Tag: board game

Categories
Game Reviews

Aspens

A forest growing on the table, competition for territory, and a game designed for two players — these were the things that drew us to “Aspens”. Designed by Luke Roberts and Neil Edwards and published by Ludivore Games, it lets us guide the growth of aspens or pines. Using sun and wind, we add to our existing clusters of trees and claim new spaces. There needs to be room for two forests, though, and our opponent will gladly cut off our access to the most promising areas.

Continue reading “Aspens”
Categories
Game Reviews

Koi

An ornamental pond, water lilies and colourful carp gliding lazily beneath the surface: “Koi” invites us to slow down before we have even started playing. Designed by Rosaria Battiato, Massimo Borzì and Martino Chiacchiera, and published in Poland by Rebel, it lets us create a water garden of our own. Emiliano Castellano provides the painterly artwork. Beneath those beautiful illustrations lies a spatial puzzle in which we expand our pond and gradually increase the number of actions we can perform.

Continue reading “Koi”
Categories
Game Reviews

First Rat

The rats believe the Moon is made of cheese. Having found a comic about space travel in the junkyard, they now have both a destination and enough scientific evidence to start building a rocket. All that remains is to gather materials, stock up on supplies and prepare the crew. First Rat, published in Polish by Nasza Księgarnia as “Pierwszy szczur w kosmosie”, invites us to join this endeavour, although a shared dream soon turns into a contest over who has contributed the most to rat space exploration.

Continue reading “First Rat”
Categories
Game Reviews

Artistry

There are many ways to develop an artistic workshop of your own. You could take up ceramics, try metalwork, explore glasswork, or focus on painting and textiles. In “Artistry”, a game by Amy and Dusty Droz published by Dux Somnium Games, we can combine all these interests. We gather materials, buy patterns and recruit artisans who expand our options. All of this takes place against a backdrop of Art Nouveau illustrations that catch the eye from the very first encounter.

Continue reading “Artistry”
Categories
Game Reviews

Fields of Arle

Uwe Rosenberg is best known for his extensive economic games. These include Agricola, Caverna, Atiwa, and the monumental A Feast for Odin, which can be considered the designer’s magnum opus. His portfolio also contains abstract games such as Nova Luna and Patchwork, as well as acclaimed card games including Bohnanza and Mamma Mia!

Fields of Arle belongs to the first of these groups. It is an economic game for one or two players in which we develop a farm in East Frisia. We grow grain and flax, raise animals, drain moors, build dikes, process materials, and transport goods to nearby towns and villages.

Continue reading “Fields of Arle”
Categories
Game Reviews

Blooming Sea

Reiner Knizia has designed many excellent games. A considerable number of his designs combine simple rules with one small idea that makes the gameplay much more interesting than it might initially appear. “Blooming Sea”, published in Poland by Red Square Games, is no exception.

This time, our task is to restore a coral reef. By placing tiles, we will connect corals into increasingly large groups and create habitats for the fish swimming among them. Beneath the calm and colorful theme, however, lies an engaging competition for points and space on a shared board.

Continue reading “Blooming Sea”
Categories
Game Reviews

Nemi: The Strawberry Festival

Nemi is a small Italian town in the hills near Rome, overlooking a lake of the same name. It is best known for its wild strawberries and the Strawberry Festival, which has been held there since 1922. During the event, the streets fill with flowers, music, and market stalls, while women dressed in traditional costumes, known as Fragolare, hand out fruit to visitors.

This colorful festival became the theme of Nemi: The Strawberry Festival, a game designed by Valeria Cavasin and Edoardo Elbenstein and published by Fiammingo Games. As participants in the preparations, we will gather fruit and other ingredients, make strawberry desserts, and decorate the town. The player who contributes the most to the event’s success will receive the Golden Strawberry.

We received a pre-release copy of the game for testing. How did this sweet trip to sunny Italy turn out?

Continue reading “Nemi: The Strawberry Festival”
Categories
Game Reviews

Disney Villainous: Unstoppable!

If you know the classic Disney Villainous, then Villainous: Unstoppable! from Ravensburger is a completely different game. It is neither another expansion nor a simplified edition of the original game, but rather a standalone title inspired by Villainous, aimed primarily at families and younger players. The biggest change here is the level of complexity.

Continue reading “Disney Villainous: Unstoppable!”
Categories
Game Reviews

Pacific

Pacific is a game by Donald X. Vaccarino, best known as the designer of Dominion, which already suggests a straightforward game that still leaves players room for various strategic moves. This time, players invest in tourism, industry, transport, and nature, while the game gives them space for some light business-minded scheming, wrapping the whole thing in a neat card-and-board puzzle for 2–5 players. Let’s take a closer look at what it is all about.

Continue reading “Pacific”
Categories
Game Reviews

Rebirth

After a series of catastrophes, the world begins to rebuild in harmony with nature. In Rebirth, we take on the roles of clan leaders striving to gain control over the lands of Scotland or Ireland. This tile-laying board game designed by Reiner Knizia is intended for 2–4 players and offers two fully developed versions of play on a double-sided board.

Both variants share the same core system, yet differ in key scoring elements and additional mechanisms. As a result, the box delivers two distinct takes on the same design, each emphasizing slightly different aspects of competition.

Continue reading “Rebirth”