNCT doesn’t deserve your time and attention. As another simple concept game reimagined with layers of complexity, it’s a worthy addition to any abstract gamer’s collection and is one I still HIGHLY RECOMMEND.

Photo: Tom M Franklin

PÜNCT makes for a challenging game. Your initial placement of pieces must be done with an eye towards both offense and defense, as well as flexibility of movement. It is this third element that gives PÜNCT it’s character. There is rarely ever a runaway winner in PÜNCT as your connection plans are both clearly evident on the board and can be plotted against with a strategic piece movement or two. Often, by moving a piece atop your opponent’s pieces, you not only break their connection line but open new connection possibilities for yourself.

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Interview Gallery

Steve Jackson #1

Dan Verssen #1

Paul Herbert #1

Reiner Knizia #2

Franz Vohwinkel #2

James Ernest #2

Mark Copplestone #2

Reiner Knizia #3

Peter Adkison #3

Brom #3

Chenier La Salle #4

Ryan Dancey #4

Brian Snoddy #4

Beth Sobel #5

Bruno Faidutti #5

Tom Jolly #6

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Antoine Bauza #7

Dennis Lohausen #7

Ryan Laukat #8

Chad Hoverter #9

Matt Leacock #9

Greg Isabelli #9

Ignacy Trzewiczek #10

Jacqui Davis #10

Johan Koitka #10

Jamey Stegmaier #11

Michael Menzel #11

Kay Wilke #11

Vincent Dutrait #12

Mike Fitzgerald #12

Sandy Petersen #13

Mihajlo Dimitrievski #13

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Interview Gallery

Bruno Cathala #14

John Ariosa #14

Friedemann Friese #15

Joshua Cappel #15

Eric Vogel #15

Mac Gerdts #16

Keldon Jones #16

Steve Finn #17

J. Alex Kevern #18

Richard Ham #18

Ludovic Roudy #19

Bruno Sautter #19

Phil Walker-Harding #20

Luke Peterschmidt #21

Mike Richie #22

Grant Wilson #22

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Curt Covert #23

Daryl Andrews #24

Rob Dougherty #25

Nestor Romeral Andres #26

Leonard Koh #27

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Mobile Review Index

Issue #12

Issue #13

Issue #14

Issue #15

Issue #16

Issue #17

Issue #18

Issue #19

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Issue #20

Issue #21

Issue #21

Issue #22

Issue #23

Issue #24

Issue #25

Issue #26

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Game Review Index

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• • • • • •

This Town Ain’t Big Enough for the 2-4 of Us Small World Stella Nova Shoot-Out Postcard Cthulhu Postcard Empire

• • • • • • •

Tile Chess Cards of Cthulhu Samurai Spirit Golem Arcana Pairs Sutakku Timeline

• • • • • • • • •

Baseball Highlights 2045 Samurai Sword Paperback For the Crown Trench Firefly Cutthroat Caverns Rise of the Zombies Shadow Throne

• • • • • • • • •

Rhino Hero Attila Spurs and Sprockets Chaosmos March of the Ants AquaSphere Fidelitas Rise of Cthulhu Maha Yodah

• • • • • • • • • •

Animal Upon Animal Sushi Draft Stones of Fate WWII: Stalingrad Stockpile The Magnates Sentinel Tactics Flip City Space Movers 2201 Dark Tales

• • • • • • • • •

Nevermore Gold West Arcadia Quest

Dragon Flame

New York 1901

Lift Off! Tesla vs. Edison

Yashima Targi

• • • • • • • •

Outer Earth 1944: Race to the Rhine Runecast Cycling Tour Witkacy Firefly: Fistful of Credits Dozen Doubloons King Down

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Game Review Index

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• • • • • • • • • • • •

Steam Works Web of Spies Cartography Xia: Legends of a Drift System Orleans Raiders of the North Sea Hoyuk Wizards of the Wild Myths at War Ring It! Hogg Wild for Wealth The Martian Investigations

• • • • • • • • • • •

Cosmic Run Imperial Harvest Under the Pyramids (Eldritch Horror Expansion) Bomb Squad Through the Ages: A New Story of Civilization Luna Biblios Dice Trekking the National Parks Fuse Skulldug!

Horrible Hex

• • • • • • • • • • • •

Cuisine a la Cart Foragers The Shadow Over Westminster Scoville Valeria: Card Kingdom Onitama Knit Wit Worlds Fair: 1893 Flip City: Reuse Gruff The Walled City Empires at Sea

• • • • • • • • • • • •

JurassAttack!

Oh My Gods!

Looting Atlantis 13 Days Apotheca Tiny Epic Galaxies Automobiles Daxu Slaughterville Kheops Scoville: Labs Ancient Conflict Treasure Chest

• • • • • • • • • • • •

Dr. Eureka Stockpile: Continuing Corruption Sugar Gliders Dawn of the Zeds: Third Edition Vast: The Crystal Caverns The Networks Grifters Trajan Conspiracy!

Secrets of the Last Tomb Best Treehouse Ever Matryoshka

• • • • • • • • • • • • •

Imhotep In the Name of Odin Centauri Saga Draconis Invasion Dastardly Dirigibles Flamme Rouge Haspelknecht Hansa Teutonica Star Trek Panic Theomachy Commissioned San Ni Ichi Small City Game Nite Issue #27

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Game Review Index

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• • • • • • • • • • • • •

Kanagawa Lunarchitects Hero Realms Santorini Vinhos: Deluxe Colony Sun Tzu Bermuda Crisis Tavarua Explorers of the North Sea America San Allies Crisis

• • • • • • • • • •

Hanamikoji Element Villages of Valeria Mansions of Madness 2nd Edition 7 Wonders Duel Oceanos Herbaceous A Feast For Odin Schotten Totten This Belongs in a Museum

• • • • • • • • • • • •

Ninja Taisen Space Invaders Dice!

The Dresden Files Card Game Pyramids Quests of Valeria Amun-Re Cultists of Cthulhu Magic Maze Knot Dice The Cohort Crazier Eights Pandemic: Reign of Cthulhu

• • • • • • • • • • • •

7&7 March of the Ants: Minions of the Meadow Honshu Web of Spies Saga of the Northmen Tournament at Camelot Haspelknecht: The Ruhr Valley Plague Inc. Zephyr Terrible Monster 5ive Duress

• • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Fantasy Realms Space Race Isle of Skye Unearth ION Escape from 100 Million BC Battle for Souls COG Near and Far Terraforming Mars Caverna: Cave vs. Cave Pocket Mars Terra Mystica Hafid’s Grand Bazaar

• • • • • • • •

The Climbers Whistle Stop The 7th Continent Witches of the Revolution Viral Sentient Road Hog PeltaPeeps

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Game Review Index

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• • • • • • •

Mini Rails Nightmare Forest: Alien Invasion The Ruhr Summit Seikatsu Tulip Bubble Covalence

• • • • • •

Joraku Michael Strogoff Minute Realms Castle Dukes Rajas of the Ganges Cytosis

• • • • •

Ancestree Exodus Fleet Tak Mistborn: House War Expedition: RPG Card Game

• • • •

ShutterBug Divinity Derby Wakening Lair Planet of the Apes

• • • • • •

Vast: The Fearsome Foes Vast Miniatures Expansion Vast Bonus Cards Wildcatters Alexandria Tzolk’in

• • • •

Gretchinz!

Button Men The Flow of History The Game of Nines

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Game Review Index

•

•

•

• •

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Dicey Peaks Coldwater Crown Thanos Rising Peak Oil Wordoku

• • • •

Zombie Dice: Horde Edition Codenames: Marvel Fog of Love Cthulhu Dice

• • • •

Gearworks Grackles Maiden’s Quest The Veil

Contributors Serge Pierro Serge has playtested numerous games for several companies, including

Wizards of the Coast and AEG. He has also written for Duelist, Inquest and Gamer print magazines. His award winning photography has appeared in both newspapers and magazines. He has self published a game, and has several other designs ready... but, currently finds his free time devoted to doing Game Nite.

Eric Devlin Eric has been the North East Regional Representative for Wizards

of the Coast, the brand manager of Legends of the Five Rings, as well as working with Sabretooth and Third World Games. He has an extensive background in playtesting for top companies. He has also written for Games Quarterly, Duelist, Inquest and others.

Jeff Rhind Jeff is a single father raising a 19 year-old son and a 8 year-old daughter, and slowly coaxing them into the world of tabletop gaming. He has been gaming for many years and shares his love and appreciation for the hobby by reviewing and talking about games on his web site: completelyboard. com as well as his You Tube channel at youtube.com/completelyboard.

You can also follow him on twitter @jeffrhind

Tom M Franklin Tom lives in North Carolina where he and his wife are staff to their five cats.

His writing has appeared in his agent’s Inbox and the occasional hand-written letter to friends. He grew up playing Abstract Strategy Games (back when they were simply called games) and still regards dice of all kinds with suspicion. His Board Gaming Claim to Fame is having taught over 300 kids how to play Chess. Considering he’s been playing board games for over 50 years he really should be much better at them than he is.

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Issue #28