2012 Board Game Gift Guides

2012 Christmas Gift Guides

These gift guides are fantastic! Check them out and that is How Lou Sees It!

http://www.boardgamegeek.com/wiki/page/Board_Game_Gift_Guide_2012
http://www.boardgamegeek.com/blogpost/14778/2012-christmas-game-guide

Thurn and Taxis: All Roads Lead to Rome

Thurn and Taxis: All Roads Lead to Rome
Designed by Andreas and Karen Seyfarth

This is another great expansion for the game Thurn and Taxis and this review will complete my 3 part review of Thurn and Taxis and its expansions. If you haven't heard of Thurn and Taxis, check out my review on the base game first - and yes, you will definitely want an opportunity to play or own this game.

This expansion offers a couple of different things you can play with the original base game. You can play them together or you can choose to play with one or the other. The first one is actually where the title for this expansion comes from, "All Roads Lead to Rome." This expansion includes a board that is placed off to the side and consists of different pathways that lead to Rome. Each player secretly at the beginning of the game chooses to place certain religious characters with different valued points attached to each face down in each carriage. The carriages (5 total) are moved when a player decides not to place a post office in a town of that same color. If you get to Rome too soon, another players character of the same type would keep you from scoring those points, but if you don't arrive at all, no luck either. It is an interesting idea and is pretty interesting, but not my favorite addition.

The other expansion provided is basically some tokens which are taken when you choose a specific action. You are rewarded by diversifying your action choices and you get to turn these in for bonuses (get an additional card, victory points, or place a post office in a city of your choice). I really like this aspect of the game and it really can help you snag some of those bonus tiles a little bit easier.

Overall, the expansion is a good one, but if you were to choose, I would say go with the Power and Glory expansion. Again, a big SHOUT OUT to Rio Grande Games for making this review possible, and for making such great games and that is How Lou Sees It!

Russell Javert and Harrison Graff

Les Mis and Ender's Game

Okay everyone, I am so excited for these two movies! The clip below shows us a little insight on Russell Crowe's vocal talent and the picture is the first glimpse of the Ender's Game movie (set to come out November 1, 2013). We will have to see if the movie can compete with the second Hunger Games movie also scheduled for release that month. With Ben Kingsley and Harrison Ford, I have some pretty high hopes for the movie, and Asa Butterfield I think will be a great Ender. Anyway, we have a long time before that movie comes out, so let's focus back on Les Mis. Merry Christmas! Les Mis is out on the 25th of December and is going to be incredible. Its star power is unbelievable; Amanda Seyfried, Anne Hathaway, Russell Crowe, Hugh Jackman, and Helena Bonham Carter. I am currently reading the abridged version of Victor Hugo's Les Miserables (abridged, so that I can finish it before the movie comes out). I have seen the show done live, and have listened to special Broadway anniversary editions on T.V. and in French class. The story is amazing, and the songs are transcendent. Be excited and that is How Lou Sees It!