Review

  • Review: Nebula Colors

    ByiMisut Hours
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    Harness the power of the cosmos to forge new stars! Play cards to form sets aiming to score points before your opponent in each round. The winner of the round earns a star fragment. The first player to collect enough star fragments wins the game.

    This is the premise of Nebula Colors, designed by Marceline Laiman (High Tide, Phantasmic). It was first published in 2025 by Roly Poly Games in an English edition. Later, in 2026, it was republished by Playte in a trilingual English, Japanese, and Korean edition featuring graphic design by Jiyeon Lee (Pueblo, Sardegna) and imagery from NASA.

  • Review: Botswana

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    You are a wildlife photographer in Africa attempting to capture the most valuable animal shots. However, you are not the only one taking pictures: you and your competitors will adjust the value of each species’ photos with every shot taken. The rules are simple, but the decisions you will have to make are anything but!

    This is the premise of Botswana, a design by Reiner Knizia (Tigris & Euphrates, Ra, The Quest for El Dorado). It was first published in 1994 by AMIGO under the title Flinke Pinke as a reimplementation of Irish Wolf. In 2025, it was reprinted by 25th Century Games featuring artwork by Weberson Santiago (The Bloody Inn, Sail, Flatiron).

  • Review: Queen Alice

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    Alice has received a strange cry for help. Passing by the living room mirror, she is startled to see the following words written backward upon the glass: “Alice, we need a new queen.” Without a moment’s hesitation, she reaches out and discovers that her hand can pass right through it. The rest of her body soon follows, pulled across to the other side. You will become denizens of the Looking-Glass Court, tasked with preparing Alice’s coronation banquet. Whoever does the finest job will be appointed right hand to the new queen.

    This is the premise behind Queen Alice, designed by Héctor Carrión (Future Inc.) and David Heras (Amritsar: The Golden Temple). First published in 2026 by Combo Games in a bilingual English and Spanish edition following a successful crowdfunding campaign, the artwork is illustrated by Amelia Sales (Orloj: The Prague Astronomical Clock, Salton Sea).

  • Review: Nucleum – Gilbraltar

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    As the world plunges headlong into the energy revolution, governments investigate new ways to harness nuclear power, including applications for military advancements. In a historic collaboration, the United Kingdom, Portugal, Spain, and Morocco have launched a joint initiative to develop the first nuclear-powered submarine, selecting Gibraltar as the focal point of this ambitious endeavor. Build unprecedented, groundbreaking structures, fulfill military demands, drive industrial progress, and leave your mark on history!

    This is the premise behind Nucleum: Gibraltar, the fourth expansion for the design by Simone Luciani (Grand Austria Hotel, Tzolk’in: The Mayan Calendar) and Dávid Turczi (Imperium, Tawantinsuyu: The Inca Empire). First published in 2026 by Board&Dice in an English edition. The illustrations are handled by Andreas Resch (Istanbul, Il Vecchio, Great Western Trail) and Piotr Sokołowski (Loot, Merchants).

  • Review: Santa’s Workshop

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    Winter is coming and Santa Claus is getting ready for his big night! The elf teams are bustling with activity, building toys, decorating the tree, and tending to the reindeer. Soon it will be time to spread joy around the world and everything must go smoothly. Will you manage to impress Santa by scoring more points than everyone else in the workshop?

    This is how we are presented with Santa’s Workshop, designed by Keith Ferguson (his only title to date). Originally published in 2023 by Elf Creek Games as a second English edition (the first edition dates back to 2017). Illustrations are credited to Andrew Bosley (Everdell), Jacqui Davis (Viticulture), and Matt Paquette & Co. (Tiny Towns).

  • Review: Papyria

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    Mesopotamia, around 1500 BC. Along the fertile banks of the Tigris and Euphrates, great cultures flourish as agriculture, trade, and innovation give rise to the first major cities. From the mountains comes the prized blue stone, lapis lazuli, while along the riverbanks the valuable writing material—papyrus—is produced. You will guide the destiny of an emerging civilization. Send your nomads and boats across the region to expand your territory, build temples, cities, and mines, and develop powerful inventions. As your civilization grows, you will score points through many different paths, but your knowledge will limit how much you can score at once. Balance exploration, growth, and wisdom to lead your civilization toward lasting glory.

    This is the premise behind Papyria, a design by Bernd Eisenstein (Peloponnes, Discordia, Alea Iacta Est). First published in 2025 by Irongames in an English and German bilingual edition. The artwork is illustrated by Daniel Cunha, who has worked on games such as Pest, Philharmonix, and Epochs.