Reviews

Gentes did not disappoint me at all, even though my first game ended in a rather worrying score-line collapse. I definitely want to give it another shot—this time without 34 straight hours on my feet behind me.

DRCongo becomes noticeably better when played correctly—and then reveals itself as a hard, unforgiving game. It does not forgive mistakes, not even when money seems plentiful.

Mini Rails showed some interesting dynamics with three players, but with five it becomes a delightfully vicious half-hour game that can test family relationships.

Import / Export takes the familiar lead/follow core of Glory to Rome and Eminent Domain and moves it into an economic theme, with changes that seem especially helpful at a full table.

Mistborn: House War is a negotiation game with plenty of thematic flavour and a very attractive table presence, but it will not win over anyone who cannot stomach the genre’s inevitable chaos. At five players, though, we had the right excuse to try it.

Whistle Stop is a nice, tight pick-up-and-deliver game that moves quickly and won me over, even though our first play got tangled up in rules and interpretations.

Heart of Crown does not try to reinvent deckbuilding; it is an honest, manga-dressed Dominion clone with a little extra complexity. It is not essential for anyone with a full shelf already, but genre fans can have a good time with it.

A long-sought game that, despite a rough first teach, immediately rewarded me with interesting ideas and the feeling that the Kickstarter package was worth every penny. It is not perfect, but for me it comes dangerously close to perfection.

The Great Zimbabwe is not the heavy, forbidding beast I had feared; its real obstacle is a rulebook that seems determined not to be read. Beneath that bad first impression lies an economic game with great depth and plenty of room to become genuinely annoying to everyone else.

Global Mogul is a light area-control game with a touch of economics and production, and it is more misunderstood than it deserves to be. It will not become a permanent fixture on my table, but it has a place as a short accompaniment.

Copycat is one of those games that seems to have been unfairly lost on the shelf. For anyone who enjoys deck and engine builders, it remains a very pleasant—and often inexpensive—find.

With the fresh China game committed elsewhere, the group turned to the simple, classic charm of 1870. And what would a train-game night be without hatred, yelling, and a photo finish?

M.U.L.E. The Board Game is not groundbreaking, but it is an honest and enjoyable light economic game. It stays engaging without making you feel completely at the mercy of randomness.

Tramways initially left such a bad taste that I called it my worst gaming experience of 2017. Yet every return to the table raises it in my estimation: it is a harsh, divisive game that ruthlessly rewards familiarity.

Urban Sprawl may have a reputation for AP, but at our table it delivered another full, enjoyable two-and-a-half-hour game decided by the smallest margins.

Among Nobles did not strike me as some great discovery, but with three players it gave me exactly the pleasant, tight hour it promises. With five, by contrast, my earlier experience had been noticeably worse.

Hegemonic remains a positive but demanding experience: heavy, harsh, and capable of delivering tension with six players. It is no longer one of my favourites, but when everything comes down to a razor-thin finish, it reminds me why it is worth the effort.

Indonesia gave me two big, bloody evenings: a clean, almost exemplary economic game that nevertheless grows more tiring for me over time, both as an object and as a table experience.

It feels good to be back with The Gallerist, which remains, for me, Vital’s most cohesive game. And no, you do not need to set aside four hours of your life for it.

Saloon Tycoon is a pleasant, light hour-long game that works perfectly as an appetizer. Beneath its eye-catching three-dimensional table presence lies more strategy and replayability than I expected.

The TMG reprint was one we had been eagerly awaiting after narrowly missing it last year. Ponzi Scheme remains a beautiful game: simple-looking and devilish in practice, even if I ultimately enjoy explaining it a little more than playing it.

Cavern Tavern is a Russian worker-placement game that borrows ideas from Kingsburg and Lords of Waterdeep without surpassing either of them. Even so, it is an enjoyable and unusual game for our group, leaving a positive impression despite its rough edges.

With hida and kets playing the Empire and me as the poor Rebel, Star Wars: Rebellion delivered another epic, razor-close game. Its only serious drawback is the time it demands.

New Angeles arrived with high expectations, but our first game was more a lesson learned among the ruins than a proper introduction. Before deciding whether it is a dud or not, I need another two or three plays—ideally with six players.