Review

  • Review: Skull King

    Freshwater greenhorns! Your delicate hands give away that you have never in your life climbed rigging, swabbed decks, or brandished a cutlass. Well, I hope you learn quickly, because on this perilous journey, I need all the hands I can get. A treasure awaits, but only for the bold, for mermaids and pirates are hunting it as well! Will your sails swell with the winds of victory, or will they end up torn upon the jagged reefs of defeat?

    This is the premise behind Skull King, a design by Brent Beck (Cover Your Assets). First published in 2013 by Grandpa Beck’s Games in an English edition, it was later published by Schmidt Spiele with artwork by Eckhard Freytag (The Princes of Florence, Ave Caesar).

  • Review: Knarr

    Form your band of Vikings and make your fortune by discovering uncharted destinations. Recruit Vikings and choose the best territories to explore. To explore a destination, you must leave behind some members of your crew. Once the route to a destination is open, you will be able to trade with them. Depending on the destinations you reach and the Vikings accompanying you, you can increase your reputation to earn even greater wealth.

    This is the premise behind Knarr, designed by Thomas Dupont (Codex Naturalis, Cartaventura). First published in 2023 by Bombyx in an English and French edition. The artwork is handled by Carrion Antoine, marking his debut in the board game industry.

  • Review: SETI – Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence

    Lead a scientific institution tasked with searching for traces of life beyond planet Earth. By launching probes to investigate nearby planets and moons, directing telescopes toward distant star systems, and developing your team on Earth, you will explore the Solar System and beyond, searching for signs of life outside our planet.

    This is how SETI: Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence is presented to us, a design by Tomáš Holek (Galileo Galilei, Tea Garden). First published in 2024 by CGE in an English version. The illustrations are done by Ondřej Hrdina, Oto Kandera, Jiří Kůs, Jakub Lang, Michaela Lovecká, Jiří Mikovec, Jakub Politzer, Petra Ramešová, František Sedláček, Petr Štich, and Josef Surý.

  • Review: The Lord of the Rings – Duel for Middle-earth

    Play as Sauron or as the Fellowship of the Ring: whichever you choose, the fate of Middle-earth is in your hands! Build your strategy and lead your side to victory. But pay close attention, as in this epic duel there are 3 conditions that grant an immediate victory, and all of them will require you to make crucial decisions on every turn.

    This is the premise of The Lord of the Rings: Duel for Middle-earth, designed by Antoine Bauza (Takenoko) and Bruno Cathala (Five Tribes). First published in 2024 by Repos Production in English and French versions. The illustrations are done by Vincent Dutrait (Heat, Augustus, El Dorado).

  • Review: Cities

    The City Council has commissioned you with the urban development plan to renovate an entire neighborhood in the city. You will have the opportunity to build new housing, office blocks, parks, and leisure areas along the waterfront. If you manage to meet the City Council’s requirements and expectations, you stand a great chance of taking the lead!

    This is the premise behind Cities, designed by Phil Walker-Harding (Sushi Go!, Bärenpark) and Steve Finn (Nanga Parbat, Floriferous). It was first published in 2024 by Devir in several languages (including Spanish). The artwork is illustrated by Jorge Tabanera Redondo (Barrio).

  • Review: The Vale of Eternity

    Step into a fantastical world of gods, monsters, and spirits! As a tamer, you will hunt and train a variety of beings. With mythological creatures from all over the world, every game will be unique and unpredictable. In each round, players will draft cards, take actions, and use the effects of the minions they have summoned. The player who tames the most incredible creatures will be the victor.

    This is the premise behind The Vale of Eternity, designed by Eric Hong (Pocket Farm). It was first published in 2023 by Mandoo Games in an English and Korean edition. The artwork is credited to Jiahui Eva Gao, Gautier Maia, Stefano Martinuz, Erica Tormen, and Jens Wiese.