Area Control

  • Review: Ayar – Children of the Sun

    Viracocha created Inti, the Sun God, and Mama Quilla, the Moon Goddess. They emerged from Lake Titicaca as one: husband and wife, sister and brother. But Inti looked upon Mama Quilla’s glow with jealousy and threw ash over her so she would not shine brighter than him. Together they fathered four sons and four daughters—the Ayar pairs—who would emerge from Tiwanaku, south of the great lake, alongside the ten minor clans of the first settlers. The Ayar would be tasked with finding fertile land at the center of the universe to found the Tawantinsuyu empire, while teaching the clans the necessary skills to build a civilization. As the four Ayar pairs traversed the lands northward, one by one they would meet their fate—trapped in a cave or turned to stone—until only one pair remained. The final Ayar pair would survive to receive the honor of bearing the golden staff and founding the Tawantinsuyu empire, standing at its head as the Sapa Inca and the Coya.

    This is how we are presented with Ayar: Children of the Sun, a design by Mandela Fernandez-Grandon and Fabio Lopiano, responsible for Sankoré: The Pride of Mansa Musa. First published in 2025 by Osprey Games in an English edition. Illustrations are handled by Ian O’Toole (Lisboa, Railway Boom).

  • Review: Mykerinos

    Explore early 20th-century Egypt and compete for archaeological prestige. Lead expeditions in search of forgotten treasures. Place your archaeologists to control key areas and gain prestige in the museum.

    This is the premise of Mykerinos, a design by Nicolas Oury (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Turtle Power Card Game)[cite: 1]. First published in 2006 by Ystari Games in English and French[cite: 1]. Arnaud Demaegd handled the artwork for that first edition[cite: 1]. In 2026, Looping Games published a new edition including the Nile expansion, with artwork by Amelia Sales and Pedro Soto[cite: 1].

  • Review: Lone Wolves

    Become the leader of a wolf pack and compete for regions to become the alpha. To assert your dominance and ensure victory, send wolves into the territories. The strongest wolf wins, reinforcing your pack’s position, but—despite emerging wounded from the battle and becoming a lone wolf—the weaker one learns from the experience and improves its pack’s status for the next encounter. In your struggle, you must know when baring your teeth and when to act alone.

    This is how Lone Wolves is presented to us, a design by Yasuyuki Nakamura (Trick & Trade) and Anthony Perone (Courtesans). First published in 2024 by Wonderful World Board Games in an English edition. It is a reimplementation of Four Clans Conflict. The illustrations are handled by Zingco Kang and Yuan Momoco, both responsible for the look of, for example, Dragonarium.

  • Review: Tapestry

    Create the civilization with the richest history, from the dawn of humanity into the future. The path you choose will radically alter real-world history: your civilization will be unique and one of a kind!

    This is the premise of Tapestry, designed by Jamey Stegmaier (Scythe, Viticulture). First published in 2019 by Stonemaier Games in an English edition. The illustrations are handled by Andrew Bosley (Everdell) and Rom Brown.

  • Review: Diluvium

    A long, long time ago, when our ancient civilization was in its golden age and myths and legends still walked among men, a cataclysm struck the world. The sea swallowed the land, leaving barely a few isolated archipelagos above its surface. Of the old and powerful empires, only those skilled in building ships capable of exploring the seas in search of the last emerged lands survived. You are the leaders of those civilizations in exile. You must establish new settlements, find food, and gather weapons to face the terrible creatures that still inhabit the islands.

    This is how Diluvium is presented to us, a design by Antoni Guillen (Monki, Mojo). First published in 2024 by Nuts! Publishing in an English and French version. Maud Chalmel (Take Time, Shamans) is in charge of the illustrations.

  • Review: Cthulhu – Dark Providence

    The Ancients exert their influence over realms known to them, populated by nations that speak human tongues and are tormented by shared nightmares. In one of these realities, amid the American Great Depression, they exploit human greed to sow discord and division. Corruption runs rampant in influential cities, where alliances shift and betrayal lurks at every turn.

    This is how we are introduced to Cthulhu: Dark Providence, designed by Martin Wallace (Brass, Age of Steam) and Travis R. Chance (Path of Light and Shadow, Infamy). First published in 2025 by CMON in an English version, it is a reimagining of Martin Wallace’s A Study in Emerald. The artwork is handled by Anders Finér (Arkham Horror, A Game of Thrones: The Board Game).