The Buzzlist: Anticipated Releases - Jul/Aug 2009
Doug Faust
United States
Malverne
New York
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With the myriad sources of game news coming out of hundreds of publishers, large and small, it's difficult for even the informed gamer to know which releases to look forward to. This list is an attempt to aggregate what the BGG community as a whole is anticipating, omitting my own personal biases as much as I can.
Basically, this is a list of new releases sorted by the number of wishlists they are on. I'm using BoardGameNews's excellent Gone Cardboard page as my master list of releases. Of course, BGN only highlights North American releases, so I'll do the same. I'm going to omit reprints of old games, except in the case where they're different enough to warrant new BGG game entries.
I will post an updated version of this list about every two months. Here are previous lists:
May/Jun 2009
Mar/Apr 2009
Jan/Feb 2009
Nov/Dec 2008
There is also a subscription thread for this Geeklist series. If you wish to receive a notification when I post future versions of this list, go over to http://www.boardgamegeek.com/thread/415697 and subscribe.
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Doug Faust
United States
Malverne
New York
-
#1: Pandemic: On the Brink
1,063 Wishlists
Matt Leacock & Thomas Lehmann
Z-Man Games
2 to 5 players, 45 minutes
Expected release: August 2009
[Previous List: #4 - 846 Wishlists]
Pandemic has certainly been one of the most popular cooperative games of recent years, and this will be the game's first expansion. It will feature rules for a fifth player, a fifth disease that can be added into the game, and has a number of optional rules that include a bio-terrorist role who works in opposition to the rest of the players.
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Doug Faust
United States
Malverne
New York
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#2: Automobile
628 Wishlists
Martin Wallace
Mayfair Games
3 to 5 players, 120 minutes
Expected release: 2010
[Previous List: #8, 474 Wishlists]
Originally set to be published as part of Wallace's Treefrog line, this game has been picked up in wider distribution by Phalanx in Europe and Mayfair in North America. In this game, players will take on the role of turn-of-the-century auto companies, trying to produce cars that best fulfill market demands. You need to make the most money while avoiding building up outdated inventory or investing in obsolete factories.
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3.
Board Game: Endeavor
[Average Rating:7.56 Overall Rank:72]
Doug Faust
United States
Malverne
New York
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#3: Endeavor
591 Wishlists
Carl de Visser & Jarratt Gray
Z-Man Games
3 to 5 players, 60 minutes
Expected release: September 2009
[Previous List: #6, 516 Wishlists]
This game involves taking the part of a European colonial power, establishing trade and colonizing the rest of the world. Comparisons have been drawn to Rudiger Dorn's classic game Goa.
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Doug Faust
United States
Malverne
New York
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#4: Rise of Empires
584 Wishlists
Martin Wallace
Mayfair Games
3 to 4 players, 90 minutes
Expected release: 2009
[Previous List: #9 - 464 Wishlists]
Martin Wallace's latest take on a civilization-building game, Rise of Empires will span the ages from the ancient era to modern times. Players will build cities, trade goods, and expand their empire to win the game.
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Doug Faust
United States
Malverne
New York
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#5: Battlestar Galactica: Pegasus Expansion
538 Wishlists
Corey Konieczka
Fantasy Flight Games
3 to 6 players, 120 minutes
Expected Release: August 2009
[Previous List: #19, 211 Wishlists]
This expansion for the popular semi-cooperative game Battlestar Galactica will include two new gameboards featuring the Battlestar Pegasus and the planet Caprica. Additionally, the expansion will include seven new characters, two plastic Basestars, and a host of new cards. It will also feature a new role, the Cylon Leader.
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Doug Faust
United States
Malverne
New York
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#6: Agricola: The Moor Farmers
394 Wishlists
Uwe Rosenberg
Z-Man Games
1 to 5 players
Expected Release: 2010?
[Previous List: N/A]
This first big-box expansion to the BGG #1 game Agricola introduces the concept of forest and moor tiles to your farmland, instead of just empty spaces. Additionally, your family will consume fuel as well as food at the harvest, and a new animal is available to breed: the horse. The game also adds 14 new major improvements and 118 new minor improvements.
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Doug Faust
United States
Malverne
New York
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#7: Constantinopolis
345 Wishlists
Giancarlo Fioretti
Fantasy Flight Games
2 to 5 players, 90 minutes
Expected release: 2009?
[Previous List: #11, 326 Wishlists]
Constantinopolis will be a heavier Euro-style game that will draw inevitable comparisons to Puerto Rico. Like Puerto Rico, this is a game in which players select roles in order to build, produce, and ship goods.
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Doug Faust
United States
Malverne
New York
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#8: Conflict of Heroes: Storms of Steel!
344 Wishlists
Uwe Eikart
Academy Games
2 to 4 players
Expected release: August 2009
[Previous List: #13 - 306 Wishlists]
This is the second game in the Conflict of Heroes game series, following up a successful debut in Conflict of Heroes: Awakening the Bear! Russia 1941-1942. Like its predecessor, this game features squad and platoon level conflict with a rules set that promises to blend Eurogame elements with traditional wargame rules. This game will focus on the Eastern Front in the latter half of World War 2.
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Doug Faust
United States
Malverne
New York
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#9: Chaos in the Old World
327 Wishlists
Eric M. Lang
Fantasy Flight Games
3 to 4 players, 90 minutes
Expected release: August 2009
[Previous List: #20, 201 Wishlists]
In this game, players will take on the role of a deity with unique strengths and abilities. Players vie with each other for domination over the world's inhabitants, while trying to avoid being banished by those same people. As a deity, you must corrupt the landscape, ensnare its citizens, and send them to war with the factions of your rivals. He who can best shape the world in his image will emerge the victor.
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Doug Faust
United States
Malverne
New York
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#10: 2 de Mayo
324 Wishlists
Daniel Val
FRED Distribution
2 players, 20 minutes
Expected release: October 2009
[Previous List: N/A]
This was actually released last year in a multilingual format by Gen X games, but FRED Distribution plans to bring it to the mainstream as part of their Gryphon Games line. This game features the horrid events of May 2nd, 1808, as Spanish soldiers and civilians in Madrid attempted to rebel against Napoleon's occupying forces. One player takes the role of the French, whose goal it is to eradicate the Spanish forces, and the other player takes the role of the Spanish, attempting simply to stay alive for 10 turns.
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Doug Faust
United States
Malverne
New York
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#11: Ad Astra
315 Wishlists
Bruno Faidutti & Serge Laget
Fantasy Flight Games
3 to 5 players, 90 minutes
Expected release: September 2009
[Previous List: #16, 259 Wishlists]
In this game, players will take the role of human civilization as it spreads into space, exploring new planets and encountering remnants of ancient alien races. Players will have to make the best use of resources they discover to establish the best space colonies.
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12.
Board Game: Cavum
[Average Rating:6.84 Overall Rank:793]
Doug Faust
United States
Malverne
New York
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#12: Cavum
310 Wishlists
Wolfgang Kramer & Michael Kiesling
FRED Distribution
2 to 4 players, 90 minutes
Expected release: 2009
[Previous List: #12 - 315 Wishlists]
Because of FRED's recent deal with QWG, this popular Essen 2008 title will finally be released in North America. This latest game from the design team who created games like Java and Maharaja: The Game of Palace Building in India features tile placement to create routes through a hexagonal grid, allowing ways to mine precious stones from the mountain.
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Doug Faust
United States
Malverne
New York
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#13: Wars of the Roses
296 Wishlists
Jerry Taylor
Columbia Games
2 players
Expected release: 2009
[Previous List: #14, 269 Wishlists]
This 2-player wargame in the spirit of Hammer of the Scots will have players reenact the struggles between the Lancaster and York houses of England in their quest for the throne. The card concepts from Hammer of the Scots will be greatly enriched in this game.
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14.
Item is no longer in our database
Doug Faust
United States
Malverne
New York
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#14: Roma II
287 Wishlists
Stefan Feld
Queen Games (Rio Grande distribution)
2 players, 45 minutes
Expected release: 2009?
[Previous List: N/A]
In this reworking of Stefan Feld's 2005 game Roma, players take control over various factions in Roman society to try to work their way to victory. The game will feature many more cards than in the original Roma, and some attempt has been made to limit the power of the Mercator in the new game.
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Doug Faust
United States
Malverne
New York
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#15: Reins of Power
277 Wishlists
Christian Peterson & Corey Konieczka
Fantasy Flight Games
3 to 5 players, 240 minutes
Expected release: ?
[Previous List: #15, 268 Wishlists]
Despite apparently having been in the pipeline since 1999, little is known about this game. Players will take the roles of heads of state and engage in global politics in a near-future setting. It remains anyone's guess as to if and when this game will actually be released.
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Doug Faust
United States
Malverne
New York
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#16: The Witch of Salem
270 Wishlists
Michael Rieneck
Mayfair Games
2 to 4 players, 60 minutes
Expected release: September 2009
[Previous List: N/A]
In this game based on Wolfgang Hohlbein's book series, players take on the role of warriors attempting to prevent elder demons from entering this world and spreading their darkness. This is a cooperative game that forces players to use a different variety of items and skills to defeat each demon.
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Doug Faust
United States
Malverne
New York
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#17: Battles of Napoleon: The Eagle and the Lion
265 Wishlists
Sergio Guerri & Ugo Di Meglio
Fantasy Flight Games
2 players, 90 minutes
Expected release: 2009
[Previous List: #17, 252 Wishlists]
This is the first in a planned series of "Battles of Napoleon" games, in which players will reenact Napoleonic battles. This wargame will be staged at a tactical and operational level, and the rules complexity will accomodate both experienced and neophyte wargamers.
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18.
Board Game: Treasure Chest
[Average Rating:7.37 Unranked]
[Average Rating:7.37 Unranked]
Doug Faust
United States
Malverne
New York
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#18: Treasure Chest
264 Wishlists
Various Designers
Rio Grande Games
Expected release: 3rd Quarter 2009
[Previous List: #18, 233 Wishlists]
In celebration of Alea's 10th anniversary, they are printing a "treasure chest" full of expansions for Alea games, which will be published in North America by Rio Grande. This will include mini-expansions for Puerto Rico, Notre Dame, In the Year of the Dragon, San Juan, Louis XIV, The Princes of Florence, and Witch's Brew.
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Doug Faust
United States
Malverne
New York
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#19: Reef Encounters of the Second Kind
233 Wishlists
Richard Breese
Z-Man Games
Expected release: August 2009
[Previous List: Just Missed, 187 Wishlists]
This expansion to Richard Breese's game Reef Encounter was originally published in very limited quantities in 2006, but Z-Man Games will bring it to the mainstream very shortly. The game features the crown of thorns starfish, which will consume the corals of all players, as well as blue shrimps, which can aid the player shrimps in protecting reefs, but may be stolen by opponents. There are also new cards that affect blue shrimps and other aspects of the game, as well as a host of new tiles.
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Doug Faust
United States
Malverne
New York
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#20: Founding Fathers
237 Wishlists
Christian Leonhard & Jason Matthews
Jolly Roger Games
Expected release: 2010
[Previous List: Just Missed, 176 Wishlists]
This game has its roots in the card-driven systems of Twilight Struggle and 1960: The Making of the President, but unlike those games, Founding Fathers will support up to five players. Players take on the role of delegates at the Constitutional Convention, each trying to put their own unique fingerprints on the writing of the U.S. Constitution. Each player will have their own unique abilities and positions with which they will influence other delegates.
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This really is a 
Sheesh!
