Free-range thoughts about design, writing, and play
There are hundreds of card games built around numbers. You match them in poker and crazy eights. You order them in trick-taking and ladder games. It’s hard to imagine that there are any new twists on number card games left to be found — and then a game like Fuji Flush comes along.
Cooperation can be hard to find on the internet, which means the digital board game Mysterium is a breath of fresh air. But can a game that relies on unspoken communication thrive online?
When Civilization VI was announced, I sent a note to my friends and family: “Will be unavailable for several weeks after October 21”. But thirty hours into the game, I was wondering if I’d made a mistake.
Evolution has become a local staple. I’ve taught it to all kinds of players who love the mix of simplicity and strategy. But can Evolution: Climate create a more strategic “gamer’s” experience without losing accessibility?
History, science, and technology have a magnetic pull for me, which makes me a natural customer of Dirk Knemeyer‘s publishing company Artana Games. I couldn’t resist last year’s Tesla vs. Edison: War of Currents, and was quick to pick up its new expansion, Powering Up. So was this trip to the past worth my time?
There is a time for drama and story. For sparkling dialogue and mighty deeds. And then there are the times when you just want to get fast and furious with a game like Tower Conquest, released a couple of weeks ago on iOS and Android.
Tim Fowers’ Paperback card game is a unique crossover between word games and deck builders. I’m a big fan of both genres, so I couldn’t resist picking the physical game up after its 2014 release. I also couldn’t resist the new iOS version, so how does the game stand up as an app?
Vast: the Crystal Caverns is one of those high-concept games that you really want to see work. It takes a hoary old theme — dungeon crawls! — and reinvigorates it with clever gameplay and visual designs. The question is: is Vast too clever for its own good?
Lanterns has made a splash over the last year, earning plenty of great reviews and awards nominations. It’s a “lay tiles for points” game that looks a lot like Carcassonne, but is Lanterns likely to dethrone that classic game?
I’ve never been much of an real-time strategy (RTS) gamer. I like building up bases, but smashing opponents doesn’t excite me and I hate having to do everything in a hurry. So it took a lot of rave reviews before I tried out Offworld Trading Company, but now I’m hooked on the twists and turns of its…