Obligatory “What I Played In…” Post Part XXIII: May 2017

Here we are with another month of gaming.  This post will tackle our gameplays from the month of May.  We just missed 50 total plays and 23 different games played for this past month.  Some of the plays we had for the month of May added to our 10x10 challenge for the years.  We did a good job and are ahead of pace for the year so here are the stats for the challenge.

10x10 Challenge:

Arkham Horror: The Card Game (0 plays in May, 1 total play for 2017)

Cottage Garden (2 plays in May, 5 total plays for 2017)

Five Tribes (0 plays in May, 2 total plays for 2017)

Gloomhaven (3 plays in May, 5 total plays for 2017)

Great Western Trail (1 play in May, 5 total plays for 2017)

Pathfinder Adventure Card Game (0 plays in May, 9 total plays for 2017)

Ticket to Ride (0 plays in May, 9 total plays for 2017)

Tokaido (0 plays in May, 2 total plays for 2017)

Too Many Bones (6 plays in May, 8 total plays for 2017)

Unfair (0 plays in May, 5 total plays for 2017)

With the 10x10 challenge stats out of the way let’s go ahead and move on to the meat of the post.  Here are the games we played and the vital statistics from them.  Well, enjoy the read and thanks for taking the time to check it out!

Statistics:

Total plays in May 2017 – 48

Total unique games played in May 2017 – 23

New games played in May 2017 – 7

New games acquired in May 2017 – 3

New expansions acquired in May 2017 – 1

Most plays of a single game in May 2017 – 7

Pandemic: The Cure

Designer – Matt Leacock

Publisher – Z-Man Games

New to me

First play – 5/6/17

Total plays in May 2017 – 7

We picked up this dice rolling version of Pandemic this past month in a trade and I think we got the better deal!  We are already fans of the classic and this dice version we enjoy even more than the base game.  We actually played it 6 straight times when we first got it because it took us that long to finally get a win!

Too Many Bones

Designer – Adam Carlson/Josh Carlson

Publisher – Chip Theory Games

Last play before May 2017 – 4/29/17

Total plays in May 2017 – 6

I ended up getting in 6 total plays of this game this past month and it was awesome!  This game will definitely be in my top 5 when things shake up and I do my list at the end of the year.  Everyone I’ve played this with has completely enjoyed it and I always look forward to my next play!

Game of Trains

Designer – Alexey Konnov/Alexey Paltsev/Anatoliy Shklyarov

Publisher – Brain Games

Last play before May 2017 – 2/13/17

Total plays in May 2017 – 5

Em and I pulled this game out during a breakfast date and got in a bunch of plays of it.  This is just one of those games that is good to throw in a bag and pull out if you have time at a restaurant or coffee house.

Bärenpark

Designer – Phil Walker-Harding

Publisher – Lookout Games/Mayfair Games

New to me

First play – 5/28/17

Total plays in May 2017 – 3

Em and I picked this game up this past month and it could easily become one of our most played games.  We really love the puzzle of the polyominoes and the tile drafting while building really cool bear parks.  I dig this game and think the game has amazing art by Klemens Franz.

Gloomhaven

Designer – Isaac Childres

Publisher – Cephalofair Games

Last play before May 2017 – 4/20/17

Total plays in May 2017 – 3

Em, Josh, Dustin and I got in a few plays of this wonderful game this past month and we are doing quite well!  We have delved into the dungeons of this world multiple times and enjoyed every time!  This game is amazing and we are having a blast.

Sentinels of the Multiverse

Designer – Christopher Badell/Paul Bender/Adam Rebottaro

Publisher – Greater Than Games/Sentinel Comics

Last play before May 2017 – 4/5/17

Total plays in May 2017 – 3

I pulled out and played some more rounds of Sentinels of the Multiverse and it was awesome.  This is always going to be one of my favorite games and quite possibly my favorite superhero game.  I look forward to more expansions and thus more replayability and fun.

Cottage Garden

Designer – Uwe Rosenberg

Publisher – Edition Spielwiese/Stronghold Games

Last play before May 2017 – 3/14/17

Total plays in May 2017 – 2

Em and I played a couple of games of this fun tile placement game where we are building up some cute little garden plots.  This is a quick and fun game by the master himself, Uwe Rosenberg.  We quite enjoy our plays of this solid game and these were no different!

Exoplanets

Designer – Przemysław Świerczyński

Publisher – Board&Dice/Greater Than Games

Last play before May 2017 – 11/5/16

Total plays in May 2017 – 2

Em and I decided to break this fun tile placement and resource management game out this past month and played two quick rounds.  I really like this game; it is fun and really quick with only two players.  I am glad that Greater Than Games picked this one up and I hope that it does really well with its new edition.

Villages of Valeria

Designer – Isaias Vallejo/Rick Holzgrafe

Publisher – Daily Magic Games

Last play before May 2017 – 1/29/17

Total plays in May 2017 – 2

We pulled this game out twice this past month.  One of the plays was just my wife and I was actually able to beat her for the first time!  We then broke it out after a round of Gloomhaven and played with Dustin and Josh.  It was a great round and they all really enjoyed the play!

Yokohama

Designer – Hisashi Hayashi

Publisher – Tasty Minstrel Games/OKAZU Brand

Last play before May 2017 – 4/23/17

Total plays in May 2017 – 2

This game is quickly becoming a go-to and a favorite.  The resource management and slight route-building of this game are absolutely amazing and I can’t wait till I get to play it again.  With enough plays this game could crack my top 10!

7 Wonders Duel

Designer – Antoine Bauza/Bruno Cathala

Publisher – Repos Production/Asmodee

Last play before May 2017 – 2/7/17

Total plays in May 2017 – 1

Em and I got in a play of one of our very favorite two-player games and she was able to take me down in a very close game.  This game is a truly amazing experience and will probably remain as one of our very favorite games.

Biblios

Designer – Steve Finn

Publisher – IELLO

New to me

First play – 5/4/17

Total plays in May 2017 – 1

Josh picked up this well known filler game this past month and we broke it out and learned it.  This game is a very quick and very fun card drafting and slight auction game.  I like how the game has two fairly distinct phases, it makes the game more interesting and deep.

Bohnanza

Designer – Uwe Rosenberg

Publisher – Rio Grande Games/Amigo Spiele

Last play before May 2017 – 3/4/17

Total plays in May 2017 – 1

Anytime I get to play this fantastic card game is a win in my book!  I still love every play of this game and consider it to be a work of art and true design genius.  This is one of the games that cements Uwe as one of the best designers in my opinion.

Broom Service

Designer – Alexander Pfister/Andreas Pelikan

Publisher – Ravensburger/Alea

New to me

First play – 5/28/17

Total plays in May 2017 – 1

Em and I picked this game up due to our love of Pfister games.  This one is no different, we really loved the play!  Em has gone on record saying that this could become one of her favorite games.  I am looking forward to more games of this one!

Card Rogue

Designer – Ryan Saunders

Publisher – Golden Games

New to me

First play

Total plays in May 2017 – 1

Josh got this game this past month from a Kickstarter that arrived.  This is a rogue-like game where each player is trying to gain points by each defeated enemy as well as for exploring.  This game was somewhat entertaining and I’d play it if someone asked, but I wouldn’t go out and buy it myself.

Colony

Designer – Ted Alspach/Toryo Hojo/N2

Publisher – Bézier Games

Last play before May 2017 – 4/24/17

Total plays in May 2017 – 1

Em and I pulled out this dice drafting and manipulation game when we felt like a dice chucker this past month.  This is a solid dice rolling game with some slight deck-building-like elements included in the game.  This is a well produced and fun game.

Great Western Trail

Designer – Alexander Pfister

Publisher – Stronghold Games/eggertspiele

Last play before May 2017 – 4/1/17

Total plays in May 2017 – 1

I got to pull out this fantastic game and teach it to our buddy Josh this past month and he loved it!  This is becoming a favorite of mine as is the designer of said game.  I can’t wait till I get to play this again…so good!

Mechs vs. Minions

Designer – Chris Cantrell/Rick Ernst/Stone Librande/Prashant Saraswat/Nathan Tiras

Publisher – Riot Games

Last play before May 2017 – 1/14/17

Total plays in May 2017 – 1

Em and I pulled out this awesome co-operative, programming game this past month and got our tails handed to us on the mission we played!  We love this game and it is always fun even when we are getting beat up!

Mottainai

Designer – Carl Chudyk

Publisher – Asmadi Games

Last play before May 2017 – 2/13/17

Total plays in May 2017 – 1

It had been a while since we pulled this out so we decided it was time during a breakfast date we had in May.  This game still amazes me as I think it is quite impressive in its scope and the way it is designed.  I think Chudyk is amazing in what he can do with just some cards.

Pinball Showdown

Designer – Diane Sauer

Publisher – Shoot Again Games

New to me

First play – 5/24/17

Total plays in May 2017 – 1

This is another game that Josh Kickstarted and it was delivered recently.  We pulled it out after playing a game of Too Many Bones and tried it out.  It is a fun card-drafting/auction style game that has an interesting theme.  I would definitely recommend it as a quick filler.

Roll Player

Designer – Keith Matejka

Publisher – Thunderworks Games

Last play before May 2017 – 3/4/17

Total plays in May 2017 – 1

Em and I decided we wanted a good, solid dice placement and drafting game to play so we pulled this one out and had a great time!  This game is amazing.  Em was able to get a pretty solid combo/engine rolling and beat me by a point!  I am looking forward to the expansion when it is released!

Takenoko

Designer – Antoine Bauza

Publisher – Bombyx/Matagot/Asmodee

Last play before May 2017 – 4/30/17

Total plays in May 2017 – 1

Em and I taught Molly and Dustin this quick, fun game with the beautifully produced pieces.  This is one of those games that we could teach anyone and they would have fun with it.  I look forward to when Fiona is old enough to learn this one!

Tiny Epic Galaxies (w/ Beyond the Black)

Designer – Scott Almes

Publisher – Gamelyn Games

New to me

First play – 5/28/17

Total plays in May 2017 – 1

Another Kickstarter win for Josh!  He obtained this one during May and brought it over so we could learn it.  This was a fun one!  I enjoy a good dice rolling game and this one was solid.  I look forward to teaching this one to Em as I think she’d really like it.

New game acquisitions in April 2017:

Bärenpark

Broom Service

Pandemic: The Cure

New expansion acquisitions in April 2017:

Magic: The Gathering – Arena of the Planeswalkers: Battle for Zendikar

Well, there you have it!  Another solid month of gaming down in the books and it was a great one!  I’m looking forward to the June plays as it will include ones that we had at the beach during our family vacation.  Speaking of June and summer, Gen Con 2017 will be rearing its head pretty soon and I’m hoping to be able to make it to Indy for a day or two to check out the sights!  Thanks so much for taking the time to read this post and I hope you enjoyed it.  Until next time, game on!

Obligatory 2017 Origins Game Fair Post Part III: Top 5 Games Being Demoed But Not For Sale

Alright!  We’re finished with my top 10 game interests that are available to buy at this year’s Origins Game Fair so let’s move on.  This post is going to take a look at 5 games which aren’t yet for purchase but are listed as being there in demo form.  These games may be out at this year’s Gen Con or possibly Essen Spiel but there isn’t a guarantee at this point.  If you haven’t had the chance feel free to check out my previous two posts in the series before you take a look at this one.

Origins Game Fair 2017 Post Part I: Top 10 List (Games 6-10)

Origins Game Fair 2017 Post Part II: Top 10 List (Games 1-5)

Alright, now we can move on to the games that are being demoed but not sold.  Some of these are awesome looking and I can’t wait to try them out.  Thanks for reading and enjoy!

#5 – Helionox: Deluxe Edition (Mr. B Games)

Helionox: Deluxe Edition is a deck-building, hand-management, card-game designed by Taran Lewis Kratz and released by Mr. B Games.  This game is being demoed at Origins this year as it is currently up on Kickstarter looking to fund a reprint of the original game and some deluxe things like a game box and board and a new expansion all included in the box.  I have had my eyes on this game for some time and knew that they were going to put out a deluxe version at some point.  I am looking forward to trying this one out as it has a cool theme, some interesting deck-building mechanisms and beautiful art.

#4 – Spirit Island (Greater Than Games/Fabled Nexus)

Spirit Island is a co-operative, card-drafting and hand-management game designed by R. Eric Reuss and released by Greater Than Games imprint, Fabled Nexus.  This game has been higher up on my anticipation lists but has been delayed so long that it is slowly moving down my list.  I think once it is actually released I’ll get more excited about it but each month that passes without it be delivered makes me glad I didn’t back it on Kickstarter.  That being said, this game looks awesome and I can’t wait to try it!  It is a co-operative experience where the players take on the role of a local spirit of an island who is being “invaded” by humans who are looking to settle the land and create cities and towns and such.  There is an interesting card playing mechanism where some of the powers are quick and act right away and others are more powerful and thus take more time to cast.  I can’t wait to try this one out!

#3 – Unearth (Brotherwise Games)

Unearth is a dice rolling, dice placement and set collection game designed by Jason Harner and Matthew Ransom and released by Brotherwise Games.  This game is the second to come out from this small publisher of the hit, Boss Monster.  I’m interested to see what they do with this one as it looks to be quite entertaining.  It doesn’t have much new in the way of mechanisms as it is a dice-placement game (which I really like to begin with) but it is different in the way of dice chosen.  This game uses d4’s, d6’s and d8’s instead of the usual d6’s.  I love this idea and hope it works!  Players will use the higher numbers to claim ruins and lower numbers to claim stones which they’ll use to build wonders.  The game looks light but entertaining and has some great looking artwork.

#2 – Lisboa (Eagle-Gryphon Games)

Lisboa is a tile placement, hand management, city building game designed by Vital Lacerda and released by Eagle-Gryphon Games.  This game has been on my radar for quite some time, ever since Vital announced that he was making it.  I’ve seen playthroughs and read the rulebook and I will say that this game looks amazing!  It combines hand management with some worker placement and tile placement into a strategic wonderland of decision!  Each player takes on the role of a noble who is trying to help rebuild the city of Lisbon after an earthquake, tsunami and multiple days of fires.  To rebuild and gain glory in Lisboa the players must gain influence with different high ranking officials in order to gain favors and be able to rebuild efficiently.  Since this is a Lacerda game it is going to be highly strategic and a ton of difficult decisions…and I can’t wait to try it out!

#1 – Whistle Stop (Bézier Games, Inc.)

Whistle Stop is a tile-placement, pick-up-and-deliver, train game designed by Scott Caputo and released by Bézier Games, Inc.  This game has the players taking on the role of a small railroad company who is trying to build their routes to cross the entire nation.  The game has a tile-placement element where the players will place hexagonal tiles to build their routes across the country.  They are then able to pick up goods and either deliver them to small towns and gain shares or hold on and gain larger payouts when you reach the west coast.  This game looks to be right up our alley as the game includes tile-placement which we love and some pick-up-and-deliver elements into the economic mechanisms.  I am really looking forward to this game and can’t wait to try it out!

Well, there you go, the final post in my Origins Game Fair 2017 series.  I’ll be back pretty soon with our gameplays from May and soon after that we’ll be into Gen Con territory!  Thanks so much for taking the time to read and I hope you enjoyed!  Until next time, game on!

Obligatory 2017 Origins Game Fair Post Part II: Top 10 List (Games 1-5)

Hey everyone, we’re back with part 2 of my 3-part Origins Game Fair 2017 posts.  This one will take on games 1-5 of the fair and tomorrow’s post will look at games that are able to be demoed but not purchased at the convention.  I think it is interesting to see the difference between the bottom 5 games versus these top 5 games.  Games 6-10 actually have quite a few smaller card games that look really good while this part of the list seems to have bigger games but mostly easier to teach, lighter games.  It is interesting to see what games strike my fancy and this year some of the games will definitely be on my shelf at some point.  If you haven’t gotten a chance to read it, feel free to click the link below to take a gander at games 6-10 of my top 10 interests.

Origins Games Fair 2017 Post Part I: Top 10 List (Games 6-10)

Alright, enough of the links, let’s get onto the good stuff.  This post will look at games 1-5 of my top 10 interests of the convention while my next post will take a look at the non-purchasable gems out there.  Thanks so much for reading and enjoy!

#5 – Lignum (Second Editon) (Capstone Games)

Lignum (Second Edition) is a worker placement, resource management and economic game designed by Alexander Huemer and released by Capstone Games.  This game is being re-released in its second edition by Capstone Games and I think it is great!  This company is doing a great job in bringing over some fairly heavy weight, Euro-style games that were previously released in other countries in limited print runs and this is just another in their line of great pick-ups!  This game has players attempting to run their lumber mill in the most efficient manner.  Players will contract workers, update/replace equipment and try to gain control of the best cutting areas around.  I think this game looks like a really solid heavier-weight game and I’d love to give it a try!

#4 – Arena: For the Gods! (IELLO)

Arena: For the Gods! is a dice-rolling, auction and fighting game designed by Maxime Rambourg and released by IELLO.  This game is a light-weight game where each player takes on the roll of a hero fighting in an arena for the glory of their god.  The game has two phases.  The first phase finds players bidding their own life points in order to gain different special powers, mounts and weapons in their bid to be the last fighter standing.  The second phase has players moving along the arena, rolling their dice and using the faces to activate their special powers on their cards.  I think this looks like a super fun, light/filler game that looks to be simple, dice-chucking fun!  And as a bonus, this game is released by IELLO which means that the art and production will be great!

#3 – Century: Spice Road (Plan B Games)

Century: Spice Road is a hand management, set collection and engine building game designed by Emerson Matsuuchi and released by Plan B Games.  This game is a new engine-building game along the lines of Splendor but seems to have more decisions to it.  The players are able to take cards from the market, play cards from their hand, claim a card for victory points and rest which gets all your cards back to your hand.  The players are caravan leaders and they are using these actions in order to trade spices and gain the most glory and fame across the land.  This game looks like a great intro-level game that I’d be able to teach anyone and they’d enjoy it.

#2 – Near and Far (Red Raven Games)

Near and Far is a set collection, route building and storytelling game designed by Ryan Laukat and released by Red Raven Games.  This is the newest game created by the triple (designer/artist/publisher) threat, Ryan Laukat.  This game is a campaign driven game where the players will explore different maps searching for the Last Ruin in Arzium.  The game has players recruiting adventurers, hunting for treasure, searching for food, and collecting goods and equipment in the town before moving on to the surrounding areas to explore.  Much like its predecessor, Above and Below, this game has a storybook which the players will read from when they are told and will then make decisions based on what they’ve done.  I am really looking forward to this game and think it will be a blast to play with its full amount of four players.

#1 – Caverna: Cave vs Cave (Lookout Games/Mayfair Games)

Caverna: Cave vs Cave is an action selection, tile placement, economic game designed by the fantastic Uwe Rosenberg and released by Lookout Games and Mayfair Games.  This game is a smaller, two-player version of its big brother, Caverna.  To begin with, I love Uwe Rosenberg games and I think this will be a winner!  Each player will take turns choosing an action tile and do said action.  This will let them excavate their cave, build rooms and gain resources as they are trying to gain the most points with their cave home.  I think this will be a great implementation of the larger game and one that my wife and I could get to the table a bunch of times!

Well, there you have it!  These are the top 5 games that I’m interested in that are for purchase at this year’s Origins Game Fair.  I’m sure that at least a few of these will end up in our collection and I look, forward to it!  Come on back tomorrow for my final post in the Origins series, the top 5 games I’m interested in that are being demoed but not for purchase.  Thanks so much for reading!  Until next time, game on!

Obligatory 2017 Origins Game Fair Post Part I: Top 10 List (Games 6-10)

Hey all, we’re back with a new three part series focusing on the upcoming Origins Game Fair 2017.  This year it seems as though there may be even more attendees than last year as the convention continues to grow.  This year there are some good looking games coming out and some of them could end up in our collection at some point in the future.  This post will focus on games 6-10 of my top 10 interests.  The next post will focus on games 1-5 while the final will tackle my top 5 games that are being demoed but not released.  Well, that enough preamble, let’s move on to the games!

#10 – Okey Dokey (Tasty Minstrel Games/OKAZU Brand)

Okey Dokey is a co-operative, hand-management designed by the fabulous Hisashi Hayashi and released by OKAZU Brand and Tasty Minstrel Games.  This game has the players taking a hand of cards and cooperatively trying to place all 50 of the cards into rows and columns which represent different performers in an orchestra.  I love the cute art and the idea that the players can give slight hints but nothing overt and are working together to try and complete the puzzle.  I’ve always loved these small card games with clever mechanisms and this looks to be of the same ilk.

#9 – Bohnanza: The Duel (Rio Grande Games/AMIGO Spiel)

Bohnanza: The Duel is a hand-management, economic card game designed by the great Uwe Rosenberg and released by AMIGO Spiel and Rio Grande Games.  This game is a two-player only version of its big brother, Bohnanza.  The game takes some of the general ideas and rules of Bohnanza and creates a different variant which seems to work better for the two-player game.  This game doesn’t have players trading with each other but rather gifting each other beans which the other player can either take or choose to gift something back instead.  I love the idea of the back and forth and being able to plant different beans on the fields in order to use them but they’ll give you fewer points.  Bring on more Uwe!

#8 – The Fox in the Forest (Renegade Game Studios/Foxtrot Games)

The Fox in the Forest is a two-player only, trick-taking game designed by Joshua Buergel and released by Renegade Game Studios and Foxtrot Games.  There isn’t a ton of information about this game as of yet but from what I’ve gleaned it is a variant of different trick-taking games that makes the two-player version more palatable.  Most trick-taking games don’t work that well with only two players so I’m really interested in how this one is since it was designed from the ground up as a two-player game.  The game contains normal ranked and suited cards which you’ll use to win tricks but you can also use different fairy characters such as a witch or a fox in order to change the trump, lead when you lost the hand and more.  Apparently you can’t be too greedy however or you’ll lose!  I am intrigued enough for it to make my top 10 interests of the convention.

#7 – Merchants of Araby (Daily Magic Games)

Merchants of Araby is a hand-management, worker-placement, and economic game designed by Jay Treat and released by Daily Magic Games.  This game has 2-5 players taking on the role of a prince or princess in Araby who is attempting to become the wealthiest in the land.  Players will do this using a bunch of mechanisms such as hand-management, worker-placement and trading in order to gain the most coins by the end of the game.  Each player will be tasking their merchants to generate products, starting a caravan in order to sell their products and negotiating with your opponents in order to trade goods.  I have been impressed with Daily Magic Games and at least take a close look at everything they do by this point.  I’m looking forward to this game, I think it looks like quite an interesting hand-management game.

#6 – Witches of the Revolution (Atlas Games)

Witches of the Revolution is a co-operative, deck-building game designed by Craig Stockwell and released by Atlas Games.  I will admit that much of my interest in this game is based on the very cool theme.  This is an alternate history game where the players co-operatively lead a coven of witches who are determined to keep the nation from sinking into a place of tyranny.  Each player will build their decks in order to recruit allies, use powerful relics, defeat dangerous events and fulfill four key events before the time runs out.  I think this looks like an interesting play on the deck-building trope and hope that it plays as well and it looks!

Well, there you have it, games 6-10 on my top 10 interests for purchase at Origins Game Fair 2017.  Keep an eye out as my next post will be up soon and take on games 1-5.  Thanks so much for reading and I hope you enjoyed!  Until next time, game on!