Publisher: Oink Games
Player Count: 2-5 Players
Game Length: 20 Minutes
Complexity 2/5

As the newly appointed head of a circus company, your job is to put together the best group of performers. Each performer has a place, but you’ll need to scout other company’s performers to fill in the gaps and beat your opponents.

Let’s just get real right away… the theme is so lightly attached that if a subtle breeze comes along at the right time it may disappear forever. If you love circus-themed games… great, but it doesn’t really apply here. What you need to know is SCOUT is an extraordinary card game that mixes strategy and a little luck in a package that transcends board game barriers and appeals to kids young and old, seasoned and new. While that pretty much covers everyone, let’s dive into the review and see if SCOUT is a good fit for your game collection.

ON YOUR TURN

SCOUT incorporates a system of poker hands where sets and runs are played in order to trump a previously played group of cards. I’ll refer to all played cards as “sets” going forward. SCOUT features 2 key twists that make it what it is. The first twist comes in early: Cards must stay in the order they were received and sets of cards can only be played as long as they’re consecutive in your hand. The second twist is: Each card features 2 numbers (top and bottom) where only the top number is active.

On your turn you have the opportunity to play a set of cards or scout the previously played set on the table. If you can beat the current set, you’ll show your set and gain money for each card from the previously played set. If you can’t beat the set, then you’ll scout and be able to snag a single card from either the front or back of the currently played set. The player who played the scouted hand receives 1 money for each scouted card as they’re taken. The scouted card you choose can go anywhere in your hand and you have the choice to determine which side (or number) of the card is active.

Each player can use their “scout & show” option once per round allowing them to do both actions on a single turn. Play continues until 1 player empties their entire hand or a played set comes all the way back around to its original player. Points are totaled up and any cards left in your hand are subtracted. The game lasts a number of rounds based on the number of players and that’s how you play SCOUT.

ARTWORK & COMPONENTS

Despite a disjointed theme and minimal components, SCOUT brings a fun, bright and minimalistic design popular in all this publisher’s games. The hobby version comes with a handful of cardboard money and point tokens while the Target/retail version is just a deck of cards leaving it up to you to keep score.

PROS & CONS

Small game footprint makes this easy to store or travel with

Quick playtime means you always have time for a game of SCOUT

Deceptively deep strategy (for a relatively light weight game)

Easy to teach new players

Twists in the game’s mechanics (while not whole unique on their own) present a unique and satisfying game experience

Potential big turns build anticipation and excitement throughout the game

2 player variant loses some of the game’s charm – I’d just stick to 3-5 players

Theme doesn’t really make sense (yes, I’m still harping on the theme)

Luck does play a factor – whether it’s a poorly dealt hand of cards or sitting next to someone who “has all the luck”

WHY WOULD YOU LIKE THIS GAME?

Fans of smart, snappy card games that play well with at least 3 players are really going to appreciate this. It’s easy to teach and jump into, but the strategic depth and neat spins make this something special.

WHAT’S THE BEST THING ABOUT THIS GAME?

Not being able to rearrange your hand is the best thing about SCOUT. Other games like Bonanza and Hanabi have used this, but for entirely different reasons. This limitation creates the necessity to pursue creative solutions in your quest to build the most powerful sets. The dual-numbered cards are a close second, but everything exciting and fun about SCOUT grows from the game’s initial challenge.

FINAL THOUGHTS

There are so many fun pieces that seem to come together just perfectly in SCOUT. It’s a quick, simple play, but it was seeing the strategy unfold over my first few games that had me hooked.

I ultimately see the game more as a push-your-luck style card game. While you may be blessed by a powerful initial hand, you’re most likely going to have to build those sets by scouting at the right times. Bringing cards into your hand can make you more powerful, but the progression of the game allows for fewer and fewer opportunities to strike. While you might scout early even if it wasn’t necessary in order to move toward a potential big play, you’ll come to a point later in the game where a single play from an opponent can surprise everyone and end the round. Scoring is at a premium and losing points for cards in your hand can really weigh on you. So you’ll need to build those tough sets, but also need to know when to cut bait and play. It’s a fine line and I love to see how close I can come to it.

That being said, my 9 year-old-daughter who “isn’t into strategy games” at all enjoys SCOUT because it’s so accessible, plays fast and allows her to enjoy big turns even if she’s not the most engaged gamer. It’s ultra-portable packaging makes this an easy travel pick for your next vacation or daily trip to the office.

I’ve been thrilled to see how versatile SCOUT is when it comes to pairing with the right crowd. It’s been a hit with the family and with more hardcore, strategy gamers. This has all the characteristics of an evergreen-type game that will likely hang around my collection for the foreseeable future.

Publisher: Mini Mysteries
Player Count: 1-4 Players (my recommendation)
Game Length: 60 Minutes
Complexity 1.5/5

A mysterious package has arrived at your door and as unbelievable as it may seem, this parcel is a plea for help from a time traveling agent from the future! Should you accept the mission? Before you know it you’re listening to a correspondence from a woman named Cleo who is trapped in Egypt in 1922. Now you must solve a series of puzzles before time runs out or Cleo will be trapped in the past forever.

Escape from Ancient Egypt

Egyptian Enigma is a lighter, friendlier escape room targeting families with kids. Players will be tasked with solving a series of puzzles centered around the Egyptian gods. The adventure is supplemented with a website link that provides a timer for the game as well as a story that intercuts in between solving your objectives. All the characters are voiced by real audio actors and the story is whimsical and humorous keeping the entire experience light and fun.

I’m going to do my best to avoid spoilers, but the entire presentation is really well done. All the material is delivered in a series of envelopes. Everything feels very authentic with a variety of pieces and paper-types. The graphic design has a neat throwback-vibe that really places you right in the middle of this mystery.

As I mentioned, this is more of a family-friendly escape room meant for younger adventures. The puzzles are just challenging enough to keep kids engaged without getting them frustrated. It’s really ideal for a child’s parent to help guide them through, but hang back and let them solve the puzzles. There was only 1 puzzle that didn’t quite feel up to the quality of the others, but that may just be due to my personal thought process. Throughout the game, you’ll be faced with a series of puzzles that also have a level of educational and instructional material. As the game progresses you might need to lean on past puzzles as the entire story comes together.

I’m not a super-sleuth when it comes to escape room games. I’m actually notorious for spending hours on a puzzle that the average person might solve in a matter of minutes. Thankfully, Egyptian Enigma is a legitimate, under-and-hour scenario. In fact, the game comes with a timer you can cast on your iPad or television that increases the tension. Once completed, you’ll be able to compare your success against other players from all over.

PROS & CONS

Fun story full of humor and solid vocal performances

Great production with authentic looking pieces

Quick, light puzzles to keep kids and families engaged and moving forward

The entire game plays in under an hour – which feels just about right

Fun overall experience

I struggled with 1 puzzle that I didn’t feel quite reached the level of the others

The audio drama did contain some brief, mild language. So that’s something to consider in regards to your audience.

Neutral – Puzzles may be too simple for older kids. I’d put this in the 8-13 year old range.

WHY WOULD YOU LIKE THIS GAME?

If you’re looking for a quick, tight, escape room that’s got a fun presentation, humorous story and works well for younger adventures, you should definitely check out Egyptian Enigma.

WHAT IS THE BEST THING ABOUT THIS GAME?

The best thing about Egyptian Enigma is the overall presentation of the material. While the puzzles may be lighter, the production doesn’t flinch. Each puzzle is unique and has its own look. It is all very historic and authentic and makes for an engaging experience.

FINAL THOUGHTS

Egyptian Enigma is a fun escape room experience you can easily complete in one evening. The puzzles are on the lighter side so this is best for families with kiddos. While you may have a good time, it’s certainly not intended for more seasoned escape artists. I thought the puzzles were consistent and interesting. I really appreciated that they weren’t too challenging. We had played a more demanding escape room game the night before and while it claimed to be for kids, the difficulty level ultimately led to my kids losing interest. I love seeing my kids work to solve puzzles and the excitement stirred when finding the answers. One day they’ll be ready for escape room primetime, but until then, this hit the right level of difficulty. Along with the solid production and theatrics, Egyptian Enigma brings a lot of value. Overall we really enjoyed the experience.

Check out this and other mysteries at minimysteries.club.

Publisher: Write Stuff Games
Player Count: 1-4 Players
Game Length: 30-40 Minutes
Complexity 2.25/5

Saddle up your band of ruffians and explore the Wild West in one of my favorite flip and write games ever!

In Fliptown, players resolve their problems (and life choices) with a simple deck of cards. It’s the value and suit of the card drawn that’s going to open a gateway into a sandbox-style world where you’ll choose to seek your fortune mining gold, rustling up trouble in the badlands, seeking adventure on the trail or exploring all that the frontier towns have to offer. The sheriff’s hot on your trail, so be quick to earn your fortune while avoiding the law.

Breathing new life into the flip and write genre, Fliptown pushes boundaries with interesting turns and rich rewards. Designer, Steven Aramini had previously found success with micro games such as Sprawlopolis and Circle the Wagons – games full of tough choices and tight turns. It’s exciting to see him branch out with a Fliptown, a grand celebration of the art and spirit of Western America… all tied beautifully together in a box that will fit on any size shelf.

ON YOUR TURN

Everything Fliptown has to offer literally stems from a simple deck of cards (albeit, a thematic and beautifully illustrated one). On your turn, you’ll draw 3 cards, using the results to make your choices. The suit will determine the area of your player board you tackle while the numerical value determines the strength or area you pursue. The third card is placed toward your ongoing poker hand that resolves after a single round of 5 turns.

Each player has a reusable dry erase board presenting all the actions you have available. At first glance, it can be a bit overwhelming since it appears there is a lot going on. But I promise you, it all comes together logically and quickly without hardly any struggle.

Representing each of the 4 card suits, players can visit 1 of 4 areas per turn. Each of these areas are thematically highlighted by different mini-games to conquer. The value of the 2nd card chosen will determine what you can accomplish in the area. For example, mining gold presents a tech-tree puzzle where you’ll use your card value to mine further down earning bonuses along the way.

Yes, Fliptown is all about the combos and bonuses along the way. There are definitely ways to extend your turn, and give you that big gun feeling while earning you additional actions and resources.

One of the highlights of Fliptown is in its ability to tell a story throughout the game without diving into an unnecessary narrative. Seeking to rob a stagecoach in the badlands can lead to big rewards or huge legal trouble with the law. The actions come to life, and while the decision is resolved in a matter of moments, your choices begin to shape your adventure in unique and exciting ways.

Traveling to the town provides the opportunity to invest in a ridiculous number of Wild West activities. Visit the undertaker, the church, saloon, general store, land office, gunsmith, bail bonds and plenty more. Each sub location provides fun ways to modify your abilities, benefits and pursuits.

In the end, the player with the most points (or Wild West fame) is the winner. You can play it safe, seeking to avoid the law and go on your merry way… or you can push your luck with hopes of greater victory. Higher reward always comes with a cost and in Fliptown, it’s the sheriff you’ll want to avoid. Each round, players face increasing heat from the law. As you take actions, you’ll accumulate wanted icons that put you in conflict with the local sheriff. Of course there are ways to mitigate these dangers and in the Wild West, even sherifs aren’t above a bribe or two.

Players choose 1 of the game’s 14 personas giving you unique, asymmetrical actions to help you along your trail. Community goals give players additional pursuits to garner game changing points.

Riding Solo

Fliptown also features a simple yet engaging solo mode that creates new challenges as you face off against 4 different bots. Fliptown is a bit of a multi-player solitaire experience, so it isn’t much of a reach to transition to a solo game. I’d even recommend Fliptown just for the solo gamer.

ARTWORK & COMPONENTS

Fliptown is beautifully illustrated with decorative, turn-of-the-century stylings, a rusty, orange hue and mesas adorned with cactus set amongst endless vistas. I love the vibe of the artwork and it immediately draws me in each time I pull this one off the shelf.

This is a big game in a small box with somewhat minimal components. The deck of cards, goals, player personas and dry erase markers round out the package.

If I’m going to be critical, the type on the player board can be a challenge. The design team did a great job working within the boundaries of the board size and box, but it would have been nicer if some of the type wasn’t so small. It obviously hasn’t ruined my enjoyment of the game, but it is worth noting.

The rulebook does an amazing job navigating you comfortably through the game’s actions, areas and rule variants.

PROS & CONS

Exciting choices

Simple, yet deep actions

Activate areas full of personality

Beautifully thematic production

Easy setup and teardown

Tons of replay ability

Great solo and multiplayer

Quick play time

Some of the text is challenging to read on the boards

That’s really it – this is one of my favorites of the year!

WHY WOULD YOU LIKE THIS GAME?

Fans of games like Hadrian’s Wall and Fleet: The Dice Game are going to find the most to enjoy here. This is a think-y, sandbox-style flip and write that rewards players looking to venture down multiple paths. While it certainly isn’t heavy, it will take a moment to familiarize yourself with the game’s choices, icons and functions. That’s all a necessary and worthwhile pursuit to grant passage into the richness, depth and enjoyment the game offers.

WHAT IS THE BEST THING ABOUT THIS GAME?

I’ve talked about the execution of the theme, the cool turn choices and the ingenious use of a playing deck… so I’ll give props to the combos. So many games fail to provide the right amount of combos. Too many and the game feels cheap… too few and there isn’t enough excitement. Fliptown brings a great level of bonus actions where you feel satisfied, but not overwhelmed. There’s really a nice balance to it.

FINAL THOUGHTS

Are you looking for a meaty, flip and write style game? Check out Fliptown. Maybe you’re looking for an engaging western-themed game? Fliptown works for that. Or perhaps you’re looking for a fun experience with satisfying choices? Yep… Fliptown.

Despite the complex player interface, this is a highly accessible game that’s quick to learn, easy to set up, plays smooth and fast and works for any of the 1-4 player counts.

The beautiful production immediately draws you in and from there it’s guns blazing. I love the huge variety of choices that provide a near infinite number of paths to pursue. Turns feel powerful without cheapening the game and Fliptown gives you the sensation of accomplishment despite the player’s skill level (or lack of).

Of course your enjoyment of the theme can certainly affect your overall experience. I love the romanticized vision we have of a nearly civilized western society coming to terms with an untamed world around them. Fliptown does a fine job of embracing this vision, but being “in to” western themed games isn’t necessary to enjoy this one.

Fliptown doesn’t quite dethrone Hadrian’s Wall as the flip and write boss for me, but it’s in the neighborhood. ‘X’ and write games have always leaned on the lighter side and quality, heavier games in this space are few and far between. Fans of games like Hadrian’s Wall are going to want to get in on this.

After nearly a dozen plays, Flip is easily on the shortlist for game of the year (2024) for me. After wading through dozens of lackluster games, it’s experiences like Fliptown that remind me why I love board games. I can’t recommend this one highly enough.

Publisher: Tettix Games
Player Count: 2-6 Players
Game Length: 15-30 Minutes
Complexity 1.75/5

Competitors gather yearly at a secret location unbeknownst to the common man to participate in the Global Abomination Association’s monstrosity creation contest. Why do they do this? It’s simply: to create the most hideous abomination the world has ever seen! Muuuhahahaha!

Hideous Abomination is a fast-paced, family-friendly, tile-laying and set collection game full of bizarre creatures, underhanded interaction and Frankenstinian achievements and awards.

I had the opportunity to review the game’s first edition a couple of years ago and I was truly curious to see what upgrades, changes and enhancements have been made. You’re welcome to read my original review HERE, but I’ll cover all aspects below for players new to the game as well as those looking to see if this new edition demands a place in your collection.

ON YOUR TURN

I was originally drawn to Judson Cowan’s Hideous Abomination thanks to the silly theme and strange artwork. Cowan’s providing double duty here serving as both the design and illustrator. The game features a monstrous 190 card deck featuring tons of different illustrated monster styles broken down into heads, hands, tails and various other limbs and structures. While this might seem disgusting… it is, but in a cartoony, humorous and family-friendly sort of way.

Light on rules, Hideous Abomination provides easy access to a game that can be introduced in less time than it takes to read this entire review.

In Hideous Abomination, you’re constructing your own unique creature out of spare monster parts and earning end game awards for a variety of things such as having the most attached eyeballs or fingers.

On your turn you roll the monster dice and do 1 of a series of actions ultimately ending with the opportunity to add a spare part tile card to your creature (or possibly an opponent’s).

The primary die roll actions mainly revolve around gaining new monster parts. This can be accomplished by drawing from a community pool or from the tile deck.

Additionally, you might roll the opportunity to dig through the discarded tile deck or steal a part from an opponent. There are limitations on what you can and can’t steal, but this can definitely cause trouble for your opponents. The final die action is to draw an award card.

Award cards introduce new end-game scoring objectives throughout the game. Each game starts with 3 grand prize scoring objectives, but it’s not crazy to have 7, 8 or 9 new awards to pursue before the end of the game. These awards are awarded to the player with the most of something. The most hands, heads or ears for example.

Stolen body parts can lead to embarrassing holes in your creation that you’ll want to repair. Having a part stolen earns you bolts to help anchor down other parts to keep them from being swiped later on.

The game ends when the first player has closed off all open part tiles protruding from their monster. Now, these tiles can be played on your monster, but it might be more fun to play them on an opponent’s to mess with their hideous plans. Either way, once a creature is complete, players add up awards and any additional points and a grotesque champion is crowned.

WHAT’S NEW IN THE 2ND EDITION?

For the most part, Hideous Abomination looks very similar to the 1st edition. A new monster die has been added, but the main changes have to do with the game’s actions.

The biggest game changer is how end-game awards are revealed. Previously, you randomly chose a number of awards to go along with the standard grand prize awards. Here new awards are revealed throughout the game challenging you to pivot and adjust your plans. I think this makes the steal action a bit more relevant here than in the previous edition. Quick upgrades might be necessary to earn those last few award points and this may mean stealing from an opponent. While this might seem mean, we’re stitching random body parts together to form an abomination… so checking your moral compass at the door is sorta mandatory. Overall, this new addition forces you to be aware of your opponents progress and results in more player interaction.

The stealing action now provides bolts to the victim to minimize future thievery. This is a nice change to the eyeball and piles of bolts used previously. While it stinks to lose a critical monster part, the bolts are a fine consolation providing security and peace-of-mind towards other valued parts.

The potential for an increased number of end-game awards also increases the time spent on end-game scoring. This was a small issue in the previous version and can possibly expand here. While this can be annoying, it certainly isn’t a deal breaker and, in some cases, provided nice suspense when determining a winner. There are simplified rules that ignore awards and give victory to the first player to complete their abomination as well as an even more simplified version where you just draw tile cards blindly from the deck.

Lastly, the box has been reshaped from the previous cube to a flatter, more traditional shape. I do kinda miss the previous cube – it was certainly unique, but I can see the new shape finding a more comfortable place on your gaming shelf.

ARTWORK & COMPONENTS

The silly and strange monsters created by designer and illustrator Judson Cowan are the heart and soul of the game. There are 190 different illustrated monster parts and they all carry unique personalities. Stitching these random parts together to form your own abomination is a visual delight for both young and old.

Component-wise, there isn’t a whole lot in the game besides the creature and award decks. The cardboard bolts do a fine job anchoring down your tiles and the cards aren’t too thin. The monster die is a uniquely crafted die that rolls a bit funny, but adds to the aura of the game.

The rulebook is a breeze to read and digest guaranteeing quick on-boarding to your first play.

PROS & CONS

 This is a quick game that appeals to both gamers and families with kiddos

 Easy rules and an easy to read rulebook make learning a breeze

 The creative monsters provide a lot of personality

 The number of different monster cards along with the numerous end-game awards encourage lots of replay-ability.

 Plenty of opportunity for a bit of “take that” player interaction

 Seeing your completed abomination is equally hilarious and satisfying

 Small box game fits on any shelf

 End-game scoring can take a minute

 Stealing monster parts from your opponent could be upsetting for younger gamers

WHY WOULD YOU LIKE THIS GAME?

Players looking for a simple game with endless replay-ability and an incredibly fun theme are going to find the most enjoyment here. Hideous Abomination is great for families and kiddos.

WHAT IS THE BEST THING ABOUT THIS GAME?

The best thing about the game is seeing your completed hideous abomination. Every monster is going to be unique making it fully your own—pursue your own monstrous style. The wonderfully silly artwork brings every monster to life—telling its own story.

FINAL THOUGHTS

On the surface, Hideous Abomination is a simple tile-laying, set collection game. It’s easy to teach, quick to play and works for gamers of all ages. What elevates Hideous is the wonderfully creative, whimsical and engaging monster illustrations. Suddenly I’m motivated to see what kind of strange creature I can build this time around. Scoring based on the number of fingers my monster has? How many tails I’m able to attach? Pure genius!

The added interaction is just enough to keep everyone on their toes between short winded turns while the finished product is truly satisfying whether you win or lose. The dice rolling element adds variation to the turns, but never really creates a true, luck-based advantage.

The 2nd Edition does a good job upping the interaction as well as providing added surprises throughout the game by randomly revealing end-game scoring awards. I wouldn’t say it’s 100% necessary to upgrade from the first editions, but it does tighten things up and creates a more enjoyable experience overall.

My 7-year-old daughter LOVES Hideous Abomination. With a library of hundreds of games at her disposal, she regularly drags Hideous Abomination to the table. Sometimes it’s to engage in a battle… Other times it’s just to sort through the tiles to find the right combination of monster parts. So I’m probably biased for that reason alone, but Hideous Abomination is a delightful game for our family that’s full of fun and delicious monster surprises. I whole-heartedly recommend this one!

Publisher: Greenest Games
Player Count: 1-4 Players
Game Length: 40-80 Minutes
Complexity 2.25/5

Set in a futuristic world of bizarre characters, cyborgs and robots, criminals are still going to seek to bring trouble to the common people. Hijacking a plane is their latest pursuit of anarchy, but the police were able to surround the plane and keep it on the runway. Now it’s your turn. As a hostage negotiator, it’s your job to seek the release of the hostages and even challenge these criminals to surrender before the swat team goes in guns blazing.

In this semi-cooperative, dice placement and set collection game you’ll be using your limited turns to gather resources, gain passenger cards and engage the hijackers as you seek the most points through a variety of different means. Are you going to work together with your fellow hostage negotiators to gain more time or are you going to move fast and save who you can before it’s too late? Check out the review below to find out if Hijacked brings is the right pressure cooker for your board game table.

ON YOUR TURN

With only a limited number of turns available until the police breach the plane, you’ll need to use your dice efficiently to save hostages, break down the hijackers and most importantly, score the most points.

Armed with only 2 dice per turn, players will roll them and place them to activate a variety of locations around the board to build their winning approach.

Resources such as crypto, medicine, intel and food can be gathered and used to meet passenger needs or bribe hijackers.

While I understand the reasoning behind the actions, I wouldn’t necessarily call the game very thematic from a mechanical approach. Visiting the passenger card section requires you to play a certain value to reveal the passenger card and the passengers adjacent. This represents connecting with that passenger and the nearby passengers. You can then gain that passenger card if you can pay a necessary resource and if your trust level is high enough (more on that in a minute). If you choose not to grab the passenger, you can discard them for a single point. Afterwards you can take an additional action which might be reserving one of the newly revealed adjacent cards by placing a dice on the card and hoping your opponents don’t roll a higher number.

You might choose to build trust with the passengers. This mini game is community driven since all players can contribute. Taking this action allows you to play a push-your-luck cube drawing game where you hope to pull the right color out of a bag. You can choose to stop, but winners go big… or fail hard. Drawing green cubes builds up your trust allowing you access to more passengers while drawing red cubes can even end up costing you points.

I mentioned this is a semi-cooperative game. Aside from the trust section, players can also delay the police by working to match one another’s point total at the exact same moment. This is a tricky task, but if achieved, everyone receives a rewards and the police are pushed back giving everyone an extra turn. The bigger challenge isn’t getting everyone on the same page to pursue this, it’s actually getting everyone on the exact same point total which can often feel a little out of reach.

Aside from gathering an extra dice for a future turn (if it’s available), players can reserve their very own hijacker and talk them down over a series of turns. Each hijacker provides a unique set scoring objective, so when persuaded to leave the plane, that player has access to those end game scoring points.

There are some corporate objectives available, but the primary scoring objectives come from gathering sets of passengers to earn passenger and pilot tokens. When a player has been able to negotiate the release of 3 passengers and 1 pilot, the end game is triggered. That is unless the police have breached the plane prior ending the game immediately.

ARTWORK & COMPONENTS

Artwork from Macedonian illustrator Mihajlo Dimitrievski (The Mico), while not his best, brings a lot of personality and flavor to the game. Each passenger card features a uniquely illustrated character. The hijackers look pretty hardcore and give the game an edge. The fully-illustrated board falls a little flat for me. The composition seems half-baked and could have been presented in.a more dynamic way.

Components are pretty standard with an assortment of wooden tokens, meeples, playing cards and dice.

The rulebook can get you through the game, but it is a little confusing and often feels a little backwards. Be sure to read through it in it’s entirety before attempting to grasp any concepts.

PROS & CONS

 I love the unique theme… it immediately drew me to the game

 The artwork is solid and has a lot of personality

 The semi-cooperative nature, while minimal, does provide some thematic interaction presented a unique way.

 Once you get a good grasp of the rules, turns move by quickly without much downtime

 Actions feel disjointed from the theme. While the designer did their best to bridge the gap, I never really felt like I was saving passengers or negotiating with terrorists.

 Even though I appreciate the semi-cooperative element, it ultimately falls flat. Over the course of multiple games it was nearly impossible to bring all the players together at the same time to trigger the co-op bonus.

 My biggest con is that I often felt like there weren’t any actions available worth taking. Yeah, I could grab another resources or discard a passenger card for a point, but it often felt very programmed. I wanted more demanding and beneficial choices.

WHY WOULD YOU LIKE THIS GAME?

If you dig the theme and you’re looking for a brisk euro that isn’t going to press you too hard, Hijacked might be in your lane. The unique theme and solid artwork will certainly stir up some interest as well.

WHAT IS THE BEST THING ABOUT THIS GAME?

The idea behind the game is very intriguing. This is a theme that is waiting for the right game. Hostage Negotiator from Van Ryder Games is the only other hostage negotiation game that I can think of and it didn’t quite hit it out of the park.

FINAL THOUGHTS

I went in really wanting to love Hijacked. After a couple stumbles with the rules, we were able to get on track and experience the game as it was intended. Visually, the game is solid, and that along with the engaging theme, sets an intriguing stage.

Overall, the game plays at a nice, brisk pace and different objectives (saving passengers and pilots, building leverage and convincing the terrorists to give up their life of crime) seem motivating. It was the lack of consistently engaging choices that left me a bit empty.

The variable setup is intended to provide new game experiences, but when you’re just rolling dice, it doesn’t necessarily matter. With limited choices and only 2 die per turn, I often felt I didn’t have anything to do. This is unfortunate, because the looming S.W.A.T. breach that ends the game doesn’t give you a lot of time to waste. This led to players often passing on the passenger set collection challenge and just dumping cards for a minimal score… While I guess something is better than nothing, it was incredibly disappointing settling for a minimal score.

Resource management is loose and you’re at the mercy of the passenger deck to help you match up the right cards with the right resources. I honestly just wasn’t that interested in freeing passengers mainly because building card sets doesn’t feel like freeing passengers. The same could apply to talking down the terrorists. It all felt overly simplified and disconnected.

The game ends quickly enough and even if you achieve the end-game triggering objectives, it leaves you a bit unsatisfied. I feel like there might be something cool going on, but the game really needs to be tightened up. Perhaps it would benefit from some additional play tests. Unfortunately, Hijacked just didn’t engage me like I was hoping it would and while it might be good for a couple plays, it’s not something I can recommend.

Publisher: Post Scriptum
Player Count: 2-4 Players
Game Length: 30-45 Minutes
Complexity 2/5

Compete against the world’s great explorers and treasure seekers as you visit legendary locations and pursue mythical prizes to prove your worth

Legend Raiders is a light, quick, family-style, adventure-themed drafting and set collecting game where players seek treasure and match sets to earn the most points. Read our review below to find out if joining the ranks of Montana John, Lana Soft and Lin Diana Jones is right for you.

ON YOUR TURN

Turns in Legend Raiders are fairly simple and quick, giving the game a nice, fast-paced feel and a bit of lounge-in-cheek humor to keep things light.

The focus of the game is build-up your tableau of discovering tiles, working to maximize points and achieve potential end-game objectives.

During your turn, players begin by rolling a die that applies immediate effect to the turn. While typically beneficial, there are some mildly negative effects as well as rolls that could affect all players.

From there, players take 1 of 2 available actions. The first action allows you to draw a pairing of discovery tiles and tool tokens from the headquarters board to your persona player board. There is limited space, so you have to be selective when it comes to your choices.

The 2nd available action has you full-filling one or more of your discovery tiles. Discovery tiles require specific tools to be full-filled, forcing you to spend available tokens from your supply. Once completed, tiles are placed face down on your player board covering 1 of the 6 available spaces. When a player achieves 6 tiles the end game is triggered. Additionally, players draw expedition cards for each full-filled tile.

There is a neat balance to completing tiles since certain spaces feature icons that earn you points when tiles are completed. Each of the 3 spaces reserved for tiles not yet completed score points (discovery area), but only when they don’t have a tile on them. So there is a fun balance between tiles you’re pursuing and points you score after each completed tile. Now some completed tiles will earn you points, but you have to be careful about overloading your discovery area since it minimizes your point potential, but also affects your reserved discovery tiles available to you.

Expedition cards earned have the potential to score additional end game points based on sets of completed discovery tiles. Ultimately, the player with the most points is the winner.

ARTWORK & COMPONENTS

I’m really attracted to the fun, cartoony, Indiana Jones/Tomb Raider style artwork. It really immerses you in the theme and helps elevate the game’s fun-factor. The individual characters are all based on pop culture explorers and give you a fun persona to embrace throughout the game. Components are fine—the cardboard is good quality and definitely gets the job done.

PROS & CONS

Light-hearted, brisk game good for families

Fun theme with great artwork

Simple, popular drafting mechanics create interesting turns that don’t bog down the flow of the game

Game variant allows players to substitute die roll if you aren’t into luck-based games

I really like the balance between loading up your discovery area, giving you more tile options and limiting those pursuits in an effort to maximize points when a tile is completed.

The expedition cards add a nice additional layer that earns points for certain tilesets affecting your choices.

Fairly basic mechanics don’t do anything new

Simple game play may feel too basic for some players. This includes a limited number of choices.

While not a negative, luck plays a large role in the game and can lead to some less than stellar games for certain players

WHY WOULD YOU LIKE THIS GAME?

This is a family game that introduces some fun, tested mechanics and some variation thanks to the different tile and token pairings. There are some additional layers with the die rolling and card drafting that supplements the game play and adds a little more interest and replayability, but it best serves as a gateway game for players who find the theme intriguing.

WHAT IS THE BEST THING ABOUT THIS GAME?

The best thing about the game is finding the right balance to reserving discovery tiles, completing tiles and maximizing your score. A lot of this needs luck to properly work out, but there are mitigating factors at play so you’re still in charge of your own destiny.

FINAL THOUGHTS

Legend Raiders really goes as far as the theme works for you. I’m a fan of that pulp-y adventure style and I think that’s why I’ve enjoyed my multiple plays up to this point. It also helps that I’ve been able to play with my kids and it’s something that gives them interesting choices without being overwhelming. The rules are quick to teach and fairly easy for anyone to grasp.

This is a light, gateway game and it’s probably not going to satisfy more serious gamers. The drafting mechanics seem very popular right now and don’t necessarily bring anything new to the board game world. If you haven’t played too many drafting games, you’re probably going to enjoy this more. The game does run smoothly, plays quickly and is overall, a satisfying experience with the right expectations. I don’t have a problem recommending this for the families and kids who find the adventure theme exciting.

Publisher: Lucky Duck Games
Player Count: 2-5 Players
Game Length: 30-60 Minutes per Session
Complexity 2.25/5

Let’s get this out of the way… I’m a card-carrying “It’s a Wonderful World” super fan. I’m 50 plays in (which is like 200 for board game reviewers) and I feel I can quickly read my hands, form a strategy and make the most each game has to offer. I regularly play both solo and multiplayer and there aren’t too many surprises the game can throw at me. So I’m always excited for new challenges when it comes to my favorite engine builder.

Leisure & Decadence was originally available through the Heritage Kickstarter. This isn’t a legacy game, but rather a series of campaigns that build on one another and can be reset to play again and again. Once you’ve completed all the campaigns, you can integrate the various pieces back into the regular game… but more on that later.

WARNING :: Major Spoilers Ahead

I’ve decided to do a fully-transparent review. This will mean revealing some of the expansion’s secrets and narrative. If this doesn’t appeal to you, you probably shouldn’t read any further. I just feel I can’t do the game justice by staying cryptic with my findings. So without further ado, let’s dig into It’s a Wonderful World: Leisure & Decadence.

INEVITABLY, CULTURES CHANGE

It’s a Wonderful World is a story about building the perfect balance as you seek a utopian society. This means weighing industry, war, science and prosperity. But what happens when prosperity is achieved and there’s more time for recreation and personal enjoyment? That is exactly what Leisure & Decadence hopes to tackle. There has always been a dark underbelly, an almost satirical narrative that streaks through the futuristic achievements, fantastical findings and bizarre societal changes in It’s a Wonderful World.

Taking a cue from some of the great civilizations through history, we can see that when the need to work for preservation and the pursuit of progress fades and prosperity runs rampant, the population indulges in self and often collapses under itself. Take Imperial Rome. Their defeat wasn’t from an external invader, but from their own sloth. This is exactly the social question Leisure & Decadence proposes.

Of course there is still a balance to be found in resources and cards, but the pursuit of knowledge and production has been replaced with leisure and decadence. Culture even becomes a resource in the game and celebrities stand alongside the capitalist and military moguls of the base game.

NEW MECHANICS

Leisure and Decadence takes place over 5 campaigns. Each campaign reveals new story narratives as well as new mechanics and mini-games. These mini-games will divide your attention, change your goals and force you to completely rethink your tested IAWW strategies. Some will come and go while others will stick around offering you new pursuits through the campaign tied into the campaign’s story. Many of these additions create new modules you can later tie into the base game as you see fit.

So what are these new mechanics and do they have legs as legitimate game modules?

The first campaign introduces a simple “Cultural Production” card. It functions like a beefed up development card with a space for 1 of each resource. Once you complete all 5 resources, the card upgrades earn you supremacy bonuses during production, recycling bonuses and eventually 15 victory points. This is a cool, fun little addition that can create new dynamics between players and create new priorities when it comes to production.

Winning or losing also have an effect on players moving forward. Victory often provides additional cards to supplement your game in a positive way while losing does the same with a penalty card—or one with a lesser benefit.

The second campaign introduces new leisure components. These are revealed through a series of Secret Boxes that are a lot of fun to open. With the first mini expansions, players can now invest in culture as a resource. This pink resource is represented on a new set of development cards shuffled into the deck. Players work a small tech track that when upgraded earns the player a celebrity token and celebrity multiplier. It’s a Wonderful World typically plays very stingy on points… the culture production blows that up. Big time points can be scored when you pursue these limited resources.

I won’t itemize each campaign, but the biggest game changer aside from the culture production is the introduction of workers. These 4 workers must be placed on production cards prior to the production round. Production earned during this phase can only be placed on the cards with workers on them. This is a whole other layer to the typical production strategy. Planning completely changes and really makes you focus specifically on what you want to fulfill—there is limited room for mistakes. To compound things even further, each card featuring a worker gains an additional resource of your choice at the end of the production phase for that specific card. It’s really a fun and cool dynamic that changes the way you think about production and planning.

One of the later campaigns also features a “voting” system where players can choose to follow the path of freedom or justice. The result determines the game’s final campaign. During the final campaign, depending on how players previously voted, they will use a new empire card. I really enjoyed this as well. Instead of a standard initial production that remains consistent through the game, players will be losing or gaining resources on their empire card as the round progresses. Players choosing freedom also choose laziness. They start with 5 resources on their empire card, but their lack of production and laziness forces them to lose a resource of your choice each round. Likewise, the just side starts players with a limited number of resources, but gains 1 of their choice each round thanks to their good work ethic.

ARTWORK & COMPONENTS

Artwork and components are on par with what you’d expect from It’s a Wonderful World. The artwork is really solid and the cards are full of wild and bizarre ideas and culture functions. There is a lot of “stuff” in the box and there is tons of value.

PROS & CONS

Interesting storyline is satirical and thought provoking

The new mechanics generally enhance what you love about IAWW

New pieces embrace the spirit of IAWW creating fun, new approaches to the game’s strategy

Campaign can be reset and played again

New modules can be used as you see fit in the base game

Campaign isn’t terribly long and could be played in one sitting

Fans of IAWW may not appreciate the added complexity to the game

The culture resource, while fun, felt terribly overpowered. Culture production cards are limited, but I never felt like they were that rare. We couldn’t pursue them.

Solo mode works great for the expansion, but there were some aspects that were a little gray on the rules and the challenge wasn’t quite as obvious as in multi-player games.

I’m not 100% sold on the long term use of the campaign modules outside of the campaign

WHY WOULD YOU LIKE THIS GAME?

If you’re a fan of It’s a Wonderful World and you’re looking for a fun new experience that changes things up just enough to create new engagement while still embracing the game you know and love… this is probably for you.

WHAT IS THE BEST THING ABOUT THIS GAME?

The best thing about the game is revealing the next secret box. Each secret box could contain anything, from meeples, to game boards and tokens (and do). The first box really sets the tone and once you open the next box, you know something is going to change.

FINAL THOUGHTS

I had a blast playing through Leisure & Decadence. I mentioned in my introduction that I’m a huge fan of It’s a Wonderful World. This is 100% my favorite pure engine/tableau builder. I love the choices and variability depending on how the cards are revealed. Leisure & Decadence brings a number of new mini-games that seamlessly tie into the base game. Some are better than others, but together they are fun and interesting and provide new twists and turns. This is a great, accessible and relatively short campaign that builds on the IAWW lore.

I also really enjoyed the social narrative. I believe our culture is incredibly lazy and I do worry about our future. I don’t believe automation, technology and shortcuts make us better as a whole. Entertainment has become its own religion and over-indulging has led to neglecting responsibility and each other. Leisure & Decadence stirs a conversation that can actually challenge you and make you think. Maybe filling our down time with endless pursuits of pleasure and entertainment aren’t the solution… of course this doesn’t apply to playing board games.

Publisher: 25th Century Games
Player Count: 2-6 Players
Game Length: 20 Minutes
Complexity 1.5/5

Originating in Japan in the 1970’s, Gashapon are toy vending machines similar to any you might find at your local grocery or department store. The glass container gives you a peek into the possible prizes that can be won with just a coin and twist of the handle… so basically gambling for children… but we love it! 

Gasha attempts to mimic this experience by allowing players a peek into the riches a card choice can deliver. In this family-friendly, set collection card game, players will be trying their luck at gaining sets of toys that can later be exchanged for bonus actions and victory points.

ON YOUR TURN

The game takes place over a number of rounds where players take turns choosing 1 of 2 actions: draw 2 cards or exchange sets for rewards.

The game area consists of 4 stacks of gasha cards and 4 available set rewards.

For a simple game, Gasha is highly tied to its theme through the cards and mechanics. Each gasha card gives you a peek into the toy featured on the backside of the card by showing you 2 or 3 possible toys earned by drawing the card. Of course, just like engaging a gashapon, you may or may not end up with your desired toy, but this clue does help you in your pursuit of certain sets.

Cashing in sets to earn reward cards is your 2nd potential action. Reward cards feature specific toy requirements necessary to achieve a point reward. Choosing this action simply means exchanging the required set for the reward card. Reward cards also feature tickets with certain colors where pairing two same-colored ticket sides together earns you a bonus token that can in-turn earn you additional points or feature bonus actions.

Games continue until one of a variety of end game conditions are met. Players then add up their points and the winner is crowned gasha champion for the night.

ARTWORK & COMPONENTS

Artwork in Gasha leans heavily on it’s Japanese influence presenting a variety of illustrated toys is a light-hearted, anime-style. The game features 110 cards and a few cardboard tokens. It doesn’t seem like a pricey game and the production isn’t over the top. The rulebook is short and easy to follow.

PROS & CONS

Fun, simple choices make this one great to play with kids

The theme is very strong, successfully emulating a traditional gashapon machine.

Secondary reward card choices potentially earning you bonus tokens adds an additional layer of engagement

Super accessible game that can easily be picked up in minutes with no prior knowledge of the rules

Quick play time keeps the games light and brisk

Playing up to 6 players, Gasha works for larger families

While I’m surprised by how well the theme is integrated, the game is ultimately forgettable thanks to a lack of depth and replayability

Gasha tries admirably to bring variability to each game, but the differences each play brings with available reward cards or new bonus tokens feels minimal.

WHY WOULD YOU LIKE THIS GAME?

If you’re looking for a light-weight, family-friendly game to play with the kids, you can definitely do worse than Gasha. There is just enough strategy to challenge young kids new to gaming as well as keep adults interested.

WHAT IS THE BEST THING ABOUT THIS GAME?

The best thing about Gasha is how the theme is tied into the mechanics. It really feels like you’re playing a gashapon machine. I enjoyed being able to see the potential outcomes of each card beforehand. This helps mitigate the luck factor and creates a fun, push-your-luck mechanic.

FINAL THOUGHTS

Gasha is a fairly harmless game. It’s light, quick and provides some fun decisions. I’m not really excited about the theme, but I really appreciate the thought that went into bringing the theme to life. The turn choices do create some fun moments that I think will work well for younger kids just getting into gaming. Gasha wouldn’t be my first choice off the shelf, but I’ve enjoyed all my plays. My kids really like the silly toys you can earn and the game’s accessibility and quick pace guarantees I won’t lose anyone before we’re through (parent’s will understand this one). If the theme seems interesting and you’re in the market for a light, portable, quick card game, Gasha is a decent distraction good for a few laughs.

Publisher: 25th Century Games
Player Count: 2-4 Players
Game Length: 30-60 Minutes
Complexity 2.25/5

Earn prestige as you seek to become a Master Gardener in Gartenbau, a horticulture journey of garden cultivation, timeless floral beauty and deceptively deep planning.

Gartenbau is made up of a number of mechanics that include a rondel track, tile drafting and placement, tableau building and endgame objectives. Points are king and scoring accumulates from a nifty, 3-tiered tile-laying system where the points increase the higher you stack. While Gartenbau is a more casual gaming experience, there may be more under the surface than a bright bouquet of sunflowers. Check out our review below and see if Gartenbau will satisfy your green thumb.

ON YOUR TURN

The creators behind Gartenbau made an interesting choice when it came to the presentation. All the floral artwork in the game comes directly from vintage seed and flower catalogs of the late 19th century. These lavish illustrations provide a unique look into history, but also set a rich tone for the gameplay.

The goal of Gartenbau is to score the most points and you attempt to achieve that by mastering the horticultural art of flower presentation. As you cultivate your garden, you’ll plant seeds, buy flowers and achieve dynamic, floral groupings.

On your turn, you’re met with 3 choices: Do you visit the seedling market, the plant market or place flower tiles? Your garden will ultimately serve as a tableau for compounding points so it’s necessary to get your engine running right by making good choices early. And there really is an emphasis on making the right decisions and doing so early in the game since careful planning of your garden is critical. To make the process a bit more streamlined, each player chooses a set of flower tiles that present goals that payout in various ways when applied to your garden at later points in the game.

A great way to explain the overall game-flow is to explain the tile-laying/building process. Your garden always starts with seedling tiles. These tiles are drafted when you choose to visit the seedling market. You have the opportunity to select the top tile of that location and place it immediately adjacent to tiles in your garden. These seedling tiles aren’t worth points, but they each feature 2 random flower symbols. These symbols are important since you’ll need to pair 2 specific symbols in order to visit the plant market (which we’ll explain shortly). Optionally, you can choose water and sunlight tokens instead of choosing seedlings. Each location on the board has a different combination of water and sunlight tokens often creating some interesting decisions and nice tension. The value of these tokens come into play as you visit the plant market on later turns.

The game board essentially has 2 rondel tracks. The first moves you around to visit the seedling market, while visiting the plant market moves you briefly off that primary track and away from blocking any opponent’s next move. The plant market allows you to purchase flowers which will then be placed on top of seedling tiles creating a second tile layer in your garden. You gain these tiles by paying a specific number of water and sun tokens and matching adjacent seedling tile symbols already played in your garden. As more plant tiles of each plant type are selected, they increase in value. So waiting to buy a certain plant tile may make sense, you also run the risk of missing out completely. These plant tiles also serve as a countdown to the end of the game and when they’re gone, they’re gone.

The 3rd turn option also coincides with the 3rd layer of your garden. Prior to the start, each player receives a set of flower tiles providing a variety of scoring opportunities. Each of these tiles requires a set of 2 specific flower tiles to activate. Once you’ve achieved a tile goal, you can choose to place it on top of the proper flower tiles. This does provide bigger end game scoring opportunities, but also cancels out the points from any covered up flower tiles. While it’s typically worth it, this can create some interesting choices, especially if you gain the higher value plant tiles closer to the bottom of the stack.

The flower tiles all carry different, creative scoring conditions. Some will give you points for certain exposed plant tiles in your garden, while others might score points for individual “holes” in your garden tile system. Of course some will just give you big chunks of points, but it’s up to you to target your goals early so you gather the right tiles or at least consider your contingencies since the perfect seedling tile isn’t always available when you need it.

There are ways to advance further around the play area or even share a space with an opponent (which normally isn’t allowed), but the heart of the game is drafting and purchasing tiles in a carefully planned, efficient method to net the most points. Once the endgame is triggered, players get an additional turn, scores are added up and the player with the most points earns the title of Master Gardener.

ARTWORK & COMPONENTS

I previously mentioned the vintage artwork used in Gartenbau. It has an eloquent, timeless style that feels just as relevant and attractive today as it did over 100 years ago. The artwork really lays the foundation giving the game a charming presentation overall. The quality of the components are great and there isn’t anything cheap to detract from the experience. The game’s 2 cardboard wheelbarrows aren’t necessary, but who doesn’t want 3-D cardboard wheelbarrows in their game?

The rulebook is really well done and makes an accessible game that much easier to jump into.

PROS & CONS

 Beautiful, vintage artwork and fun, quality components provides a great table presence

 Simple ruleset makes teaching the game a breeze

 Quick playtime in under an hour works great for many families

 Satisfying tile system feels good and presents some interesting decisions

 Simple rondel board can feel a little limiting, but forces you to work within your choices. There are ways to circumvent the movement rules, but they are limited.

Planning is key. While this is a fairly simple game, success is achieved through intentional pursuits and strategy and intense engagement.

 It can be frustrating missing out on the seedling tiles necessary for your plans, but this is the game and executing your contingencies can be exciting or a real bummer depending how you feel about it.

 The game takes up a fair amount of table space and you have to get creative with how you layout your garden tiles.

 Turns are played fairly quick, but the game overall, moves along at a slower, methodical pace. If you have someone who really wants to think through their turn, it can feel a lot longer between turns than it really is.

 While there are different goal sets and rule variants to keep things fresh, the replay-ability may lean too heavily on the charming theme and presentation.

WHY WOULD YOU LIKE THIS GAME?

The charming presentation is going to draw you in and even keep you to some extent. Fans of horticulture and vintage art are going to find the appearance of the game equally appealing. This is a game that’s easy to learn, has simple turn mechanics, but also provides a bit of bite. Success depends on your ability to plan and execute within the game’s restraints.

WHAT IS THE BEST THING ABOUT THIS GAME?

The best thing about Gartenbau is the tile-laying system. I really enjoy setting my garden foundation, building it up and then seeing it come to fruition by achieving my flower tile goals. There are also some interesting decisions as you try to pair symbols and maximize points, but in the end it feels very satisfying.

FINAL THOUGHTS

Gartenbau is the type of game where you come for the aesthetics and stay for the substance. The big, bright sunflower at the center of the board serves as a beacon calling out to all who appreciate the vibrancy and energy of nature. It’s when you really dive into the strategy that you uncover a fun, engaging system.

It’s a gateway-style game that’s easy to teach, learn and jump into. The limited rule set is smooth and simple without the wrinkles that over complicate many games. The actions, while straightforward, provide plenty of interesting decisions.

The tile-laying aspect to the game could easily have felt tired, but the planning and strategy force you stay engaged and focused keeping it fresh and interesting. Building up your garden through this multi-tiered tile system looks and functions great. When you’re finally able to lay that flower tile on the 3rd level, there is a real sense of satisfaction. While this seems like the pinnacle of your garden mountain, there were many times placing that final tile, even though available, wasn’t always clear cut. There are a number of different ways to score and it’s not always by racing to build your flower tiles. There are enough variabilities built into the game to keep you on your toes and keep the game from becoming too formulaic.

All that being said, I’m not sure how repayable Gartenbau really is. It does a lot of things other successful games are doing right now… but it does them very well. There are a number of different objective sets to help chart a unique course from the beginning. While these objectives are each unique on the surface, the differences aren’t all-together THAT different. So while I can plan for different approaches and pursue different goals the game does have its limits.

At the end of the day Gartenbau is good fun. It looks great and that adds a lot of value to a game that does some new things, but also a lot of old things really well. I think there is a ton of value here that should appeal to a large cross-section of gamers who like their games lighter with a little bit of bite. The mechanics and choices blend together nicely and if the theme appeals to you, I can’t see anyone being too disappointed they invested in Gartenbau.

Publisher: Ludus Magnus Lite
Player Count: 2-4 Players
Game Length: 20-30 Minutes
Complexity 2/5

Cultural trends have the ability to consume the attention and passions of the people. In 19th century London, a curious populace engaged in the search for the strange, bizarre and rare, collecting artifacts, writings and trophies to captivate their contemporaries. In Chamber of Wonders, you’re racing against friends as you travel the far reaches of London in an effort to secure the most amazing wonders, luring the community and build your status as the most accomplished collector of all things fantastic.

Players will engage in a modular, set collecting, worker placement experience where you’ll attempt to gather cards and partake in a variety of mini-games all with the goal of scoring the most points in a very limited timeframe. Efficiency and luck will play a major role as you not only attempt to fill your museum with different items, but you’ll do so in a way that makes the best use of your opportunities. Find out our thoughts and determine if Chamber of Wonders if your next board game adventure as we dive into the game below.

ON YOUR TURN

Despite its opulent and involved presentation, Chamber of Wonders is a very quick and straightforward game.

Variability sits at the heart of the game. Chamber of Wonders begins by selecting 4 unique locations to serve as the 4 locations your team of agents can visit. Each of these locations are represented by 3-dimensional standees displaying its real-life, historical counterpart. Each location is dual sided, with its own separate action you can tie into the game. From there, you’ll choose 4 contact cards representing dealers and shady business types you have the opportunity to engage with during the game. Each of these characters has their own unique action guaranteeing the potential for a completely new gaming experience each game for quite some time.

Depending on the variable setup, players will receive a number of coins and wonder cards to start the game.

Ultimately the winner of the game is the player to score the most points over a limited number of turns (8 or 9 depending on the player count). The primary means of scoring comes from playing your wonder cards in your display cabinets. There are 6 different card themes and they all score slightly different.

On your turn, you’ll place one of your agent meeples on 1 of the 4 London locations. The timing of this placement is key since you can only visit each location once at the most per game. When placed, you’ll activate the action associated with the space and have the option to visit 1 of the 2 adjacent contacts, performing that action.

Each location’s actions vary dramatically and activating the location at the right time can be key to your overall strategy. Each location acts as its own mini-game with its own unique mechanics. Some locations will allow you to sell chamber cards, while others will allow you to gain cards through bidding, trade, theft of push-your-luck style actions. These locations also typically engage the other players at the table limiting downtown between turns. The contacts have similar effects to the locations, but are optional and exclusive to the active player.

Once the active player has completed their location actions, every player has the opportunity to fill one of their display locations with chamber cards. This might mean a single card or a set of cards. For example, the more unique books you play at one time, the more points that display location scores at the end. Some cards have bonuses that can add to end game scoring or hinge on the items in yours or your opponents display cases. Hanging onto your cards as long as possible is key, but you’re also taking the risk that another player won’t have the opportunity to swipe the cards out from under you before you have the chance to play them. Of course, missing an opportunity to play cards with such a limited number of turns can be devastating.

When the final player plays their last agent meeple, players count up the points from their collected artifacts, add up any bonuses they’ve achieved and subtract any remaining wonder cards still in their hand. The player with the highest score wins the game and earn the title of “most envied, amateur museum curator.

ARTWORK & COMPONENTS

Chamber of Wonders, like most Ludus Magnus Kickstarter productions, boasts a dramatic table presence. The 3-D location cards give the game board real height and depth. The artwork is a little dark giving London a more mysterious, seedy feeling. The typography and graphic design sets the stage and theme to transport you safely back to the 19th century.

The display cases could have just been standard cardboard placeholders, but they’re actually 3-D spaces that have to be constructed. They definitely give the game more visual interest, but add substantially to the game’s overall footprint.

The rulebook is well laid out and clearly communicates the wide variety of actions in the game.

I think my only major complaint is actually two-fold: The icons in the game don’t always easily clarify the actions they’re associated with. Because of the iconography and extensive variety of actions associated with them, it would have been natural for each player to have a good player aide, but that was not included. I’ve heard there is an app in development, and it may mainly pertain to the solo mode, but I’m holding out hope it will include the much needed digital player aide.

PROS & CONS

 Great table presence with the 3-D game components

 Card artwork has tons of personality

 Multiple game modules create variety and true replay-ability

 Little downtime between turns thanks to simultaneous actions

 Multiple gameplay modes for different player counts

 Number of expansions to add more variety to the game

 Restricted worker placement mechanic does require you to plan out your turns to guarantee the best outcome

 Limited actions create urgency and places importance on each decision throughout the game

 Fairly large table presence doesn’t feel completely necessary

 No player aide

 I often felt my actions were predetermined ahead of time by the cards I drew limiting my strategic choices

 My game enjoyment varied depending on the chosen module combinations

WHY WOULD YOU LIKE THIS GAME?

Gamers looking for an impressive looking game without too much complexity will enjoy what Chamber of Wonders provides. Additionally, if you’re looking for a game with tons of variability and replay-ability, this has all been built in without having to buy countless expansions. While it’s primarily a worker placement game, there are many hints of other mechanics throughout the game such as bidding, card drafting and push-your-luck elements.

WHAT IS THE BEST THING ABOUT THIS GAME?

I would definitely have to say the game’s ability to provide different game play experiences by combining and contrasting different components is it’s strongest feature. You have the ability to customize the game as you see fit. This also means for different player counts since some location mini-games work better with 3 or 4 players while others provide plenty of impact at 2. This is something you can refine as you work your way through the game.

FINAL THOUGHTS

Chamber of Wonders is a fun and ambitious project when it works. I say “when it works” since my enjoyment of the game varies greatly depending on the locations and contact characters I combined. This was really only resolved over time as I became more familiar with the actions, how they worked individually and how they contrasted. It became a science to properly balance each game while still providing new and interesting experiences.

The gameplay itself is relatively simple. The location mini-game/actions only take a moment to resolve and you’re primarily managing a handful of cards in an effort to compliment your museum and build sets. There is a fair amount of interaction with limited downtime and the game plays at a breezy pace.

As an art director, I’m a huge fan of creative and decadent board game staging. I love building 3-D cardboard pieces that add dimension and engagement to games. Chamber of Wonders brings a lot of that character to the overall experience. The artwork and uniquely die-cut London locations sets a strong tone to the game. I do have to wonder if it might be a little overkill in this situation in relation to the game’s depth and length. It certainly doesn’t take a ridiculous amount of time to set up and tear down, but in a 20-30 minute game experience, it does feel a bit off-balanced.

The personality in the chamber cards was a nice surprise. There are so many strange and humorous wonders to collect. You might end up adding the Necronomicon to your book library, the Holy Grail beneath a countertop display, the hide of Gamera who appeared in Japanese sci-fi films and even a nod to Ludus Magnus’ successful Black Rose Wars game.

Normally it wouldn’t make a huge impression, but the lack of a player aide was a real struggle. While everything is clearly presented in the rulebook, I found myself often flipping between pages to re-verify different actions. I do think this could have been supplemented with more intuitive iconography. Perhaps its just me, but I felt the icons didn’t do a great job telling the story of the action it represented.

I do think there is plenty of fun to be had here, but the excitement was fairly limited in my experiences. The game’s arch was fine, but I was often left desiring more interesting decisions. I wanted to have more choices and choices that mattered to my end-game standing. It’s really a race to get as many cards in your hand as quickly as possible to open up your scoring opportunity as the game unfolds. You might have 6 or 7 more cards than your opponents, but they may not mesh well together. In those cases, you’re quickly working on liquidating the cards so they don’t count against you in the end game. Now if there wasn’t a great option available to sell cards regularly you’ll have to adjust your strategy early and expectations for scoring.

There is an asymmetrical addition to the game where players each receive a special ability card. This certainly helped drive strategy, but if my ability was only needing 2 monster parts as opposed to 3 to make a set, but I never get the right monster parts, it can be frustrating. Despite some occasional missteps, I certainly liked the game better with the ability cards added in.

I also had the opportunity to preview the Sherlock Holmes themed “A Chamber in Red” expansion. This adds a fun Holmes/Moriarty dance around the location board where ending up on a space with Moriarty unmonitored by Holmes (Dangerous Area) forces you to draw a misdeed card that may cause trouble at the end of the game. It also adds a Baker Street location and Dr. Watson contact card that interacts with the misdeed cards. This is a nice, thematic addition to the game that fits in nicely with the time period and fun personality of the game. If you find yourself enjoying Chamber of Wonders, you should definitely add this expansion.

Chamber of Wonders is a beautifully produced game with a lot of replay-ability. The gameplay is fast and often straightforward to a fault. The choices didn’t always hit the mark for me and it feels a tad overproduced for the weight and style of the gameplay. The artwork and artifact choices bring a lot of personality and joy to the experience and I completely respect the creativity that went into the production. I do think it plays best at 3 or 4 players and if you have the right group who enjoys quick plays, bidding and silly, push-your-luck style mechanics, this could be a lot of fun. While Chamber of Wonders doesn’t receive my complete seal of approval, going in with the right expectations and seeing where the true value of the game lies, has the potential to make memorable experiences at the game table.