Yesterday we looked at the mechanic of Simultaneous Action Selection and today we will follow that up with the game Zombie House. While the theme of zombies is one I have seen done more than almost anything aside from farming the european countryside and trading in the mediterranean this is a game well worth a look. (Note: This review will be looking at ‘Zombie House - Beta’ there is another version available on Game Crafter without the beta tag that plays the same but has slightly different components.)
Released: 2014
Designers: Mars Needs Games
Plays: 2-8
EPT: 30-60 minutes
Zombie House is an independently designed game produced via Print on Demand through The Game Crafter. Being an independent game there are noticeable aspects that can be nagged on such as a lower art quality and simpler components; but the game’s...
Category Archives: Uncategorized
Favorite Fridays – 7 Wonders
In the last few years many terms have developed around the hobby of gaming classifying them to fit their level of difficulty and utilised mechanics; ameritrash, gateway, 4E, and many others. Many games can be fit into a few of these categories while there are some that span more than one would expect; one such game is 7 Wonders.
Released: 2010
Designer: Antoine Bauza
Plays: 2-7
EPT: 30 minutes
In 7 wonders each player develops their nation in the areas of economy, trade, technology, warfare, and other industries with the goal of having the most points at the end of the game. Each player begins the game with 3 coins at a value of 1 and a wonder board; each board representing one of the 7 wonders of the ancient...
Stare of Remorse 2015
Follow Up Tuesday – Carcassonne
In yesterday’s post we looked at the mechanic of Tile Placement; today we will take a closer look at how that mechanic plays out in Carcassonne.
Released: 2000
Designers: Klaus-Jurgen Wrede
Plays: 2-5
EPT: 45 minutes
As is the usual we will only look at the base game of Carcassonne and save the expansions for a latter date, and for Carcassonne the expansions are many. I was first introduced to Carcassonne while in high school. My mother received the game as a gift asking for it as she thought it looked interesting. We quickly read the rules and began playing; all four of the players new to the game we each developed strategies as the game progressed. When the game ended we were eager to start over with our newly developed...
The Next Great American Game (movie)
Today we are looking at something a bit more uncommon for the world of Tabletop Games; a movie. I’m not even looking at a movie that is the component to a game such as is common with murder mysteries, not a movie based on a game in the manner of the 1985 masterpiece that is clue. Today we are looking at a documentary following a man attempting to sell his first game to a publisher in The Next Great American Game.
I will attempt to avoid too many spoilers but I will warn you that I may give away a few minor details; but due to the movie’s nature I do not think that should be an issue, but as is customary the warning should be issued.
The movie; directed by independent movie maker Doug Morse; follows...
Mechanic Monday – Cooperative Games
Once upon a time in a far off kingdom players would gather and enjoy crushing one another in a competitive game of intrigue, conflict, and deceit. One day a man was sitting below the oppressive fist of his component and a thought struck him, ‘I always lose.’ He thought as another of his armies was removed from the board; ‘wouldn't it be better if we were all on the same team?’ and thus the Cooperative board game was developed.
For the record; that may or may not have been the way the idea of playing as a team was developed, but I like to think it is. The mechanic of Co-op play is not new, though in older games it was represented more as a team-vs-team than an all-vs-game. For the last few years, however, there...
Worker Wednesday – Russian Railroads
Monday we looked at the mechanic of Worker Placement and we have thus far looked at two other worker placement games; Caverna and Lords of Waterdeep. In today’s installment of Worker Wednesday we will continue our journey into the land of meeple management as I review Russian Railroads!
The vitals
Released 2013
Designer: Helmut Ohley & Leonhard Orgler
Plays: 2-4
EPT: 120 minutes
Many of my gamer friends know I am a sucker for train games; be it the train rails system, Ticket to Ride, or the 18xx series I love locomotives. Partnered with my love for train games comes a love for Russia; this can be blamed on having lived in Russia for a year while growing up. When I thus learned to love worker placement games I knew I had to give Russian Rails...
Rook – With the Special Bremner Variant
Time for Follow Up Tuesday! Wait? No? Curve Ball Tuesday?! Since yesterday we looked at worker placement as a mechanic and as we have Worker Wednesdays we are taking a detour today into a game that hold a special place in my heart. When telling a friend I was going to review this game he scoffed and questioned why, to which I simply told him; when something has worked for almost 110 years; it is worth looking at.
Every family should have a game; not meaning they should own at least one game, that is a given, but just as couples have a song a family should have a game. For my immediate family I think of that game as Scotland Yard, but for my extended family that game is Rook.
Vitals
Released: 1906
Designers: George S. Parker...
Favorite Fridays – Dead of Winter
Zombies. Post apocalyptic conditions. Arctic cold. A group of survivors that have broken into sub groups following their own leaders with varied goals. These are all elements of a fantastic horror movies and shows; they are also all elements of this weeks installment of Favorite Fridays; Dead of Winter.
The vitals
Released 2014
Designer: Jonathan Gilmour & Isaac Vega
Plays: 2-5
EPT: 100 minutes
Dead of Winter is one of the few games I learned about well before its release; arguably since early on in its design thanks to the awesomeness that is The Plaid Hat Podcast (which I would highly recommend). I recall many days listening to the guys discuss the next game in the Vegian cannon; not City of Remnants 2 or an expansion, not another video game adaption like BioShock Infinite, but a new IP using...
Wild Card Thursday – Voice of the Mummy
Like most children I grew up familiar with Milton Bradley and their games. Sadly I was not familiar with their 1971 record player based game Voice of the Mummy until my cousin and co-host Sean introduced me to it many years into my gaming life. The idea of the game intrigued me as he explained it; I had heard of games that are soundtrack reliant, but a game from the 70s that was soundtrack reliant… that was shocking; especially when the soundtrack is on a plastic record!
The vitals
Released 1971
Designer: Unknown - released by Milton Bradley
Plays: 2-4
EPT: 30 minutes
As the game was explained to me I envisioned a giant old school record player sprouting out of a small game board with a candylandesque map. Then as I researched the game I was amazed at its...