Fancy a strategy game that combines pawns, critical thinking, a game board, and dice? Do you find all those pieces in “Chess” to be a bit too confusing? “Tower Capture”, a game currently retailing on The Game Crafter, may very well scratch an itch you didn’t realize you had. Before I begin I’m required by FTC regulations to disclose that I was paid to cover this game, though as always any and all opinions are my own. The only thing “paid” for here was my time.
Board Games
You’re on vacation and your kids are not happy having to hunker down in your hotel room because of something something something. Looking back, I remember this situation all too well. “Can You Dig It” (2-5 Players, Ages 12+, Average Play Time = 30 Minutes) comes in a small portable tin case and may be just what you parents need to keep your kids occupied for a short while. Before we begin I’m required by FTC regulations to disclose that I was paid to cover this game, however any and all opinions are my own. This being a preview, rules and components are also subject to change.
One of the most chilling scenes in the original “Lord of the Rings” movies was the one where Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli entered Dwimorberg, The Haunted Mountain in “Return of the King”. I found the whole “army of the dead” thing creepy. There’s also the Nazgûl, or ringwraiths…I find them to be equally as disturbing. “Curse of the Wymer Stones”, a game currently selling on the “The Game Crafter” (TGC), reminded me a little of all that. Here, players will be trying to avoid becoming wraiths themselves as they attempt to get their Wymer Stones and defeat the cursed dwarves. Before we delve into this title, I’m required by FTC regulations to disclose that I was paid to cover this game. As always, any and all opinions are my own. The only thing “paid” for here was my time.
On May 25, 2023, I had the pleasure of demoing tabletop games at my local brick and mortar store. One of the games I played and briefly covered was named “Aetherial War Card Game” (AWCG), a tense card battler with dice based off of the developer’s sci-fi themed book “Chaos and Consequences“. Little did I know at the time, Nathan E. Doverspike (the developer/author of everything mentioned above) had also created a younger brother to the “AWCG” card game titled “Aetherial War: Untold Adventures” (AWUA). Today we’ll be looking at the latter. Before I go any further I am required to mention under FTC regulations that I was paid to cover this game but as always, any and all opinions are my own. The only thing paid for here was my time.
“Everdell”, “Splendor”, “Wingspan”…these are just a few of the wonderful tableau building games that I’ve had the pleasure of playing in my lifetime. Enter “Earth”, an engine-builder with a very charming and dare I say, earthly theme. It boasts an impressive array of cards and will task players with building a 4×4 grid, much like in “Everdell”. Engine building is probably my favorite gameplay mechanic so I admit I’m probably going to be a bit biased, but being human I suppose that’s impossible to avoid. I love the power creep in engine builders…though 90% of the time these games are typically over just as I get my engine going. The curse of keeping play times at a respectable length, I guess.
While I own and am familiar with the original “That’s Pretty Clever” tabletop roll & write game, I would never claim to have mastered it. After all, it involves dice and we all know how much dice love me. Well, maybe you don’t. If it were legally possible, I’d file a restraining order against dice everywhere. Luckily, plenty of games out there have dice manipulation mechanics that make these kinds of games enjoyable. “That’s Pretty Clever” (TPC), another roll & write, is no exception. Having never played “Twice as Clever” (the sequel / TAC), I was sent “Clever 4Ever” (C4E) and “That’s Pretty Clever Kids” (TPCK) in the mail out of the blue. No press email or note…it just showed up. This is the part where I’d normally thank the developer, publisher, or PR rep who sent it but under the circumstances I’ll just give a blanket “thank you”. Next time send a note!
Chaos is the name of the game when it comes to upcoming Kickstarter project, “Polysemous”. In this adventure board game, players will be rolling dice and moving across a wide variety of boards, each with their own styles and attributes. Your ultimate goal as a being from another dimension is to gain a whopping two victory points. Sounds simple right? Each of these boards offers a way to gain points, but truth be told, each are brutal in their own unique way. In addition to that, players will have to manage sanity, follow (or break) laws, deal with curses, and acquire followers & items to get to the top. If you don’t fancy earning points, just be the last one standing…the game has enough take-that mechanics to allow you to eliminate your opponents once and for all. Polysemous will take you on an adventure that you soon won’t forget.
Almost every avid gamer I know is familiar with the game “Wingspan”, as it is not only a fantastic engine builder but features some really great card art. What’s one to do however if you don’t have 45-90 minutes but still want to get your bird fix? “One Fowl Swoop”, a game currently retailing on Etsy, may just scratch that itch. The game supports 2-6 players, is appropriate for ages 7+, and has an average play time of 20-30 minutes. “One Fowl Swoop” actually tasks players with getting the least amount of points…yeah, don’t see that a whole lot in the Euro games I play. Before I go any further I’m required by FTC regulations to disclose that I was paid to cover this game, but as usual any and all opinions are my own. The only thing paid for here was my time.
“Star Tycoon”, hands down, has been my most played prototype game in 2023. It features a number of mechanics that I absolutely love: tableau building, resource management, and an economic market to name the main ones. The game is played over 6 rounds, but a lot can happen in said 6 rounds. Players will be acquiring planets, then slotting developments under those planets to help them build their resource engine. At the same time, they’ll be trying to match the iconography on their planets to their developments to score some bonus VP. If that wasn’t enough, resource values will go up and down based on supply and demand, so cornering a very rare resource in the market can help you buy other resources you’d otherwise need to buy more cards. Factor in partnerships and random events…well, play never gets dull.
I’ve played a lot of economically themed tabletop games. There’s a certain thrill to maneuvering and biding your time so that three turns later, you can cash in with a huge play (often at the disgust / surprise of your opponents). Star Tycoon, a tabletop game that’s seeking funding through Kickstarter, has a little bit of that along with some engine building and card / company management mechanics. It supports 1-6 players / ages 13+ with an average play time of 20 minutes per player.
Rock and Stone, fellow miners! We received our Kickstarter Edition of “Deep Rock Galactic” and have played it almost exclusively for the past week. While I don’t have time to leave a full review, I wanted to link our YouTube playlist so that you can see the potential of this game. It’s fantastic as co-ops go and stays true to the video game formula, for the most part. You can find it on TTS too, the mod having full backing by MOOD Publishing. Hopefully, we’ll be able to get some kind of online mission creator but one of the Designers have already confirmed that they’re leaving that up to community. Easily GOTY material for 2023! You’ll find the unboxing, playthroughs, and other misc. videos inside the article. If you haven’t played the video game yet, you totally should. Hit me on my Discord channel and ask me about it.
St. David’s Cemetery, at least in this game’s context, is a sort of Purgatory that is situated between Heaven and Hell. In “Escape From St. David’s”, players will be working together to reach Heaven by making it through “The Beyond”. EVIL can win a number of ways and can even trap players in “The Elsewhere”, the gateway to Hell. “Escape From St. David’s” supports up to 8 players and is appropriate for ages 12+, with an average play time of 20-60 minutes. My press copy was a prototype, so everything you see and read about here (including the rules) are subject to change. I’m also required by FTC regulations to disclose that I was paid to preview this game, but any and all opinions are my own.
2022 is winding down to a close, but the drive to play games remains strong. It’s refreshing to know that despite the hardships and despite our differences, we can band together and share common interests. That said, there will always be toxicity. I’ve learned to steer clear of it and do what makes me happy. Took 40+ years to figure it out, but pleasing the masses by trying to be nice to toxic people just isn’t good for my health. As a content creator I’ve removed myself from Twitter & turned off YouTube comments and have not looked back. I’d rather attract a small, tight-knit, semi-mature/mature community rather than encourage a toxic environment. If the former sounds like you, join us on my Discord channel.
I’m selling off some of my collection to make room. 99% of these games are in great shape, others never opened. Some of these games have already been sold, so the pics may be outdated however the list is current. If you’re interested in anything you see here, drop me a line at vmp0514@msn.com to see if I still have it available. USPS Priority Flat Rate Shipping…label and pickup usually done next day. PayPal only, and funds must be verified before I ship anything.
“Dungeons and Dragons” is great and all, but have you just ever wanted to level an Orc without dragging the experience out across several months? In “GO GREEN: AN ORC’S JOURNEY”, players will be encountering various events and leveling their Orc’s attributes across multiple stages of life (child, grown, old). You’ll encounter events like battling & food fights where you’ll typically go one on one with NPC enemies. Will you survive the onslaught and see your Orc to old age? The game is available in both component ready and print & play editions.
You are in a race against time. The others, like you, have a secret objective to fulfill on an uncharted island. The captivating host at the large mansion gave you all a heavy box with the assurance that there would be only one winner. Enter: “Suwango”, a 1-4 player game that supports ages 10+ with an average play time of 15-20 minutes per player. It’s primarily a tile placement game that will task players with earning the most points. I’m told that “Suwango” will be entering the crowdfunding process at some point, so it’s important to stress that my copy is merely a prototype and everything that you read and see in this article is subject to change. I’m also required by FTC regulations to disclose that I was paid to cover this game, but any and all opinions are, as always, my own. The only thing being paid for here is my time.