Dungeon Command – Curse of Undeath
Just When I Thought My Interest Was Dead…It Rose From The Grave! By Peter Ruth II I said before, in […]
Peter Ruth II
Review: World Conquerors
Rome May Not Have Been Built In A Day, But Empires Can Be Built In Under An Hour. By Peter
Tooth And Nail: Factions
Well, as usual, Small Box is up to no good. First, they make this killer game called Omen: A Reign of War which took everyone by surprise and turned into the “out of left field” smash card game of 2011. I mean, if ever a game needed an iOS app, it’s that one. And then they delivered Hemloch, an odd little card game with an odd little theme that is oddly, pretty fun. So, I was kind of thinking they were due for a stinker. I mean, we’ve loved most of what came out of the joint for a while, and then came Tempt, one of the most truly awful games I’ve ever played…with a rulebook so bad that it was incomprehensible. But John Clowdus and Company are, by and large, batting close to 1000. So, here comes Tooth And Nail: Factions (TANF), which has what I think is the best art and theme to date out of the company. “But how does it play?” you ask…well, let’s talk about that.
Dungeon!
This is a kid’s game, no doubt about it, and it’s the kind of game where the most important decisions are made at the outset, when you choose which archetype you wish to enter the dungeon with. The weaker archetypes such as the Cleric and Rogue need only get 10,000 gold, which is maybe ten or twelve low-level treasures, while the beefier Warrior needs 20K and the Wizard needs 30K. As there’s 6 areas of the board, each with tougher monsters, the beefier guys head out to the higher levels while the weaker players head out to the lower levels, generally. Unless you’re playing with a lot of players, and since everyone normally moves the same distance on their turn, you’re not going to see a whole lot of crowding in one section. That said, the treasures on any given level are limited by the amount of cards available, so once a level is free of baddies, you’re out of luck if you stumble across one in a “named chamber” because he’s going to need killing and you get bupkus for doing it.
ACTA: Star Fleet
For almost 25 years I’ve been playing Star Fleet Battles and its derivatives, and while I’m still no expert, I know as much about them as anyone who has played them for any length of time. Ironically, it’s not that I’m that enamored with Star Trek or the Star Trek universe, but more that I’m fascinated by the level of detail that Amarillo Design Bureau (ADB) has put into the game, as well as the idea of big, cool-looking spaceships chewing through one another with energy weapons.
Dungeon Command–Sting of Lolth
Lolth Stings Your Wallet Due To A Lack Of Heart? By Peter Ruth II The key to every successful miniatures
Consumerism, Criticism, And The Bernays Effect On The Board Game Industry
There has been a great deal of hand-wringing about the lack of what people are calling “true criticism” in the board game industry, of late. What the hand-wringers are wringing wildly about is the idea that there aren’t enough truly in-depth reviews on games, or games that speak from a level of experience; from the perspective of someone who has either mastered the game or has a trained enough eye to be able to spot the flaws in the gem that is a boardgame without actually having played it to death.
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Star Trek: Expeditions
I don’t hate to be wrong, but I really hate to be wrong like this. I broke my own rules, which was stupid in and of itself, and I deserve the outrage that I will be receiving from people who I told were wrong. So, here goes: Reiner Knizia can make an Ameritrashy adventure game. There. I said it. I’m even prepared to say that as highly improbable as it is, the game he made is not only not atrophy your testicles from boredom, it in fact is brilliant fun. I still can’t believe it myself, but it’s true. Star Trek: Expeditions (ST:E) is a really, truly fun, thematic co-op adventure game that not only adheres to its theme, but does so well.
iOS Spotlight: Battle Fleet
Now that I’ve finally advanced out of the dark ages and gotten an iPad and iPhone, I’ve realized that there’s a veritable sea of amazing board game ports and strategy games out there to waste time with. I’m firmly of a mind that eventually, all games will become digital, with only the most afflicted of Luddites still having the cardboard versions.
Dungeon Run
Dungeon Run doesn’t even attempt to take itself seriously; even the FAQ and easy-to-read rulebook is funny. If anything, it could be described as Dungeonquest Plus, because at the beginning of the game, your party of ignoble adventurers are mostly working together, but only as an alliance of convenience.