Terrene Odyssey Review

Terrene Odyssey

Designed by Chris Solis

Self Published (Terrene Odyssey)

2 Players (with 2 versus 2 variant)

30 Minutes

Strategic Party-Based Card Combat, Deck Creation

(8/10 Stars)

Hi everyone! Back in February of 2014 I interviewed the game designer Chris Solis about an upcoming Kickstarter for his game Terrene Odyssey (see interview here) and it was a Featured Kickstarter on the blog. Now, a little over a year later, here is my review of the final product!

First, the game components are very well done. The box is a good size box that isn't too small and isn't too large - fits the Goldilocks principle well - it is just right. The box has a nice feel to it and is very sturdy. When you open the box you will find lots of good stuff. 324 cards (3 copies of 108 unique cards), The game also includes lots of other cardboard tokens to help keep track of damage and modifiers. The tokens are good quality and double sided. I'm very glad these are included in the game, it is a must for the game play used. Very nice. There are player reference sheets which are glossy paper, also double sided with starting party suggestions (and strategy ideas).  The rule book is pretty well done, but it feels incomplete and I found myself with many questions as I played the game for at least the first game or two. Check out the Terrene Odyssey page on Board Game Geek for some clarifications provided in the forums. And lastly, but certainly not least - Terrene Odyssey has fantastic artwork! Love it. The card layout is also very nice.

One of the other great things about the game, is that the game comes with 6 different pre-constructed decks (along with starting party suggestions for each). This is very important because there is a lot of different cards and card types, and these pre-constructed decks are really well done and helps for quick games (especially with new players). Playing with these decks also allows players to see the different strategies available to use in future custom decks. My favorite is a spellcaster type deck so far, but I would love to make a good Engineer type deck. There is just so many different combinations to explore and that makes the game have great replay ability.

The game play at it's heart really is simple. You have a set number of actions determined by your current location card, and you utilize those actions to recruit new characters, make attacks, or use the various different abilities, items, or commands. Defeat your opponent by taking his hit points down to 0 from 50 or defeat all your opponents characters. It is a tight game with lots of strategy. You really have to plan out what you are doing to be successful because actions and cards in your hand are limited. You usually won't be able to do all that you want on one turn, so that requires you to make interesting choices on what you want to do this turn, and what actions you may want to save to react to your opponent etc. The gameplay is rich and seems to be done very well.

The game has felt a little long for me up until this point, but honestly this is probably due to the fact that I'm still new to the game and figuring it all out. This is a very enjoyable 2 player strategic card game. It is very well done from game play to artwork to quality of components. Currently on sale on Amazon for $39.99, it retails for $60. This seems a little high, but considering the amount of cards, tokens, and quality of components along with the fact that it is self published - I can see the reason behind it. If you can get passed the price point and/or you enjoy card strategic battle card games like this, I would highly recommend you check out Terrene Odyssey and that is How Lou Sees It!

(I was provided a free review copy of this game from Chris Solis.  There is a more detailed video review below.  If you liked this video review, please like and follow me!)

Branding Longhorn a Top Two Player Game

Longhorn

Designed by Bruno Cathala

Published by Blue Orange Games

2 Players

10 - 15 Minutes

Variable Movement, Set Collecting

(8/10 Stars)

I am a huge fan of great two player board games.  With a full-time job and kids at home, there just isn't as much time for getting a group together for games.  Often it is just my wife and I who will pull out a game.  Some other 2 player games we enjoy are Jaipur and Pagoda.  Longhorn published by Blue Orange Games and designed by Bruno Cathala (also designer of Five Tribes) is now another favorite 2 player game of ours.

Longhorn is a quick (10 to 15 minutes) strategy game for 2 players in which each player takes on the role of a cattle thief.  The game mechanics and components are really great.  The theme works well in the game and the action tiles fit that theme well.  That being said, the game still feels pretty abstract to me.

The game's mechanics are what really make this game a winner.  Simple to teach and play, and yet providing some strategic depth.  The game plays off of a somewhat similar idea from Bruno's other game, Five Tribes, although still very different.  Both games have an aspect that to me seems like a bit of a tip-o-the-hat to Mancala, which works out nicely because the game mechanic while fresh has a similar well developed feel to it.

Pick up all the cattle of one color and move the player token a number of spaces equal to how many cows you took.  The game ends if someone is caught by the Sheriff, a player is able to get all the cattle of 1 color (9), or what happens usually - the player token doesn't have any legal moves.

The other interesting thing about this game is that as you take cattle of one color, you are getting more points, but you are also degrading the value of that cattle too!  Cattle are only worth $100 times the number of that cattle color left on the board - so if all the cattle are taken, you may have 6 cattle in that color, but they would all be worth $0.00!  Players also need to be careful with placement of the player token to think ahead of possible future moves for your opponent.

The game is just the right length for this type of game and the box is perfect size for the components and for travel.  The cattle meeple are fun and if you like 2 player strategy games, I highly recommend Longhorn and that is How Lou Sees It!

(I was provided a free review copy of this game from Blue Orange Games.  There is a more detailed video review below.  If you liked this video review, please like and follow me!)

Sirlin Games Week - Day 2 - Yomi

Yomi (Complete First Edition)

Designed by David Sirlin

Published by Sirlin Games

2 Players

30 Minutes

Hand Management, Player Abilities, Bluffing, Rock-Paper-Scissors

(9/10 Stars)

The first Sirlin Game I look at is Yomi. A game that captures the feel of a Street Fighter type video game - with a simple and yet deeply strategic card game (yes, I would say strategic even with the heavy bluffing/luck element of card draws). Based on a simple Rock, Paper, Scissors mechanic (that works really well in my opinion), the game goes beyond that to include combos, specials, and lots of bluffing.

The game is fantastic. The quality of the cards are nice, although missing that really deluxe feel, they are basic poker card quality and I think they hold up really well. The artwork is top notch, especially for the face card special moves. I really like the different decks available and that they are all built such that they feel like the characters they are trying to portray. Each character, 20 available in all, provides different types of strategy, and that strategy may change depending on what opponent character you are playing.

While there are some aspects of the game that may take a little bit to get the hang of (combos, charging up, knockdowns, etc.) - I love that the main mechanic of the game is so simple, and yet it makes sense for the fighting game. Blocks beat Attacks, Throws beat Blocks, and Attacks beat Throws. There are Dodges in the mix too along with special action type cards that can be played.

Yomi offers a richly thematic and well developed gameplay experience that I think most everyone could enjoy. If you are not a big fan of fighting games, it may not be your cup of tea. The game is one big bluffing game though, so if you like a good bluffing game, this may be the game your looking for.

I am not a huge fan of the female artwork on the cards. They match normal fighting game artwork styles, but I just wish I could buy more modest versions of the female decks. I enjoy playing the defensive type characters along with the more well-rounded types. Playing the Panda is always a fun time (wait for the Pandante review later this week).

The decks are so well balanced for the different play styles and having most cards have two choices of play provides the fighters with lots of options so that players rarely feel limited by "no good choices" in their hands. Even the Power Up phase where you can trade in duplicate cards for powerful Aces...everything just makes sense - the game plays like a well oiled machine! It can get frustrating at times when you always seem to pick the wrong type of card however, the odds are that you will have your winning streak as well. A great game and that is How Lou Sees It! (Check out the more detailed video review below!)

I was given a copy of Yomi (Complete First Edition) by Sirlin Games for the purpose of this review.

Pagoda is a Tiered Tower of Fun for Two!

Pagoda

Designed by Arve D. Fuhler

Published by AEG

2 Players

30 Minutes

Card Game, Card Building, Gained Abilities

(9/10 Stars)

I take a look at Pagoda from AEG. This is such a fantastic game, and the best two player game that I was introduced to during 2014. I am always looking for great two player games or games that play well with just two players. This one is definitely one to add to your gaming library if you find yourself playing with just two players frequently. The quality of the components are top notch and colorful, not to mention that you are building three dimensional pagodas! This building element of the game is very fun and the game play provides just enough meat to it to be interesting as a strategic game, but it is simple and provides some luck elements that balance out the game nicely. I would say that Pagoda and Jaipur would be my must own two player games at this point in time and that is How Lou Sees It!

I received this review copy of Pagoda from AEG for free for the purpose of this review.

Fun for the Third Time (x2)!

Lords of War: Templars versus Undead

Designed by Nick Street and Martin Vaux

Published by Black Box Games

2 Players

30 Minutes

Strategic Card Placement Game

(8/10 Stars)

Lords of War: Templars versus Undead is the third installment from Black Box Games in their Lords of War series. I really enjoyed the previous ones and you can check out my review and more of the gameplay at this LINK. Templars versus Undead continues with the great thing that they started with. I really like the theme and artwork for this set and the few movement cards adds a nice change. Black Box Games just continues with the goodness too with a Weather and Terrain expansion and more packs coming out as well. Lords of War is definitely worth checking out and the Templars versus Undead is a fantastic addition or stand alone version of the game and that is How Lou Sees It!

Pixel Tactics 3

Designed by D. Brad Talton Jr.

Published by Level 99 Games

2 Players

30 Minutes

Strategic Card Placement Game

(8/10 Stars)

The concept of Pixel Tactics really kind of blew my mind when I was first introduced. The game has so much replay value and so many choices to be had. Not only that, but they keep coming out with more and more amazing cards that just continue to add more variety and enjoyment. Pixel Tactics 3 is a great version or addition for anyone looking for a really fun 2 player strategic card game. I show you some of the cards in this new pack - and that is really just more to wet your whistle as they just funded a deluxe version and seem to have more on the way! Check out Pixel Tactics and I think you will enjoy it - Pixel Tactics 3 is a great deck of cards and the only thing you really have to worry about is too many choices. Pixel awesome and that is How Lou Sees It!

Dragon, Dragon, Magi

Draco Magi

Designed by Robert Burke and Richard Launius

Published by Robert Burke Games and Grey Fox Games

2 Players

30 Minutes

Hand Management and Area Control

(5/10 Stars)

Absolutely LOVE the artwork for this game. For me, the theme and artwork is fantastic. The gameplay however seemed boring. Each player plays with the same dragon and battle cards (save a few advanced battle cards that you can add to your specific deck). The dragon stats were just too similar. Pixel Tactics uses same decks for each player and yet they can all be played so differently. Draco Magi felt very luck driven and I was just bored. 

The abilities of the dragons are themed well and the battle phase offers some interesting choices with combos and stacking attack cards. There is some element of bluffing as well. Even with all of that, I couldn't get excited about anything other than the beautiful artwork. Maybe I need some more plays, but it just didn't strike the right chord with me. I also did not like the immodest female on the cover - why didn't they just stick with the awesome dragon artwork?

This is definitely a well thought out game with amazing artwork, but I just didn't enjoy it and that is How Lou Sees It!

Rolling Into The Dungeon

Dungeon Roll

Designed by Chris Darden

Published by Tasty Minstrel Games

1 - 4 Players (Best with 1 or 2)

Unique Hero Rolling Dungeon Delving Dice Game

Background / Introduction

Dungeon Roll is definitely not your typical dice game.  If you are expecting the roll your dice three times routine, think again!  One of the things that I really enjoy about Dungeon Roll is how unique and different the game feels.  You should already get that feeling just from the actual packaging of the game.  I mean, the game comes in a little cardboard treasure chest and not only that but during the game when you gain treasure you actually open the chest to randomly get a piece of treasure - how cool is that.  The theme is nice, the variability is great, and the quality of components awesome.  The game is very light, easy to learn and doesn't take long to play.  There are dice involved and the game does have a large luck element to it.  So, for all the hard core strategists that can't stand games with luck, this may not be the game for you.  The game has a great variability built in with the different hero cards which really shape what kind of strategy you will play each game.  In this base game, there really isn't any player interaction, so while the game makes for great solo play and is enjoyable, don't expect to work together or attack one another in this game (although this may change with future expansions/promos, as the soon to be released Winter Promo has some fun player interaction).  Well, enough chit chat, let's talk about the game in a little bit more detail.

Components / Rulebook

OK, so I mentioned the really cool treasure chest packaging.  The box actually opens like a treasure chest too.  I was a bit worried that it would just rip right off the box after a few uses, but I have to give it to them - it seems to be doing very well.  It may not last forever, but even if the "hinge" functionality of the box is lost, it is still awesome.

Moving on to the dice.  Being such a huge element in the game, one should expect these dice to be the really nice quality.  I'm happy to say they really are.  The custom 15 dice (7 party dice, 7 dungeon dice, and 1 dungeon level tracker die) are very well made and I think they will remain that way.  The color coding and icons used are good and make sense.

The hero cards (8 included in the base game, and 8 more available in the Hero Booster Pack #1) in the game are printed on good card stock and each of the cards has really nice artwork.  Each hero card is double sided (one side is a Novice side and the other side is the Master side) and abilities change when flipped over.  I am disappointed that they didn't take the opportunity to provide the hero slightly differently on the Master side as each side has the same artwork of the hero.  They could have changed to pose of the hero, or add armor, or something.  The game also includes 4 reference cards to help remind players what each face of the die do and what treasure tokens can be obtained with their special purpose.

 

The game includes 36 treasure tokens and 24 experience tokens.  These are your usual card board cut out pieces.  the pieces are good thickness and didn't have too much of a problem punching them all out.  The game also includes a rulebook along with a Book of Heros.  The game play is simple, and the rulebook does well to explain the game and includes some illustrations.  The Book of Heroes is just a book comprised of pages summarizing the different hero cards and providing further clarifying information as necessary.

Setup

The game has a very quick setup.  Empty out the treasure chest if you choose to use it as your treasure token randomizer (which you always should!).  Place the treasure tokens in the chest or flip them all face down if keeping them out on the table.  Place the experience tokens near by.  Each player can have a reference card and then each player will either choose their hero or deal these out randomly.  That is it!

Goal / Gameplay

The game is played by each player entering the dungeon exactly 3 times to seek glory, treasure, and to gain experience points.  The winner of the game will be the one with the most experience points once everyone has tried their hand at the dungeon 3 times.

On a players turn (in general, this and other actions can be modified by a heroes special ability or ultimate ability) the player first rolls the 7 party dice.  This will represent the company of adventurers entering the dungeon with you and perhaps some scrolls (just in case you feel like reading in the dark dangerous dungeon).

The player will then enter the dungeon at dungeon level 1.  The dungeon level tracker die will be moved to show the number 1 face up.  The dungeon lord will be rolling dice equal to the number on the dungeon level tracker die or as many available dice as able if that can't be reached.  So, for example the dungeon lord will roll 1 of the dungeon dice for level 1 and 4 dungeon dice for level 4.

The player will then enter the Monster Phase of his turn and will need to defeat or otherwise dismiss any monsters rolled (Skeletons, Oozes, and Goblins make up the monsters you will encounter).  This is done by using your party dice rolled at the beginning of your "delve into the dungeon" (a.k.a. 1 of your 3 turns going through the dungeon).  You may use any one adventurer die (Clerics, Mages, Fighters, Thieves, and Champions) to defeat any one monster die.  Each type of adventurer also has specialties that help remove more of a certain kind of monster etc.  These are color coded for your convenience.  Example: The grey Cleric can defeat (or in other words remove) any number of grey Skeletons, the green Fighter can remove any number of Goblins, and the Thieves can open any number of chests (we will discuss these soon).  The gold Champion is pretty special, it can remove any of the same type of monster (consider it a wild die of sorts).

Also during the Monster Phase, you can activate your hero's ability or ultimate ability, you can use treasure tokens, or you may use any Scrolls that you have.  Scrolls allow you to re-roll any of the dice (party and dungeon).  Once all the monsters are removed from play, the player can then continue on to the Loot Phase where players can open chests or quaff potions.  It is always optional to open chests or quaff potions.  While players may not always want to open chests or quaff potions, each one of these rolled means one less monster (or possible dragon).  If you choose to open a chest using your dice, then you can gain a treasure token at random (these can be really useful!).  If you quaff a potion (even your scrolls can do this), then you can bring a party die back from the "graveyard" (the place where your used party dice end up) and you get to choose what face you want to use.

Without getting into too many details about all the rules, I do need to mention the dragon and how experience tokens are obtained as well as what happens if you can't defeat the monsters and/or dragon at a given level.  Whenever a dragon is rolled, it is set aside in an area known as the dragon's lair (these dice can't be re-rolled with the Scroll, but can be manipulated with certain hero abilities).  After the Monster and Loot phase, it is then the Dragon Phase.  If there are 3 or more dragons the hero must defeat the dragon.  To do this the player must use 3 different adventurers (or Companions as they are really called in the rulebook).  This can be done with the help of certain treasure tokens that can act as companions too.  So, here is a good spot to point out that while Champions are really versatile, you still need a variety of companions to defeat dragons.  When you defeat a dragon, you receive 1 experience point and you get 1 treasure.

After the Dragon Phase comes the Regroup phase.  Players can now determine if they want to leave the dungeon and receive experience points equal to the number shown on the dungeon level tracker or continue to go down to the next level (although 10 is the maximum and you are required to leave after defeating level 10).  If at any time you can't defeat the monsters or you are faced with a dragon that you can't defeat, you must end your delve that round without scoring any of the experience points on the die.

Conclusion / Final Thoughts
I really enjoy playing Dungeon Roll.  The quality of components are great and the theme really works well.  The heroes and their special abilities really make the game for me as they provide unique strategies depending on your character.  Dungeon Roll is just a great light dice game that can be taught and played very quickly.  The base game doesn't really have much as far as player interaction is concerned, but I think most players will enjoy watching to see what other players choose to do as well.  Now, with 3 or 4 players, the down time between turns lengthen and may result in people not enjoying the game as much.  The game fits well for a nice 2 player game as one player can always be rolling dice (either as the hero or the dungeon lord).  The game does have a large element of luck and that keeps the game different and challenging in its own way, but this may keep some gamers away that don't like a large element of luck in a game to mess up all their perfectly contrived strategies.  The game retails around $19.95, so the price point is nice too.  I am really looking forward to playing the Winter Promo pack and I can't wait to learn more about what they have in store for Dungeon Roll this year (I'm hearing that there will be some great things coming out).  If you like dice games and you are OK with a large luck element and dungeon fighting theme, I think you should get it!  I'm giving this game 4 Fingers Up or 9/10 Stars and that is How Lou Sees It!

A big SHOUT OUT to TMG for making this review possible.  I should be receiving Coin Age and the Dungeon Roll Winter Promo over the next few months.  TMG is really coming out with some great little games.  I will be reviewing The Village soon as well!  Hopefully I can take a look at Belfort too to give you an idea of how the TMG more complex games are.  Until next time!

Lords of War

Lords of War

Designed by Nick Street and Martin Vaux

Published by Black Box Games

2 Player Strategic Card Placement Game

War! Huh! What is it good for? Absolutely nothing. Actually, war makes a great theme for some great card games. The theme of enemies battling it out seems to be one of the most commonly used in board games from Risk to Stratego. One of my favorite card games when I was a wee lad was War. A little too simplistic now for my taste, I seek games with more depth and games not entirely luck dependent.

Lords of War is a fun little card game that is simple to learn and play, but offers a great deal of strategy. The game also offers a total of six different races you can play with which allows for different feeling battles and new artwork. The newest set (Templars versus Undead) was recently funded on Kickstarter and I can't wait to give that one a try with some new game mechanics such as card movement. But, I'm getting ahead of myself.

Each player has a deck made up of a conglomerate of different units/types, the most important distinctions being the six leader cards. The leaders make up your most powerful units, but one must be careful because the loss of 4 of these and your army will go into chaos unorganized and your opponent wins. If you don't involve them at all, your forces may be killed off too quickly and your opponent will win when he has been able to remove 20 of your units from the field. That is only part of the strategy you will need to ponder - the balance of using your leaders, making them exposed, and keeping them protected and safe is a delicate one and a great element to the game.

The game at its heart is a strategical card placement and mathematical game. Each card has a defensive value and then will have some sort of number(s) representing an attack value. These numbers also have a direction associated with them. Cards vary. Berserker units usually have a large attack value (say 5), but it may be very targeted (only one direction) and the unit will have a very low defensive value as they are focusing on attacking rather then what will happen to them. Some units will be able to attack only behind them, and others a good range of all around them. There are also range attack units that can strike from a distance (these can be vital, but usually are very open to attacks as well). After a card is played, the field is evaluated and all units attack simultaneously. Units are removed and kept by the opponent as a "trophy" to help keep track of the "score." You can also determine to have a shorter length game by agreeing on a number besides 20 (15 or 10 etc.).

When playing cards, the majority of them can only be played by "engaging" an opponent's card. This means that the card you are playing must have an attack arrow facing an opponent's (next to that card - including diagonally). This keeps the game moving very nicely. The only exception to this rule comes from playing a few unit cards that are considered "support" cards. They are allowed to be played adjacent to any of your own cards (these are the ranged units and spear units). These units can help protect your own cards or you may play these so they are safely protected by other units (perhaps a range unit being played away from immediate enemy peril.

I love that the game doesn't get too complicated. There are few other rules you can add to play an "advanced" version, and the new Templars versus Undead adds some fresh new things to enjoy with the possibility of getting Weather and Terrain expansion - you can always spice things up a bit too. The card quality is good, and I really like the packaging - it has a little flap that keeps the decks separate from one another and everything fits nicely with the playing mat. I'm a huge fan of fun 2 player games and this is a great one to add to any collection. The game does have some luck elements to it, and it is possible that you can have a hand full of similar type of cards or cards that really won't be any good for you right now. That can be frustrating at times. Some people may feel a bit limited by the rule of card placement, but it is there for a reason. I'm giving Lords of War a 3 Fingers Up or 8 out of 10 stars. The game is solid and very enjoyable and that is How Lou Sees It!

A big SHOUT OUT to Black Box Games for providing the review copies making this review possible. Can't wait to try the new set!

Pixel Tactics

Pixel Tactics

Designed by D. Brad Talton, Jr.

Published by Level 99 Games

2 Player Strategic Card Game

In Pixel Tactics, 2 players use identical decks consisting of 25 cards. The characters and game take place in the World of Indines (along with other popular Level 99 Games such as BattleCON and their game currently being successfully funded with many stretch goals, Argent). While the game has a certain amount of luck involved with the drawing of cards, the game is tremendously well balanced because each player is playing with the same deck of cards (now this can be modified with multiple copies or versions of the game if desired, but that most likely will happen after you get the hang of playing with one of the decks). 

What I find really cool is the fact that each card can be utilized 5 different ways. So, while players are using the same card decks, they will most likely be played very differently each time. The game provides many strategical choices to the players without having really any necessarily "bad" choices - each player must work on what strategy works best for them and their current situation (remembering to adapt to your opponents as well).

I really like this game a lot, my only concern stems from the amount of options presented to players which relies heavily on reading and remembering text (there are helpful icons used in the game, but until players are more familiar with the certain cards, games can be considerably longer as players are trying to understand all the options presented to them and how all the cards are going to interact while played).

To begin each game, each player looks through their starting hand and each player selects a "leader" that will stand in the center of their unit and which will greatly effect the strategy used by that player for that match. Each card has a "leader" side which has a special leader power. The goal of the game, to destroy your opponents leader while protecting your own. Your leader stands in the center of it all and all other cards are placed around that leader in one of 8 different locations. Each hero played will have different abilities or actions it can take depending on where the player decides to place that hero. The cards are themed very well and I am amazed at the plethora of special actions that were created for all of the cards. They are all pretty exciting and everything just works.

The game includes reference cards and tokens to keep track of damage points. The quality of the components are good and the instructions fold out to provide a playing mat (this can be helpful for beginner players). The general idea and concept of the game is pretty straight forward and the rules cover that pretty nicely. The real rule issue with this game comes from very specific questions that may arise about how certain abilities or cards interact. The game seems very prone to confusion as players get used to all the cards and associated actions. Most areas of question are discussed and resolved via boardgamegeek.com discussion forums or Level 99 Games is great at getting back to any questions you may have.

I won't get into any further details on specific rules or game play, but the game is very solid and I really enjoy all the different characters. Pixel Tactics 2 gives a new set of characters with even more possibilities. I think that whoever would enjoy Pixel Tactics would probably want to get a hold of Pixel Tactics 2 and any other sets (there will be more!) including some really fun promo cards (there is even a Tom Vasel - pretty great stuff). In closing, the game is really fun, but some may be turned off due to "option overload" and feeling like they have to keep reading card options over and over again and trying to keep track of what each hero can do. I will suggest to those who pull out Pixel Tactics to play it for the first few times to take time and enjoy reading and discovering all of the cool actions and characters. Don't view learning the actions and characters as a "chore," but take a minute to realize how great all of these characters and actions are. You can check out my video review of Pixel Tactics below. Definitely check out Pixel Tactics and that is How Lou Sees It!

Level 99 Games has another game, Argent: The Consortium, which is about to finish a very successful Kickstarter project with many cool stretch goals (including some Pixel Tactics cards). Only about a day left to check it out. I will be posting a little interview that I did with Brad later today or tomorrow!

Famous Games Co. Card Games: Stocking Stuffer Series #1

Card Games
Tennis, Baseball, Golf, Yacht Racing, Car Racing, and Football
Designed by Rob Bartel
Published by Famous Games Co.
2 Player Small and Quick Sport Themed Card Games



Stocking Stuffer Series
This is the first in a six part series of smaller games that I think would make great "stocking stuffer" presents. Easily able to transport and play just about anywhere, these games are great for travel. All of these games have pretty simple concepts that make learning each game go by quickly so you can get right into the fun. These games also offer short playing times (no longer than an hour for each with most averaging around 30 minutes or so). As you consider holiday gifts this year, don't over look the "smaller" games, as these games may just be the games that get the most play time. We don't always have a couple of hours to play our favorite strategy game or old classics such as RISK (where the setup time alone could be 30 minutes) so a lot of us grab a fun game that we know will be short (and yet each minute will be entertaining and enjoyable). The other great thing about these "stocking stuffer" sized games - the price point, with no game being more than $25. Check them out and see which one(s) you may want to add to your holiday this year!

Famous Games Co. Card Games
I came across Famous Games Co. through seeing a tweet by Casual Game Insider a while back. I was very intrigued when I came across a picture of Famous Forehand being played. For those unaware, I really enjoy Tennis, and I have been developing a Tennis themed card game slowly over the past few years. When I saw what Famous Games Co. had done with their version, I was impressed. The game I'm working on is a lot more in-depth, but what Rob Bartel has really done is create six different mini card games (each comprised of just 11 cards and a fold-out informational card) that have a great matching sport theme applied to them. Their are two games that are considered beginner level games (Tennis and Baseball), two games that are intermediate (Golf and Yacht Racing), and two that are advanced (Car Racing and Football). All of the games are really simple to learn, but some are more involved than others.

For such small games, these games sure do hold a lot of enjoyment for those willing to get up off the bench and play. The games offer a nice variety of game mechanics across the six different games. The games can be purchased as a set or individually from the Famous Games Co. website and at the end of this blog you will find a limited coupon code that can get you $5 dollars off your order of a complete set (first 10 to apply the code).

Each game is made of good quality cards that sport (pun intended) wonderful artwork. The themes are applied well to each game and each really does give you a nice feel of the sport (a very difficult thing to do with the small amount of cards). These 2 player card games keep it simple so that players don't need to bog themselves down with trying to understand complex rules or deep strategy, but they leave it light enough that you can just enjoy the game mechanics and feel of playing that sport on a table top with a friend. In my case, these are games that I can see me and my wife playing on weeknights where work and life may be crazy (the games provide a lighter game that we can enjoy without adding any additional stress to our pile from earlier that day. Great relaxing games.

Some may struggle with the price ranging currently from $5.49 to $6.25 depending on which game (or $37.25 for the entire set - time to utilize that coupon found below to bring it down by $5). Others may find the games too simple for their liking and will either wish the game was expanded to be a little more complete, or they would rather spend the 30 minutes setting up their next Axis and Allies game. These games may not appeal to everyone all the time, but the games are well done and I think most of you would find yourself enjoying the well applied themes and game mechanics that these little 2 player card games provide.

I will briefly discuss each game separately focusing on the things I like or dislike about each game. The rules and instructions for the games are provided on 2 cards and are easy to understand. If this wasn't easy enough for your, the Famous Games Co. website provides great step by step instructional tutorials (very well done). Some of the games will require a pen and paper to keep track of score and other markers/tokens may be required for game play as well (usually a few pennies or other change, or even tokens from other games). My favorites listed in order would probably have to be Tennis, Football, and Car Racing but I did enjoy each of the games. Overall, 2 fingers up, or 7/10 stars for these light minimalist card games.

Famous Forehand (Tennis)
The tennis game is really the most simple of all and yet I enjoy that simplicity (again, a little bias since this is my favorite sport). The back and forth feel and strategy of ball placement is indeed captured and utilized well. I just wish there were more cards! Each rally just seems to end too soon. This is just me wishing there were more cards for each rally. Four cards just doesn't feel like enough, I just want to keep playing each point. With the few number of cards, some people may get too familiar with all the cards and this may take some of the fun out of it. But the game is so simple and using the cards as the two halves of the tennis court is just an awesome idea. This is one of the games where the "required" penny and pen and paper really isn't needed. It is pretty easy to keep track of where the ball is and the score without a penny marker etc. This gives me hope that my tennis game will be enjoyable too!

Famous Fastballs (Baseball)
I was really surprised when I opened this one. I wasn't sure what I was expecting, but this game is actually a hand gesture game (along the lines of rock-paper-scissor). The cards provide a nice layout that is used to keep track of outs, runners, who is up to bat, the score, and so forth. The game is each player choosing at random different hand signals. Depending on the combination of the two results the batter may get struck out, walk, or get a hit. If they hit the ball, then players move on to a different set of gestures (choosing a number between 0 and 3) to determine the result of the hit (will it be a home run, or did the pitching team get a double play - allowing them to remove 2 runners from the bases). The hand signals and cards really fit the theme well I think, especially thinking about the different signals that catchers give to pitchers etc. I found myself getting a little tired of repeating the hand gestures though, but you could do a similar thing utilizing the cards but using dice instead to determine the outcomes. Again, well done and thought out game.

Famous Fairways (Golf)
From the mini-golf dates to pretending that I know what I'm doing on the golf course, my real life experience with golf isn't that great. Golf however seems to be just one of those sports that you should know how to play (especially if you are going to be doing any sort of business with anyone, or so I have seen and been told). Choosing the right club is something that I understand the concept, but in practice, I really have no clue what I'm doing. In Famous Fairways, players pick clubs to place their ball (within that given club range) down the fairway closer and closer to the hole. Originally I didn't think there was much strategy to the game, but I quickly realized that there was more strategy to this little game than golf balls found at the bottom of the Par 5 lake. Sometimes the longest range club isn't the best or you may want to enter a hazard. Cards are shuffled and dealt out in a line equal to the Par for that hole (Par 3, 3 cards - Par 5, 5 cards). Each card has 4 possible ball locations and each is riddled with either water, bunker, or rough hazards each effecting you in different ways. A great little pocket sized golf game that will require some 9 markers or so to keep track of ball location and club choice.

Famous Flagships (Yacht Racing)

This game is a fun game, but I didn't catch the theme as much as I did in the other games. Players take turns playing 1 of 3 cards in their hand that moves their yacht either clockwise or counterclockwise around the center wheel 1 to 3 spaces. The player obtains points (written down on paper or kept track mentally) equal to the number of markers on that space plus the number of dots. The player then puts all markers from that spot into the center and places markers from the center to the left and to the right of their boat. First to 50 wins. A very interesting concept (and I guess trying to steer into the wind to get the most speed each turn does provide some applicability to the theme) that again I wasn't seeing much too it at first, but as the game progressed, I started realizing that I should try and figure out what my opponent was going to play so that I could be ready for my own strategies as each time you play a card that round, you will switch that card with what your opponent played.

Famous 500 (Car Racing)
This game really offers great variability and you get to customize your very own race car each game. Will you start with speed points (or victory points) or will you stock up on tires and fuel hoping that you will not need to take a turn to make a pit stop later in the game? Also, you can play on different race tracks as well that can be downloaded or you can create your own! I love the customization portion of this and the different available tracks. You really do need a pen and paper for this game though to keep track of damage to your car and points. Players will be choosing from 3 different cards in their hand and hoping for each segment that they are the fastest car (scoring one more speed point than your rival). The speed points can be used later in the pit stop to restore your car (for beware, if you drop below zero in any category, you are out of the game!) but they are also the means of victory (the player with the most at the end of 3 laps - again, you can vary this - is the winner). Great replayability on this one - a light custom car racing game.

Famous First Downs (Football)
Last, but definitely not least is the great football game! This game uses the most game markers, but it may just be the funnest one of the bunch (I know, I said the Tennis was my favorite...). The offense has 3 double sided cards that will have certain plays of the 9 showing that can be run. Offense lays down one of the 6 options, then defense will pick one of their 6 defensive cards and put it face down. Offense then picks one of the highlighted routes he wants to run and defense then reveals their card to see if they subtract any yardage or block any gain etc. I really like this game mechanic. Each side can gain momentum tokens for completing first downs or blocking gains and these can then be used to influence the game further (even create a fumble or interception). Do you try for the long pass, get the field goal using some extra momentum, or just put the ball to avoid giving your opponent a leg up on their offensive run. The game plays very well and I think provides the most enjoyment (other than perhaps the very simple tennis back and forth that I live for) out of this set of games.

Closing Remarks
Rob had a great vision of creating simple card games that 2 players can sit down and easily enjoy game after game without the fuss of a lot of components or complex rules. These minimalist sport themed games are well themed and have great solid game play. Simple hand gestures, 'club' placement, and card choices are transformed into nice feeling sport games that I think players will enjoy. Some have more replayability than others and for some, I just wish there was a little more to it. If you are looking for some quick light 2 player card games with some twists, go check out these card games at http://www.famousgames.co/ and that is How Lou Sees It!

Enter this Coupon Code for $5 off if you purchase the entire set. Only available until January 1st and to the first 10 people to enter the code. Enjoy! (Code = LOUC-XFA2)

A big SHOUT OUT to Famous Games Co for providing these free review copies. Check out the video review below for more on what each game looks like!

Questing Cubed!

Cube Quest
Designed by Oliver and Gary Sibthrope
2 Player Game
Dice Flicking Dexterity Game
Gamewright

Introduction / Background
I am a lover of dice. I am also a big fan of dexterity games like shuffleboard (doesn't mean that I'm necessarily good at them). Oliver and Gary Sibthrope with Gamewright has combined my love of dice with a great dexterity element to create Cube Quest. The simplicity of the gameplay makes the game very accessible to younger kids, while the game has enough strategy and dexterity skill involved to keep older players coming back for more.

Components / Rule Book
Inside the box, you will find 50 dice (25 for each side), two playing mats (made of a mouse-pad material), an instruction sheet, and a cube/dice reference guide.

Let's start with the rule book (or rule sheet). The instructions for this game are actually all on one side of the the rule sheet and another in-depth cube/dice reference guide about the different dice is included on the back of the the rule sheet. The rules are well explained and easy to understand. The explanations for the different dice are adequate - the game is simple, and so are the rules explaining how to play it.

The components are nice. I like the mouse-pad type material used for the mats a lot. There has been some issues with some of the mats becoming damaged during packaging as each mat has been folded in half twice to fit into the box. Don't worry though, if you open your box to find creased mats, Gamewright has a very friendly and helpful customer service and I have heard from many who contacted Gamewright and received replacement mats very quickly. They are also sending the replacement mats rolled up instead of folded which has eliminated the possibility of the creases. I contacted Gamewright about this issue, and they are replacing any mats that are damaged and they are looking at a possible re-packaging for the game for future production runs. All this being said, I love the mat material and the mat artwork is nice, but not distracting. For future productions I would think that making the two player mats into a total of eight smaller mats might be best. I'm not sure if having them rolled up in a tube would cause long term warping or not with that material, but smaller mats could do the trick.

The actual dice are a light plastic with sticker type faces on all the sides. As a lover of dice, I usually find that the more unique or heavy a dice is, the more I like it (metal d4 dice, awesome). For this game however, the dice fit the need; in this case, I don't want to be flicking a heavy metal dice around. The dice really are perfect for flicking as they can be moved easily and they don't really hurt your fingers. The pictures have been applied as little stickers to the dice faces and are nice enough. I know of some who have experienced these coming off, but that sounds more of an outlier and I don't consider it a big issue. Overall, the game quality is really nice.

Setup
The game can be set up in less than a minute. Each player sets up their side at the same time and even thinking strategically, the game is set up very quickly. The game suggests setting up a divider while players arrange their dice, the game box can be used to do this, but you could also set time limits or setup your dice without a divider. Dice can be placed pretty much anywhere; the king must be played somewhere in the castle. You can stack dice up to create walls, or you can spread your dice out across your side of the mat. This flexibility in game set up helps the game have great replayability as you play around with different opening formations.

If you are playing the advanced game, you will also need to determine which dice you are playing with. Each player selects a team of dice up to 40 points. Each dice is assigned a point value and is noted on the cube/dice reference sheet and card.

Gameplay
Players take turns flicking their dice while trying to knock off their opponent's dice from the playing mats. The winner of the game is the player who can knock off the enemy's king first. You can only flick one dice a turn (or use a special dice's ability once). If a dice is partially off the mats, it does not count as being knocked off and can still be in play.

The other key element to the game comes from how your dice lands when on your opponent's side of the playing area. In a normal basic game, each player will have one king, four strikers, and twelve grunts. Each type of dice has a different number of "captured" sides represented on the die. These "captured" sides are represented by a silhouette of that character. Grunts for example, have four "captured" sides, while the striker dice only have one.

 Whenever you flick your dice and it lands in your opponents territory, you must evaluate the status of your dice. If your dice is "captured" side up, then your dice is "captured." You then have the chance of escape by rolling that dice. If it comes up "captured" side again, the dice is removed from play ("destroyed"). If you happen to roll and the dice comes up with one of its "picture" sides, your dice has escaped and is placed somewhere in your castle for future use. So, striker dice are better attackers as they have a much high probability of staying alive in enemy territory, while the grunt dice have a slim chance of surviving long. You start out with many grunts though and they can be sacrificed to an extent (just realize that when you send them over, there is a high chance you won't get them back, so make their attack count).

As the game progresses, your dice (and hopefully your opponent's) will start to thin. Your king may have been knocked close to the edge of defeat. Well, some of the dice have abilities and your king just so happens to be one of them. Instead of flicking a dice your turn, you can spend your turn to move your king back into your castle. This can be extremely beneficial if your king is teetering on the edge of the mat. Grunts and strikers don't have abilities, but there a few other dice that I haven't mentioned yet.

Once you get the basic game down (one play should do it), you can then play with the "advanced" dice.
Each dice has a certain point value associated with it and each player chooses an army of 40 or less points. You can determine if it is more important to you to have as many dice out as you can with lots of "weak" grunts, or you can have some highly specialized dice that can sneak into your opponent's territory, or give you "one-use" abilities to revive removed dice or freeze opponent dice to keep them from attacking. Once players pick their armies from their set amount of dice and points, game progresses just like normal, but players may be playing with dice with special abilities. While the selection or variety of dice isn't huge, it does provide enough to keep things interesting. The reference card and sheet is helpful in determining your armies and evaluating your strategy. The reference shows how many "captured" sides each dice has, the point value of that dice, and the ability associated with that dice if applicable.

You can really make this game your own by slightly modifying rules or change the setup of the game. I suggest playing around with the layout of your mats. The game plays just fine as described in the rules, but think of different ways that you could make the game even more interesting. A few game setup suggestions:

• Instead of setting up your dice with a divider, use a sand timer and set up your dice in real time with a time limit. You will be able to see your opponent's dice and try and counter their plan. It will feel like you are playing football, and you are trying to match the audible just called right before the ball is snapped.
• Move the mats apart by six to twelve inches (or whatever you desire) and place a makeshift "bridge" between your two playing mats. You could make this bridge out of an old mouse pad, or just use paper. You can make the bridge wide or narrow. You can come up with some pretty cool setups! This bridge is considered neutral while no dice are on the bridge, but the bridge becomes part of your territory if you have the majority of dice on the bridge. If a captured side comes up while neutral, nothing happens, but if your opponent controls the bridge, then it is just as if you had landed on your opponent's mat. You can skip your dice across the empty spaces, but your dice must land on a mat or bridge to remain in play. You can make it even more interesting by elevating the two playing mats creating cliffs at the edge of the mats. You can add multiple bridges across the gap etc. In my pictures, you can see one "bridge" scenario where I used a couple of chairs, a TV remote, and a mouse pad to create the "Red Bridge of Death!" All the ends of the mat and the bridge across are slopped towards impending doom!
• Along the same lines as the "bridge" scenario described above, you can place items under your mats to create slight variations in your landscape. You can also place objects on the landscape to create "walls" or other things to impede a direct approach to your opponent.

Thoughts / Conclusion
This is a fantastic dexterity game! I don't have many dexterity games, but this is my favorite one by far. I really enjoy the simplicity of the game, the light plastic dice work perfectly for flicking, and I enjoy the mouse pad type material used for the mats. I feel that the sticker type placement of the pictures on the dice works just fine, although I would have liked to see something done to eliminate the possibility of these to fall off over time (I still think that it is pretty unlikely that you will have any fall of, but it is a worry of mine). I enjoy the fact that you can set up your dice in a huge variety of ways (stacking to form front walls, placing dice behind your king to help keep your king on the mat, or trying to spread your dice out to be hard targets). Similarly, you can play around with the actual landscape or playing area. I'm not suggesting that the game needs all this variation, but you can easily do it and you can create some really fun game scenarios.

The dice abilities are good ones and really do add a nice element to the game. Likewise, you can create your own abilities and use those instead of the ones described in the rules. I might have liked some variation in the artwork for each side to further differentiate the dice from one another, but the artwork for the game is good. I really could see a possible expansion for the game creating a "bridge" scenario and a few new dice.  The setup time and time to learn the game is very fast and the game time is quick too. This would be a great game to check out for all you Casual Gamers out there! I am giving Cube Quest 3 fingers up, or 8 out of 10 stars.You will want to play again and again and that is How Lou Sees It!

A big SHOUT OUT to Gamewright games for making this review possible!