It is the golden age of American railways. Rail stocks are all the rage, with new companies flooding the stock market all the time. The stakes are high, but you want to have a slice of the pie. The returns look great and investors get a say on a company's track-laying. To make it big, you have to be clever and know the Trick of the Rails by Hisashi Hayashi from Grok Games with illustrations from Ann-Sophie De Steu and Diego Sá.
Oliver KinnePost read time 5 min readLeave a Comment on Death Valley: Highs & Lows (Saturday Review)We were on a road trip. As our car was eating the miles, our journals and scrapbooks were filling up with photos, postcards and other souvenirs that would later remind us of the wonderful time we had. We were exploring towering peaks and massive canyons as we were making our way through this amazing desert, always being mindful of hazards. We loved every moment as we traversed Death Valley: Highs & Lows by Kevin Ellenburg from Button Shy with illustrations from Fachri Maulana.
Oliver KinnePost read time 8 min readLeave a Comment on Senjutsu: Battle for Japan (Saturday Review)Feudal Japan is in turmoil. The collapse of the ancient authority of the Ashikaga Shogunate has plunged the country into a brutal civil war, known to history as the Sengoku Jidai. Clans clash in a relentless struggle for power and prestige. Now it is your turn to enter this bloody conflict as a great warrior. This is Senjutsu: Battle for Japan by Paul D. Allen and James Faulkner from Lucky Duck Games with illustrations from Imad Awan and Raben White.
The land of Arzium is facing a new threat. Ember Zombies have left their volcanic lands to the north and are walking through the previously peaceful lands that we call our home. You can easily recognise them with their charcoal bodies. Yet, there is hope. The city of Eastrey offers a safe haven for the creatures that are threatened by the malicious fire fairies. Everyone must make their way across deserts and plains, over mountains and through deep canyons and seek refuge, picking up other wandering creatures along the way, to join their Creature Caravan by Ryan Laukat from Red Raven Games with illustrations from Ryan Laukat.
Oliver KinnePost read time 5 min readLeave a Comment on Mysticana: A Foundation Deck (Saturday Review)The elements are alive in our realm. The water element can douse the deadly flames of the fire element that would otherwise leave behind deeply scorched earth, while the earth element itself has the power to consume the waters of a dozen seas. The three elements are in constant battle, balancing each other out at times in infinite variations of their eternal cycles. Yet none of the three elements can ever reign supreme in the realm of Mysticana: A Foundation Deck by Dustin Dobson and Jamie Thul from Button Shy.
Space: an endless void with countless stars, some of which capable of harbouring a planet that can support life. Yadda, yadda, yadda. You already know the spiel. So, without further ado let me introduce the Doomlings: Upgrade Pack by Justus and Andrew Meyer from Doomlings.
The spacefaring cultures were moving their forces through the gates and across the systems, changing the control in the clusters in the Reach. The balance of the court was also no longer guaranteed. Agents were making their influence known and securing their positions. It didn't take long for the first battles to start, damaging cities and spaceports and leading to captives and trophies. Maneuvering was getting almost impossible and the only way to move fleets was in Arcs by Cole Wehrle from Leder Games.
We had started in Florence when everyone was still fresh and raring to go. An endless sea of bicycles with teams sticking closely together had lined up at the starting line. The support teams had only done their last checks minutes before and everything was shiny and gleaming. Now, several thousand kilometres later, everyone started to show signs of slowing down. Yet, at the horizon a welcome sign became visible. We knew it wasn't going to be much further. There it was, the red flag, the Flamme Rouge by Asger Harding Granerud from Lautapelit.fi.
Oliver KinnePost read time 5 min readLeave a Comment on Undermined! Pairadice City (Saturday Review)Howdy partner. Welcome to the Wild West, where there is gold to be found in them there hills. Only the most daring souls will find the riches. Mining is dangerous work. So helping your fellow human is the right thing to do, but getting repaid for your kindness is not guaranteed. I'll start you off with a pick-axe, some safety gear and a few sticks of dynamite. It's on the house, because I'm sure you'll soon be back to stock up. Now, off you go. Make your fortune in this wonderful place we call Undermined! Pairadice City by Chris Fisher and Nick Barker from Devilfly Games.
Space: an endless void with countless stars, some of which capable of harbouring a planet that can support life. On one of these Goldilocks planets far away from our own, life has indeed emerged. Yet, nothing is ever allowed to last. One day, the inevitable end will come. So in the meantime, life on this planet is competing for supremacy. They do not know it yet, but they are the Doomlings by Justus Meyer and Andrew Meyer from Doomlings LLC.
