Latest Posts
Kronologic: Paris 1920 – Board Game Review
Last week I wrote about Turing Machine, a deduction puzzle that fascinated me with its cardboard computer but ultimately left me a little cold with the multiplayer experience. This week I’m talking about designers Fabien Gridel and Yoann Levet’s follow-up game, Kronologic: Paris 1920. It turns out the same designers have taken some of those clever ideas and turned them into something that feels much more like a game you’d actually want to sit down and play with other people.
Why do People Rate Games a “1”?
Why do people give a game a 1 on BoardGameGeek?
It’s a question I’ve been mulling over for years, and one that tends to pop into my head whenever I’m browsing an upcoming release and trying to get a sense of what people are thinking. I scroll past the preview images, maybe skim a few comments, and then my eyes drift over to the rating… only to see that bar graph with a giant foot, the 1 ratings outnumbering every other number by a large margin. Also, why the heck are there ratings on this game if it isn’t even out yet? These 1s aren’t low scores from disappointed players, they aren’t thoughtful critiques explaining why something didn’t land. These 1s feel more of a punishment than anything else. And I always find myself wondering: what is that number actually trying to say?
Turing Machine – Board Game Review
I’ve always had a soft spot for puzzle games. From Tetris to those logic puzzles you find in the Penny Press game books, to word games and Sudoku puzzles. I love the moment when I sit down in front of one, utterly clueless, then start teasing at the edges, working the system to slowly unravel the answer.
For Sale – Board Game Review
The longer I’ve been into board gaming, the more I’ve noticed a steady drift toward hybridization. Mechanisms get smashed together, so now a game isn’t just a deck-builder game or a worker placement game, but some intricate fusion of both, a la Lost Ruins of Arnak or Dune: Imperium. And while I genuinely enjoy seeing the interesting ways games meld mechanics, there’s something refreshing about a game that picks a single idea and simply executes it as cleanly and completely as possible. So with that in mind, let’s talk about 1997’s For Sale, designed by Stefan Dorra.
Cat in the Box: Deluxe Edition – Board Game Review
At this point, there are a lot of trick taking games in the world. It’s kind of comforting to pick up a new one, and already know most of the rules. “This is a trick taking game, but here’s the twist…” and then bam, you’re off to the races. Maybe you’re trying to avoid taking the prince suit in Rebel Princess, or there’s a whole flowchart of special characters that beat one another in Skull King. Either way, trick taking games can be counted on to be taught extremely quickly, which means you’ll go from opening the rulebook to actually playing the game in mere moments.
Frosted Blooms – Board Game Review
I have always loved polyomino based games. From Tetris as a young teenager to Patchwork being one of the games that made me fall in love with the board game hobby. So anytime a new polyomino game hits my table, I’m generally predisposed to enjoy myself.
Escape Comics: The Alien Ship – Review
Exit games started hitting the market in 2016, and by 2017, it felt like they were everywhere, and since then I’ve only played 2 (Lord of the Rings, and The Enchanted Forest). I’ve done a handful of local Escape Rooms, and while I’ve enjoyed them, I would by no means ever call myself an expert. The Exit games I’ve played have been fun, but I always felt like the narrative was paper-thin and served as an excuse to move from puzzle to puzzle. Which is why when Evan Duxbury reached out and introduced me to Escape Comics: The Alien Ship, the promise of an escape room in a comic with a narrative focus really caught my attention.
Tainted Grail: The Fall of Avalon – First Impressions
I’ve always had a bit of a chip on my shoulder when it comes to reviewing games that haven’t been fully played. Not necessarily 100% completed, that’s in no way realistic, but at least pushed through the main campaign to see the credits. My opinions stem from reading review after review of Final Fantasy XIII and the waves of criticism it received for being a “ series of hallways,” only for it to meaningfully open up beyond the point many reviewers manage to reach. It’s always felt a little presumptuous to me, like judging a book before Act 2 has even started. And yet, here I am, about ten hours into Tainted Grail: The Fall of Avalon, only two chapters deep into a sprawling fifteen-chapter campaign, and I’m already forming opinions that feel too defined to ignore. Age and limited gaming time have a way of softening my old convictions, and so rather than wait for a full conclusion that may never come, this is where I’ve landed so far.
