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User: gr9yfox: Board Game Collection
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7
Nov 2019
6.748
Interesting compact two-player game about the Cuban Mission Crisis. Tense, compact and with a good deal of both strategy and tactics. I like that the game gives the players some hint about what the other one might be going for in the coming round.
I imagine it gets better as the players get more familiar with the cards.
2019-11-08
8
Jun 2020
6.577
My first 18XX. Intriguing mechanics, some of which went over my head but I would play it again. Played it online, which took care of some of the math and didn't allow us to make mistakes but I missed some of the social interactions that would happen around a table.
2020-06-01
30 Rails (2016)
4
Mar 2019
5.755
Roll train tracks and try to fit them on the map to connect the different stations, the mine and a special tile. The concept is good and the rules are simple, but I felt too constrained by the dice results, especially as the game progressed.
2018-10-21
4
Mar 2019
5.563
I don't find chess very exciting. This variant made it more dramatic because of the table talk and because the board states can change more radically between turns.
2018-07-02
6 nimmt! (1994)
7
Jan 2017
6.798
Prev. Owned
It's really fun! It reminds me of the second half of For Sale, where you have a hand of cards which you have to play and you're trying to outguess every other player to get the best result. The main difference is you're trying not to win any cards.
It reminds me of Coloretto as well, but the scoring is a lot more intuitive and the game can take a lot more players.
I can certainly see why it's so popular and I wish it will stay around for long.
2016-06-12
7 Wonders (2010)
8
Nov 2014
7.640
Prev. Owned
Great drafting/set collection game that can take a lot of players and doesn't take long at all! It takes a fair bit of space though. As your empire grows, so does your footprint.
2014-11-07
8
Oct 2015
7.982
Owned
Excellent two player drafting game that is more than just a stripped down version of 7 Wonders. I really like that there are three possible endgame triggers, and how fast the turns go. When learning we were meant to play "just one game", and suddenly played three.

I usually don't like small cards, but I'm glad they used them because it would take a ridiculous amount of space on the table.
2015-10-12
N/A
7.616
Prev. Owned
(In the collection)
2018-09-18
8
Feb 2018
6.034
Prev. Owned
Fun power and I welcome the increase in wonder choice.
(In the collection)
2018-09-18
8
Jan 2017
6.321
Prev. Owned
More wonders for 7 Wonders Duel is always good! This one has an interesting mechanic, which allows you to build one of the top cards from the stack for free and a nice picture with the two designers in front of Messe Essen.
(In the collection)
2018-09-18
Abalone (1987)
6
Mar 2019
6.220
Straightforward abstract strategy game that is sleek and appealing. Great tactile feedback, especially thanks to the indented board and heavy pieces, which add weight to each move.
2019-03-24
Abyss (2014)
7
Mar 2019
7.056
First of all, what a refreshing theme! It doesn't affect the gameplay too much but it adds a really cool mood to it.

Cool, smooth gameplay and interesting decisions to the base set collecting game. You get to make decisions during other player's turns, so you don't feel like you're just waiting for your next turn.

The incredible production values show everywhere, from the components to the art, which is probably the best I've ever seen on a boardgame.
2020-03-07
Age of War (2014)
6
Mar 2019
6.217
Owned
Nice filler dice game! I was curious to see where Elder Sign came from, so I gave it a shot. It's not a complex game, but it's good at what it does.
It's easy to teach and doesn't take up a lot of room, so I'll be carrying it around with me along with other light games. With sleeves it's a great game to bring to a loud pub.
2017-04-26
Agent Decker (2015)
N/A
5.735
Owned
I don't think it's fair to review games I designed.
2021-06-26
Agent Hunter (2013)
5
Mar 2019
5.568
Simple ruleset that's very easy to teach, and some strategy that goes beyond the scope of the rules. Plus, you can play it with a regular deck of cards and 10 tokens. Win/win
2019-03-24
8
Mar 2015
7.134
Prev. Owned
Great worker placement game for two players. It has a nice theme, lovely components and good layouts that guide you when you're playing.

It takes about 30 minutes to play, which is exactly what I was looking for at this time.

I hear the four special buildings can get repetitive soon, so I got the expansion at the same time.
2019-03-24
8
Mar 2015
6.669
Prev. Owned
An essential expansion that adds a lot of replay value to an excellent game. Fits its original box too, so I'll always keep them together.
2019-05-06
Agropolis (2021)
7
Aug 2021
6.054
Prev. Owned
It's more Sprawlopolis, and that's great! It works pretty much the same way but has brand new goals and a scoring variant which raises the difficulty if you're able to beat it consistently.
(print and play)
2021-08-15
10
Feb 2020
6.779
Owned
Fantastic duelling game that does so much with the few components it has.
The premise is simple. Play cards to conquer two out of three available theaters of war. There are 18 cards split in three groups of cards with the numbers 1-6 and a special ability that either activates when you play it or becomes active while the card is up.
If you want to play a card in a theater of war it's not meant for you can play it face down, and it's worth 2. Once all the card is played, the battle is over. The winner gets 6 points. The goal is to get 12.
...but there is an extra layer which adds a lot of tension. Players can choose to withdraw before the end of the round. They won't get any points but the opponent won't get as many points as if they won the round. Makes you reassess your odds at every turn. Love it.
2019-07-18
Airships (2007)
5
Feb 2014
6.040
Nothing too fancy here, just a solid game about building zeppelins.
2014-02-15
Akrotiri (2014)
7
Mar 2019
6.701
Prev. Owned
Akrotiri is a delightful game about exploring the sea in search of temples. You will finance your exploration by picking up and selling goods (whose price changes based on a simple but effective system of supply and demand). You travel by boat through shipping routes and sometimes through islands, from one port to the next.
The main thing that sets this game apart is how you find the temples. Each player has a few "map" cards that don't tell you exactly where the temple is, but an approximate idea ("This temple has one Red symbol to the North, two Blue symbols to the West and one Green symbol to the East"). Once you do find (or, most likely, "create" a valid spot you can race there to "discover" it. Your opponent can also unknowingly create the situations you need.
Good theme, streamline rules, interesting decisions. It's unlike anything in my collection, and I enjoy it a lot.
2018-07-22
Alhambra (2003)
6
Feb 2014
6.917
Fun game, lighter than it seems. Easy to teach. There's a lot that changes between your turns if you're playing with a lot of people, so there's not much sense in planning ahead. I want to try it with less people.
2014-02-15
7
Jun 2017
6.172
I got to play the prototype at UK Games Expo.

Sci-fi game where you conquer planets, build a fleet and develop technologies. I really enjoyed the resource system, where you mix the half of two cards. I also like the fact you don't have to pay for all the (rising) costs right away, meaning you can drip resources on them if there's nothing better you can do.

With one action per turn the turns go quickly so the game is quick if everyone knows how to play.

I got the feeling there wasn't a lot of player interaction, but I don't consider that a problem.

There are some aspects I didn't get to explore so I'd love to play it again.
Can't wait to see how it turns out, especially the different alien races.
2017-06-11
7
Mar 2019
7.193
Dice allocation/placement game with a retro sci fi theme, where you're developing tech and colonizing a planet.
It was a pleasant surprise to see that higher values didn't necessarily mean a best result in the game.
2019-03-24
8
Jul 2019
6.193
Owned
Prev. Owned
A "push your luck" game where the players are going into a building to steal, keeping an eye out for the alarm and getting out before the police gets there.
It's a lot of fun. It's not a serious game and there's a lot of randomness, but the players also get a lot of control. They can help or hurt each other, which might lead to some awesome backstabbing close to the end of the game.
Paints a vivid picture in the player's mind.
2021-03-15
7
Dec 2020
6.067
Owned
Abstract game that could have another theme (and it originally had), but the Android theme works well enough. Simple to teach, the limited decisions can be interesting and the different characters make me want to replay it at least a few more times.
It's a gentle way to dip my toes back into the Android universe.
2020-12-29
10
Nov 2012
7.673
Owned
Netrunner might very well be the best game I've ever played but it was recently discontinued. Again.
Fantasy Flight did an outstanding job on their version. Cleaned up the design, moved from boosters to a more fair business model but the cherry on the cake is their setting!
It presented itself using familiar cyberpunk tropes but quickly took players from neon-lit alleys to India, Africa and even the Moon! A a positive, hopeful and diverse world, which in turn was reflected in its community.
2019-01-14
6
Mar 2019
6.557
Colorful stacking game that is easy to teach and a lot of fun! The players stack animals over and around a crocodile on the center of the table. At the start of the turn the player rolls a die to see what they do. Usually they get to place an animal or two, or give someone else an animal to place. If pieces fall they get to keep some. The player who places all their animals first wins.
The game works very well because there aren't too many rules and the pieces themselves are very well designed to create interesting angles and situations. Excellent children's game that adults can enjoy as well.
2017-10-23
6
Mar 2019
6.296
Prev. Owned
In this compact version of Antike, two players travel, sail, build cities and take other cities over by taking actions on a rondel. The rondel controls the pace of the game and it creates really interesting decisions because the players can't realistically do the same action over and over again.
2019-01-18
AquaSphere (2014)
7
Mar 2019
6.914
Prev. Owned
What an interesting game! By looking at the setup and the rulebook it looks super complex, but when you learn how to play it you only choose one of two things (three if you pass). Don't let it fool you, the ramifications are huge!

I like the refreshing setting (even if it's not too relevant for gameplay), the different look of the board and the action programming. It has interesting constraints and an interesting timing element to it.

I didn't think it played great with two because you can be too far away in the board so that your workers rarely interact/interfere.
2018-01-23
Archipelago (2012)
5
Mar 2019
6.977
Good medium-heavy Eurogamer with a really good presentation. Everything looks great, even the insert is designed to be used during play, coming apart to serve as tile holder for the island pieces. Design-wise there's nothing new.
I don't like the "worker placement" board has spaces where unlimited players can be. One of the defining characteristics of the mechanism is to block other players, and worry about them blocking you. It removes a lot of the tension.
2017-10-23
Arkham Horror (2005)
3
Mar 2019
7.060
Ambitious, intimidating and super long. The setting is interesting but the madness theme doesn't really work because it's quantified in tokens. That level of abstraction makes it closer to a currency so you don't feel attached to it.

It has great potential and production values but the random elements seem to overpower most of it.

I'd rather read one of the books.
2015-08-27
7
Jan 2015
6.098
Prev. Owned
Small box, small price tag, good game! There has been an upgrade in art and a downgrade in the component quality but that makes this box an excellent gateway into a fun deckbuilding game.
Also, the different card borders makes the setup and teardown so much quicker it's worth a mention.
2015-01-06
7
Jun 2014
6.784
Prev. Owned
Enjoyable and fast deck-building game that is very addicting on the iPad as well.
2012-04-07
6
Mar 2019
6.653
Prev. Owned
As good as the base game, but introduces the Fate mechanic which makes the game a bit more random. It might not be everyone's cup of tea but it's fun. It's also good that this box is standalone so you can start from here.
2015-02-20
7
Mar 2019
6.793
I played a lot of games about dueling wizards summoning and attacking the other, but this one changes the paradigm.
The decks are relatively small. You can pick your starting hand and your dice pool.
Decks are built around specific Phoenixborn with exclusive cards and special abilities.
Each Phoenixborn has a different limit to how many creatures can be on the battlefield, and build a spellbook while they play. These are spell "pages" that stay on the table for multiple turns and you can later use to activate their abilities, and reinforce with multiple copies of the same page.

To top it off, the base box comes with 6 prebuilt decks so you can take your time until you're comfortable with the game before you build one.
2018-07-17
Austerity (2015)
7
Mar 2019
5.625
Very clever base mechanics allow you to play with randomness in a very fluid way. Good graphic presentation and rules writing. Easy to assemble but it needs a fair bit of tokens!
2015-09-06
Automobiles (2016)
8
Aug 2021
6.641
What a surprise! Automobiles is a fun, exciting bag builder about car racing with plenty of interesting decisions, surprises, a sense of momentum and plenty of variability.
It feels great to race around the track, speeding up as you move further from the edge, but beware that the faster you race, the more wear your tires will have, and you'll have to deal with it sooner or later.
I think this is the best racing game I've ever played.
2021-08-16
Azul (2017)
7
May 2021
7.696
Very solid abstract game with great presentation and streamlined rules. A breeze to teach and to play.

Played it in Portugal and the rule to degine starting player is "The player who most recently visited Portugal takes the starting player marker", made us all feel like it was not meant for Portuguese people.
Also, a Portuguese, it's a red flag that for a game that sells the appeal and aesthetic of Portuguese tiles, no Portuguese people were involved in the production.
2021-05-20
Babylon (2003)
3
Mar 2019
5.504
Simple two player abstract, easy to teach. I get the feeling the early game is very random, and the most interesting decisions happen later on in the game.
Bonus: If you're ever bored it's easy to improvise a copy.
2017-06-18
Backgammon (-3000)
7
Jul 2018
6.363
I see this game around as far as I can remember. I think I even had a chess/checkers/backgammon set to which I didn't have the rules so I never knew how to play. This week, at 32, I played it and was very surprised to learn it's more exciting than I thought.
It is essentially two different races. You want to get your pieces to your area while blocking (or taking out) the opponent's pieces. Then you have to get out before they do. The movement is controlled by two D6. Roll them to see how the pieces move. You can use each result in a different piece or both on the same, and rolling doubles lets you use it four times. This lets the losing player feel like they still have a chance.
Another important aspect is the doubling cube. It lets a player raise the stakes, then gives the other the option to do the same.
I'd certainly play it again.
2018-07-16
BANG! (2002)
4
Mar 2019
6.364
Wonderful theme but the game is very random, unbalanced and long. Me and another player were killed before we got to play a turn, so we played a round and a half of Netrunner while the other group finished Bang.
2014-12-19
7
Nov 2014
6.804
Prev. Owned
Neat little game! It's quicker than the card game version, the characters add a lot of personality to the game and the way everyone plays and the deduction aspect is welcome.
Cool custom dice.
I find it better than the popular King of Tokyo due to the characters and the deduction aspect of it.
2014-11-26
Bärenpark (2017)
8
Sep 2017
7.125
Excellent game. Bärenpark takes the main concept from Patchwork but reworks it in a number of interesting ways. All the pieces are technically available from the start, being unlocked every time you build on top of specific icons. You can choose to expand the park in different directions, and every time you fill one of your tiles you get a bear statue of decreasing value.
Once you've learned how to play, check out the Achievements variant! It makes the game more tense, and the choices more interesting.
2017-09-11
7
Feb 2016
6.080
Despite the boring theme, it's a really cool game! I was surprised by the dynamics that emerge from such simple mechanics.
Very portable too, but hard to get at this point.
2016-02-23
8
Mar 2019
6.667
Owned
Medium-light area control in the Legend of the Five Rings universe.

It is reminiscent of the good parts of the Game of Thrones boardgame (place orders face down, once they're all placed flip them up and resolve), takes considerably less time to play and comes in a smaller box, which means I'll end up playing it more often.

Note: I wouldn't reccommend it with two players, as it's very zero-sum and has no intrique.
2019-03-24
6
May 2017
5.650
Easy to learn and play, but gets more interesting if you're using the advanced rules because there's more purpose to what you do.
Lovely, lovely art. Would like to know where the character names came from!
2015-10-29
BentoBlocks (2017)
7
Mar 2018
N/A
(Print and play) A clever game about allocating sushi to fill a bento box. While at first it might appear like "one of those games where you fill a square grid", the drafting is done in a very clever way.

The starting player rolls the dice, then allocates them based on their number. Each number can go on one of two places. Then the other players get a go at picking. It's easy to explain, creates interesting decisions and adds an "I split, you choose" layer to the draft.

Give it a shot!
2018-04-16
6
Jul 2019
6.472
An unexpected retheme of Betrayal at House on the Hill takes it to Baldur's Gate. Instead of having three distinct floors, the top two are combined in an interesting way. They're both the Streets and Buildings, and different colored doors tell you which to draw from. Includes 50 new scenarios.
This theme doesn't make as much sense as the original, since a lot of the scenarios seem to lean towards horror more than fantasy.
2019-07-18
6
Jul 2019
6.852
Betrayal has an interesting premise. At first the players are exploring the mansion looking for gear, and defining the layout as they do. After a while a Haunt is triggered, which usually means one of the players becomes the Betrayer. They get new abilities and a secret goal. The rest of the group also gets a goal.
Part of the appeal comes from the curiosity to see 50 scenarios that come in the box.
I like that the house has multiple floors the players can go to, and sometimes find (or create) secret passageways between them.
The rules are very loose and there is a lot of randomness, so it feels more like a narrative experience than a game.
2019-07-18
Biblios (2007)
7
Dec 2016
7.018
Prev. Owned
A very light but great auction game with simple rules and very interesting decisions! In the first part of the game you keep a card and give the rest, to the other players and a facedown pile. When the deck runs out, the pile is auctioned off.

Excellent filler game with great production values.
2016-12-06
Black Box + (2007)
4
Apr 2016
5.637
Simple deduction game.
2016-03-29
Black Stories (2004)
4
Mar 2019
5.850
One player takes a card, reads out a crime scene description and the others have to ask questions to try and solve what happened there. The player with the card has some extra details they can uncover through the questions that will help them deduce the right solution.
Due to its nature it has no replayability but could be fun to play on a long car ride.
2018-07-11
N/A
5.613
Owned
I don't think it's fair to review games I designed.
2020-07-27
Blokus (2000)
5
Feb 2014
6.749
Interesting, simple area control game.
2014-02-15
Blood Rage (2015)
7
Mar 2020
7.820
What a big surprise! From the theme, artstyle and components the game looks like a more "american" style game with lots of fighting but when you get to fighting the mechanics are a lot closer to "european" games.

Great use of the nordic mythology, it's clear that their priorities are much different because dying isn't necessarily a big punishment like in most games. Sometimes that's exactly what you want to do.

Plus, these are the best looking and most detailed miniatures I've ever seen! Every 10 minutes someone walked past our table and said "WHOA!"
2015-12-15
6
Mar 2019
6.875
The Mystics were a crucial part in the only match I've played so far, but I imagine we would have found suitable alternatives hadn't they been there from the start. Still, they're nice to have, though they cause a bit of confusion since they took two turns to make it into the board rather than one.
2015-12-15
7
Jan 2019
6.334
Bloodborne is an interesting take on a push-your-luck game. Players are defeating a series of enemies on the way to a Boss. They pick a card to use each round and solve them in player order. Every damage you deal gives you Blood Echoes, but watch out! You'll lose them if you die. To keep them you have to "bank" them at Hunter's Dream and when you go there you take an additional card.
There are some interesting effects that skip player order, others which only happen if only one player used the card, and there is an interesting element where players get the bigger reward if they're the ones dealing the final blow to the enemy.
I liked it and would play again.

It is very interesting to compare the boardgame adaptations of Bloodborne and Dark Souls. While the videogames are somewhat similar in terms of gameplay, the boardgame adaptations took distinct approaches. Dark Souls tries to simulate the movement/facing and enemy AI through a deck, Bloodborne focuses on the core of the experience, which is about seeing how far you can go until you need to retreat. To me that's more faithful to how my feelings and decisions when playing the original videogame.
2019-01-17
The Blue Lion (2011)
5
Mar 2019
5.584
Very simple premise and components, but fun gameplay. Could be even better if I had better short term memory.
2014-02-16
6
Feb 2014
6.759
Solid strategy game.
2014-02-15
Bohnanza (1997)
7
Feb 2014
6.933
Prev. Owned
Accessible and fun card game that made me laugh. What a weird theme!
The mechanic twist of not being able to adjust the order of the cards in your hand is brilliant, and something which I haven't seen anywhere else.
2016-06-29
4
Mar 2019
6.109
Simple game with a nice theme, but I get the feeling I got less and less interesting choices as the game moved along, with almost no interaction between players.

I really dislike seeing pixel art in analog games- In this case it feels like they're just trying too hard make me nostalgic.
2015-11-08
9
Nov 2020
7.963
Owned
Great economic game about the industrial revolution. With proper manipulation of supply and demand opponents have to use your resources, which upgrades your buildings as result.
Gorgeous production, good sized box.
2020-02-23
BraveRats (2011)
6
Dec 2019
6.046
Simple but intense duel between two players. There are 8 characters with an ability each. Players pick one and reveal simultaneously.
Bonus points for including several variants.
2019-12-28
Broom Service (2015)
7
Aug 2017
6.895
Very enjoyable combination of mechanisms. There is a bit of a action programming (picking which cards you'll bring for the round), but the order of the actions can be altered by the other players, a little trick taking (forcing the other players to play cards they picked for the round) and push-our luck (the tough brave/cowardly choice).
2017-08-20
Ca$h 'n Gun$ (2005)
5
Mar 2019
6.409
Fun bluffing party game with foam guns, but not a lot of depth to it.
2014-11-30
6
Jan 2017
6.713
Fun bluffing party game with foam guns, but not a lot of depth to it.

The second edition adds new roles, which increase replayability. Also new art, which looks more lighthearted than the previous one.
2017-01-04
Cacao (2015)
7
Dec 2015
6.821
Owned
Very good tile-laying exploration game that plays really well with two players. Also, it's fast! We never play just one game.

It's easy to compare this to Carcassonne. I like this one a lot more! Instead of making "bets" with your meeples, you use them right away and can chain actions in the moment. Another big plus is not having the confusing farmer rules. Win/Win.

Good production values and functional insert too.
2015-12-13
7
Apr 2018
5.590
Prev. Owned
Once you know this tile is in, players will wait so they can sell their beans there instead.
(In the collection)
2018-09-18
7
Jan 2019
5.647
More variety for Cacao is welcome, and it integrates easily with the base game.
2019-01-18
7
Apr 2018
5.597
Prev. Owned
A more competitive temple creates welcome peaks in excitement.
(In the collection)
2018-09-18
7
Apr 2018
5.781
Prev. Owned
The volcano tiles create spaces you don't want to be in! It's not a big punishment because the players will likely have used their side with the most workers when they placed the piece.

The addition of using the frame to seal the components in is brilliant!
(In the collection)
2018-09-18
Camel Up (2014)
7
Mar 2019
6.907
Prev. Owned
Camel Up is a fantastic push-your-luck party game where the players bet on racing camels. It is easy to teach and fun to play, or even watch when it's not your turn. Risky bets can pay off if you're the first to do so, and there are a couple ways to mitigare your luck.
2016-10-03
7
Mar 2019
6.543
Prev. Owned
Supercup improves Camel Up with several modules which make the game more exciting! The extended track makes the race longer, which is welcome. The double dice for the last camel in each leg creates very interesting situations where a camel can come back up from last place. The photographer is a funny one, where players try to guess where the biggest camel pile will stop. Betting on the camel order adds a new layer to the odds you can bet on, and it's a lot of fun!
2019-05-06
Can't Stop (1980)
7
Apr 2017
6.692
Great "push your luck" game that with elegant, easy to teach rules. It's abstract in nature but I enjoy the mountain climber's theme due because busted rolls feel like you slipped up and fell back to where you started your turn.

I really enjoy the mechanic where you roll 4 dice and split them into two pairs. It creates tense choices that don't feel totally unfair since you have some control over it.
2017-04-22
Caravelas (2010)
N/A
5.564
Prev. Owned
(In the collection, in Portugal)
2018-09-18
Carcassonne (2000)
6
Dec 2015
7.308
Prev. Owned
Interesting strategy domino that is easy to pick up and teach.
However there have been many rules iterations, especially regarding how farms are scored so I always have to ask the other players which rules they're used to play with.
(In the collection, in Portugal)
2018-09-18
N/A
7.361
Prev. Owned
(In the collection, in Portugal)
2018-09-18
5
Mar 2019
5.712
A modification of Apples to Apples which includes crass/shocking answers and questions. Exactly what it says in the tin.
Depending on your group it could be fun once or twice, but just like any game with jokes printed on it, the novelty wears off once you know all the cards.
2019-03-24
5
Mar 2019
5.851
Normal movement mechanics are reversed, and you move your opponent's pieces instead of your own. Neat twist.
2014-05-23
7
Jul 2018
5.826
Very solid card driven game with hand management, worker placement and multi-use cards. Allows for different strategies so I'd like to play it again.
2018-07-28
8
May 2017
8.008
Great strategy game that combines eurogame mechanics with dice, in a way that it doesn't feel too luck-driven, Instead of buying a tile or good and placing it right away they go to limited storage spaces, which means timing is also a very important factor in the player's choices. It works great with two players.
2017-05-28
3
Feb 2020
5.489
Realtime game where you are trying to complete full sets in each of your three hands, which you hold one at a time. Place a cat on the center and take another. When you complete a set you have to yell the cat's name, which is a pun on a celebrity name.
No.
2020-02-03
Catacombs (2010)
7
Apr 2017
6.500
Very fun platform choice and mechanics for a genre that is way overused: a dexterity dungeon crawler! I'd like to high-five the designer for coming up with it.
2016-05-24
8
May 2016
6.694
Owned
Very fun platform choice and mechanics for a genre that is way overused: a dexterity dungeon crawler! I'd like to high-five the designer for coming up with it.

The Third edition is a full overhaul with much better art, streamlined rules and (yes!) walls! Lovely!
2016-05-24
Catan (1995)
7
Oct 2017
6.979
Prev. Owned
This is the game that brought me into the hobby. I find it elegant, balanced (player decisions balance the dice rolls) and pleasant to play.
Meanwhile I get the feeling that other games have surpassed it, and players who are already in the hobby might be expecting more. It is still a good game to introduce people to the hobby.
(In the collection, in Portugal)
2019-03-24
Caylus (2005)
8
Apr 2015
7.585
Excellent worker placement game, influenced lots of games so far and I can see why. I particularly like the way the players can control how soon the turn will end, and how it gets more and more expensive as more players pass their turn.
2015-04-06
Celestia (2015)
6
Mar 2019
6.707
Good push-your-luck game about piloting a ship between several cities in the sky. Every round one of the players gets to be the captain and has to face threats as they come. The players can choose if they want to stay or leave the ship, taking a reward. If the ship crashes they get nothing!
2017-06-24
7
Feb 2020
7.277
Same as Spice Road but with more appealing and colorful artwork by Justin Chan, a bit more colorblind-friendly choices and gems which are easier to pick up.
2020-02-17
7
Feb 2020
7.175
Fun, breezy engine building/hand management game where you collect and trade goods in order to fulfill contracts and gain victory points. The production values are good, the cards are large and it even comes with metal coins and plastic bowls for the different goods. The turns are super quick.

I have a couple things I don't like in the game.
- The same artwork is used for cards that have different effects so it's easy to mistake them at a glance. It eventually taught me to ignore the artwork.
- The second is the coins are never used as coins. The players simply collect them and never get to use them other than to add to their score at the very end. Still, I had fun and would play it again.
The publisher is promising this is the first in a trilogy of games that can be combined to form a larger one. I'm looking forward to it!
2020-02-03
8
Oct 2017
7.411
Asymmetric area control game with a solid theme. Each player has a different victory goal, and the board itself can win if everyone is too destructive.
2019-03-24
Chess (1475)
7
Feb 2014
6.956
Classic strategy boardgame.
2014-02-15
8
Mar 2018
6.925
Owned
Simple rules, pretty components and quick sessions! A good introduction to train games and the concept of shared ownership without getting bogged down in rules and stock market lingo. It's funny when players realize that buying stocks for cheap is probably not a good deal, because the trains will run on that budget.
I really enjoy the way the dials focus and limit how many times you can do each action per turn. Plus, passing the turn and moving a dial to no effect is a completely valid move.
2019-03-24
Chinatown (1999)
7
May 2017
7.033
Buy property in Chinatown, set up shops, sell your products and expand by buying neighboring property.
2019-03-24
Chronicle (2009)
5
Oct 2015
6.170
One of the few trick-taking games I ever enjoyed, mostly due to the end goals and the skills in the ally cards.
2014-02-15
Cinco Linko (2016)
4
Mar 2019
5.686
Prev. Owned
Connect 5, but you can only play adjacent to existing pieces and, when you run out of pieces, you start removing the ones you had previously placed. A really simple concept, which works better than the simple rules made it sound.

The pieces are solid, colorful and indestructible! I'll be bringing it to play with my family, outdoors or even in bars, since it's waterproof.
2017-09-06
6
Oct 2018
6.463
Prev. Owned
Good microgame that combines elements of Patchwork with Kingdomino. The rules are very easy to teach and the objectives (and combinations) create a lot of replayability and interesting decisions. Plays very quickly but keep in mind, it takes a bit more room than you expect.
Can't ignore that scoring can take a long time compared to the round length.

Bonus point for selling the base game and expansions as Print and Play, as it makes it much more accessible all over the world.
(Print and play)
2018-09-18
4
Mar 2019
5.646
Prev. Owned
(Print and play) The solo expansion for Circle the Wagons has some clever ideas but the rulebook left me with a lot of unanswered questions.
Counting the score takes more time than playing a round.
(In the collection)
2018-09-18
Citadels (2000)
8
May 2019
6.973
Owned
Great card game and social interaction that goes way beyond what I thought could be achieved with just cards.
It can be too long with the full player count, but you can always reduce the number of required buildings to speed it up (7 is good!).
With 2 or 3 players each gets two roles, so you get to play with time as a dimension as well (get money with one, spend it with the other). It adds a very welcome layer to this already fantastic game.
2019-05-21
Clans (2002)
6
Mar 2019
6.282
Very elegant that starts really light and gets more intense as it nears the end. Would like to play it again.
2014-08-30
8
Oct 2020
7.727
Economic development in 19th century Scotland. Pick a contracts well and find your own ways to fulfill them, using a simple but effective market system. The clans themselves are very distinct, which leads to a lot of variability. Plays well with two.
2020-10-19
Clusterf**k! (2013)
3
Mar 2019
5.463
A mini-game from Cards Against Humanity and Zach Gage about promiscuity, intimacy and threesomes. On your turn you send a message to any other player. Most messages are about hooking up or being part of a threesome. At the end of the round the players will close their eyes, point at the person(s) they want to have sex with and then open their eyes. If those players are also pointing at you you get a point. If you manage to have a threesome, you win..
The turn structure is unfortunate, as sometimes the messages have questions that I would love to answer right away. I don't know if everyone who sent them was keeping track and I know my memory isn't great for things like this.
I played it at a bar with a large group of people who I mostly didn't know and was incredibly embarrassed most of the time.
2018-05-21
Coconuts (2013)
6
Mar 2019
6.555
Simple dexterity based game that is well produced and very easy to pick up! As soon as you see someone take a shot you'll immediately get it.
2016-02-26
Code 777 (1985)
5
Mar 2019
6.170
Cool party game about deducing which numbers you have from questions you ask other players.
2014-02-15
Codenames (2015)
8
May 2017
7.517
Prev. Owned
Great party game with very elegant rules and tons of replayability. Strikes a perfect balance between amount of rules and fun.

Edit: Codenames Pictures is even better, making it language independent!
2016-12-05
9
Dec 2016
7.071
Owned
Great party game with very elegant rules and tons of replayability. Strikes a perfect balance between amount of rules and fun. Codenames Pictures improves on the original game, making it language independent!
2016-12-05
5
Mar 2019
5.709
Prev. Owned
These extra tiles allow you to have a bigger grid and use the grid cards from the base game to add replayability.

On the other hand it also makes each round longer so I don't use them as often.
2017-01-01
6
Jun 2021
5.916
A streamlined game where you build a tableau by overlapping the corners of cards that have of magical elements to fulfill goals.
It has a beautiful presentation, with strong colors and even gold ink.
Gameplay-wise it is abstract and very straightforward. Play a card, pick a card. Sometimes the best move is very clear, but the goal cards give you more to plan towards.
2021-06-03
Codinca (2012)
5
Dec 2016
5.700
Prev. Owned
Codinca is an abstract puzzle game for 2 to 4 players. It's portable, easy to teach and quick to play. Each player gets 4 configurations which he/she must complete by swapping, flipping or using special cards which have a larger effect.

The new version is well produced.

Without a clear idea of my opponent's goal I was left with an odd feeling. I was trying to pursue my own goals and my opponent was getting in my way, but I'm not sure if it was on purpose or if we were simply going towards intersecting goals.
This is a kind of player interaction I don't enjoy.
2016-12-28
Coloretto (2003)
6
Jun 2016
6.831
Cool set collection, push you luck game with a simple rule set and a small box. A good balance between amount of rules vs fun.
However, I recently played 6 Nimmt and I prefer that one. The scoring is much more intuitive and plays more players.
2019-03-24
Colorpop (2011)
3
Mar 2019
5.511
Never thought I'd see an analog match 3 game, but here it is! Some clever solutions here. Still, I don't think it improves the digital game enough to make it worth it.
2014-05-19
Colt Express (2014)
7
May 2017
6.983
Accessible action programming game for all the family. The theme is brought to life by the bright components and artwork. It even has a 3D train that us used in gameplay!
The different stages of the trip create interesting situations, like the train braking or going through a tunnel.
However I found it hard to take meeples out without making other stuff fall out.
2019-03-24
Concept (2013)
7
May 2014
6.665
Nice game, both fun to watch as to play. Some of the words are timely (like references to a TV show like "Fear Factor") so I fear it might need updates in the future.
2014-05-28
Concordia (2013)
9
Jan 2017
7.965
Wishlist(3)
 (Like to have)
Excellent euro game with elegant, streamlined rules. Some people complain about the amount of games about "trading in the Mediterranean" but this is the best one I've played so far.
2017-01-01
Condottiere (1995)
8
Aug 2020
6.612
Owned
The most portable area control game I own. Exciting and plays a range of players.
The star of this design is the limited hand of cards which can take a long time to refill. It forces players to pick which fights they want to be a part. Sometimes you may want to start a war somewhere where another player is really interested in just to make them spend their cards.
The rules are not too complicated but new players always forget what the cards do because the symbol is not too clear (FFG) so it takes a few turns/games to get into it.
This is the game that CD Projekt ripped off to make Gwent.
2019-12-06
8
Feb 2020
6.362
Owned
A condensed version of Abyss which focuses on my favorite aspects of the game: tight card drafting and set collection.
The pyramid structure forces the players to make hard choices, there are different and very valid reasons to adapt halfway through. Kept me on my toes.
Quick game with streamlined rules, good choices and beautiful art.
2021-05-25
9
Oct 2016
7.371
Owned
Some of the must fun times I've had with boardgames. The rules are simple and the alien races are exciting. The game is unbalanced on purpose to make the players react - and it might be the first game where I thought that's a good thing!
2013-01-28
6
Oct 2017
6.626
Expanded Patchwork so it would work for 1-4 instead of just 2 and brought along pros and cons. It's great to have a more flexible player count and the tweaks to the market are really clever and bring along cool new decisions to make. Plus, it allows for planning.
The main negative point for me is that once a garden is complete it instantly goes away for points and is replaced with a new one. You lose a sense of accomplishment at the end, all that's left is the points.
2019-03-24
Coup (2012)
7
Oct 2016
6.874
Prev. Owned
Interesting bluffing game with few components.
I was very impressed the first time I played it, but the novelty wore down over time.
2016-10-10
7
Jan 2015
5.958
Interesting bluffing game with few components.
I was very impressed the first time I played it, but the novelty wore down over time.

This version of the game has beautiful art.
2016-10-10
6
Mar 2019
6.776
Prev. Owned
Adds to an interesting bluffing game, but it also makes it a bit less accessible. The setup gets more complicated since you have to pick which roles you want to include this time, and the box itself is bigger (but at least it fits both the game and the expansion).
2016-10-10
6
Mar 2019
5.883
Prev. Owned
A tiny area control game with interesting mechanics. Uses multi-use cards and the combat is curiously resolved with mechanics from Perudo/Liar´s dice. It's very tense, and bigger than the sum of its parts.
The rulebook left us with a lot of doubts so we had to go look for the answers online. Thanks Paul Grogan and Ricky Royal!
2018-01-07
Creationary (2009)
5
Feb 2014
5.690
There are always some people who say they aren't any good at drawing, so they don't want to play Pictionary, but everyone can use Legos!
2014-02-15
6
Feb 2021
5.858
Owned
The rules are simple and straightforward and there's almost no setup, so players can jump straight to the action.
However there is a lot of open information, which can make optimal moves really clear for both players to the point where it can feel like you have to pick them or you'll lose.
Also, if one of the players is not careful it can result in an anticlimactic ending where at a certain point they don't have a chance to catch up.
It has a larger footprint than initially expected. It reached across our living room table.
The coins have a 1 on one side and a "CC" on the other, which really looks like a 3. We had to keep reminding ourselves to ignore that.
2021-02-23
Crokinole (1876)
7
Oct 2014
7.658
This traditional game is always fun. I only see it at conventions, and always play it at least once.
2013-01-28
Cthulhu Dice (2010)
2
Feb 2014
5.266
Prev. Owned
Cool big die, too bad the game basically plays itself.
2020-10-05
Cyclades (2009)
9
Oct 2016
7.301
Owned
Excellent hybrid between american and euro design which plays very smoothly. Cyclades is a dudes on a map where the main way to select your actions is through winning the right to do them via intense auctions. The production is great, with vibrant art and well made miniatures (with different molds for each player color!).
Teaching it is a breeze, mostly because it looks more complex than it actually is.
It also plays quickly, compared to most other games in its type.
Bonus points for playing well with two players!
2016-11-10
Cypher (2014)
6
Mar 2019
5.619
Clever microgame with an interesting ending condition. Everyone has one more turn once the endgame is triggered so you need to be sure you're on top. Tense!
Only played with two players, but I imagine the drafting gets more interesting with more players. Played three games, liked it more every time.
2015-10-29
8
Dec 2016
5.518
Prev. Owned
Interesting game about building a great canal and making sure everything is looking good when the inspector goes around to investigate. Its theme is grounded in history and the mechanics work well, even though there's a bit more "take that" than I expected at first.
2016-12-28
Dao (1999)
4
Jul 2019
5.473
Very simple abstract game with a streamlined rule set. Push pieces as far as they can move in a single direction and try to achieve one of the three possible ending conditions. It is easy to get into stalemates and the optimal move is obvious most of the time.
2019-07-16
Dare to Dream (2018)
6
Sep 2019
5.500
Owned
Refreshing theme and good production, but the gameplay feels undercooked.
The asymmetry has a nice concept. Dreamers use sand to perform their actions, which in turn allows the Darkness to take bigger/stronger actions. In turn, it creates a nice tension for the Dreamers. In practice, they go for it because it's the only chance they have.
With the delta in the card values, playing only one card per hour is not enough for the Darkness to make a difference. The Darkness is forced to lurk, which dramatically cuts down their available number of turns, especially at two players. The cards are too situational, making a fair amount of them useless for most of the game.
I can see there are good ideas here, but it needs more work. I could see this game working better with half, even a third of the components.
2019-09-22
Dead Drop (2015)
6
Jul 2015
5.734
Like a lot of microgames, there's deduction - but wait! There's a second part to the game where you have to gather the right cards so you can guess what the hidden card is.
2019-03-24
7
Oct 2014
7.410
Very interesting game. I really like the crossword mechanic where a player draws a card and only reads it if a specific event happens. Only played through the beginner scenario (which we son) and would definitely like to play it again.
2014-10-23
8
Jul 2015
6.762
Owned
What a great push your luck game! This one is about diving for treasure to get valuable (and heavy!) loot. All players share one oxygen tank so they can coordinate or backstab based on it.

Deeper loot is better, but it's heavy and there's a long way up.

The presentation and components are lovely as well, and I really like the loot pieces. The more sides it has, the more valuable it is.
2015-10-13
Diamant (2005)
8
Feb 2014
6.696
Excellent press-your-luck game. I really like the way the advantages for leaving the cave really push you to do it, but they myght go so wrong if more people leave at the same time. The hazard warnings also increase the tension in a way that is very easy to understand. Great fun!
2014-02-15
Dice Forge (2017)
8
May 2019
7.060
Roll dice and gather resources to buy new dice faces so you can buy powerful cards! Dice Forge combines familiar elements in a way I hadn't seen yet. The concept is easy to grasp, the feeling of progression is palpable and the production values are off the charts.
A lot of fun, and looks striking on the table.
2019-05-04
7
Feb 2014
6.917
Competent game with a beautiful board, interesting mechanics and characters. Added value if you have read the books it's based on.
2014-02-15
Dixit (2008)
7
Feb 2014
7.140
Very interesting game design, focused on emotions and imagination. The rule that punishes you when you're too obvious makes this whole game.
2014-02-15
N/A
N/A
Prev. Owned
(In the collection)
2018-09-18
Dogs of War (2014)
8
Jun 2015
6.729
The first impression from the kickstarter wasn't too good, it seemed overproduced and trying to excuse design flaws with bling. They could all be wooden cubes and disks for all I care because the gameplay is solid and provides really interesting and tense decisions. I was happy to be proved wrong.
2015-06-07
8
Jan 2013
7.626
Evolve your species to be able to expand to new lands and eat new types of food.
It's the first time I had to make (worker placement) choices with such an advance that I wasn't sure if they were going to be effective once they did happen.
2019-03-24
Dominion (2008)
9
Apr 2012
7.504
Prev. Owned
Excellent game that spawned a whole new genre of board games. The only con I see is that it might feel that each player is playing a singleplayer game, but the expansions seem to fix that.
2012-04-07
8
Jan 2013
7.560
Dominion was groundbreaking, but this expansion fixes the one flaw that bugged me in the original: lack of player interaction.
2013-01-28
Downforce (2017)
8
Aug 2020
7.038
Downforce is an excellent game that is easy to learn, plays quickly and maintains tension and mystery throughout. The cards usually make several cards move at once, including other player's, and each player has a card that allows one of their cars to speed up quite a lot, but only once.
Thanks to the betting system it's not just about getting in first place. If you guess the winner right you can make a lot of money.
Best racing game I've played.
2020-08-23
Dracula (2003)
6
Nov 2014
5.847
Interesting asymmetrical deduction/tactical game with hand/deck management and cool mind games. I felt it was a bit too ambitious with the action cards being numbers, attack, skill and move barrier actions in every single one. I played what I needed to play when the fights popped up, and that took the strategy away. Still, it was a nice experience and I want to play again.
2014-11-15
Draftosaurus (2019)
7
Mar 2021
6.810
A quick and easy game of drafting dinosaurs and finding a place for them in your park. The action of filling in spaces of your board feels a bit like a roll and write.
2021-03-13
Dragon's Gold (2001)
7
Oct 2014
6.100
Prev. Owned
Most games are over when you slay the dragon, but in Dragon's Gold it's where it starts! Most of the game is about negotiating how you're going to split the rewards.
The set collection scoring grows in importance as the game progresses, and players wonder exactly what the other players were able to amass during the game.
2019-03-24
Dragonheart (2010)
8
Aug 2020
6.180
Simple, light head to head game where both players are adding cards to areas which let them affect others. There is a lot of tactics in seeing which one is worth affecting at every turn.
Streamlined rules and a very nice presentation where the board depicts a scene with all the characters and the cards "blend in" when played because they have the same artwork plus a frame.
Plays quickly and is very fun.
2020-08-23
Druids (2016)
8
May 2018
5.522
Prev. Owned
I had a chance to play the second version of Druids and I enjoyed it a lot. While the winning conditions reminded me of Onitama, but that faded as soon as I took the first move.

A big part of it is the movement. You move orthogonality and point the piece in the direction it moved to. Now you can't move that way. IT can be tricky because it is an arrow pointing to where you can't go, but I haven't been able to find a better solution.
I haven't struggled so hard to take a step forward since Mage Knight!
Don't worry, though! This slows the players down and gives the opponent some time to prepare and plan. It creates neat situations when you get on your opponent's face and they can't get you back right away.

Some pieces have environmental effects which can be used by the Druids. This creates very dynamic board states and keep players on their toes. I like it a lot and look forward to playing it again.
(print and play of version 2)
2018-09-18
Drum Roll (2011)
8
Oct 2015
6.221
Manage your crew, but don't get too greedy because you have to pay their wages! Solid game with a fresh theme.
2014-02-15
Dungeon Petz (2011)
8
Mar 2019
7.230
Prev. Owned
Dungeon Petz is delightful, with a lot of rules but they all make sense thematically so it's easy to teach and remember. You definitely get a sense that you're developing a story and it feels terrible when you let your pets down.
2017-01-11
5
Mar 2019
6.205
Dungeonquest has a very common theme: explore a dungeon to get loot. On your way you'll fight enemies and possibly sneak into the dragon's lair - but make sure it doesn't wake up!
It has some unexpected solutions, however. Players can start in opposite corners of the board and never meet, lets players burrow down and explore underground, solves fights via a "rock/paper/scissors" controlled by the other players and the dice checks have you rolling under an attribute total.
Note: It features a lot of randomness and is considered very challenging.
2018-04-16
5
Mar 2019
6.394
Prev. Owned
The promise of a co-op dungeon crawler without a DM with progression and a light campaign was very appealing. Unfortunately the rulebook isn't very clear regarding enemy placement, movement and line of sight and most of the gameplay revolves around those. Makes us feel like we're breaking the rules.

Another problem we ran into is that the game punishes you for not moving forward. You explore because you don't want to draw Encounter Cards, but it's very likely that you will have to anyway. As a result I feel like most levels are more of a race than a dungeon crawl.

We don't feel like we're playing as a party because of how much motivation there is to explore. There are many times where it feels like the best solution is to split up just to deplete the tiles quicker, and by that point we've lost all immersion.

The progression aspect is very light. You level up once, then you can buy skills.

2018-07-04
Duplik (2005)
7
May 2014
6.294
Very original, and a lot of fun! Contrary to what you might think, you don't need to learn how to draw to have fun with this game.
2014-05-19
DVONN (2001)
7
Mar 2020
6.911
Streamlined rules, clean visuals and quick game. Move pieces on top of each other, making towers that have to move as many spaces as their height. You can take over player pieces, but if they lose the connection to the red DVONN pieces, they vanish.
I like boards that start to disappear as the game progresses, underlined by the taller towers needing to move even further.
Having the setup be "playable" is quite nice.
2020-03-22
Eclipse (2011)
7
Jul 2016
7.694
Interesting 4X game about space exploration and conquer with streamlined mechanics and well designed iconography.
Overall I liked it but I really wanted more interactions between players other than attacking each other's stuff. Politics, anticipation, excitement! This might be because I was playing the app so I'd like to play it with other people to see how different it is.

I'm really not a fan of dice rolling to resolve combats, which is the main downside to me.

Note: Only played the iOS app. The original one looks like a pain to set up and tear down, but I want to eventually play it and compare.
2016-08-01
5
Nov 2017
6.371
What a misleading title. I love the idea of a portable, fast-playing area majority game but so much depends on the random card draw that it can create very unfair situations. One of our players never got the chance to build a city or sail out of the main continent. In a game that's all about expanding, it's a sin.
2017-11-25
Elder Sign (2011)
7
Jan 2013
6.822
Prev. Owned
Interesting take on Arkham Horror and the Cthulhu mythos. It's simple to play and teach, but creates a tense mood and a sense of impending doom that brings me back to try and beat it.
(In the collection, in Portugal)
2018-09-18
Elements (2010)
7
Jun 2016
5.842
Great little push your luck, bluffing and deduction microgame where you're trying to create a good hand of cards within a changing threshold. Every move the other player does tells you a little bit of what's in his/her hand, and I really like that the focus is on figuring out the best time to end the game. Short and sweet.
2016-06-15
Elysium (2015)
7
Mar 2019
6.944
Great tableau building/set collection game with hard choices, good combos and a great scoring system. The cards you buy have several effects which help you during the game but eventually you have to take them down to Elysium so they can add to your endgame score.
It has a lot of replayability because you don't use all "suits" in every match and the production quality is excellent, with a great (thematic!) insert.
2017-01-01
5
Mar 2019
5.936
Very ingenious tiny deckbuilding/drafting game! I like the choices and different strategies the designer managed to get onto such a small set of cards. It's also neat to know how close you are to the end of the game.

Note: It's impossible to learn the game with the provided single sheet of rules. You'll have to search online.
2019-03-24
Empire Engine (2013)
6
Oct 2017
5.582
Prev. Owned
I really like the concept behind this game. Your actions are on gears and you control how much they turn. It gives you enough information to try and guess what the other players are doing, which you can use to direct your own choices.

I got to try the original print and play and the current AEG version, and it's very interesting to see the differences in rules and features between the two.

There definitely aren't enough cubes in the bag though!
2015-07-14
En Garde (1993)
4
Mar 2019
5.983
The premise is interesting but the gameplay felt a bit too random. The rules are so simple that we felt like we might be doing something wrong.
Fencing is a cool theme though, I wonder why it isn't used more often.
2018-07-11
Encore! (2016)
6
Jan 2017
6.525
A neat roll-and-write game where you combine colors and numbers to cross out adjacent spaces on the player sheet. Can feel a bit like a minesweeper maze. You get points for completing all the spaces of a color and columns, but there are also a lot of spaces that take points away, which creates most of the game's choices.
2017-01-24
Endeavor (2009)
8
Oct 2017
7.099
Great strategy game, and one of the first few games with no luck element after the initial setup. I felt I was in control, and fully responsible for all my bad choices.
2013-01-29
7
May 2019
6.120
Owned
A very ambitious game. I haven't played Magic: the Gathering in years but I have good memories of it, so the idea of a similar game that's contained in a single box is very appealing to me.
It took a bit to learn what keywords are equivalent to the ones in MtG and the turn structure (mainly when in the opponent's turn I can intervene).
The economy system in the game is very interesting! Must play further.

It's annoying that it needs so many tokens that don't come in the box. I got extra tokens from the Kickstarter and they still run out. At least they've provided files so fans can print their own.
2019-03-22
7
Sep 2018
6.509
Prev. Owned
What a great game! Reminds me of Scotland Yard but everyone's hiding most of the time. Some players are the humans and they're trying to escape through the hatches, others are the aliens and they are trying to kill the human players, but at first you don't know who is who.

We played the base game then immediately played it again, this time the Advanced Version (which we liked even better).

The new edition just got here and it looks wonderful! laminated notepads replace the previous sheets which I feared would run out, so I can play it forever! There is also more content in the form of more maps, characters and items.

Unfortunately I could never get my friends as excited as I was.
2018-09-10
5
Mar 2019
6.825
Realtime coop, dice rolling with a 10 minute timer.
Nice theme and execution, but it's more about reflexes and randomness than any sort of planning or strategy. Bad luck can ruin a session.
2019-03-24
4
Dec 2019
6.454
Prev. Owned
The second Exit game we played. We were quite engaged at first, but halfway through it becomes really obtuse on purpose and we were lost multiple times.
Some of the clues were useless and the portuguese translation has errors and typos, which makes it really ridiculous when there's a puzzle that has us look for an error - but which one?
2019-12-24
5
Jul 2019
6.762
Prev. Owned
The first "escape room in a box" game we played and it was an ok first impression. Interesting puzzles, clever idea to find a number to find a card to check if the answer was correct. It created a situation where we could ask the game questions and it would answer back, in an abstract way.
Some of the clues were useless and the timed nature of it felt unnecessary.
The portuguese translation has errors in the text which we had to guess around.
Not a big fan of having to damage the components in order to play.
2019-07-19
Exploriana (2019)
7
Nov 2019
5.608
Light push your luck game about exploring three continents of increasing difficulty. There's not enough room for every player so going first matters.
Watch out because it's easy to go bust, but there are some ways to mitigate that. There are incentives to push it just a little bit further thanks to increased rewards and set collection scoring.
There are a few too many systems but the player doesn't have to engage with all of them. I like the small box and modular board.
2019-11-02
Fabled Fruit (2016)
6
Feb 2018
6.657
Prev. Owned
Fabled Fruit is a very simple worker placement game at first, but as you play it will evolve. New options and mechanics are introduced.

It's called the "Fable" system and I would love to see applied to many other games because there's consequences to each gameplay session, we're looking forward to all we haven't seen and we're not damaging our game in the progress .

It's a great gateway game!
However it doesn't seem ready for two players, as some cards refer to "other players" and are only useful when they affect more than one and because there are so many cards that the players will rarely have a reason to pick an occupied card.
2018-02-26
8
Oct 2015
6.756
Owned
I love this game and its wonderful production. Similar to Spyfall but with drawing instead of talking, the result is something special. The players are making a drawing one line at the time - but one doesn't know what they're drawing, and he's trying not to stand out.

Great production, lovely components.

To make it easier to play with a larger group and on a large table I often bring my own notepad and pens for everyone.
2019-03-24
5
Mar 2019
7.046
Probably a treat for hardcore fans of the show but felt a little flat for me. While the systems are all there, I felt each player was playing his own solitaire game and it is far, far too long.
2015-10-30
7
Mar 2019
5.858
Solid blind bidding game with neat dynamics due to the cards, which change each round.
2014-02-15
Five Ravens (2017)
8
May 2018
5.521
Prev. Owned
I'm very impressed by this design. The level of intrigue in a two player match is outstanding, both here and in Solstice, by the same designer. Scheming, intrigue and hard decisions - all in 20 minutes! I can't wait to play again.
(Print and play)
2018-09-18
Five Tribes (2014)
8
Oct 2015
7.631
Cool game, solid mechanics and great production values, easy to learn and seems very replayable. Nice twist on the mancala mechanic.
There's a couple downsides, though. The first one is the rules for scoring market cards are unclear. The other is that you can't completely plan your turn during other players' turns since the board can change, which has immense potential for analysis paralysis. Luckily it didn't happen in our game.
2015-10-29
4
Feb 2014
5.915
I appreciate the several game modes and characters, but for some reason I couldn't get into it. Felt a bit too random for me. Maybe knowing all the characters beforehand would have helped, but you can't expect a new player to study before they try it out.
2014-02-15
Fleet (2012)
8
Jul 2015
6.531
Prev. Owned
Surprise! An unusual theme hides a solid engine building game. You bid to get fishing licences so you can send out fishing boats so you can convert those fish into points.
2015-07-14
7
Feb 2021
5.973
Prev. Owned
A pleasant solitaire puzzle that is straight to the point. Simple rules, a breeze to setup. Teaches quickly and if you win, it's already packed up in the end.
Reminds me of peg solitaire but the animal powers bring in a welcome twist.
(Print and Play)
2021-02-27
Fool's Gold (2015)
7
May 2016
5.819
Prev. Owned
A really nice mix of worker placement and push-your-luck that recreates the Gold Rush. Beautiful and unusual graphic design evokes the theme without looking old. It's got a nice arc to it (first you find some gold, then less and less), making it a great example of how to convey theme through mechanics.
I wish more people knew about this one.
2019-11-02
For Sale (1997)
9
Jan 2015
7.105
Owned
A wonderful bidding game with two distinct phases. First you try to buy good property for cheap, then you sell it for as much as you can. This game is the best of its kind. Reminds me of "No Thanks!", but it's not as easy for a player to ruin the game for everyone else.
2015-01-02
7
Oct 2014
6.694
Great design, beautiful components and an affordable price! Its layout is very clear, and there's a real sense of panic when the island starts to sink. I felt it was easy, but there are several harder difficulties to which I'll definitely give a shot.
It's surprisingly similar to Pandemic, though.
2014-11-17
Formula D (2008)
7
Oct 2017
6.851
Fun racing game with a push-your-luck mechanism at its core. You can speed up to roll dice with higher numbers, but make sure you stop at the curves or the car will take damage! It's compatible with earlier editions so there are loads of tracks to explore.
2017-10-23
Fort (2020)
8
Sep 2020
6.750
Owned
Fort is a very interactive deckbuilding game where your deck is always in flux. Cards that you don't use can be drafted by the opponents but don't worry, there is a chance you'll get them back. It's more tactical, quick and lighthearted than what you would expect from a deckbuilder.

It's also (along with the original, SPQF) the only deckbuilder I've seen with such a constant pace. On your turn you play one card. At the end of the turn you get a new card. This takes the focus from buying more and more cards to doing the most you can with the ones you're currently holding.

Lovely, colorful artwork, great production values (player aids, double layered boards, screen printed tokens and a reasonable sized box!).
2020-09-26
7
Jun 2019
6.965
I am not a fan of trick-taking games but The Fox and the Forest won me over.
The presentation is gorgeous and the scoring system is really interesting: it rewards players for losing, and also for winning a lot - but not too much! This particular aspect gets the players to try to read the mind of their opponent, and gives them an opportunity to turn the game around by making them win too much.
However, the main reason is that it won me over is the rulebook. Most trick-taking games build upon their predecessors and assume everyone is familiar with the language of trick-taking games. If you're not, they're impenetrable. The Fox in the Forest welcomed me in and I'm very thankful for it.
2019-06-23
2
Oct 2014
5.575
Tries to simulate something like Unreal Tournament on a board and you have to roll after everything you to do see if you can actually do it, which makes it very slow. I wanted to get away from it as soon as they finished explaining the rules.
One of the worst games I've ever played.
2014-10-28
Friday (2011)
7
Mar 2019
6.968
Owned
This is the very first solo boardgame I played (well, other than Solitaire) and it really impressed me. The deckbuilding mechanics are very clever and fit the theme, the way Robinson ages as you go is very effective and grim. I love it.
2014-06-27
8
Nov 2014
7.275
I was really impressed by the crazy ambition and wacky theme of this game. Building the ship is lots of fun, and seeing the ships get blown apart is even better.
There's a nice sense of pace as the three game stages advance.
2014-11-30
7
Jul 2018
6.508
More content for Galaxy Trucker is a lot of fun but it makes it more complicated to teach so I would avoid it when introducing the game to new players.
2018-07-01
7
Jul 2018
7.099
More content for Galaxy Trucker is a lot of fun but it makes it more complicated to teach so I would avoid it when introducing the game to new players.
2018-07-01
The Gallerist (2015)
10
Feb 2014
7.687
Solid game about sponsoring artists, making exhibitions from their pieces and selling their art.
2014-02-15
The Game (2015)
6
Jul 2016
6.504
Interesting cooperative game which reminds me a bit of Hanabi, in the sense that the players are working together to play their cards in a sequence using very limited communication. The ascending and descending sequences create interesting decisions, and idea to make the numbers go back is very welcome.

The only downside is the grim art direction and theme, No idea why they went with grimdark looking skulls when the game is so abstract and focused on the numbers.

Also, the name of this game is a pain to search for online.
2016-07-31
5
Oct 2017
6.282
As Varys, gather the most influence in the biggest number of families to become the Hand of the King. Every turn you move orthogonally to pick up a character and all its family members found along the way. Every time a family is fully removed from the board, you can pick up and use a special character card (from outside the board).
2017-09-11
8
Feb 2014
7.386
Great adaptation of the source material. The action system is fantastic, where you place a face down order per province you control. Once all provinces have one, then you flip them over and resolve. This can create really interesting situations where you agree to do something but end up doing the opposite - just like in the books.
2017-10-02
7
Aug 2017
6.501
Good card game that seems to be a different game with two players than with three or four.
The multiplayer Melee version of the game is really interesting and reflects the theme well with shifting roles and alliances.
2017-10-23
8
Sep 2018
6.226
Prev. Owned
I love this game. At its core it's a rule set for a miniature game played using Hot Wheels. It is accessible, creative and disruptive. I am fascinated by miniature games but they've always seemed too expensive, overly complicated, bulky and fragile to carry around.
Gaslands solves all of this by letting you improvise all your own components. All you need is the rulebook, which is cheap. This has captivated a lot of players, who are now kitbashing incredible looking cars and tracks and sharing them online.
The core system is rock solid, the tweaks to standard template systems are clever, the push your luck element of the dice is very well implemented. As for rules, you can go as deep as you want. There are several game modes, rules to add sponsors, more gear and vehicle types.
Can't wait to play again.
(Still own it but I don't count it as a boardgame)
2021-08-04
Ginkgopolis (2012)
9
Jun 2016
7.043
Owned
Ginkgopolis is a wonderful mashup of mechanisms. It's got drafting, engine building, tile laying, area majority and deckbuilding in every round! It's amazing how it all flows.

I'm very glad there's a solo variant where I could learn it first.

The theme isn't very relevant while playing but it's definitely unique and it brings in a wonderful art direction.
2016-05-30
Gnomi (2017)
N/A
5.525
Prev. Owned
(Print and play)
2018-04-18
Go (-2200)
8
Feb 2014
7.325
Classic game that's trickier than it seems.
2014-02-15
El Grande (1995)
8
Nov 2014
7.580
Great bidding/area control game. It took me a bit to get the hang of it, but there's a lot more strategy than it seems at first.
2014-11-10
5
Oct 2014
6.320
I read the rules and had to look for a game there. Once we got playing, we realized that there were some interesting tactical choices there, and it was fun when people got into the roles.

Worth to note it's the only game I've ever played which allows new people to join mid-game.
2014-10-28
7
Apr 2019
5.806
Big game in a small box! Take the role of tribes in Greenland and do your best to survive and thrive in a harsh environment.
At its core the game is simple (send people to complete tasks, roll a die for each and if they get the following numbers the task is successful) but a lot of additional layers are added as the game progresses, especially due to the Events deck. Creatures appear and migrate away, Disease knocks out half of the population. A big part of it is about planning for bad rolls and luck mitigation.
The rulebook is intimidating, fortunately a friend taught us how to play.
2020-02-03
6
Feb 2020
6.639
You're a descendant of the three little pigs and have to build three houses. The core gameplay is very simple, pick a place to go to gather resources, then build. Friend and Fable cards create surprises.
Its OK but has amazing production values.
2020-02-17
Guillotine (1998)
5
Feb 2014
6.408
Fun, easy to learn but a bit too random for me. Neat graphic presentation shows a grim theme in a fun way.
2014-02-25
Haggis (2010)
8
Jan 2017
6.544
Finally a shedding/climbing game that can be played by two players! Having versatile face cards on the table mitigates a lot of bad card draw. Bonus points for being playable with a regular deck of playing cards.
2017-01-01
Hanabi (2010)
7
Mar 2019
6.980
Prev. Owned
Fun, portable and very tense. It's easy to teach and can handle a lot of people.
2014-07-02
Hanamikoji (2013)
9
Mar 2019
7.260
Elegant rules, quick playtime and hard choices. I really enjoy the way the game deals with the different actions you can do in a turn. There are four actions you can pick from - once! And that's it. It makes every turn very tense.
Plus, if at the end of a round there is no winner you keep the influence and play one more round!
I dislike the theme so much that I made my own retheme where you have to attract dogs using their favorite toys,
2019-07-18
Hands Up (2002)
5
Mar 2019
5.589
Every round you draw a card with a hand gesture. The players race to recreate it with their own hands and the last player to do it loses and gets to keep the card. You don't want those. Sometimes however, the gesture is impossible to recreate, and the players cross their arms instead. The last player to realize it loses.

Simple rules and clever design.
2016-06-14
Harald (2015)
6
Jan 2017
5.606
Prev. Owned
Interesting set collection game with an interesting scoring system. The "take that" element is too strong in my opinion, to the point where it can destroy a player's strategy since most of the bonus scoring depends on careful balances.
In a graphic design point of view, I found the cards look pleasant but are hard to read from across the table due to a lack of contrast and clear silhouettes.
2017-01-01
Harvest Dice (2017)
7
Nov 2017
6.097
Good dice drafting roll and write game that is easy to teach and has interesting decisions. Reminds me a lot of Rolling Japan/America in the way the vegetables grow but the crates mechanism that defines the value of the vegetables is a very clever layer on top.
2017-11-08
Havana (2009)
7
Mar 2019
6.372
Owned
Really nice role selection city builder. The way the turn order is defined is very dynamic and unique.
2014-02-15
5
Mar 2019
5.494
Very simple but effective. You have a secret /name on your forehead, which is facing the other players. On your turn you get to ask a question about your name. Other players answer. This will give you some clues about who you are. If you win, you get a point!
2018-05-21
5
Jun 2018
5.491
Prev. Owned
I love the production, artwork and box for this game. It's wonderful to hand someone a "present" after your turn.
Unfortunately the gameplay felt too random. I don't have enough information to base my moves on and I don't know what I'm betting on. On top of that, players might have used gear cards that alter it further.
I think the main complication here is the shared colors and suits. When you see a yellow meeple card the player before you might have been going for yellow, meeples, both or just a high number. Keep in mind, Which one do you try to beat? If it's meeples, you could also try to beat it with a blue card, but if they were going for yellow you could also try a dice card. I imagine it gets even harder to guess with higher player counts since this possible "tree" of decision grows further from the source.
I could see this working well for more light-hearted, casual audience.
2018-06-21
7
Mar 2020
6.596
Move your penguin from ice block to ice block, picking up as many fish you can. The ice block you just left vanishes, and soon all the ice will be gone. Fun and quick to play.
2014-10-29
High Society (1995)
8
Jun 2019
6.837
Wishlist(3)
 (Like to have)
A great auction game by Reiner Knizia with a twist. Players use a hand of cards with a painful number distribution to bid on cards that get them points, and when bad cards show up they also pay to avoid them! Special cards can also double your total.
The twist is, the player with the least money in hand at the end loses automatically, doesn't matter how many points they had.
Beautiful production on the latest edition.
2019-06-17
Hive (2000)
10
Jan 2018
7.189
Owned
This is one of my favorite designs. It's very elegant, organic and portable too. This is the game I've taught the most people to play.
2012-04-07
6
Mar 2019
6.705
Prev. Owned
The Pillbug brings an interesting concept to hive: a piece that moves other pieces. The concept is simple but it introduces several edge cases that need to be explained. As such, it's not as elegant as the rest of the game.
I get the feeling it extends games by quite a bit, and I wouldn't use it when teaching a new player. Must explore it further
(In the collection)
2019-03-12
ICECOOL (2016)
6
Oct 2017
6.590
Fun dexterity game! The character's base and center of gravity allows for some very distinct moves and skill shots like curves and jumps over walls. The "box within a box" system is a very ingenious way to transport a larger level.
2017-09-23
7
Jul 2017
5.534
Prev. Owned
An enjoyable game about the Iliad where you need to plan your moves carefully because there's a chance your moves will be giving points to your opponents instead of you! It's funny that in the two player game the Gods are still present, and there's a chance they'll win, instead of the two players.
Memorizing all the symbols can be a bit overwhelming in the beginning, but luckily there's player aids that cover them.
The rulebook is laid in a confusing way and there are no pictures, so I had to go over it a few times in order to get to grips on how turns flow.
2017-07-09
Imhotep (2016)
8
Oct 2020
6.964
Owned
Fun game where the players are builder in Egypt, choosing in which boat to place their stones. When a boat is full the player who completes it gets to choose to which port they go - and it might not be the one you were counting on!
2020-10-30
8
Oct 2017
7.225
Prev. Owned
What a great game! It's a friendly looking empire/tableau building game with ruthless player interaction. In a way reminds me of Race for the Galaxy but it's so much easier to learn, and the factions give it a dash of personality.

Part of its ease of play is due to its graphic design, which makes everything very clear. The player boards are a great way to keep things organized and the building placement makes it easy to read.

As soon as you open the box you can see the amount of care that was put in every little detail. The components are great, the art is wonderful and there's even a video tutorial you can learn from!
2015-05-01
8
Oct 2017
6.437
Prev. Owned
The Atlanteans bring a whole new faction and upgrades for the other ones. I'm impressed by how different they are. They make no points on faction buildings, but use technology to supercharge their basic ones! You need to make points along the game, not just at the end.
2015-10-15
7
Oct 2015
6.606
Prev. Owned
More variety in Imperial Settlers is always welcome, but I don't think I want to play with that Volcano card. Open Production buildings offer new interesting choices and interaction.
2015-10-13
In a Grove (2011)
7
Jun 2019
5.739
Prev. Owned
Ingenious deduction minigame that is as small as it gets.
One character was killed and there are three suspects, along with four bystanders, who lightly drafted to spread a bit of information around. Each player can see two of the three suspects, then guess who they think did it. Usually the higher number is the suspect, unless one of the numbers is the 5, which flips that rule around.
The rulebook is somewhat unclear, so it took us a few rounds until we were sure we were playing correctly.
I have to mention the restrictive player count of 3-4. I'm usually with less or more than that amount, so it took me over two years to get it to the table.
2019-06-12
InBetween (2017)
7
Mar 2020
5.991
Prev. Owned
InBetween is an asymmetric duel inspired by Stranger Things. One player is the Creature, trying to torment and eventually devour the townspeople. The other plays the Village, trying to keep them safe.

The player's actions are so defined by the cards they have in hand that I found it hard to know what my opponent could do, so it was more tactical than strategic but I imagine that changes once we're familiar with all the cards.

Started a bit slow but the end was tense and surprising due to the multiple possible end triggers. There's quite a bit to keep in mind with all the abilities and items in play.
Fortunately it also plays well even if you, like me, don't care for Stranger Things.
2020-03-09
Infinite City (2009)
6
Feb 2014
5.840
Cool base concept, but a bit too random in the long run. I like the dynamics between the buildings, and the way you can "pin" some to the board.
2014-02-16
Ingenious (2004)
6
Feb 2014
6.947
Neat puzzle game with a rather pretentious name. Interesting scoring system.
2019-03-24
Inis (2016)
8
Jun 2021
7.495
Owned
A great area majority game powered by card drafting and themed on Irish mythology. It is quite striking, both visually and in terms of the game's design. The rules are very straightforward, with a few interesting wrinkles around the clashes, which can be interrupted halfway or not happen at all if the players agree.
The way it handles victory conditions feels very novel, where the player who has completed the MOST victory conditions wins, so you have to be on the lookout.
Plays well with two, which is unusual in this genre.
2021-06-14
Innovation (2010)
8
Mar 2018
7.071
Owned
After a mixed first reaction I've grown to like Innovation a whole lot. It is clever, original and very portable - at least the third edition by Asmadi.
Be warned it can be chaotic and there are heavy "take that" elements so be sure to mention that when introducing it to new players.
The "splaying" mechanic is great, and something I hadn't seen before.
For an abstract interpretation of a Civ game the cards are really thematic.
I will be bringing it with me when travelling, especially if we're just two.
2019-03-24
Insider (2016)
7
Mar 2019
6.513
Owned
Very interesting mashup of mechanics, reminds me of "20 questions", plus the opposite of Spyfall (the Insider is the one who knows the answer). One of the few deduction games I've played where all the players are seemingly working together.
Better at higher player counts.
2019-03-24
Intrigue (1994)
6
Jul 2018
6.025
Prev. Owned
This game is so mean! You send some people to work at the other player's mansions and bribe to get them a well paying job. The player takes the bribes (from you and the other contesting players) and decides where the workers go. Nothing is binding, so the player can banish the candidates to a distant island. Nobody returns from the island.
At the start of the round your workers will get paid, you deal with the candidates for your mansion and then send off two of yours.
As the game advances, the positions will fill up and others will try to get them off the spot. That's when things get really nasty.

I only played it with three but I suspect it's more interesting with more players because in this case it's a bit zero sum. you're always making one player unhappy when you help the other.
2021-01-09
6
Oct 2017
5.490
Coop game with a nice theme and cool mechanics, but I don't like that a lot of the event resolution comes down to rolling dice. Saw a lot of people commenting that it was too hard but we completed it on our first go.
2015-10-29
8
Nov 2016
7.269
This game is great! It has an interesting mix of mechanics that connect really well. Bidding/picking prices for the tiles adds tense choices and I particularly like the varied scoring mechanic, where at the start of the game you draw some scoring conditions and every sound you score one or more of them. It keeps the game fresh and cleverly avoids a dominant strategy.
2016-11-02
Istanbul (2014)
8
Oct 2016
7.424
Istanbul is a great game about using your assistants to buy and sell resources at the market, and occasionally sending your family on errands before they're caught and arrested (again!). The mechanics are ain intriguing puzzle and the production quality is great.

It is lighter than it seems!
2016-10-03
5
Feb 2014
5.762
Realtime card game? That's a neat concept. The theme makes sense for the game. Can get confusing if a player interrupts the flow.
2014-02-15
Jaipur (2009)
8
Mar 2015
7.394
Prev. Owned
Excellent two-player game about trading. It's got a great length and an elegant ruleset that allows for interesting decisions.
I'm very impressed by how the designer made a trading game work with only two players. That central market is brilliant.
2015-03-14
Jamaica (2007)
7
Mar 2019
6.886
Really fun and with an excellent presentation! A pirate race around Jamaica, where players collect treasure, feed their crew and fight their opponents along the way. One of the few racing games where going back is a valid and viable choice (sometimes).

It has a lot of really good ideas, the main three being the dice allocation, the limited storage and the ending.

Every round the main player rolls two D6 and assigns one to the "day" and another to the "night". Each player is holding three cards, each with a "day" and a "night" action. The players pick a card for the round, and each action will be multiplied by the number on the die,

The ships have a 5 slots for storage. Each time you get something you have to fit it in one of them, but if there's no room you have to throw something out.

When a player has made it all the way around the island, the player with the most loot (not the player who made it first) wins!

Fun!
2019-03-24
Judean Hammer (2021)
N/A
N/A
Prev. Owned
(Print and play)
2021-04-14
Jungle Speed (1997)
1
Feb 2014
6.310
Fast pattern matching/reflex game. First (and last) time I played this, I ended up with a girl's nail inside the palm of my hand. That's not what I call fun.
2014-02-15
Kalah (700)
6
Mar 2019
5.799
Classic game, easy to teach and the tactile element is very pleasant. I remember playing this on my Nokia 3310, and the rulebook was so confusing I had to figure out the rules by experimenting with it.
2015-04-23
Kamisado (2008)
10
Dec 2015
6.303
Owned
Really elegant and clever game. You move your pieces vertically or diagonally and stop when you want. The color of the square where you land is the color the opponent will have to move next. Genious.
2014-02-15
10
Aug 2014
7.308
Great game about taking orders and building cars. It was a pleasure seeing this game develop in our game designer meetups!
2014-08-18
Karuba (2015)
7
Oct 2016
6.925
A very original puzzle game from Haba! The players will be traiblazing through a jungle, picking up crystals and gold on the way to forgotten temples. The islands start the same but each player builds the paths their own way, lead by a very ingenious bingo-like system where one of the players shuffles their tiles and draws them one by one. The thing that makes the choices that much tougher is that it's a race! Whoever gets to the temples first also gets the biggest reward, and you can discard a piece instead of placing it to get your explorers to move.
2016-10-03
6
Aug 2012
5.895
Prev. Owned
Cool light game, and it the fact that it was designed by a mathematician shows. It's easy to play and the available decisions get more interesting and tense as the game progresses.
(In the collection, in Portugal)
2018-09-18
Kendo (1976)
3
Mar 2019
5.554
An abstract game with a flexible player count (2-4)? Alright!
You need to get your "king" to the temple on the center of a board, but it's very vulnerable so you'll want to create a safe path by removing or blocking the other player's pieces.

Turns out it's not balanced at 3 players, so I'd recommend you keep it at 2 or 4.
2017-01-01
7
Jul 2020
6.475
The first new set for Keyforge came with some new cards and fun mechanics (alpha, omega) but ultimately the decks weren't as powerful as the original set and the new dynamics made games drag.
2020-07-27
8
Jul 2020
6.919
Owned
Fantastic, accessible card game, which it introduces a lot of new concepts
- No fighting wizards. The goal is not to reduce your opponent's health points to zero, it's to get a currency that allows you to forge 3 keys and there are many ways to get there.
- No costs for cards. Instead you pick one of the three houses in your deck and can only play, activate or discard cards from it. This works surprisingly well.
- New business model. No random boosters, no deck building. They sell separate decks, generated randomly and the players don't alter them. You need to learn how to use your deck, so there is no netdecking and decks that dominate the meta.
- Lots of interesting formats for organized play.

An innovative new concept from the designer of the most revolutionary card games, Richard Garfield. I'm very impressed, it seems to have been designed just for me.

However, I'm growing disappointed with the competitive scene. Some of the most fun sounding modes aren't played because they aren't focused on ruthless efficiency. At least in my (fading) local scene they've all bought a ton of decks to find the best one, which feels unfair.

If the endgame here is just to buy decks until you find a good one, I'm out.
2019-03-24
8
Aug 2020
5.899
Keyforge continues expanding the things it can do that other games can't, this time bringing Enhancements (bonus effects that are distributed throughout other cards in the deck) and giant creatures that take two cards. Also there are interesting mutations on cards from previous sets.
2020-08-16
8
Jul 2020
6.184
Sanctum and Mars retired for a bit, making room for two new factions, Saurians (Roman dinosaurs) and Star Alliance (the Federation from Star Trek). It was a breath of fresh air!
2020-07-27
King of Tokyo (2011)
6
Feb 2014
7.082
Press your luck party dice game with a fun theme and big, custom dice. In theory you're supposed to go into Tokyo to attack everyone, but I've found that most of the time I won I didn't go there once, and instead focused on growing my monster and healing up.
2019-03-24
King's Pouch (2014)
6
Mar 2019
5.614
Prev. Owned
As far as I known it was one of the first of the "bag-building" genre and it clearly shows its potential.
The two main distinguishing characteristics are the different shaped tokens and the area control element of the map. The tokens allow you to pick between a hexagonal prism (2 possible colors) or a cube (3 possible colors), which creates interesting decisions that don't usually exist in this type of game. The map creates a nice tug of war which influences both your score and your ability to draw tokens.
The theme of the buildings themselves is fun, each tells a story through the mechanics.
It would be great to have more buildings for it since they all show up every game.
2018-07-05
6
Oct 2020
6.829
Draw a card and expand your kingdom in that type of terrain. Aim for the goal and pray that the terrain card will let you do what you had in mind. More tactics than strategy, it's a light, quick game that could be good to introduce people to the hobby.
2020-10-19
Kingdomino (2016)
8
Sep 2018
7.228
Owned
A simple and fun tile drafting game where each player is trying to get the tiles to build the best kingdom they can. The rules are easy to teach and the scoring is straightforward.

It's super quick at 2 players, but luckily there are several variants and one of them extends the game.
2017-01-22
7
Aug 2020
6.122
Owned
I'm very impressed by Kingdomino Duel. It could have just been an adaptation of the original game, but they went above and beyond.
In every turn the main player rolls the four die and picks one. The other player picks two. The main player gets the last dice. The players will place and draw the dice together, like a domino piece.
Instead of thematic types of land the players draw patterns on shields, which works well.

One new thing in this game are is the spellbook. As players take die that don't have "X" on them (equivalent to the crowns) they will gain points that they can exchange for one-type helpful effects such as picking the two dice first or splitting the dice.

Due to using dice instead of tiles the outcome is more unpredictable, making it more tactical than strategic.

The production quality is great. Good box with a magnetic flap, large dice, spot UV on the box. The back of the sheets is used as a spellbook.
2020-08-10
Kippit (1999)
3
Feb 2014
5.538
Simple game about balancing wooden cubes on a platform.
2014-02-15
KLASK (2014)
6
Apr 2018
7.183
Fun to play and simple to teach, The rules are familiar (soccer, ice hockey) but the magnets do add a layer of surprise and tactics.
There are a few cons as well. First, I don't like that the players can fall in their own goals. Also, I felt I couldn't move the pieces as quick as I wanted or they would separate. The ball is so light, it easily jumps out when you're trying to get it out of a corner.
2017-05-28
L.L.A.M.A. (2019)
7
Nov 2020
6.210
Owned
L.A.M.A. is a great, light, family game. It's easy to see why people are comparing it to UNO but it introduces a few clever twists that to me elevate it far beyond.

- Being able to play the current number or the next increases the number of the viable cards.
- Looping the count with the llama makes things more unpredictable with more players.
- Having each number only count once at the end of the round makes it harder to guess what everyone is holding and gives players a chance to not lose as many points if they're forced to draw cards.
- Being able to return one chip (either worth 1 or 10 points) is an excellent catch-up mechanism that keeps players in the game and rewards them for taking chances.

Very easy to teach, I could see myself bringing it to all sorts of family gatherings or maybe to play at lunch at the studio.
2020-11-01
Las Vegas (2012)
10
Sep 2017
6.876
Owned
What an excellent filler! Las Vegas has a simple rule set and interesting choices.
First you deal the bills to each casino until you reach 50k. This is a clever way to make sure there's always money in each casino and to create a ladder of possible rewards. A casino that only has a 90k bill can be profitable but very risky.
On your turn you roll all your dice, pick every die with a single number and place them all in the respective casino. Then the next player goes.
Once every player has placed all their dice, we see who won! The player with the most dice in a casino gets the biggest bill. Very important: ties cancel each other out!
Simple, quick and lots of exciting choices, I wouldn't change a thing.
2017-09-23
7
Aug 2017
6.286
Fantastic trading card game of fantasy in feudal japan. The theme is unusual, the dual decks create interesting decisions and the clans are very distinct and well defined.
The fanbase is fascinating. They're very loyal to their clan and AEG certainly uses that well, letting tournament winners make game-changing decisions.
2017-08-13
Ligretto (1988)
4
Mar 2019
5.912
Ligretto is a simple real-time card game with a strong element of speed/dexterity. There are no turns, and players are making sequences of colored cards. The first one to get rid of their cards wins. I can see this working really well with families and children.
2016-02-13
6
Jul 2019
5.539
A different take on deckbuilding where you aren't necessarily buying cards to go into your deck. Monsters go to other players' tableaus, allies help you deal with your own tableau. Once defeated, the monsters go to your deck. If you can't defeat all the monsters you take damage, and the last player alive wins.
As you can probably tell it's very confrontational, so make sure your group can handle it.
The cards are very wordy, there is a lot to keep in mind and it increases with every player's turn. Can be particularly tricky if you're sitting on the opposite side of the table. Could have used more keywords or symbology.
2019-07-16
Loony Quest (2015)
7
Mar 2019
6.597
Very creative, well presented and fun. It's a new type of drawing game, where the theme is a platformer game. You go through several worlds, completing challenges through drawing. Not figurative drawing, mind you. There's a "level" at the center of the table and you draw on a transparent sheet of plastic. When the timer runs out, that sheet will be overlaid to the level to see how you did.

For example, you have to get to the end of the level, picking up items and avoiding enemies and walls on the way. The challenges are varied and you can get power-ups to mix things up. Super fast and fun.
2017-05-28
Loot (1992)
5
Nov 2014
6.107
Prev. Owned
Simple, easy to teach card game that can cater to a lot of players.
(In the collection, in Portugal)
2018-09-18
7
Oct 2014
6.584
I was very impressed by this game. I like how you progress through several boards and how there aren't enough tokens for all the players. The group's mood gets heavier with every step.
Playing it now I realize how it influenced a lot of other games.
2014-10-01
N/A
6.126
Prev. Owned
(In the collection, in Portugal)
2018-09-18
8
Nov 2015
7.406
Prev. Owned
Brilliant modular game design that allows for heavy customization and even player-created adventures.

Also, it's hard! I really like having a challenging game I face now and then. Makes winning a lot more rewarding.

Unfortunately if you're playing to progress through the story the investment can get unreasonably high.
2015-11-03
9
Oct 2017
7.017
Owned
Prev. Owned
Great strategy game that deserves multiple playthroughs per session. I haven't found a dominant strategy - if you become predictable that just means your flaws are exposed.
2014-07-15
8
Oct 2014
7.621
A eurogame with a Dungeons and Dragons theme. What a weird mix, but I like how it worked out. It's not the deepest worker placement game but the gameplay is very smooth and it's a really nice introduction to the genre. It's insanely well produced, as you can see right when you open the box and gleam at that amazing box insert.
2015-08-06
Lost Cities (1999)
7
Oct 2014
7.084
I had played the portable version of Keltis before and thought it was ok, but this version makes it a lot better. Having hands, discards and easier scoring make it quicker and more exciting. Sure, you can only play it with two but I never played the other one with 3 or 4.
2014-10-06
Lost Legacy (2013)
7
Oct 2014
5.889
Owned
A spiritual sequel to Love Letter, with more variety and a better endgame. I like that you can mix and match cards from any other version, or add them up to include more people.
2014-10-28
7
Dec 2014
5.605
Owned
The best Lost Legacy set I've played so far. Orb of Seduction has a real "detective" feel to it due to all the leads and the powering-up of characters due to them and Eternal Grail uses discarded facedown cards in a nice way.
2014-12-22
7
Jan 2017
5.619
Owned
Another fun version of Lost Legacy with two new flavors!
I wasn't sure what the rules meant by "Trash", so we just set those aside, tapped, and didn't include them when adding up the totals for the Dragon cards. This means I'm not totally sure if I played it correctly, but it was fun!
2017-01-01
Love Letter (2012)
7
Feb 2014
7.140
Owned
Easy to learn light game with only 16 cards. Luck plays a part here, but the matches are so quick there's no time to be upset. It's amazing how much gameplay the designer managed to squeeze out of so few cards.

Also, fits in yout pocket (and budget).
2014-02-15
Lumacorsa (2012)
4
Oct 2014
5.529
Alright game about a snail race. The two numbers in each card bring some strategy to it.
2014-02-15
Machi Koro (2012)
4
Mar 2019
6.524
Simple, colorful gateway game that is easy to teach and play. It's so based on the dice rolls that it might frustrate the most cerebral players, but my family enjoy it.

It comes in a box that is far too big for the components inside. I've heard good things about the expansions but I wouldn't like it to get too big, as it would make it harder to transport, teach and set up.
2019-03-24
Mafia de Cuba (2015)
6
Mar 2019
6.226
A very interesting twist of a hidden role/deduction game, where the players take stuff out of a box. The Don has to recover it by questioning the players and trying to connect those threads into a bigger story to find out where it breaks.

It's one of the few where you can pick your role (and during the game, nonetheless!).

Must try it with different number of players.
2015-12-19
Mage Knight (2000)
6
Aug 2014
5.720
Prev. Owned
Collectible miniature game that I had a lot of fun with at the time. Too bad I only knew another friend who played. There's some fiddly bits and the randomness of the boosters can lead to some unfair situations, but overall I have fond memories of it.
2014-08-10
9
Oct 2015
7.882
Prev. Owned
What an ambitious game! I must warn you it's very challenging to learn, and so rewarding when you get it. As you're reading the manual, don't mistake content for complexity. You don't have to learn every single thing before you start playing.

Excellent hand management mechanics that make you feel powerful, and it generates a very engrossing puzzle that's also the best solo gaming experience I've had so far.

There can be a lot of downtime, so I found it best with one or two players.
2015-10-13
6
Aug 2014
5.811
Prev. Owned
A really neat idea for everyone who already has Mage Knight stuff. Turns it into a light version of D&D, and I love the randomized chests.
(In the collection, in Portugal)
2018-09-18
7
Jun 2016
6.186
Prev. Owned
I'm very impressed with Mage Wars Academy. After dealing with luck of the draw for years the concept of the spellbooks is very appealing and it gives the players a lot of range for their decisions. The two characters are very different, I'm curious to see where this will go.
2019-03-24
7
Oct 2017
6.471
Great kid's game about wizards walking headfirst into invisible walls. The adjustable board creates new challenges.
The whole physical aspect of this is delightful. The big player tokens, the magnets, pushing them around and the feeling you're moving towards a wall before anyone else knows it.
2014-02-15
Magic Maze (2017)
7
Jul 2018
6.869
Owned
Really fun real-time co-op game where the players can't communicate with each other, except by tapping a "Do something!" token on the table.
The game is about fantasy characters who go to a mall to steal gear and run away before the time runs out.

Yes, the theme is weird. I guess they wanted to make a game about stealing, and added the "fantasy" layer so it wouldn't sound as wrong. People will buy anything with a fantasy theme, it seems.

The gameplay is very interesting. Nobody is a specific character, you can move each character but only in one direction, or activate a skill. It's almost as if someone broke a videogame controller into pieces and gave each player one or two buttons. This really makes everyone work together to move.

We only played the first four levels, but there are seventeen! The complexy increased in a steady way, and we were forced to adapt on the run. It's a lot of fun.
2017-06-24
8
Oct 2014
7.362
Prev. Owned
This is one of the games that got me into gaming more seriously, and created so many standards within the industry. I don't follow it anymore because I didn't want to keep buying cards to keep up, but I greatly enjoy the gameplay and deck building.
(In the collection, in Portugal)
2019-01-28
Mandala (2019)
7
Jun 2021
6.892
Owned
A solid game with a streamlined set of rules, quick playtime and a pleasant presentation - including a cloth board!
Play cards to complete two mandalas on the center. Once all six colors are present the mandala is complete, and it washes away. The scoring system is clever. The points for the different colors will be defined by the players as they collect new ones.
It is often described as an abstract but I find the theme fits it very well, with the constant building and tearing down, but something remains.
The only (minor) fault is that the stack of square cards can be tricky to shuffle.
2021-06-26
Mascarade (2013)
8
Oct 2015
6.413
Owned
After chasing the out-of-print Coup for about six months, I got this off a friend. After an intense play session, I'm hooked! This is even better. See, in Coup you can deterministically figure out what's going on and win, but Mascarade makes it more dynamic and fresh. I love it, and can't wait to try it with more people and characters.
2014-07-15
8
Jan 2017
6.087
Prev. Owned
Adds more replayability to Mascarade with clever new roles and it fits the base box. Win/win!
(In the collection)
2018-09-18
Maskmen (2014)
5
Mar 2019
5.857
Prev. Owned
A nice twist on trick-taking/climbing games, where the cards themselves don't have values, they are defined by the previous rounds.

The rulebook is not too clear though, so you might want to clear your doubts elsewhere ...like here, on BGG!
2016-12-28
6
Aug 2014
5.695
Prev. Owned
Only played it a couple of times, but I liked the theme and some of the ideas a lot more than Mage Knight.
(In the collection, in Portugal)
2018-09-18
Medina (2001)
7
Jul 2015
6.484
Great components and easy rule set. It has a nice bluffing element as you want the buidings to grow but snatch them before any other player does. The city you made is beautiful to look at in the end.
2015-07-18
Memoarrr! (2017)
5
Mar 2019
6.245
Prev. Owned
Clever take on a memory game where you're trying to "survive" past your turn, hoping someone else makes a mistake so you can take the treasure.
At the end of a round the cards are flipped over but stay in the same position! You can take some information to the next round.
The Expert variant adds more surprises and gives the players extra tricks up their sleeve. Play it once you're familiar with the rules.
2018-09-16
Memoir '44 (2004)
7
Jul 2018
7.385
Prev. Owned
Streamlined, World War 2 themed light wargame with great production values. The Command & Colors system works well, as long as you're aware of the randomness of the cards and dice. The cards also simplify the rules and choices in a turn: Every turn you play a card and draw another. Simple! Most cards involve moving units in one of three parts of the board but others have sneakier, more drastic effects.
Comes with 16 scenarios in the core box but there are a lot more available for free online thanks to the modular nature of the boards.
2018-09-02
Meuterer (2000)
6
Dec 2014
6.413
Prev. Owned
Really nice seeing how complex strategy a card game could have, but I only got it halfway through the first game. Needs a proper way to record the score, though.
2014-12-14
Mijnlieff (2010)
7
May 2015
5.841
Your move defines where the opponent can place their pieces. The symbols are not that intuitive at first, but I like the modular boards.
2019-03-24
MindTrap (1991)
4
Jul 2018
5.120
I didn't think the game itself was very good but the puzzles and riddles inside were fun so sometimes we just pulled a random card and tried to solve them.
2018-07-11
Minotaurus (2009)
5
Feb 2014
5.520
Neat simple game, it's always nice to play with Legos. It's very portable.
2014-02-15
7
Sep 2018
7.143
Prev. Owned
Get your ass to Mars! This role selection game about bringing your astronauts to Mars flows very well. The roles are clear and twisted, making turn order crucial.
The limited number of rounds raises the stakes and has the advantage of preventing it from taking forever, but in my opinion it ends up being too short.
2018-10-02
Modern Art (1992)
10
Jun 2018
7.239
Owned
A masterclass in auctions by Reiner Knizia. The game uses four different types of auctions and the choice of when to use them is the key to success.
The rules seem fairly simple but they really open the game for the players to make interesting choices.
The beating heart of this game is not the auctions though, but the scoring system. It's really clever how the artists' popularity changes the painting's value, and how they change over time.
By far the best auction game I've ever played.

In an interesting twist, the more I play it, the more I like it!
2018-05-21
Money! (1999)
7
Oct 2017
6.135
Prev. Owned
Neat bidding and set collection game with tough choices. You're bidding for two lots of cards. If you win you can replace one of the lots with your bid, but you can also take another player's bid! The gameplay rules are simple but scoring gets tricky so I wouldn't reccommend it to non-gamers.
2018-07-03
Monopoly (1933)
2
Feb 2014
4.314
I have never finished a game of Monopoly due to the time it takes and because everyone is bored to tears long before then.
I guess people just like playing around with fake money.
2014-02-17
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