Fantasy Realms – K. David Ladage
I can remember when I first caught wind of Stonemaier Games releasing Red Rising. I was not familiar with the books series, so that was not a draw. Still, I thought I would give the game a chance. What I found was a game that wanted to be too many things at once. It was muddled and unfocused. However, if you read the various design diary entries over at Stonemaier Games, one of the things you find is that Red Rising was heavily influenced (even based upon) the game Fantasy Realms.
Having played both games, I can say that I enjoy Fantasy Realms significantly more than Red Rising. The deck of cards is smaller and the mechanics are unified (e.g., the game is more focused). The tropes in Fantasy Realms are universal, while in Red Rising I am constantly reminded that I have not read the books.
Perhaps Red Rising could get an expansion that altered things in a way to focus and balance the game (although I am not sure that is even possible). Meanwhile, although I know there exists an expansion for Fantasy Realms, I am uninterested. What the base game does—what it is—requires no embellishment.
Ease of entry?:
★★★★★ – No sweat
Would I play it again?:
★★★★★ – Will definitely play it again
Read more articles from K. David Ladage
Point Galaxy – Andy Matthews
Flatout Games how do I love thee? Let me count the ways? Point Salad and TEN are delightfully fun and vibrant card games. Calico, Cascadia, and Verdant are mildly crunchy tile laying games with clever scoring conditions. And now the newest game in the Point Salad line is coming soon to Kickstarter: Point Galaxy. This is a nice blend of the Flatout Games repertoire—a lighter card game with some slightly more complex ruleset focused on set collecting.
In Point Galaxy, players will select cards from a shared market and place them into “solar systems” in their personal area. The cards are double sided, with one side displaying planets or moons (and an array of different scoring possibilities), and the other side showing a sun or asteroid belt. Sun cards will go at the top of your play area, while the planets are placed below a sun. The sun cards show some form of scoring option (just like in Point Salad) such as matching planets colors, rocket icons, or moons. Planet cards also display numbers, from 1 to 7 and require players to place them in ascending or descending order in each solar system in order to score even more points—it’s right there in the name really!
Fans of Point Salad, who might have wished that game had just a bit more body to it, will be very happy with Point Galaxy. There are more choices, and more things to pay attention to, without it veering off into parts unknown. This still feels familiar, and that means it’s sure to be a hit with your friends. I’ve already played a solo game to familiarize myself with the rules, and I’ll soon be gathering my group around the table for a full play through. Keep your eyes tuned to this space for my full review of Point Galaxy in a few weeks.
Ease of entry?:
★★★★☆ – The odd bump or two
Would I play it again?:
★★★★★ – Will definitely play it again
Read more articles from Andy Matthews.
Propolis – Andy Matthews
Beeees!
Have you ever heard the word propolis? Unless you’re a beekeeper then probably not. Google tells me that “propolis is a resinous mixture that honey bees produce by mixing saliva and beeswax with exudate gathered from tree buds, sap flows, or other botanical sources”—so basically “bee glue”. But Propolis is also the name of an upcoming game from Flatout Games, and as you might expect it’s bee-themed.
In Propolis, Flatout Games’ first worker placement game, players manage a hive of bees; sending them hither and yon to gather pollen, nectar, and even other bees. As your bees land on landscape cards in the shared tableau you’ll increase the indicated resource on your personal player board. Eventually you’ll collect enough of the raw materials to build additional structures and increase the size and value of your hive.
Propolis features the same amazing illustrations from Dylan Mangini, along with a dizzying array of colors: pastels for all the resources and vivid pinks and blues for your worker bees. It’s also got some really clever mechanisms for managing game flow and making sure the various markets don’t stagnate. If you love Flatout Games as much as I do, then do yourself a favor and check this one out in their upcoming Kickstarter.
Ease of entry?:
★★★☆☆ – There were a few questions
Would I play it again?:
★★★★★ – Will definitely play it again
Read more articles from Andy Matthews.
Potion Explosion (3rd Edition) – Will Hare
Got some time to put the newest version of Potion Explosion through the paces. Let me start by saying the core gameplay hasn’t been touched, so if you like Potion Explosion already, you’ll enjoy the new one. I was always fascinated by the concept and I’m a sucker for a good tactile experience. The biggest change I noticed is the new marble dispenser and I have to say… I’m disappointed. I always applaud a company for trying to make efforts to reduce plastic and help the environment, but it is far less functional than previous iterations. The new dispenser is also loud, and the marbles get stuck quite often. Still, these are likely just nitpicks from someone who remembers the original cardboard dispenser. I’ve seen plenty of third party marble dispenser replacements out there made from everything from wood to 3D printed plastic, so if you enjoy the game and have issues with the dispenser, there are always options out there.
Ease of entry?:
★★★★★ – No sweat
Would I play it again?:
★★★☆☆ – Wouldn’t suggest it, but would happily play it
Read more articles from Will Hare.
Things in Rings – Bob Pazehoski, Jr.
The Venn diagram is one of those entities that everyone understands but no one ever really feels the need to explain—unless, of course, you base a tabletop game on the concept and have to write a rulebook. Players take turns setting object cards into a Venn diagram, most often on a whim, only to then watch the game’s emcee—called the knower—either accept it or move it to the correct location. Through this rhythm, the “rules” of the Venn diagram’s rings slowly come into focus, helping players to intentionally shed their cards. The first player to shed all their cards is the winner.
I love the play, but the game stops short of brilliance, in my opinion. I’m mostly OK with the fact that a player can play the game entirely at random and win (with a load of luck and a slight hint about one of the categories)—this one is all about the experience. But in three plays, no one figured out the “rules” for two of the three rings. In every game, the only ring that became clear was the one tied to the word itself (the spelling). The others were a mystery. So did anyone really win, then? I don’t know. I wish there was a final jeopardy of sorts—after the final card is shed, give everyone three cards to place in light of what they think they know and let that determine the winner independent of turn order.
We found the post-game conversation to be just as entertaining (if not more) than the game itself. Doubling back to see how the knower interpreted the various “rules” is infinitely interesting. Learning where my feeble mind went off the rails is equally so. I would play it again in a second, but not because the outcome vis-à-vis the rules is satisfying.
Read our review of Things in Rings.
Ease of entry?
:★★★★★ – No sweat
Would I play it again?
:★★★★★ – Will definitely play it again
Read more articles from Bob Pazehoski, Jr.
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