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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Beyond the SunBeyond the Sun still moves me just as much as it did in its first plays. More than a year later, it has not faded at all; it remains one of those games I want in my collection.
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Tzolk'in: The Mayan CalendarTzolk'in sat shrink-wrapped on my shelf for years alongside its expansion, until a night calling for a heavy euro and the option to play with five finally brought it to the table. It immediately proved to be one of those games that becomes a group classic — even if it makes you suffer over corn.
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Agricola (Revised Edition)We revisited Agricola: Revised Edition through BGA and, although I still prefer Caverna, I completely understand why Agricola remains a classic. The digital version makes the bookkeeping wonderfully easy, even if it slightly strips away the tension of final scoring.
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Brian Boru: High King of IrelandBrian Boru quickly filled a gap for a trick-taking game with real substance, pairing the mechanism with area control without sacrificing pace. It is lean, quick, and beautifully produced, even if trick-taking itself is not quite its strongest feature.
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Lost Ruins of Arnak: Expedition LeadersExpedition Leaders does not feel like an add-on that merely piles more material onto Lost Ruins of Arnak. It integrates so organically with the base game that, for me, it clearly raises it by another level.
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War RoomAt the Christmas BLTG extravaganza, War Room delivered another huge, spectacular war story. It needs space and time, but when you have both, it is one of the greats.
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Titans of IndustryTitans of Industry was dug out of the shelf of shame and proved far more enjoyable than its rating suggests. It is a simple, brisk economic game that accommodates six players without leaving anyone staring at the ceiling.
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Dwellings of EldervaleDwellings of Eldervale is one of those games that made me regret passing on its Kickstarter. It is a clever area-control game with spectacular production, even if its price hurts.
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Euthia: Torment of ResurrectionEuthia is an oversized sandbox production, packed with cardboard clutter and satisfying adventures. It demands commitment, table space, and a group willing to face setup, teardown, and exceptions.
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BoonlakeBoonlake remains, for me, a lavish and satisfying euro: it lasts a little longer than I would like, but it fills both table and mind without exhausting me. It is not for players looking for confrontation; it is a delightfully personal ride with plenty going on.
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The Belgian Beers RaceA thematic indie racing game about a three-day Belgian beer tour, which wins more through its premise and atmosphere than through mechanical depth. It did not blow me away, but I would happily bring it back for the right group.
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Cosmic FrogCosmic Frog won me over first as a spectacle and a promise: colossal immortal frogs harvesting pieces of a shattered world. Thankfully, beneath that wonderfully strange fluff sits a substantial, chaotic game too.
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Successors (Fourth Edition)Successors: Fourth Edition is a heavy, lavishly produced CDG for groups willing to devote time to a bloody struggle among Alexander's successors. The new edition looks magnificent on the table, but it still demands patience with its rules.
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Tigris & EuphratesTigris & Euphrates returned to the table and, just as it did last year in Parga, immediately reminded us why games this great need no garnish. They simply need the right group of four and a willingness to engage in a civilised, thoroughly uncivilised confrontation.
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Cogs and CommissarsA troll game that makes its impression through its cards and Soviet-flavoured joke, not through depth. I bought it for the right group, and honestly that is where all of its value lies.
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Dale of MerchantsDale of Merchants was a trade acquisition that stared lazily at me from the unplayed pile for a month, until I finally remembered why I had picked it up. It is a clever, distinct deck builder with plenty to chew on for fans of the genre.
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1960: The Making of the President1960: The Making of the President is a quick, beautifully produced political game with familiar foundations, though it left me unsure about how evenly its cards are balanced. Pleasant on the table, but hard for me to choose when there is time for Imperial Struggle.
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Caverna: Cave vs CaveA lovely little game that passed the holiday-board-game-bag test. Easy rules, pleasant gradual building, and yes: we love Uwe.
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SpaceCorp: VenturesVentures gives SpaceCorp new life through 16 asymmetric companies and a much improved solo mode, but their balance is not always where I would like it. It is an honest expansion that refreshes the experience without filling the box with new material for the game’s core world.
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Imperium: LegendsImperium: Legends won me over enough to buy both boxes, but after only two plays I am still trying to work out what the game is really saying to me.
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GWAR vs. Time!GWAR vs. Time! is a great game first and foremost because it is GWAR—yes, I’m a bohab. Thankfully, beneath its epic theme there is a perfectly respectable game as well.
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NemesisNemesis wins primarily through its atmosphere and lavish presentation, not through the depth of its mechanisms. If the group buys into the mood, it can produce stories that take several beers to properly unpack.
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Inca Empire: The Card GameInca Empire: The Card Game is an honest, light card game that fits into a shorter time slot without giving up meaningful thought. It gets a little untidy on the table by the end, but it is flexible enough that I can easily imagine bringing it on holiday.
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GùgōngGùgōng is a clever, demanding card-drafting/worker-placement euro with zero luck and an action mechanism that takes some work to click. It is not the most exciting game around, but it remains a strong alternative for anyone tired of the usual euros.