Set-Collection

  • Review: Planet Unknown

    ByiMisut Hours
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    Greetings, planetary colonists. As you know, we have depleted Earth’s resources and must act now to preserve the future of humanity. You have been chosen to develop a Planet Unknown that will ensure mankind’s survival. You will win the game if you are the player who earns the most Medals. To achieve this, efficiently develop your Planet, advance along your resource tracks, collect Pods, remove Meteorites, and outscore your neighboring Planets.

    This is the premise of Planet Unknown, designed by Ryan Lambert and Adam Rehberg (co-designers of Swordcrafters and Truck Off: The Food Truck Frenzy). It was first published in 2022 by Adam’s Apple Games, LLC following a successful Kickstarter crowdfunding campaign. Illustrations were provided by Yoma (Legacies, Sweet Mess).

  • Review: Libertalia – Winds of Galecrest

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    In the world of Galecrest, sky pirates set sail upon the winds in search of adventure, treasure, and glory. As an admiral, you command a vast and varied crew… just like your rivals, who sail on other ships across the pirate fleet. Each day, the fleet docks at a different island, where you will send a crew member to collect your share of the loot, hoping they return to bolster your growing roster of characters.

    This is how Libertalia: Winds of Galecrest is presented to us, a reimplementation of Libertalia, the classic design by Paolo Mori (Dogs of War, Augustus). The game was first published in 2022 by Stonemaier Games in an English edition. Art duties are handled by Lamaro Smith (Jinja, Murder on the Cosmic Express).

  • Review: Ark Nova

    ByiMisut Hours
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    In Ark Nova, you will plan and design a modern, scientifically managed zoo. With the ultimate goal of owning the most successful zoological establishment, you will build enclosures, house animals, and support conservation projects all over the world. Specialists and unique buildings will help you achieve this goal.

    This is how we are introduced to Ark Nova, a design by Mathias Wigge, this being his first title to see the light of day. It was first published in 2021 by Feuerland Spiele in a German version. The illustrations are handled by Loïc Billiau (Spirit Island, Glen More), Dennis Lohausen (Terra Mystica, Glass Road), and Steffen Bieker.

  • Review: Nidavellir – Thingvellir

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    Everywhere, the bellows of the forges and hammers striking anvils could be heard. Swords and axes were seen practicing in an unceasing dance all around. The entire realm was mobilizing, preparing to face Fafnir. The King took pride in placing his trust in his Elvalands. But secretly his heart was seething with dread… What if his clan grew weak? What if Fafnir defeated his most seasoned battalions? What if his reign were forever remembered as the one in which the Dragon subdued the elite dwarven troops? Queen Dagfid, who knew her stubborn husband well, was certain he would never beg for help. Especially not from the pretentious elves who would surely, as they had in the past, look down on them with their haughty manners and divine superiority. Nor would he ask other dwarven clans for aid, unwilling for such a gesture to be perceived as a sign of weakness. Coming from a nomadic clan, the Queen was blessed with boundless courage, especially when it came to standing by her King. He had loved her, welcomed her into his kingdom, and always treated her as his equal. Therefore, she set out one night in secret, accompanied by Idunn the Stealthy and Hourya the Elusive, to find her wandering tribe and secure their help. Several weeks later, the King, exhausted and distraught by his wife’s absence, saw a cloud of dust rising on the horizon, kicked up by long caravans and a horde of impressive mounted boars. The Queen was riding at their vanguard. The King could not believe his eyes! She had traveled beyond the realm’s arid wastelands to seek the aid of her Thingvellir tribe. The nomads pitched their camp at the foot of the castle, and all the inhabitants of the kingdom gathered to admire the might of the valiant mercenaries and the craftsmanship of their artifacts. Hope smiled upon Nidavellir once more. At last, they could give Fafnir a real fight!

    This is the premise of Thingvellir, an expansion for Nidavellir designed by Serge Laget (Ad Astra, Shadows over Camelot, Mystery of the Abbey). It was first published in 2021 by GRRRE Games in a bilingual English and French edition. The illustrations are once again handled by Jean-Marie Minguez (Mare Nostrum: Empires, Mr. Jack Pocket, Lady Alice).

  • Review: Praga Caput Regni

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    Charles IV has been crowned King of Bohemia and ruler of the Holy Roman Empire. From his castle in Prague, he oversees the construction of new fortifications, a bridge across the Vltava River, a university, and a cathedral rising behind the castle walls themselves. Prague is already one of the largest cities in Europe. King Charles will turn it into the capital of an empire. Players take on the role of wealthy citizens organizing various construction projects in medieval Prague. By increasing their wealth and contributing to the construction, they will gain royal favor. Participants choose between six actions that are always available, but constantly shifting in their costs and benefits. The most skillful players will discover synergies between carefully planned actions and the rewards of building civic projects. At the end of the game, the winner will be the player who has managed to impress King Charles the most.

    This is the premise behind Praga Caput Regni, designed by Vladimír Suchý (Last Will, Underwater Cities, League of Six). The game was published in 2020 by Delicious Games in an English and German edition. Art is handled by Milan Vavroň (Tzolk’in: The Mayan Calendar, Mage Knight, Lost Ruins of Arnak).

  • Review: Beyond the Sun

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    The First Thermonuclear War was unkind to Earth. Over the last two centuries, civil unrest and climate change continued to devastate all regions of the world. Crop yields were plummeting, resources were depleting, and poverty and crime were rampant. Humanity was facing extinction. The solution seemed clear: leave Earth and find a new home among the stars. Faced with the prospect of annihilation, the remaining factions on Earth united. On New Year’s Eve 2240, the Scientific Exchange Treaty was signed at the former site of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C. The world’s resources were poured into space research, and all discoveries were shared on a global network. For the first time in history, humanity acted as one. In just six short years, engineers at the Nishida-Ostergaard Corporation, under the leadership of Dr. Edmund Saito, developed a technology that was shared with the rest of the world. Humanity had finally entered the space age. Shortly after this key discovery, other factions also researched primitive terraforming techniques, radiation-resistant crops, asteroid mining, and other essential components for human survival outside the solar system. Countless expeditions were launched toward exoplanets each month. Now that a solution has been found, the ambition for power and control stirs within each faction once again…

    This is the premise of Beyond the Sun, a debut design by Dennis K. Chan. The game was published in 2020 by Rio Grande Games in an English edition. The illustrations are handled by Franz Vohwinkel (Puerto Rico, Targi, Tichu, 6 nimmt!).