• Review: Thurn and Taxis
    Review

    Review: Thurn and Taxis

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    In 1490, Emperor Maximilian I commissioned Franz von Taxis to establish a courier service between his residences in Innsbruck and Brussels. It was so successful that, in the following period, all other postal services remained linked to the Thurn and Taxis family name, eventually leading to them being elevated to the rank of counts. Will you be able to continue the family’s success and build a significant stagecoach network? Do you have the talent to connect the right cities with one another, as well as establish post offices and, at the same time, keep your sights on purchasing new carriages?

    This is the premise behind Thurn and Taxis, designed by Karen Seyfarth and Andreas Seyfarth (the latter responsible for hits like Puerto Rico, San Juan, or Manhattan). The game was first published in 2006 by Hans im Glück in a German edition, winning that year’s Spiel des Jahres. The artwork is illustrated by Michael Menzel (Agra, Santiago de Cuba, Legends of Andor).

  • Review: Watergate
    Review

    Review: Watergate

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    In June 1972, five men were arrested at the Watergate building in Washington. Newspaper reporters launched a deep investigation that uncovered one of the greatest scandals in U.S. history, culminating in Richard Nixon’s resignation as President.

    This is the premise behind Watergate, a design by Matthias Cramer (Glen More, Lancaster, Kraftwagen). The game was published in 2019 by Frosted Games in German and English editions. The illustrations and graphic design were handled by Klemens Franz (Orleans, Agricola, Oh My Goods!) alongside Alfred Viktor Schulz.

  • Review: Gravity Superstar
    Review

    Review: Gravity Superstar

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    In the furthest reaches of known space, the most famous adventurers converge on a strange little planet that has the unique ability to attract precious stardust through its fluctuating gravity. They are there to collect as much of this resource as possible, while their rivals constantly try to steal it from them. You are one of these superstars in search of wealth, and you must overcome the gravitational challenges that lie ahead!

    This is how we are introduced to Gravity Superstar, designed by Julian Allain (Titan Race, Dungeon Academy). The game was published in 2019 by Sit Down! in a multilingual edition (English, French, German, and Dutch). Illustrations are handled by Gyom (Magic Maze, Overbooked, Goths Save The Queen).

  • Review: Villagers
    Review

    Review: Villagers

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    You are the founder of a new village during the Middle Ages, in the years following a great plague. The loss of so many lives has created severe problems for the survivors. Many of the people upon whom the inhabitants relied for essential things like food, shelter, or clothing have vanished. Craftsmen lack materials, traders have lost their customers, and many have lost their farms and workshops when fleeing the plague. The roads are filled with refugees seeking a fresh start. They come to you, hoping to settle on your land and build a home. Your grain farm is the ideal starting point for a village, providing food for many people in a secure manner. You must choose wisely whom you allow to settle with you, since food and resources are limited. The people on the road possess valuable and unique skills, but they in turn depend on others with very specific skills to be able to work. Raw materials, tools, and services must be provided by other travelers from the road. If you can bring together people capable of working together to turn a profit, while expanding your food supplies and your capacity to build new houses, your village will prosper.

    This is the premise of Villagers, designed by Haakon Hoel Gaarder, marking his debut title. The game was published in 2019 by Sinister Fish Games after securing the necessary funding through a crowdfunding campaign. The illustrations were also created by the author himself.

  • Review: Brass – Birmingham
    Review

    Review: Brass – Birmingham

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    Brass: Birmingham tells the story of the entrepreneurs who competed in Birmingham and its surroundings during England’s Industrial Revolution, between the years 1770 and 1870. In this reimplementation of the original masterpiece, Brass: Lancashire, you will expand your empire by constructing canals and railway lines, and you will build and develop various types of industries, such as cotton mills, coal mines, manufactureries, breweries, iron industries, and potteries.

    This is how Brass: Birmingham is presented to us, a new version of Martin Wallace’s classic (Age of Steam, A Study in Emerald, A Few Acres of Snow) with the collaboration of Gavan Brown and Matt Tolman, both responsible for designs like Super Motherload or JAB: Realtime Boxing. The game was published in 2018 by Roxley Games after a successful crowdfunding campaign via Kickstarter. The artwork is handled by Lina Cossette, David Forest (the duo behind the look of games like Santorini or Charterstone), and Damien Mammoliti (The Witcher Adventure Game, Edge of Darkness).

  • Review: L.L.A.M.A.
    Review

    Review: L.L.A.M.A.

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    In this game, llamas rule, so get ready to take negative points. The goal is to play all your cards, but if you can’t, you’ll have to decide: do you fold now or draw hoping to get the card you need?

    This is the premise of L.L.A.M.A., designed by Reiner Knizia (Keltis, High Society, Ra). The game was published in 2019 by AMIGO Spiele in a German edition, being one of the Spiel des Jahres nominees that same year. The artwork was handled by Rey Sommerkamp (in his board game debut) and Barbara Spelger (Speed Cups, Halli Galli, Fluxx).