Game Nite
Free
the magazine of tabletop gaming
april 2019
Philip duBarry game designer
v
Issue # 35
“tides of time� app review
game reviews
In this issue: Interview 24
Phil duBarry Game Designer
mobile Review 06
Tides of Time For Android and iOS
solo gaming 50
game Reviews
Black Orchestra by Jeff Rhind
10
Fortresses & Clans
16
Call To Adventure
32
Gugong
42
Wisdom of Solomon
Storm the Ramparts.
RPG Influenced Card Game.
New Andreas Steding Design. Biblical Themed Worker Placement.
Interview Gallery 54
Past Interviews Index
Top 10
book Review index 58
Reviewed Books Index
04 Top 10 Stefan Feld Games
Calendar
Mobile Review index 60
Reviewed Apps Index
Game Review index 64
Game Review Index
75
May 2019
Contributors 63
Game Nite Contributors
Š Game Nite 2019. 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.
02
Game Nite Issue #35
From across the table
Game Nite ISSUE # 35
W
hile everyone here on the east coast of the USA is excited that Spring has finally sprung, gamers around the world are excited that it won’t be long until the annual convention circuit begins to roll out in full force.
Like every year, the thoughts of Origins, Gen Con and Essen Spiel, fill gamers with delight, as they anticipate the release of a new crop of games, as well as having the opportunity of meeting up again with friends that they only get to see during the convention season.
Cover Photograph by Serge Pierro. Gugong © Tasty Minstrel Games
Editor in Chief/Publisher: Serge Pierro
Game Nite is also excited to see what the companies and designers have in store for us this year, as every year there always seems to be at least one game that really stands out from the rest. I wonder what this year’s game will be…
Editor:
Eric Devlin
In this issue: Jeff Rhind’s Solo Gaming column takes a look at: Black Orchestra. I would like to thank Philip duBarry for taking time from his busy schedule to share his thoughts with our readers. The May calendar features “Gugong” and provides the release date for issue #36. 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
Writers:
Photographers:
Serge Pierro Serge Pierro Tom Franklin Tom Franklin Jeff Rhind Jeff Rhind
Follow us on Facebook:
www.facebook.com/GameNiteMagazine Visit us at:
www.gamenitemagazine.com Follow us on Instagram:
@gamenitemagazine Follow us on Twitter:
@GameNiteMag
Game Nite Issue #35
03
Top 10 - Stefan Feld Games
1
Trajan Renegade Game Studios
2 The Castles of Burgundy Ravensburger
3
In the Year of the Dragon Rio Grande Games
4
Macao Rio Grande Games
5
Luna Tasty Minstrel Games
04
Game Nite Issue #35
By Serge Pierro
6
Bora Bora Ravensburger
7
Bruges Z-Man Games
8
Notre Dame Ravensburger
9
La Isla Ravensburger
10 The Speicherstadt Z-Man Games Game Nite Issue #35
05
Mobile Review
By Serge Pierro
Tides of Time
A
s you may recall, not to long ago there was a huge trend towards Micro Card Games, due in large part to the success of Love Letter, and while many of them came and went, Tides of Time still remains a solid game. Portal Games now brings the 18 card Micro Game to the mobile platform, so let’s take a look and see how it fares in its latest foray into a growing mobile marketplace. Tides of Time is a set collection/drafting game that uses only 18 cards. Each player starts with a hand of five cards drawn from the deck and chooses one of them to keep. After both players have chosen their card, they both reveal them at the same time and the remaining four cards are passed to their opponent. This continues until all five cards have been drafted and then the round is scored. Then each player will choose to keep one of the cards they drafted in play for the remainder of the game and will also choose
06
Game Nite Issue #35
one of their remaining cards to remove from the game. Players are then each dealt two cards to bring their hand total back to five and another play continues as above. After a third round has been completed, the final score is tallied from the scores of all three rounds and the highest score wins. You are greeted with a screen that features a “Quick Play” and a “Hot Seat” option to start the game. It also includes a couple of icons and your avatar. Clicking the Options icon will reveal a menu that includes: Sound, Music, Tutorial, Show AI Moves and Language. Since this is a two player game that currently has no online capability, you will be launching your game from this screen against either the game’s three AI’s or use the Pass and Play function to play against a friend. I would also highly recommend turning the Show AI Moves to off, as this greatly speeds up the game.
Beginners and veterans are encouraged to take the game’s tutorial in order to learn how the user interface works in the game. It uses a scripted tutorial that is comprehensive, though regular gamers will soon become frustrated at the slow pace of moving through it, as you have to keep hitting “tap to continue”. All in all it is a decent tutorial and should prove to be helpful for new players.
should be noted that there were times where I dragged a card and yet the card that adjacent wound up being played instead, so pay attention to what card you are selecting and dragging it properly into the middle of the screen. However, should you realize your mistake, there is an undo function available that will allow you to correct your play.
If need be, you are able to swipe the interface The user interface is fairly straightforward, to the left to reveal your opponent’s buildings. as all you really do on your turn is to drag the This isn’t really necessary during the game, but it card you want to play onto the play area. It is available should you have interest in using it.
Continued on next page>
Game Nite Issue #35
07
Mobile Review
(Cont.)
The gameplay is smooth and easy. I’ve stated before that I’m not a huge fan of apps that needlessly add “over the top” graphics and animation, at the expense of battery drain and distracting game play, but this game’s graphics are well done and don’t heavily drain my tablet’s battery. The main animation is that of the “tendrils” that link each of the buildings on screen to show the synergy The AI is challenging even on the easiest level, between them. I’d still prefer just the cards though it clearly gets stronger when you play themselves, but this is a nice implementation and against the hardest level. I’m guessing this is does add a bit of ambience to the game. due to the amount of branches that it searches at each different setting, after all there are only The only downside to the game is that with 18 18 cards, so it should be fairly easy to program cards the gameplay can get a bit monotonous if the three levels of the AI for the various card you keep playing it over and over in one sitting. combinations, based on search depth. It can also get a little confusing when you Fortunately all of the relevant information is displayed on the main game state screen. Both yours and your opponents cards are listed in a shorthand manner along the left side (you) and right side (opponent) of the screen. A quick press and hold will pop up a display with more information about the card.
08
Game Nite Issue #35
immediately start a new game, as you may still have the cards that you drafted last game still fresh in your mind. To keep things interesting the app also includes a list of achievements to pursue and as you win you can unlock new avatars and such. This goes a long way towards helping you maintain your motivation due to the small pool of cards. Overall this is an excellent game for when you are interested in playing a quick game, especially if you have the Show AI Moves turned off. It now joins 7 Wonders and Androminion
(unofficial Dominion app) for those times where I am looking to play a fast game. It looks like Tides of Time has stood the test of time as a card game, and now it looks to have a bright future as an app.
Version # Price: Devices:
1.0.1 $5.49 iOS and Android Developer: Portal Games
Recommended https://portalgames.pl
Game Nite Issue #35
09
Fortresses & Clans
By Serge Pierro
Assault the Ramparts on Your Tabletop
O
ne of my favorite pastimes as a child was playing war games with those green plastic “army men”. As I grew older, I naturally moved onto Avalon Hill war games. So, I’ve always had a soft spot for games with military conflicts, though these days that’s less so. Fortresses & Clans”is a game that brings back childhood memories of two armies squaring off, this time with asymmetrical Medieval Clans. Let’s storm the ramparts and see what the game has to offer. Last issue we took a look at Tara Wolf and like that game, this one ships in a magnetic flap box. Measuring 7” x 7” x 2”, the two flaps open up to reveal the game’s special abilities on one flap and the summary of a round on the other. Between them is the actual box “bottom” that contains a custom molded insert. There are two sections for the cards and one larger well to hold the tokens, as well as providing shelving/storage for the Timeline and Clan Leader cards.
10
Game Nite Issue #35
The 16 page rulebook is profusely illustrated. There are several examples scattered throughout and they cover all of the key concepts. However, this is one of those rulebooks that has all of the relevant information, but you’ll often have to search for it. For instance, there are several “triggers” that move the Timeline an hour or two, forward or backwards, but they are not assembled in one place, so you’ll have to turn pages to find them. It would have been nice if there was one page devoted to these “triggers” or better yet, a player aide. The boards for the game are made of thick double sided card stock and measure 6 1/4” x 4 3/4”. The artwork for both sides of the cards are the same for all of them. The only distinguishing feature is that one set has blue banners and the other has red banners. The Clan Hero cards and Keeps are oversized and measure 5” x 3 1/2” and are of a lighter card stock than the game boards.
The Timeline board is made of a sturdy in front of them in a 3x2 grid (leaving a space cardboard stock and is double paneled. Each for an Assault area between you and your panel measures 2 1/2 x 6 1/4”. opponent’s Ramparts) and take the Clan cards and the associated Clan Leader card. The Army The cardboard tokens are of the standard deck is shuffled and players will agree to a punchboard variety. specific number of cards to be drawn and placed on their Keep card. The number of cards will The main cards used throughout the game determine the Integrity of the Ramparts for the measure 1 3/4” x 2 1/2” and are made of a game. The standard game uses 3 cards, while decent card stock. Sleeving can be considered a quicker game uses 2 and the longer game, 4. optional, however, I will not be sleeving them Not only do these cards indicated the Rampart’s myself. Integrity, but they are also used as Reserve units that can be exchanged with cards from your Setting up the game is fairly straightforward, hand. Players will also place their Time token each player will place their six Rampart cards on the Timeline board.
Continued on next page>
Game Nite Issue #35
11
Fortresses & Clans
Attacker/Defender designation is determined by who is further behind on the Timeline board. The player who is last on the Timeline is the Attacker. At the start of a turn the Defender draws 6 Army cards from the deck and chooses 1 card and gives the Attacker the remaining 5, of which they will take 3 cards, the others are discarded. The Attacker will then place their 3 Army cards on their Ramparts, with War Machines being at the top of the Rampart and regular Troops in the spaces below. After the Attacker has placed their 3 Troops, the Defender places their lone card. Each Rampart can only hold 4 cards, so it is essential to strategize your Troop placement.
(Cont.)
destruction of the Keep and capturing the Clan Leader is how the game is won, drawing a card and reducing the Keep’s Integrity is a doubleedged move. After both players have deployed their Troops, the Attacking player takes one of their Clan cards and places it along one of the rows or columns of their Ramparts. Only the Troops that are in that row or column may be activated for an attack (activating each Troop advances your token 1 space on the Timeline Board). If the Clan card is placed face down its ability is not used, and you move your Timeline token ahead 2 spaces, however, if they are placed face up, the ability is triggered and you move your token ahead 3 spaces. Once a Clan card has been played it stays in play until either all of the possible row/column activations have been used or if you decide to use the “Gather the Clan” action which allows them to take back all of their used Clan cards and skip their turn, as well as moving their token ahead 2 spaces on the Timeline, plus 1 additional space for each unused row/column.
One of the more interesting decisions to be made during the deployment phase is that there are options to use the Reinforcement cards stored on your Keep. Not only does the number of cards stored here determine the Integrity of the Ramparts, but it also determines the Integrity of the Keep itself. With this in mind, you are able to exchange a card(s) from your hand with the same amount from your Reinforcement cards. However, what’s more interesting is that you can instead draw one of the Reinforcement Once the Troops have been activated the Battle cards into your hand, but at the cost of reducing phase is carried out accordingly. Each “tapped” the Integrity of the Keep. Considering that the War Machine bombards the defender’s Rampart
12
Game Nite Issue #35
in front of them and automatically places a −1 Structure token on it for each participating War Machine. The Defender then gets to Counterattack with one of their War Machines. The next part of the Battle is the Assault phase where the “tapped” non-War Machine Troop cards are moved into the Assault area. If the number of Troops exceeds the current Integrity of the Rampart it is immediately turned over to the other side and any War Machines that were on it being discarded. The number of Troops needed to breach the Rampart are discarded and any extra troops are kept in the area for future attacks.
If a Rampart had been previously breached and the attack takes place on the Inner Rampart, any of the Troops on the Outside Rampart add to the second Inner Rampart’s Integrity. Assaulting the Keep is done in a similar manner as above and can only be attacked if both the Inner and Outer Ramparts in one section have been destroyed. When Assaulted, the number of Troops needed to breach the Keep is equal to or exceeds the current Integrity of the Keep.
Continued on next page>
Game Nite Issue #35
13
Fortresses & Clans
The player who captures the opponent’s Keep/ Clan Leader is the winner. This is the kind of game that I would have loved to have played when I was younger. It is fast paced and has several interesting decisions to be made throughout the game. The asymmetry of each of the Clans is noteworthy and everyone seemed to want to play “The Kraken Barony” as the “Great Kraken” card immediately flipped a Rampart over to its breached side. And while that seems to be a powerful ability (it is), the other clans also have unique and interesting abilities, as well. My main complaint of the game is that the Ramparts were too “busy” as far as the graphic design/artwork went. It was hard to discern the Troop cards when they were on the board and everything tended to just blend together. Perhaps a 20-30% or so transparency setting on the boards would have allowed the cards to “pop” from the background and make it easier to see.
(Cont.)
Other than that, this proved to be an enjoyable game that played much faster than I had originally anticipated. The use of the Clan cards to select the various rows and columns was ingenious, as it made each player spread their forces around the Ramparts instead of just pummeling the same one, over and over. The abilities on the Clan cards really enhanced the game’s play, as did the abilities on the actual Clan Leader cards. The game has enough going for it that it would be interesting to see what expansions would do to further enhance the game. If you enjoy medieval battle games that are card driven and strategic in nature, with a generous amount of tactics, then this is a game that might be of interest to you.
Designer:
Publisher: Players: Mechanic: Ages: Length:
Romain Gaschet
River Horse 2
Card Driven Combat
14+ 40 Mins.
Recommended www.riverhorsegames.com
14
Game Nite Issue #35
Game Nite Issue #35
15
Call To Adventure
By Serge Pierro
RPG Influenced Card Game
W
hen looking at the history of modern tabletop games, there is one game that stands out as an innovator that totally revolutionized the industry. That game was “Dungeons & Dragons”. The whole concept of a game based on roleplaying, stirred the imagination of many, especially those interested in the writings of J.R.R. Tolkein. For decades there have been card games and board games that have tried to capture that storytelling element into their games with various levels of success. With “Call to Adventure”, Brotherwise Games has released a game that is all about taking a character from their humble beginnings, and through the use of the game’s mechanisms, concludes with a fully realized character with a fascinating story. Let’s begin our adventure and see where it takes us!
16
Game Nite Issue #35
“Call to Adventure” comes in a 9” x 12” x 3” box that contains an excellent custom insert. The insert is divided into two separate pieces. The main piece contains 6 individual wells that are used for storing the various game components. Each of the larger wells store both the Character, and Story cards for each of the associated Acts. However, the highlight is the inclusion of a storage tray for the Runes that features a snap on clear, plastic cover. I’m always happy to see a company go the “extra mile” by including a well designed, custom insert and this one is excellent. The 16 page rulebook measures 7 1/2” x 11” and is well illustrated. There are several examples scattered throughout the book and there is also a 2 page FAQ. The game’s rule set is accessible and the book does a good job of teaching the game, as well as explaining the Variant rules for solo and co-op play. The back page features a quick start guide.
The 4 player boards are made of a decent The game’s Experience tokens are made of cardboard stock and measure 8 3/4” x 11”. translucent red plastic and are hollowed out on They have areas for the Story/Character cards, the back. the Corruption track and an area displaying the resolution of the Runes. The components that really captured everyone’s attention were the Runes. These are made There are two different sized cards: 2 1/2” x of plastic and measure 1” x 5/8” and feature 3 1/2” and 2 3/4” x 4 3/4”. Both are made of engraved and color filled icons. Although a decent card stock. Since the cards are only custom dies could have been used, everyone felt randomly shuffled at the start of the game, that the use of the Runes added another level of sleeving can be considered optional. I will not immersion to the game. be sleeving them, as they should be fine as they are. Continued on next page>
Game Nite Issue #35
17
Call To Adventure
(Cont.)
To start the game, each player is dealt 6 cards, 2 from each of the three different types (Origins, Motivations, Destinies). From each type you will choose one of the two cards. You will place your Origin and Motivation card face up on your player board and the Destiny card is placed face down and will be revealed at the end of the game. Each player also receives 1 Hero card and 3 Experience tokens. All players start the game with their Hero marker in the area with the “2 Diamond” on the Corruption track.
same, as it makes for a more interesting game. Let’s take a look at each type.
The Story cards are placed in 3 rows in the middle of the play area and then 4 cards (5 in a four player game) are dealt out, face down, adjacent to each of them. Only the first level are revealed at the start of the game. The other Acts are turned over when a player has met the requirements by having 3 Story cards under their Character card.
Allies cannot be obtained by themselves, instead, when they are revealed they are placed behind one of the Challenges and now that Challenge has been increased in difficulty by 1, however, if you defeat it, you also receive the Ally.
Traits are obtained by meeting the conditions stated on the card. They proved to be an easy way to boost your Character’s traits. Challenges are interesting because they can have two paths that you can pursue. One of the choices usually has a +1 difficulty modifier associated with it.
Adversaries are only available in the Act II and Act III decks. These only have one option and The Story cards are the main means in which that is to defeat them. They also have abilities your Character will develop throughout the that affect the game. game. There are two main types available: Traits and Challenges. It should be noted that On a player’s turn they have the option of either there are two additional types available: Allies Gaining a Trait or Attempting a Challenge. and Adversaries. It is suggested that these can be added after you are used to the system. We To Gain a Trait all that needs to be done is decided to use them all from the start, and meet the requirements stated on the card. experienced gamers will probably want to do the Then the card is taken and placed underneath
18
Game Nite Issue #35
the appropriate Character card. Act I cards go under your Origin card, Act II cards go under your Motivation card and Act III cards go under your Destiny card. Make sure that the top of the card is showing, as this shows the additional stats that are added to your Character. Attempting a Challenge is a little more involved. Each Challenge has a level of difficulty listed on it, as well as two paths, a top path and a bottom one. Usually the second path has a +1 difficulty assigned to it. Once you’ve declared which path you are pursuing, you toss the Runes. For each Challenge you may use the basic 3 Runes, as well as any Runes that are currently showing on your cards that match the current Challenge. Additionally, you may purchase Dark Runes at the cost of 1 Experience token each. You can also play Hero/Antihero cards at this point. Then you shake and throw the runes and observe the results (see below). If the result equals or exceeds the difficulty of the Challenge, you take and place the card under the respective Story card on your player board, with the chosen path (top or bottom) displayed beneath your card. If you should happen to fail a Challenge, it is discarded and you gain 1 Experience token. A new card is drawn from the Act deck to replace the discarded Challenge.
The use of Runes instead of dice is interesting. Each Rune has two sides. The basic Runes have a +1, blank and draw a Hero/Antihero card. The Dark Runes have a +1 or +2, however, if you throw a +2 your Hero marker is moved one space towards Corruption. Of further interest are the Runes associated with your Character abilities. Each of them have a +1 or +2, however, if you get to use three of a specific Rune you get to use the special Runes associated with it. These grant either +2 or +0 and a special ability. As previously mentioned, there are Hero and Antihero cards that can be obtained and used throughout the game. The opportunity to play one of these cards is coordinated with your position on the Corruption track. If you become too Corrupt you will no longer be able to play Hero cards, and in a like manner, if you become too “pious” you will not be able to play Antihero cards. Fortunately this is printed on the Corruption track so that you can easily see what cards you are allowed to play. Play proceeds in play order as above and when one player has placed at least 3 Trait/Challenge cards below their current Act. This triggers the revealing of the next Act. Although that player is unable to try and obtain cards from the previous Act, other players may do so, but only on the condition that they place the card under the appropriate Act. Continued on next page>
Game Nite Issue #35
19
Call To Adventure
The end of the game is triggered when one of the players has 3 Trait/Challenge cards placed underneath their Destiny card. Each other player gets one last turn and then scoring commences. The rulebook contains a list of the various scoring methods and the game also includes a handy score pad that has each of the categories listed. The player with the most points wins. One of the aspects of the game that we really enjoyed was the “post scoring phase”. This was where each player told the story of their Character using the cards that they obtained throughout the game. Whether you won or lost, this was perhaps the most enjoyable part of the game, as players were very creative in telling their stories. I would even go as far as to say that this could be used as a game to “roll up” characters for a role-playing adventure. Great fun was had in the telling of their Heroic, or not Heroic, tales of their Characters and you came away with a feeling of satisfaction that is often lacking in a game that just features a “winner”. Fun stuff!
(Cont.)
And while the multiplayer game was quite enjoyable, there is also a Solo variant that proved to be equally as enjoyable. In this variant you build up your Character over the course of the game and when it is time to attempt your final Challenge you will instead have to face your Adversary. The Adversary is chosen at the start of the game, and there are several of them to choose from. Each Adversary has their own abilities, as well as a matching Adversary Quest card which expands on those abilities. You also assemble a special deck of cards from the Antihero group of cards which is triggered whenever you throw the Runes and the “card draw” icon is revealed. The variant proved to be challenging at times and if you can avoid getting hit with one of the cards from their deck, you’ll have a decent chance of winning. But a bad toss or two will have you hanging your head in despair. And speaking of bad tosses, the only downside to the game for me is that the results of the Challenges are determined by the tossing of the Runes. This is mainly because I’m not a huge fan of luck based resolutions. However, there
Continued after the following page>
20
Game Nite Issue #35
Game Nite Issue #35
21
Call To Adventure
are ways to mitigate some of the luck element to the game and I was surprised at how often I was able to defeat the Challenge. The only area where this proved to be more of a problem was during the showdown with the Adversary in the Solo variant, as often times the Adversary would have you reattempt the quest at a +1 difficulty - and here is where your luck would usually run out. But nonetheless, I thought the Runes were a better choice than dice and the rulebook even lists a probability table for the results of multiple Rune throws. Plus, everyone really enjoyed tossing the Runes, and we were more than happy to overlook the randomness of the results. As alluded to above, the game does a great job of capturing the excitement of building a character in a fantasy based role-playing world. However, unlike a standard D&D campaign that can last for months, this captures much of the same experience in only one short session!
22
Game Nite Issue #35
(Cont.)
Overall, this game is a “no-brainer” for those who enjoy playing roleplaying games, as well as for those who enjoy fantasy themed games. The gameplay is fast and fluid and watching your Character evolve throughout the game provides for a very satisfying experience. This is a game where it doesn’t really matter what the final score is, as a fascinating story will be your reward - win or lose!
Designers: Chris O’Neal & Johnny O’Neal
Publisher: Players: Mechanic: Ages: Length:
Brotherwise Games 1-4
Character Building, Engine Building
13+ 30-60 Mins.
Highly Recommended www.brotherwisegames.com
Game Nite Issue #35
23
Interview
By Serge Pierro
• Revolution! • Black Orchestra • Wisdom of Solomon Philip duBarry - Game Designer Thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts with our readers, can you tell us a little something about yourself? Sure thing. In addition to being a game designer I also do substitute teaching and serve as the associate pastor at my church. I live in Cincinnati, Ohio, with my wife and six children. I’ve always played games, but I discovered modern gaming with Settlers of Catan in the early 2000s. I’ve been designing in a serious way since around 2007.
Did you start designing games at an early age? If so, do you remember what your first game design was like? Yes. As a child I remember making various rolland-move games. My earliest attempts involved monsters. I loved to buy big poster boards for
24
Game Nite Issue #35
game boards. I would use these to draw monsters and other obstacles. I’ve make some rough cards to go with it. Later on, after becoming an Axis & Allies fan, I made a big space battle game. Unfortunately (and understandably), no one wanted to play these games with me.
What games over the years have you enjoyed most, from both the point of personal enjoyment, as well as those that influenced your growth as a designer? I still think my favorite game has been Dominion. This game just blew my mind—it’s exactly the kind of game I love. I also really enjoy Innovation, Race/Roll for the Galaxy, and Eclipse. Lately, I’ve enjoyed Terra Mystica and Concordia. While I like playing these heavier, longer games, I usually end up playing something a little lighter with my kids.
When the opportunity presents itself, what games have you currently been playing? Most recently, I’ve been playing Welcome To, Filler, Charterstone, and Everdell.
Who are your favorite game designers? I’d say Carl Chudyk, Antoine Bauza, and Uwe Rosenberg are my favorites. There are so many clever designers, but these always seem to make something that fits with what I like to do in a game.
Is there a particular designer that you would be interested in collaborating with? If so, what type of game would you be interested in making? I have done a few collaborations in the past. I’ve worked with Jason Kotarski on Fidelitas and on an unpublished card game. I also have a game coming out with Daryl Andrews (the king of collaboration) later this year. I’m currently working on a new game with Lance Myxter of TMG. There are definitely a lot of positives in working with someone else: easier to catch mistakes, quicker iteration, extra motivation, etc. However, I also really enjoy working alone
(at least in the beginning). I’d be open to working with others—I’m not sure I have a wish list for this, but you never know what opportunities will materialize.
What do you think defines your “style” as a game designer, is there a specific mechanic or rule set or… ? I think my favorite thing in a game is controlled chaos. I love it when there are tons of options and information everywhere, and it’s a race to see who can figure out the puzzle first. Otherwise, I’ve tried to do several different kinds of games, from a longer co-op (Black Orchestra) to crunchier euros (Spirits of the Rice Paddy) to quick and simple (Battlecruisers). Continued on next page>
Game Nite Issue #35
25
Interview
(Cont.)
When starting a new design, do you start with a theme or a mechanic? This just depends on how the inspiration comes. I’ve done it either way. For Revolution! I was trying to capture the feel of an underhanded political struggle. For Battlecruisers, I started with the idea of players trying not to play the same card as any other player.
Which one of your games do you consider your best design, and why? I still think Revolution! is probably the most enduring design. Somehow, I managed to capture the right mix of strategy and player interaction. Most of the game is about getting into other players’ heads, and that never gets old.
Friday I do substitute teaching, so I’m able to do work during down time these days. Friday night What is your daily design/playtest schedule and Saturday, I usually get to playtest or play like? Do you work on games everyday? published games. I still have to balance home and ministry work, so sometimes the game I do work on games almost every day. Monday design has to wait its turn. I used to design a bit and Wednesday mornings I have time to Skype more in the past, especially at nights, but I’m with collaborators. Tuesday, Thursday, and able to reserve most nights for family time now.
26
Game Nite Issue #35
You have been designing games for over 10 years now, what changes have you observed within the industry that you feel are worth noting? I’d say the biggest change is just in the amount of games that are published now. In the mid2000s, you could play (or at least know about) all the games that were released. This has now become impossible. I can’t image being an unpublished designer trying to break into the industry today. It had to be much easier a decade ago. The other big change (not unrelated) has been the rise of crowdfunding. I had a game (Kingdom of Solomon) on Kickstarter in 2011, and we raised $10K. We were thrilled! Now, you have to be so sophisticated to do well in the crowdfunding space, even starting your marketing months before launch. The bar is to share in His creative work. I want to honor this in my work. I also want to tell good stories going up every day. with my games—to reach for deeper truths. I’m not sure how well I’ve been able to do this, but How does being a Christian Pastor influence that’s my goal. I think Black Orchestra came close, your game design process? examining the justifications for assassinating Hitler and wrestling with the morality of that As a Christian, I feel that I am exercising the just like Dietrich Bonhoeffer did. Being a creative nature I was given by God. He made us Christian game designer is much more than just making “Christian” themed games (if there is such a thing). Continued on next page>
Game Nite Issue #35
27
Interview
(Cont.)
“Wisdom of Solomon” is a well designed worker placement game that appeals to both gamers and those interested in a Biblical themed game. Do you approach a Biblical themed game differently from a secular one? If so, what do you do differently? With this game, I mainly wanted to make a good game, first and foremost. It is a game that happens to have a biblical setting, rather than an overt teaching tool. That being said, Wisdom of Solomon (by Funhill Games) has amped up the biblical feel of the game beyond what was present in Kingdom of Solomon (Minion Games). I’m not sure I approached this game differently from any other. I might have been more concerned with biblical/historical accuracy, but that is really a concern for all my games (as far as it goes).
“Revolution!” was your first professionally released game (Steve Jackson Games) and it features interesting Blind Bidding and Area Control mechanisms. Can you tell us what it was like to design it from the perspective of a young game designer looking to get professionally published?
28
Game Nite Issue #35
My experience with Revolution! was unique. I had read an interesting book about political machinations during a rebellion in 1800s Peru, and I thought it would make a neat game. The mechanics came together pretty quickly. From the start, this game felt different than any of the other games I had made—other people actually wanted to play it! I kept working on it until I had something good enough to sell. I had been following a blog by designer Jackson Pope, who still hand-crafts games to sell directly. I decided to follow this route for my game. I ordered supplies and begin assembling copies for sale. I ended up selling about 30 copies. However, one of those was bought by Phil Reed at Steve Jackson Games (someone I had never met). He called me up and asked to publish the game. I’ve never heard of that happening for anyone else. That opened the door to many more opportunities.
“Embark” is reminiscent of both “Revolution!” and “Imhotep”, yet maintains its own identity. What were you looking to accomplish with this game from a design viewpoint? This was another game that came to me all at once, fully-formed (mostly). I had been wanting to explore the blind bidding mechanic from Revolution! in a different context. Originally,
Embark was about space travel, but was later changed to an island theme. I wanted the game to be quick and intuitive—something you can teach in less than 5 minutes—yet also be a battle of wits with your opponents. Having players secret assign crew to boats (possibly over-assigning them) hit the target. Seth Jaffe did a great job helping me had more bells and whistles, but the central feel of the game retains this simplicity.
Continued on next page>
Game Nite Issue #35
29
Interview
(Cont.)
“Black Orchestra” does an excellent job of capturing the feel of trying to assassinate Adolph Hitler during WW2, what inspired you to create such a game? I’ve always been a WWII buff, so I ended up reading several books and watching some documentaries about the assassination of Hitler. This got me thinking about how to make it into a game. I had never made a co-op game, but that made sense to me for this theme. I wanted players to have some of the same discussions and worries as the original conspirators.
30
Game Nite Issue #35
Do you have any plans to release any of your games as apps for the mobile platforms? I have pursed this a number of times, but none of my publishers have ever been interested. The timing has just not worked out yet, but that could change in the future. I’d love to see an app for one of my games!
Are there any other upcoming projects that you are at liberty to discuss or announce? I have been doing some development work for AEG lately. We will be releasing The Captain Is Dead: Dangerous Planet later this year. This third installment lets players participate in an away mission in a “tower defense” setting with hordes of alien bugs surging to destroy them.
What advice would you have for aspiring game designers?
My game project with Daryl Andrews is called St. Augustine exploring the history of the oldest European settlement in North America. It will be launched on Kickstarter by Big Kid Games later this year.
First, play a lot of games. Get to know the industry. Go to conventions and meet some publishers. Find out want they want to see. Join a local playtesting group. And most of all, keep working at it—you only fail if you give up!
Game Nite Issue #35
31
Gugong
By Serge Pierro
A New Andreas Steding Design!
T
en years ago Andreas Steding designed a classic, Hansa Teutonica. Since I’ve always enjoyed playing it, I was interested to see what he had to offer a decade later. Much to my delight, Gugong is a worthy addition to Mr. Steding’s body of works. Since Asian themes are amongst my favorite, and the game’s beautiful artwork by Andreas Resch artwork was quite impressive, I was very interested to see if the game would meet my expectations. Let’s take a trip back in time and see how we can bribe our way to gain favor with the Emperor.
The large 20 page rulebook is profusely illustrated and contains many examples. A special shout out to Rafael Theunis for such an impressively laid out rulebook. Each section is clearly written and includes examples for further clarification. Fans of solo variants will be happy to see that there are four pages devoted to this increasingly popular method of play.
The large, linen finished, six panel board is double sided and features Andreas Resch’s artwork. Each panel measures 11” x 9 1/2” and is made of a sturdy cardboard stock. One side Gugong comes in a 11 3/4” x 11 3/4” x 2 3/4” features the board for a 1-3 player game and the linen finished box that features some gorgeous other side is for a 4-5 player game. Andreas Resch artwork. Although the box contains a somewhat standard cardboard All of the cardboard tokens are made of a sturdy insert, it is the addition of two non-standard punchboard stock and are linen finished. The cardboard “spacers” that immediately catch stock is similar to the one used for the game’s your attention. These feature a thumb-hole so board. that you can lift them out of the box and they do a great job of keeping all of the components The linen finished cards measure 1 3/4” x 2 snug. The larger one also serves as a storage 3/4” inches and are made of a standard card box for some of the components. stock. Sleeving could be considered optional, but it seems unnecessary.
32
Game Nite Issue #35
The player boards are made of the same thick and sturdy cardboard stock as the main board. They are linen finished and have a substantial feel.
the components of the game. This made setting up the game a breeze, as players were introduced to the components and how/where they are used in the game.
The 3 custom numbered dies are made of wood The structure of the game is divided into Days and have the numbers painted with white paint. (rounds) and each Day consists of three phases: Morning, Day and Night. The game primarily The rest of the components are made of wood takes place during the Day phase. Let’s first and include several different custom meeple look at the Morning and Night phases, as they shapes. Most noteworthy are the Traveller are basically setup and cleanup phases. meeples that resemble a person riding a horse. The player colors are: red, orange, pink, blue During the Morning phase (which is skipped and white. on the first round of the game) you determine the First Player, Refill any open spots on the The setup for the game is nicely displayed on Travel area of the board, Reroll the Destiny Dice, pages 2-3 of the rulebook, while also showing Resolve Decrees and Receive new Servants. Continued on next page>
Game Nite Issue #35
33
Gugong
(Cont.)
During the Night phase you check their Gift Now that we’ve covered the exchanging Gift cards in their discard pile against the values card mechanism, let’s take a look at what we can indicated on the Destiny Dice and receive any do with them. applicable rewards. Then all of the Ships on the Grand Canal are moved one space forward. The board for the game is divided into seven areas (from top to bottom): Travel, Great Wall, Now let’s take a look at the main phase of a Jade, Intrigue, Palace of Heavenly Purity, round, the Day phase. It is during this phase Decrees and Grand Canal. Each of these are where players will be exchanging their Gift dedicated to a specific strategy. cards with those already placed on the board and taking the associated action(s). Since the Travel: Exchanging Gift cards in this area of exchanging of Gifts is the main mechanism in the board allows you to place and move your the game, it is important to understand how it is Traveller. The first time that you use this action used. If you play a Gift with a higher numerical you get to choose where to place/start your value than the Gift you are exchanging with, Traveller. You have two options when using this you can just exchange the cards. However, if action, move your Traveller one space and take/ the Gift you are looking to exchange is lower or resolve the Travel Token or remove 2 Servants equal to the Gift on the board, then you have to from you Servant Pool and move the Traveller 2 also do one of the following: Remove 2 Servants spaces, each time resolving the Travel Token that from your Servant Pool (those currently on your you have landed on. Empty spaces and spaces player board) and place them in your general with other Travelers are ignored. Any obtained supply (those currently not on your player Travel Tokens are placed in the cutout area at board), place one of your other Gift cards onto the top of your player board and can be traded the discard area on your player board, or you can in at any point during the game for the benefit just exchange the Gift cards - and not take any listed below it. Example: Exchange 2 Travel actions. All Gift cards that you have received via Tokens to take 1 Servant from your supply and exchanging are placed face down in the discard place it into your Servant Pool, Exchange 4 area of your player board. Travel Tokens to receive 4 VP’s and Exchange 6 Travel Tokens to receive 1 Jade token. This was If you have successfully exchanged Gift cards one of my favorite areas on the board, as it led to you can take the action printed on the Gift interesting strategies when combined with the played and/or the action that is on the location accumulation of Travel Tokens. where you exchanged.
34
Game Nite Issue #35
Great Wall: Exchanging Gift cards in this area of the board allows you to partake in the building of the Great Wall. This section uses an area control mechanism to determine who has contributed the most to Wall’s current construction. Using this action allows you to place 1 Servant onto the Wall. However, you can discard a Servant from your Servant Pool to place an additional Servant onto the Wall. When the row of Servants reaches the number indicated by the player count of the game, the player with the most Servants is awarded 3 VP’s and moves up 1 step on the Palace of Heavenly Purity track. After resolving the above, the
same player removes their Servants and places them into their general supply. All of the other Servants are moved to the left, leaving no spaces. Another benefit of the resolution of the Wall is that each player who had a Servant at the Wall when it scored, also has the option of receiving Intrigue Benefits. This is resolved in the order of the player with the lowest token on the Intrigue Track going first and the owner of the highest token going last. Example: Move your Intrigue token down 1 and place a Servant from your supply into your Servant Pool.
Continued on next page>
Game Nite Issue #35
35
Gugong
(Cont.)
Jade: Exchanging a Gift card at this location allows you to acquire Jade tokens. In order to do so, after you exchange the cards you remove “X” Servants from your Servant Pool, where “X” equals the cost of the location from which you are taking the Jade from. These locations can range from 2 to 5. The accumulation of Jade can be considered an important endgame strategy, as the amount you collect ramps up in VP’s at higher quantities. Example: 1 Jade = 1 VP, 2 Jade = 3 VP… 5 Jade = 15 VP. Intrigue: Intrigue is a bit weaker than the other offerings, however, it is not to say that it isn’t important. When you exchange a Gift card at this location you get to move your Intrique Marker one space on the path. If you are the first person to do so this round, you also receive the First Player token. You also have the option of removing 1 Servant from your Servant Pool to move your marker 3 spaces. The other main benefit is that it is used to break ties.
the track. There is also an option to remove 2 Servant tokens from your Servant Pool to move 2 steps on the track, as well as moving your Intrigue token 1 space on its track. When you reach the top of the track you place your Envoy on the highest scoring, available space. As stated above, you will automatically lose the game if you don’t reach the top. Decrees: This area has some strong virtues, however, they do come at a cost. Using this area allows you to pay the cost in Servant(s) from your Servant Pool and then placing one of your remaining Servants onto the space adjacent to the tile that you are interested in. If there are any other player’s tokens there, you must discard that amount of Servants from your Servant Pool into your general supply. The main benefit is that you are eligible for any of the triggered Decrees for the rest of the game. Level 1 Decrees immediately score you VP’s and trigger an effect each Morning phase. Level 2 Decrees immediately score you VP’s and trigger an effect when you use a specific action. Level 3 Decrees are endgame bonuses. Each of these are quite useful, however, they come at a price - the loss of using that Servant for the rest of the game.
The Palace of Heavenly Purity: This is perhaps the most important area on the board, because if you don’t reach the top of the track, you can’t win the game. So you will have to make strategic choices as to how to advance your Envoy token Grand Canal: In a game where Servants can here, while at the same time trying to accumulate VP’s elsewhere. Exchanging a Gift card in this often times be in short supply, the Grand Canal area allows you to move your Envoy one step on is an area that can tie up some of your Servants
Continued after the following page>
36
Game Nite Issue #35
Game Nite Issue #35
37
Gugong
(Cont.)
for a while. Exchanging a Gift card here allows you to place one of your Servants on one of your boats or move your boat 1 space or discard a Servant from your Pool to your general supply and place 2 Servants from your Servant Pool onto either one or two of your boats. When you have 3 Servants on a boat and you are at a Harbor that has a reward that you want, you remove one of the Servants from the boat and place it in the associated die cut area along the left side of your player board. You are limited to the amount of times you can claim a specific reward and this is nicely implemented by the size of the die cut area, thus allowing only the maximum amount of cubes to be placed there. At the end of the fourth Day the game ends and all of the end of game scoring takes place. The player with the highest score wins. The game also includes an excellent Solo Variant. The Automa uses both a regular deck of Gift cards and a special Automa deck of cards. The game is based on the two player version of the game, with several differences, mainly focused on how the Automa resolves the actions that it takes. Overall, this is a welcome addition to the game, as it provides for a challenging and fun solo game, though at the cost of having to learn a modified version of the game. It is by no means difficult, but, you might want to wait until you’ve played a couple of regular games, so that you don’t potentially confuse the two systems.
We all really enjoyed playing Gugong and thought that the game had a lot to offer in such a “small” amount of time. Make no mistake, a two/three player game will still last 60 minutes or so and the 4-5 player game is 90 minutes, but at no point did it “feel” like that amount of time had passed. As a matter of fact, the general consensus was that the game ended too early, as players were surprised when we reached the end of the fourth day. And while the aforementioned times were accurate, it seemed that the game only paused when we had to look up what the icons meant on a tile, which is the game’s only downside. Like other games that use an icon system, it takes several plays to become accustomed to all of the icons. In later games this pause was only needed for tiles that we hadn’t seen before, in particular the Decree tiles. Other than that, the game moves very quickly, you exchange a card, take an action (or two) and the play moves onto the next player. I found the Gift card mechanism to be fascinating, especially the ones that had printed Actions on them, as this added another layer of depth to the game. It was not unusual to play a low number and take no action in order to exchange that card with a higher one from your hand on the next turn. There were some interesting sub-strategies based on the timing and use of the actions on the cards, in particular when getting some “free” movement for your Envoy up the steps of the Palace. Continued after the following page>
38
Game Nite Issue #35
Game Nite Issue #35
39
Gugong
(Cont.)
The only area that we felt was lacking was the Intrigue section. While it wasn’t terrible, we rarely found ourselves going out of our way to use it. Of course its primary use would be to take the First Player token, otherwise we felt that your Gift card was better exchanged somewhere Jade proved to be the hot commodity, as players else. who acquired 5 or more Jade scored quite nicely. I lost one game because my opponent Servants could become scarce at points during had 6 Jade and I only had 3, and he won by 2 the game and you will have to find ways to points. Although it is enticing to pursue Jade, transfer Servants from your general supply into it obviously becomes more difficult as the game your Servant Pool in order to compete, but that is one of the many challenges presented within progresses, as the price keeps escalating. the game. The Grand Canal turned out to be a bit of a surprise, as this area proved to be more Overall we really enjoyed playing Gugong and beneficial than we had originally thought. In is a game that I look forward to bringing to the particular was the Harbor where you could gain table again in the future. I’m happy to say that an additional card that can be used for the rest the game certainly lived up to my expectations of the game. Though obtaining the Double and I will be gladly adding it to my library. Servant and scoring points were also welcome additions. Designer: Andreas Steding And speaking of the Palace, you need to pace yourself in moving towards the top, however, in one of our games a player all but ignored the Palace for the first day and a half, and then had to make up for it in the latter stages of the game.
Both the Wall and the Travel section of the board were well used, though we often wanted to Travel more, but there just didn’t seem to be enough time, as there were tough decisions to make all around the board.
Publisher: Players: Mechanic: Ages: Length:
Tasty Minstrel Games 1-5
Hand Management, Worker Placement
12+ 90 Mins.
Highly Recommended www.playtmg.com
40
Game Nite Issue #35
Game Nite Issue #35
41
Wisdom of Solomon
By Serge Pierro
Biblical Themed Worker Placement
R
ecently I was reminded of how Biblical themed games are often seen. Upon seeing a stack of games to be reviewed, the person stated, “Are those religious games? Are they for Easter?” and I looked at them quizzically and said, “How come you never mention the theme of the hundreds of games surrounding you, yet you see two games with a Biblical them and all of a sudden you are “shocked”. Sadly this is a common occurrence. It has been true that there have been many awful “games” with a biblical theme, mainly of the “Bible Trivia” variety, but it is possible to have a game with a Biblical theme that can appeal to a serious gamer. Wisdom of Solomon is such a game. Let’s take a look at a fine game that delivers an excellent worker placement experience without being “preachy” or “religious”.
42
Game Nite Issue #35
Wisdom of Solomon comes in a 9” x 11 1/2” x 2” box that contains a two well cardboard insert. The largest well is quite roomy and can hold the majority of the components, while the smaller well is suitable for the playing cards and a small bag or two of components. The top of the insert has three areas that provide a resting place for the board and rulebook. And speaking of the rulebook, it measures 8 1/2” x 11 and is 16 pages long. The rules do a decent job of teaching the game, however, there are not as many examples as I would have liked. There is a section for the Building card icons, which is necessary due to the fact that the cards use icons instead of text, though I wish that publishers would at least put this information on the back page of the book so that we wouldn’t have to continuously thumb through it to find out what a card meant. There are also three pages devoted to the solo game.
The four panel board is made of a sturdy A white cloth bag with drawstrings is also cardboard stock. The color/graphic design is a included. This is a quality piece, however, since bit underwhelming, but other than the Trader/ it is pure white, it’s prone to getting soiled. Merchant area (see below), it is easy enough to understand. The rest of the components are made of wood. The player colors are: red, blue, white, black and The cardboard components are of a standard purple. The resource colors are: yellow, green, punchboard stock. blue, brown, grey and orange. The cards are standard sized and made of a Pages 2 and 3 of the rulebook do an excellent decent card stock. The cards are not shuffled job of showing you how to setup the game. It throughout the game and sleeving should be not only shows a step by step setup, but it also is considered optional. I personally will not be used as a list of the components. sleeving them, as they are just fine as they are.
Continued on next page>
Game Nite Issue #35
43
Wisdom of Solomon
(Cont.)
After the game has been setup, there is an Initial Market Purchase. Each player, starting with the player furthest from the 1st player in turn order, may each purchase up to 3 Resources. They pay the current market price and move their token on the Favor track backwards.
The other location in which you can play a Fortune card is the Trader. There is a straight up trade of one of your Resources for two Resources from the supply. The only caveats are that you can’t trade for the Wildcard Resources and you can’t trade for the same Resource that you offered. And like the Merchant location, Since Wisdom of Solomon is a Worker Placement you can play a Fortune card when done trading. game, let’s take a look at each of the areas that There are two spaces available in 2-3 player are available. games and an additional one for 4-5 players. The Merchant contains five tracks of Resources; Gold, Copper, Stone Wood Food and Exotic (Wildcards). There are a minimum of two spaces available for Workers, and up to four in a 4-5 player game. As with the Initial Market Purchase, to purchase Resources players pay for up to three Resources by moving their Favor token backwards the appropriate amount of spaces based on the cost of the Resources. To Sell Resources the player places the Resource on any open space on the relevant Resource track and moves their Favor token forward the amount that it sold for. It is possible for a player to buy Copper for 1 and then on the same turn sell it back for 4, thus gaining 3 spaces on the scoring track. Another important element of this location on the board is that it is one of only two places that you can play a Fortune card. After you are finished Purchasing/Selling you have the option to play a Fortune card.
44
Game Nite Issue #35
Thematically it is not surprising that one of the most important scoring areas on the board is devoted to the Levites and the Temple area. This area contains yellow tiles that are placed face down on the grid according to the number of players. On the reverse side of the tiles are a specific amount of Favor points to be added to your score at the end of the game. This information is both hidden on the board itself and when placed face down in front of you. The numbers range from 6-10. The Temple area proved to be a strong strategy for picking up large amounts of points in the endgame. As if that wasn’t enough, the player also receives a Fortune card when taking a tile. Tiles are purchased at the cost of either 1 Gold and 1 Copper or 1 Stone, 1 Wood and 1 Food. However, there is an additional cost of 1 additional Resource per Worker that are already at the Temple. There are 7 available spaces at this location for Workers.
The second most important scoring area is that of the Foreman. This location is used for purchasing Buildings and features an interesting scoring mechanism. In the lower right corner of the card is its cost in Resources, upon paying the Resources and obtaining the card, you move ahead on the Favor track equal to the number in the upper right corner of the card AND the number printed on the board next to the card. This allowed for some interesting scoring opportunities, as well as providing a great deal of replayability to the game. The Buildings themselves have special abilities printed on them and they are explained in the rulebook, as they
are all icon based. There are some Buildings that have a space so that you can spend an action to place your Worker on it to yield its ability. And while all of the above is quite useful, it is the placing of your Customs Houses and Roads that really make this a strong action. After obtaining your Building card you can place one of your Custom Houses on any available space on the map of Israel on the board. First you place the Custom House and then you can take a Road marker and use it to connect to an adjoining area that doesn’t already have a Road connected to it. This allows players to build Continued on next page>
Game Nite Issue #35
45
Wisdom of Solomon
(Cont.)
The last area on the board is that of “The Holy Place”. This is an area that has four large circles, each of which yielded a powerful ability. However, in order to use this ability you have to place ALL of your remaining Workers in the space to trigger it, and then you are considered out of play for the rest of the round. The last player in the player count is not allowed to use this area. Example: In a 3 player game, the first two players to use it shut out the third player from being able to do so. Plus, the player who first uses this area receives the First Player token. As mentioned above, there is a section of the Only one player is allowed in each of these board that is devoted to a map of Israel and spaces. Yet, another tough decision to make in is called “The Land of Israel”. Each of the an already interesting game. Locations contains a Resource(s) that can be obtained by a player by placing their Worker on Let’s take a look at what the areas in “The Holy the Location and taking the relevant Resource. Place” produce. The only caveats are that it must contain one of “Ark of the Covenant” allows you to draw 3 your Custom Houses or it doesn’t contain an opponent’s Custom House. During the setup Fortune cards. of the game a specific number of Shortage tiles are drawn from the bag to indicate areas where “Menorah” states that any opponent with 7 or Resources are unavailable. These tiles are placed more Resources must give half of them (rounded on the map and players are unable to harvest down) to you. The opponent chooses which from those locations. This made for a high level ones to give you. of replayability on subsequent plays as the map featured different Shortage areas each game. networks of Buildings on the map and when you spend an action to place a Worker on the Map to collect Resources, it collects additional Resources from all of the areas in the connected network. This was yet another interesting strategy to pursue, and like most well designed Worker Placement games, this provided yet another difficult decision for players to make throughout the game. This area has 3 spaces available in a 2 player game, 4 spaces in a 3-5 player game and 5 spaces in a 4-5 player game.
46
Game Nite Issue #35
“Altar of Incense” allows you to take 1 Exotic and resolving the associated action. There is a section in the rulebook devoted to what the Good and move 8 spaces on the Favor track. icons mean. I found that the solo game was “Table of the Presence” allows you to take 1 fairly challenging, though I had to be more Gold, 1 Copper, 1 Stone, 1 Wood and 1 Food. aggressive on my placements at the Temple, as this was a major source of points needed in Once all players have placed all of their Workers order to beat Jeroboam. Although there is the on the board a “year” of time has passed and luck of the draw and such, it did provide for an there is an “End of Year” phase, which is basically entertaining and challenging game. a cleanup and resetting phase. This triggers Wisdom of Solomon is an updated version of every time all the Workers have been placed in a round, unless one of the end of game conditions Philip duBarry’s original game Kingdom of is met. These conditions are: A player has placed Solomon. Since I never played the original I will all of their Custom Houses on the board or all only be giving my thoughts on this version. of the Temple Tiles have been taken. This is a very solid Worker Placement game that At the end of the game there is an additional not only captures the theme nicely, but offers an scoring round that takes in account the excellent playing experience for all gamers. We following: Any unplanned Fortune card is found that there were a lot of tough decisions to worth 2 pts and each player’s Temple Tiles are be made throughout the game, especially when revealed and scored accordingly. The player taking actions at the Temple and the timing of the powerful actions at “The Holy Place”. with the most points wins. As if the strong multiplayer gameplay wasn’t enough, there is also a solo variant which uses the white cloth bag mentioned previously. The opponent is named Jeroboam and on their turn you will be drawing a tile from out of the bag
We thought that the building of networks on the map was really interesting, however, there was “tension” as to whether to take that route, help build the Temple or construct buildings. Like most Worker Placement games there never
Continued on next page>
Game Nite Issue #35
47
Wisdom of Solomon
seemed to be enough time to do what you wanted to do, or someone thwarted one of your plans while you did something else. Although there are a generous amount of spaces on which to place a Worker, you are pulled in several directions to try to maximize your scoring potential, as there are multiple paths to pursue and each of them seem to be well balanced. I personally enjoyed the buildings, especially the ones that had spaces on which to place one of your Workers. I’ve seen this in other games (such as The Manhattan Project: Energy Empire) and I’m always interested in having areas that are only accessible to me. The buildings offer a nice level of replayability to the game due to their variety. The only real downside to the game is that the graphic elements are a little underwhelming. I enjoyed the “Adam Hughes” style of inking on the box art, building cards and the rulebook, but the board seemed more like a prototype designed on a computer, rather than a finished product. Plus, the Trade/Merchant area was a bit confusing as the graphic design was poorly designed, as there is a “wall” separating the two areas and it was confusing to players on their earlier plays.
48
Game Nite Issue #35
(Cont.)
I’m sure that there will be those who aren’t interested in a biblical themed game (though I do find it strange that these same people have no problem with demon/Hell-themed games) but they would clearly missing out on a solid design. This is a game that I would happily play with anyone and it’s kind of sad that I have to actually preface these remarks, especially when there are many games with “questionable” themes that never get scrutinized. This is a game that I would highly recommend to Bible study groups and Christian/Jewish families, as well as those who enjoy a good Worker Placement game. I could even see this as a gateway to other euro-styled games. “Wisdom of Solomon” is a game worth playing - Biblical theme or not.
Designer:
Publisher: Players: Mechanic: Ages: Length:
Philip duBarry
Funhill Games 1-5
Worker Placement
14+ 30-75 Mins.
Recommended www.funhill-games.com
Game Nite Issue #35
49
Solo Gaming
ByJeff Serge Pierro By Rhind
Black Orchestra
B
lack Orchestra, or Schwarze Kapelle in German, was a term used by the Gestapo to refer to those individuals who were conspiring to overthrow Adolf Hitler during World War II. In this 1-4 player cooperative game published by Game Salute and designed by Philip duBarry, you take on the role of one (or when playing solo, several) conspirators traveling around the Reich trying to pick up items and come up with plots that will help in your plans to kill the dictator all the while trying to avoid him and his deputies. The art design on this game is very reminiscent of 1940’s German art style and typography which definitely adds to the thematic elements of the game. Event cards are adorned with historical photos for added flavor. When playing solo, it must be played two handed, or more, so that cards item tokens can be exchanged between characters. Hitler begins in Berlin at the
50
Game Nite Issue #35
Reichstag while his deputies like Himler, Goebbels, and Hess are spread throughout Europe. You’ll want to avoid them, when possible, or they will negatively affect your stats, cancel your ability or not allow you to conspire. On every turn you have three actions, initially, and multitude of possible actions to choose from which are printed on the board itself – very helpful! On most turns you will “Conspire” and roll dice that will allow for even more actions on your turn. Gathering successes in the “Dissent” track will increase your motivation which is integral in following through with plots against the Fürher and allow you to use special abilities of your character, but you may also roll “Eagles” which are essentially fails and will increase your “Suspicion.” A higher suspicion will make it harder for you to succeed at your plot. Other possible actions may include moving around Europe which is limited to what event card stack you are currently in, reveal
Photo: Jeff Rhind
a hidden item or collect one in the location you are in, or trade cards with another player in your location -- all pretty standard co-op based actions. You may also draw a card from the “Conspirator” deck giving you special onetime abilities or weapons or, most importantly, plot cards. These plots include derailing Hitler’s train, a hidden bomb, or poisoning his food. Plot cards indicate what items you must have to try to assassinate Hitler as well as optional requirements that will increase the number of dice you will roll which will increase your chances of succeeding and winning the game.
At the end of your turn you draw an event card from the current stage you are in - there are 7. They represent the events in rough chronological order of World War II. Over those seven stages, positive and mostly negative things will happen affecting game play. If that weren’t enough, the game will get more complicated as the stages progress as it will get more difficult to kill the Fürher. Cards may increase Hitler’s military support making it far more challenging to win. Some events are “Important” events that create lasting effects and/or limitations until another “Key” event card comes into play and negates it.
Continued on next page>
Game Nite Issue #35
51
Solo Gaming (Cont.) For advanced play and other cool ways to play, Black Orchestra comes with three levels of difficulty. This can be further enhanced with variants including the ability to kill of the deputies as well discarding additional cards from the event deck making the game tick down that much faster! The game is enjoyable and there is quite a bit to do, manage and think about. Black Orchestra is not difficult to play, but like all co-ops not necessarily easy to win. Plus, you can win the game even if a character’s suspicions are so high that that conspirator can’t get much done. Interestingly enough, there are no female characters available to be played. Due to the historic nature of the Schwarze Kapelle all being male, the designers felt it not suitable to include even fictitious female characters. It’s a minor nitpick but there may be some gamers who would’ve like the rules of historical accuracy bent a little. Black Orchestra reminds me of a lot of Eldritch Horror in how players move around the map, collecting items, rolling for successes, and trading items and cards. It’s pretty standard co-
52
Game Nite Issue #35
op fare and doesn’t do anything ground breaking in the genre. But that doesn’t mean it isn’t fun! Like all co-ops, it can be pretty difficult to win and it does take a bit of luck to eke out a victory. There is a high level of randomness with regard to dice throws, card draws and the item tiles revealed in each location. Of course, some of this gets mitigated with the ability to trade items, increasing your hand size, or gaining additional dice to increase your chances at success. There are times you are trying to make things work with what you have and although you can give up items to replace them with others or trade them away to other players, sometimes it feels like a bit of work to make it all happen the way you want. There is some frustration that can result when you finally draw a plot card from the “Conspirator” deck, gather the items you need, have your “Motivation” high enough to initiate the plot and be in the same location as Hitler and then he ends up moving to another location due to an “Event” card draw which can completely foil your plans. That can be really frustrating especially if you dislike “luck of the draw/dice” games. However, all that being said, Black Orchestra is great co-op game with solid, if not random, game play, a very cool theme, and a pleasing aesthetic.
Photo: Jeff Rhind
Game Nite Issue #35
53
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
54
Game Nite Issue #35
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
Game Nite Issue #35
55
Interview Gallery (Cont.)
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
56
Game Nite Issue #35
Curt Covert #23
Daryl Andrews #24
Rob Dougherty #25
Nestor Romeral Andres #26
Leonard Koh #27
Rui Alipio Monteiro #28
Luke Laurie #29
Darwin Kastle #30
Serge Pierro #31
Justin Gary #32
Tom Lehmann #33
Shem Phillips #34
Philip duBarry #35
Game Nite Issue #35
57
Book Review Index
58
Issue #1
Issue #2
Issue #3
Issue #4
Issue #5
Issue #6
Issue #7
Issue #8
Issue #9
Issue #10
Issue #11
Issue #12
Issue #13
Issue #14
Issue #14
Issue #14
Game Nite Issue #35
Issue #15
Issue #15
Issue #15
Issue #16
Issue #16
Issue #17
Issue #17
Issue #18
Issue #19
Issue #20
Issue #22
Issue #24
Issue #26
Issue #32
Issue #33
Game Nite Issue #35
59
Mobile Review Index
Issue #12
Issue #13
Issue #14
Issue #15
Issue #16
Issue #17
Issue #18
Issue #19
60
Game Nite Issue #35
Issue #20
Issue #21
Issue #21
Issue #22
Issue #23
Issue #24
Issue #25
Issue #26
Game Nite Issue #35
61
Mobile Review Index (Cont.)
Issue #27
Issue #30
Issue #28
Issue #31
Issue #29
Issue #32
Issue #29
Issue #33
62
Game Nite Issue #35
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.
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.
Jeff Rhind Jeff is a single father in Boston who also dabbles a bit in other writing projects as
well as playing the acoustic guitar. Gaming for many years has allowed him to share his love and appreciation of the hobby with family, friends, and on social media. As much as he likes solo gaming, Jeff always prefers playing with others especially his 10 year-old daughter who is currently a fan of Wingspan and Splendor. His 21 year-old son, when not playing the PS4, likes competitive/head-to-head games. You can follow Jeff on twitter @jeffrhind
Game Nite Issue #35
63
Game Review Index (Isuues 1-6)
64
Game Nite Issue #35
• • • • • •
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
Game Nite Issue #35
65
Game Review Index (Issues 7-12)
66
Game Nite Issue #35
• • • • • • • • • • • •
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 #35
67
Game Review Index (Issues 13-18)
68
Game Nite Issue #35
• • • • • • • • • • • • •
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
Game Nite Issue #35
69
Game Review Index (Issues 19-24)
70
Game Nite Issue #35
• • • • • • •
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
Game Nite Issue #35
71
Game Review Index (Issues 25-30)
• • • • •
72
Game Nite Issue #35
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
• • • •
Outpost: Siberia Outpost: Amazon Root Planetarium
• • • • •
Shards of Infinity Blood Rage Mistfall: Chronicles of Frost
• • • • • •
Wish You Were Here Onitama: Way of the Wind Master of the Galaxy
The Manhattan Project: Energy Empire
Barker’s Row
Hero Realms: The Ruin of Thandar
Shifting Realms Hero’s Crossing
Game Nite Issue #35
73
Game Review Index (Issues 31+)
• • • • • • • • •
• • • •
• • • • • • • • •
74
Game Nite Issue #35
Dicey Peaks Command Decks Star Realms: Coldwater Your Town Crown Thanos Wu WeiRising Peak Oil Star Realms: Frontiers Wordoku
Darwinning! Zombie Dice: Horde Edition Codenames:Card GoVenture Marvel Game Fog of Love the Board Game Highlander Cthulhu The Forbidden Dice Sanctuary
Highlander: Princes of the Universe Gearworks Architects of the West Kingdom Grackles Tricky Dungeon Maiden’s Quest Perdition’s Mouth: Revised Edition The Veil Warigin
May • 2019 Sunday
Monday
Tuesday
5
6
12
13
Game Nite
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
1
2
3
4
7
8
9
10
11
14
15
16
17
18 25
Issue #36 Release Date
19
20
21
22
23
24
26
27
28
29
30
31
Next Month!
Issue #36