Tile Placement

  • Review: Caverna – The Cave Farmers

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    Are you ready to become the bearded leader of a family of dwarves living peacefully in a small cave beside the mountains? Get ready to work the forest that stretches out beyond your home and delve deep into the heart of the mountain you inhabit.

    This is how we are introduced to Caverna, designed by the great Uwe Rosenberg, the mind behind massive hits like Agricola, Le Havre, and Patchwork. The game was first published in 2013 by Lookout Games in both German and English editions. Artwork duties were handled, as is usual for the Rosenberg-Lookout pairing, by Klemens Franz, who also illustrated Agricola, Ora et Labora, and At the Gates of Loyang.

  • Review: Carcassonne

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    The city of Carcassonne, in southeastern France, is famous for its walled citadel dating back to Roman and medieval times. Players will try to make their fortune by placing their followers on the roads, cities, monasteries, and fields in the region, a region that will change as the game progresses. Properly deploying these followers, whether they are highwaymen, knights, monks, or farmers, will be essential to achieving victory.

    This is how we are presented with Carcassonne, a classic designed by Klaus-Jürgen Wrede, author of other well-known titles such as The Downfall of Pompeii, Mesopotamia, or Rapa Nui. The game was published by Hans im Glück in the year 2000, winning the famous Spiel des Jahres award in 2001. The illustrations were handled by Doris Matthäus (as in many titles from the German publisher), who had already worked on games such as El Grande, Tigris & Euphrates, Saint Petersburg, or Elfenland.

  • Review: Patchwork

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    Patchwork is a needlework technique that involves sewing together pieces of fabric with various patterns to create a single, larger design. Historically, it was a way to repurpose leftover scraps of fabric to make clothes and quilts. Today, it has become an art form used by textile designers, especially when working with pieces of varied shapes and sizes. Creating a beautiful quilt requires both time and patience, as the available patches often simply refuse to fit together smoothly. Choose your patches carefully and keep a steady supply of buttons on hand to craft a more striking quilt than your opponent.

    This is the premise behind Patchwork, one of the two games presented by the great Uwe Rosenberg back in 2014 (alongside Caverna) through multiple publishers simultaneously. For instance, Mayfair Games released it in English, while Lookout Games handled the German edition. As a side note, it was a Spiel des Jahres recommended game in 2015 and won the Golden Geek Award for Best Abstract Board Game in 2014, while also being nominated for Best 2-Player Game in that same edition. The artwork is illustrated by Klemens Franz, the artist behind the look of most of Uwe’s games, such as Agricola, Le Havre, and Caverna.

  • Review: The Castles of Burgundy

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    The Loire Valley during the 15th century. As influential princes, players dedicate their efforts to careful trading and building so that their domains flourish.

    This is the premise behind The Castles of Burgundy, designed by Stefan Feld, author of other celebrated games such as In the Year of the Dragon, Bora Bora, or Trajan. The artwork is provided by Julien Delval and Harald Lieske. The game was released by the Ravensburger – Alea partnership in 2011.