Abstract Strategy Games

  • Review: Volo

    ByiMisut Hours
    Comments 0 Comments

    A game themed around birds soaring across the skies. Players add or move bird pieces with the goal of forming a flock of their own color. However, they cannot add their birds adjacent to an ally, and when moving them, they must steer them toward other allies without splitting the original flock. This is a poetic game inspired by mathematical models of animal behavior.

    This is how we are presented with Volo, a design by Dieter Stein (Mixtour, Urbino). It was first published in 2012 by nestorgames in an English and Spanish edition. Later, it was republished by kanare_abstract in an English and Japanese edition. Graphic design for this latest version was handled by Kanare Kato (LAG, Enso).

  • Review: Enso

    ByiMisut Hours
    Comments 0 Comments

    Enso is a game inspired by the Zen concept of the Enso (円相): the circle drawn by Zen monks. Players move their stones and capture their opponent’s, aiming to position one of their stones so that it is surrounded by open spaces in eight directions, as if enclosed within a circle. What makes this game unique is that the moves a stone can make depend on whether it is adjacent to opponent stones.

    This is the premise behind Enso, a design by Dieter Stein (Urbino, Volo). First published in 2026 by Kanare_Abstract in a bilingual English and Japanese edition, with cover illustration handled by Kanare Kato.

  • Review: LAG

    ByiMisut Hours
    Comments 0 Comments

    A game in which the pieces move toward opposite sides of the board, but the distance they travel depends on the number of groups of your pieces on the board. When a player can no longer move any pieces, the player with the fewest objects wins. To achieve victory, you must skillfully control your pieces, which often behave unpredictably, as if experiencing input lag.

    This is how LAG is presented to us, a design by Takuro Kawasaki, this being his first design to hit the market. It was first published in 2026 by Kanare_Abstract in an English and Japanese edition. Kanare Kato is responsible for the cover illustration.

  • Review: Blokus

    ByiMisut Hours
    Comments 0 Comments

    Stake your claim and protect your territory with the Blokus board game! There’s less than a minute to learn, but it guarantees hours and hours of fun and strategy for the whole family!

    This is how Blokus is presented to us, a design by Bernard Tavitian (Arlecchino, Nexos). First published in the year 2000 by Sekkoïa in a French edition.

  • Review: Santorini

    ByiMisut Hours
    Comments 0 Comments

    Santorini is a very accessible strategy game (simple enough for elementary school kids to play). Yet, it possesses great depth that will satisfy even the most demanding players. Santorini is a game for everyone!

    This is the premise of Santorini, designed by Dr. Gordon Hamilton (King’s Kilt, 12 Days of Christmas). The original game was published in 2004. Roxley Games launched a crowdfunding campaign on Kickstarter to publish a new, improved, and expanded edition, which was released in 2017. The artwork is by Lina Cossette and David Forest (Steampunk Rally, Super Motherload, Unfair).