Wednesday, November 26, 2014

Twinkle Twinkle Little Mai-Star


Designed by Seiji Kanai
Published by AEG
3 to 6 Players
30+ Minutes
Hand Management

(9/10 Stars)

This little card game surprised me in a great way. I think the theme of the game may turn some people off to the game, but play it once and I think you will be hooked. The game is elegant. The artwork and quality of the components and rule book are fantastic. The core game play is simple and easy to learn.


Players pick 1 of the 6 different geisha to be for that game. Each one has a different unique ability that will make a great difference for that player if used wisely. This adds some variability to the game. The rest of the cards are either played as a guest providing money (victory points) and usually very important and powerful actions to help yourself or hinder others. Or, the same card can be played as an advertiser increasing your reputation in one of the 3 areas that will help you be invited by a guest.


The game mechanics are solid and it provides some really interesting decisions from you on what to play as a guest and what to play as an advertiser. How are you going to use your special ability to get ahead? Playing guest cards to score points is one thing, but I was surprised at how interactive this game is. Whenever someone is laying a guest, you may just be targeted and you may lose the powerful advertiser you just laid down, or maybe your newest guest leaves you, or maybe you have to draw additional cards.

The game is simple and yet provides many choices and lots of fun and that is How Lou Sees It!

Thursday, November 20, 2014

Who is the Belle of the Ball?


Designed by Daniel Solis
Published by Dice Hate Me Games
2 to 4 Players
30+ Minutes
Set Collecting, Card Drafting

(8/10 Stars)

One of my past featured Kickstarters, the Belle of the Ball has finally arrived and the party can now get started! I was able to interview Chris from Dice Hate Me Games and the designer Daniel during the Kickstarter campaign and I was very excited to see the final version.


Belle of the Ball does not disappoint - the game mechanics are well thought out and work very well, the components are top notch, and the artwork is just fantastic.  With all of that and a well applied theme, Belle of the Ball may just become your new favorite set collecting game.


With elegant simplicity, Belle of the Ball may just be the star of your next game night.  The game provides good player interaction and the guest cards have some pretty funny names that will have everyone laughing (or at least smiling).  The Belle of the Ball cards provide the needed variance and strategy as you each try and create the best parties.  Collecting guests that share similar interests, I think the theme fits really well.  I like that the game has some different advance variants that will ensure good replay value.  Well worthy of being featured on my blog, I say don't wait for an invitation - go get a copy for yourself and start your own party today!  And that is How Lou Sees It.




Tuesday, November 18, 2014

A Qwixx Review


Designed by Steffen Benddorf
Published by Gamewright
2 to 5 Players
15 Minutes
Dice Rolling, Score Card Management

(8/10 Stars)

Qwixx is a simple dice game that provides lots of fun. Published by Gamewright, the game fits in very well with their other family friendly games.  Qwixx is easy learn and fun for kids as well as adults.  The game is very straight forward and players will always be engaged in the game even if they aren't the one rolling the dice.  The game provides solid mechanics that keep all players on the edge of their seats hoping for the numbers they need.  It feels like Yahtzee meets Bingo and they had a colorful child named Qwixx.  


The game can help children develop simple math skills and sequence understanding.  While the game won't be providing a huge amount of strategic depth, you will need to understand and follow basic strategy.  The game is enjoyable as a light dice game should be and with nice short play times will keep players coming back for more.  The quality of dice, instructions, and scoring pad are fantastic and would make a great gift to someone who enjoys games such as Yahtzee, Farkle, Pass the Pigs, and Bingo.  Push your luck and cross of a number, Qwixx will definitely be played many times at my house and that is How Lou Sees It!

Saturday, November 15, 2014

Mages Profit from Bluffing and Cheating


Designed by Seiji Kanai
Published by AEG
3 to 6 Players
30 to 40 Minutes
Hand Management, Bluffing, Wagering, Take That

(8/10 Stars)

Cheaty Mages published by AEG with original Japanese artwork.  This is a really fun and interesting strategic bluffing game with good player interaction.  The game is easy to learn and quickly enjoyed by a nice range of individuals.  While players make strategic choices and try and bluff their way to victory, the game also provides some luck element from card draws and sudden changes from certain spell cards.  The game is very fun and I would recommend to those who enjoy games such as The Coup, The Resistance, Killer Bunnies, and/or Munchkin.  Designed by the same designer who brought us the huge hit Love Letter - this is definitely another top notch game.  AEG also does a great job with the production quality providing a great gaming experience that you will not be quick to forget - unless a mage casts a forgetful spell on you that is...and that is How Lou Sees It!

Saturday, November 1, 2014

The Holiday Season is Here, and so is Holiday Fluxx!


Designed by Andrew Looney
Published by Looney Labs
2 to 6 Players
10 to 40 Minutes
Hand Management, Fluxx

(6/10 Stars)

Holiday Fluxx is one of the newest themed Fluxx decks available from Looney Labs. The general idea behind any of the Fluxx games is very simple. Fluxx is a hand managment game that is constantly changing. Not only are your cards changing, but players are changing the rules and even the goal of the game constantly. A very fun concept. It keeps the game very variable and interesting. The game is not complicated even with all this change. 

The base rules and idea of the game (again, these can be changed or modified throughout the game) is that you draw a card and play a card each turn. The goal cards can be played to the center of the table one on top of the other - with the one on top being the current goal of the game. If a player meets that goal, they win the game. Usually the goal cards just list what cards a player must have played in front of them in order to win. Players have Keeper cards which are cards necessary for certain goal cards and Creeper cards (only in certain versions) which usually inhibit you from winning until you get rid of it (or it may be required from a goal). Action cards allow players to add more chaos to the ever changing game. You may be drawing 4 cards at the start of your turn but you may have a rule that limits you to only 2 cards at the end of your turn.

A very intriguing concept for a game and one that can be very fun. It can get long at times, but hopefully you are in no rush and you are just enjoying the game. The game isn't really what I would call a strategic game by any means, and there is quite a bit of luck involved. A player may start with the required goal and necessary cards to complete that goal and win the game very shortly after starting, or you may change the game back and forth so frequently that it takes you an hour to finish the game. Very interesting. 

I'm a huge fan of this holiday season and I think that this is such a great addition to the Fluxx family. Looney Labs has many different themed decks including Monty Python, Zombie, Pirate, Star, and Oz to name a few. If this isn't the right theme for you, check out their other themed decks. Life is too short to remain constant all the time, so every once and a while you just need to change things up - a lot - and you can do it with Fluxx and that is How Lou Sees It!

Argent: The Consortium Unboxing


Designed by Trey Chambers
Published by Level 99 Games
Around 30 Minutes per Player
2 to 5 Players

(Commentary/Unboxing)

I open up Argent and show you what is inside the box! Very excited to play this one. Look for a review after I get a chance to play it here on my blog, YouTube channel, and on Board Game Geek, You can check out my interview with founder and president of Level 99 Games, D. Brad Talton Jr., that I posted during the Kickstarter campaign by checking out the interview tab or clicking here.


Hopefully I can get back to posting reviews as I am very behind! Lots of games to review and little time to do it in. I guess we all have our struggles. :) Sickness has run rampant in my household for the last 3 months and life gets busy. Try and always make time for gaming and that is How Lou Sees It! 

Tuesday, September 9, 2014

Regular Show Fluxx


Designed by Andrew Looney
Published by Looney Labs
2 to 6 Players
10 to 40 Minutes
Hand Management, Fluxx

(6/10 Stars)

Regular Show Fluxx is one of the newest themed Fluxx decks available from Looney Labs. The general idea behind any of the Fluxx games is very simple. Fluxx is a hand managment game that is constantly changing. Not only are your cards changing, but players are changing the rules and even the goal of the game constantly. A very fun concept. It keeps the game very variable and interesting. The game is not complicated even with all this change. 

The base rules and idea of the game (again, these can be changed or modified throughout the game) is that you draw a card and play a card each turn. The goal cards can be played to the center of the table one on top of the other - with the one on top being the current goal of the game. If a player meets that goal, they win the game. Usually the goal cards just list what cards a player must have played in front of them in order to win. Players have Keeper cards which are cards necessary for certain goal cards and Creeper cards which usually inhibit you from winning until you get rid of it (or it may be required from a goal). Action cards allow players to add more chaos to the ever changing game. You may be drawing 4 cards at the start of your turn but you may have a rule that limits you to only 2 cards at the end of your turn.

A very intriguing concept for a game and one that can be very fun. It can get long at times, but hopefully you are in no rush and you are just enjoying the game. The game isn't really what I would call a strategic game by any means, and there is quite a bit of luck involved. A player may start with the required goal and necessary cards to complete that goal and win the game very shortly after starting, or you may change the game back and forth so frequently that it takes you an hour to finish the game. Very interesting. I'm personally not a huge Regular Show fan, but it seems like they have themed the game well (see video review below). Check out the game and game play. Looney Labs has many different themed decks including Monty Python, Zombie, Pirate, Star, and Oz to name a few. If this isn't the right theme for you, check out their other themed decks. There is even a Holiday themed deck coming out soon that I think will be a very fun theme (perhaps a review of that one forthcoming). Life is too short to remain constant all the time, so every once and a while you just need to change things up - a lot - and you can do it with Fluxx and that is How Lou Sees It!

Monday, September 8, 2014

A MAGE Company Update


The following is an update from MAGE Company on upcoming games, Kickstarter projects, and Essen information. If you have any additional questions concerning any of this information, please visit the links provided or contact MAGE Company. Another review coming soon! I hope to get more reviews done and posted soon as I am way behind at the moment. Yikes!

The 3rd World War was referred, by many, as the last war because of the vastness of destruction that it had caused. Everywhere around the world, mankind suffered great casualties and horror — but a few survivors that had the power and the resources built mighty cities all around the world to gain strength and rule again. The cities that were built each had a unique aspect: They contained golden metallic walls, symbolizing hope. Thus, they were named the Golden Cities. This game takes place five years after the Last War, with the players taking on the role of people vying for citizenship within a Golden City.

Raid and Trade is a negotiation and resource management game for 3-5 players. The player who is able to enter the golden city first wins, and there are three different ways to enter the golden city:

Become an expert: Reach 20 skill points.
Serve the city: Fulfill three secret quests.
Become a nobleman: Get the most possible character points.

You can vote the box and the Minis on Board Game Geek just by checking the gallery of the game. Check it here



In each turn, the players can spend action points to do several actions such as moving through the city, raiding buildings, attacking other players, and more. Each player has a specific skill — mechanic, trader, electrician, bodyguard and medic — and has his own unique items to build; those items can be traded off against other items or resources.

 
 

The board of the game is modular so that in every game you have a new map to discover. All over the map, the players find different buildings which they can raid. Each time a player raids a building, a raid card of this type of building is taken and read, which leads to specific circumstances taking place. The player will be made to make various decisions including important moral decisions! Upon resolving the various decisions, you will receive character points. The choices you make, for good or for bad, will lead to specific perks and advantages (or disadvantages) during the progress of the game. When raiding a building, you get resources (tools, scraps, mechanics, electronics, etc.). By combining these resources, you can craft items with special abilities. By doing so, you will advance your skill points.

Every player also gets secret quests of the golden city. To fulfill these quests, the players have to spend the resources mentioned on the card. To fulfill a quest will not only lead the players closer to victory but also give them advantages for the rest of the game. We will demo the game at Essen Spiel, on October at our booth Hall 3 - Booth O103 while we have scheduled the campaign for the Kickstarter on November 3.

Currently we launched a new campaign on Kickstarter for a new game called "The Orcfather" a fantasy-themed card game for 2-10 players with basic price at $30 including ship fees for several countries. Check it here: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/magecompany/the-orcfather



We will be at Essen Spiel at Hall 3 - Booth 3-O103 along with the team who will demo our games. Here is the diagram of our booth where you can find us:



At this Spiel we will also carry 12 Realms. Any issues from the first printing run has been addressed and the reprint of the game is better than ever with upgraded quality, revised rules, glued minis and more. The game will have a special price at 35 EU but also there will be packs that include small expansion for the basic game.



We will also demo some of the Plots of the 12 Realms: Ancestors Legacy. Since we still develop the game, we made sure to create a couple prototypes in order to demo the new adventures among the realms!



Four exciting new realms lie hidden in the Fairy World and you must prepare yourself to explore them so as to defeat all of their enemies. Kievan Empire, Golden Caliphate, Olympia, and Nile Valley are the new lands you will get to explore to learn their secrets. Ruslan, Sinbad, along with the rest of the heroes, will unite to fight against Marid, Sobek, and the rest of the Dark Lords!

Ancestors Legacy provides a much different game through its plots. There are now three different plots for both editions, which include a background story and significantly increase the difficulty level and excitement of the game – increasing the amount of decisions that players will have to make. A plot may have you playing with six realms (combining old and new lands), facing all of the Dark Lords, or creating a really fast game with a unique set-up. Now, more than ever, team camaraderie will be necessary in order to reach victory!



Our new game Höyük will be also available since we finished the production and the game is on the way. The price for the game will be at 35 EU. This version is trlingual: EN-FR-GE

Imagine yourself some 10,000 years ago in the Middle East.

Your clan has left the ancient nomadic life and settled with four other clans in the valley. The community has repeatedly succeeded in harvesting crops, and some families are getting better at raising animals; next moon will see the birth of a new generation of pups. We all praise our own gods and Mother Goddess for being good to us. This new era has brought something new to us: The area is progressively filling with dwellings, built tight against each other. New generations are building their houses over the remains of old constructions. Our greatest families have now constructions way up over the land, proudly showing off their shrines and wealth to the community. Who knows, when the children of our children will come to the world, which clan will rule this multitude?



In Höyük, each player represents a clan that settles with other clans to erect a village. During the game, a replica of a Neolithic settlement will be built on the Höyük board using tiles that represent houses. Many additional pieces — such as ovens, shrines, and pens — will also aid a player in building his settlements. ("Höyük" is Turkish for hill or mound. The word is also used for prehistoric settlements in the region that have a characteristic, hill-like look from houses being built on top of older houses and the absence of streets between the houses because people entered their homes through the roof.) The goal of the game is to build the best settlement and score the most victory points, with multiple paths to victory and many choices along the way. The best clan will prevail in Höyük!
--
MAGE Company LTD
www.magecompany.com



Thursday, September 4, 2014

Burger Builder Preview


Designed by Andrea Tsang
Published by X-Axis Production
2 to 4 Players
45 Minutes
Hand/Resource Management, Trading
Preview

(5/10 Stars)

Burger Builder is a little hand resource management game where you collect ingredients and build burgers. I really like the artwork on the cards and the general mechanics of the game are good. The game is light and very easy to learn/teach. I struggled with the length of the game - seemed a little long for the light game that it is. It has potential, but it didn't really fully resonate with me and that is How Lou Sees It. (See the video review and some pictures below.)


Game setup and ready to go.

Rule book - classy.

5 of the 7 ingredients available (not shown close-up the fish fillet and burger patty)

Orders to fulfill, apparently people like mushrooms...

Not a huge fan of mushrooms, but the artwork on the card looks fantastic!

Monday, September 1, 2014

Warband: Against the Darkness (Preview)

(8/10 Stars)

Designed by Micah Fuller
Published by Dyskami
2 to 5 Players
60 Minutes
Action Point System, Area Control, Set Collecting, War
Featured Kickstarter


Warband provides variety, balance, and many different ways to victory. This is a preview with prototype components that was provided to me from Dyskami. This game is currently on Kickstarter as of today (9/1/14) there are 13 days days remaining. Players pick 1 of 10 different races each with a special ability that help provide different strategies and help with replayability. Players choose how to advance or improve their race according to the 4 different actions available to the players. Tax, train, scout, and fight your way to victory. Great artwork (I wish there was more). Small cards (not my favorite). Seems well balanced and provides lots to think about without being too heavy to bog you down. Check it out and that is How Lou Sees It! (See video review below with some pictures after that - enjoy!)



2 Player Setup

2 Player Setup Close Up on Realm Board

Starting Player Board (Elves)

Game In Progress 

Rulebook

Monday, August 18, 2014

GEM (Preview)

(7/10 Stars)

GEM
Designed by Chris Handy
Published by Perplext
2 to 4 Players
15 Minutes
Bidding, Card/Resource Management
Featured Kickstarter


GEM is just one of the microgames in the Game O Pack series published by Perplext and designed by Chris Handy. All the games in the series are amazingly created to be the size of a pack of gum and this "gem" really packs a strategic punch! I am really impressed with the small size and yet the utility of the cards. The artwork is simple and works well with the simple game play. The game is a bidding game where players bid for gems. Players then reinvest in their own gems to gain more bidding power, but the game is all about balance. Only gems that have been invested in will score you points at the end of the game. You can find a great instructional video produced by Perplext teaching the rules underneath my review video. You can check out the Kickstarter page for more information on GEM and the other games in the series. Such a great little strategic game and that is How Lou Sees It.


How Lou Sees It: GEM Preview


Instructional Video

Wednesday, August 13, 2014

Bite Sized Sushi


Designed by Phil Walker-Harding
Published by Gamewright
2 to 5 Players
15 Minutes
A Card Drafting Game with Set Collecting

Great Artwork, Simple, Quick, and Fun


Card drafting set collecting card game that is fun for both young and old. The mechanics and rules of the game are really simple allowing kids to completely understand and enjoy the game quickly while the game provides enough enjoyment that adults will be asking for seconds too! The game is as simple as choose a card from your hand and reveal that card at the same time as the other players reveal their card. You add that card to your play area and pass the remaining cards to the player to your left and play all over again. You continue until all the cards have been played - score that round and play another. Save room for pudding as that is the only card that stays from round to round and isn't scored until after the third and final round.


Easy to teach and play this is a great family or light card game for all ages. I like the playful artwork and the utility of the cards. 7 Wonders may be another game you have heard about - it uses the same card drafting mechanic of choosing a card and then passing the remaining cards to another player. This game mechanic provides a lot of strategy in such a simple idea. Do you take what you need now? Is there another Sashimi card out there and I should take one in hopes of getting 2 more? Wait...if I don't take the pudding card the next player will and they will make me have the least. The game is like its artwork - simple, clean, and fun. I highly recommend it with 7/10 Stars and that is How Lou Sees It!

I was provided a review copy of Sushi Go! by Gamewright free of charge. This has no impact on my review of the game. Please check out my other reviews and follow me on Twitter (@landonsquire)!

Sunday, August 3, 2014

Love Letter: Legend of the Five Rings


Designed by Seiji Kanai
Published by AEG
2 to 4 Players
20 Minute Play Time

I recently received the Legend of the Five Rings version of Love Letter. You can see my review of the game Love Letter here. I am unfamiliar really with AEG's Legend of the Five Rings, but I will say that I enjoy this version. It really isn't too different from other versions - it really just comes down to the artwork on the cards and this version provides some really great artwork and good utility and that is How Lou Sees It.