Contributor
WhiteColarGamer
Suave, flamboyant, and unrepentant about it. Drawn to deluxe editions, upgraded components and a table that looks as good as it plays.
217 reviews
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LuthierLuthier is a lavish, beautiful euro that initially overwhelmed me with visual clutter and irritated me with its imbalance. On the second play, though, it made a much stronger case for being one of the season’s best.
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PamperoPampero is a lavish, beautifully presented economic game about renewable energy which hides a very clean, thematic system beneath its mountain of components. Choosing the right scoring tiles and game length brings it out far more than its introductory setup does.
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Unconscious MindUnconscious Mind is a substantial, impressively produced experience with many interconnected parts, but it never fully revealed its point to me. I did not have a bad time; I simply did not feel eager to put it back on the table soon.
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Moon Colony BloodbathA silly, fast beer-and-pretzels game with a funny theme, a touch of engine building, and enough death to justify its title. It is not a serious proposition, but at the right price it can very comfortably earn a place in a collection.
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Atlantis ExodusAtlantis Exodus is an abundant, heavy euro by Greek designers, with interesting ideas but a real playtime far beyond what the box suggests. My first game was demanding, yet it left me curious enough to return for another.
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Viscounts of the West KingdomViscounts of the West Kingdom was the forgotten stop on our Tomesaga journey, and it turned out to be well worth discovering. Clever, enjoyable, and, for me, clearly the best game in the West Kingdom series.
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CascaderoCascadero is a compact, mildly thinky Knizia route-builder, ideal for one or two quick games back to back. It did not thrill me, but it is the kind of game that can comfortably make an occasional appearance with almost any group.
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Cargo EmpireCargo Empire is a pleasant but overly dry pickup-and-deliver game that fails to hold my interest as much as I wanted it to. I would play it again, but I would not be excited to set it up.
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DistilledDistilled is an honest, thematic card game for people who appreciate both a good game and a good drink. It has substance without becoming tiring, and its scoring rewards foresight.
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CascaditoCascadito is a simple, cheerful Knizia roll-and-write with polished production and enough variety to avoid feeling entirely disposable. I would not readily choose to play it myself, but the younger member of our group responded to it very positively.
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Ezra and NehemiahEzra and Nehemiah is another rich, well-crafted Phillips design, strongly related to Architects and Viscounts of the Western Kingdom without simply repeating them. It does have one quirk that changes noticeably depending on the group.
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The BreachThe Breach is a lavish cyberpunk spectacle from Ludus Magnus: a simple mechanical core, a mountain of content, and miniatures that look the part straight out of the box. It is not for a quick two-game acquaintance, but for groups willing to invest in one big box.
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Minos: Dawn of the Bronze AgeMinos: Dawn of the Bronze Age found me cautious, but it ultimately became a very pleasant surprise. It is a solid medium-weight euro with an ancient Cretan flavour and enough freshness to make me want to return to it.
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IntarsiaIntarsia is a beautifully produced mosaic game with a fair, lightly “tweaked” hand-management system. It gave me some pleasant brain-burn, but not enough to make me seek it out again.
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Ark Nova: Marine WorldsMarine Worlds, together with Map Pack 2, gave me a welcome excuse to return to Ark Nova’s zoos. It remains the familiar, enjoyable experience, with scoring still being the part that leaves me cold.
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Autobahn: Kickstarter EditionAutobahn: Kickstarter Edition arrived after a rough journey and with a Deluxe production that hardly feels deluxe, but it has enough depth on the table to make me forgive it.
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SilvertonSilverton is a sprawling, dice-driven claim-jumping game that needs space, time, and—above all—the right mood. With a relaxed group it became a riot; on the wrong night, it could very easily have rubbed me the wrong way.
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Honey Buzz: Fall FlavorsHoney Buzz: Fall Flavors ends a game night on a sweet note: charmingly produced, but with enough substance that it never feels like a game for six-year-olds. Its five modules make it fuller without disrupting its flow.
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Dinosaur Island: Rawr 'n WriteDinosaur Island: Rawr ’n Write won me over as a roll & write that retains the flavour of the larger Dinosaur Island, with a smart blend of dice and drawing. My first play was positive, although the special characters and buildings may make it a little too easy.
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Path of CivilizationPath of Civilization came to the table under low expectations and left it as a pleasantly brisk, simultaneous civ experience. It has its flaws, but at five players it delivered exactly what it promised.
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RaRa is a classic Knizia piece that I would happily play, though it did not blow me away. With four players, the randomness of the tiles coming out of the bag felt excessive to me.
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LofotenLofoten is a filler that stubbornly refuses to stay light: in 45 minutes it packs in crunchy set collection, clever choices, and reversals right to the end. It does not become a main course, but it has real character at the right summer table.
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Salton SeaSalton Sea is one of those small Devir boxes that makes you look at its size and then wonder how so much game fit inside. It is a clean, luck-free economic game with an interesting central idea, even if its overall feel is a little dry.
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Fleet: The Dice GameFleet: The Dice Game has become my kid’s favourite roll & write, and honestly, I can see why. It is a smart, enjoyable game that shines brightest with three or four players.