Shadow Rivals

You see the Moideas logo and brace yourself to discover the game at the table. Then arrive the generously endowed thieves, the houses being robbed, the loot and the roses: a theme that feels as though it was assembled during an especially energetic evening on the internet. The art is kawaii to the point of misunderstanding, and on a Tuesday after work it certainly makes an entrance.

Beneath that very particular shop window is a game with unmistakable Smash Up DNA. It makes no serious attempt to hide the relationship, but Shadow Rivals does more than repeat the familiar shape; it asks you to consider your choices more carefully and to count before you commit.

Player interaction sits inside that recognisable contest, but foresight matters here more than a flashy move in the moment. This is not simply a matter of playing something charming and seeing what happens; it wants a little strategy, a little arithmetic, and one eye kept on the opposition.

I liked it rather more than its theme seemed determined to allow. I need a few more plays before I settle on a final view, but as a more considered take on Smash Up, Shadow Rivals is quietly good.