Playing Card Information
To what extent is it possible to mimic absentmindedness in competitive, two-player game design?
Absentmindedness occurs in a game when a player has imperfect recall of which game state in a playthrough is current. For example, in the Absent Minded Driver Problem, a driver values turning at the first of two consecutive intersections the same as receiving $0, turning at the second the same as $4, and driving straight through both the same as $1, but (knowingly) will not recall whether an intersection has already been passed when deciding whether to turn (extending this to many consecutive in
Dale Yu: Review of Arctic [2024 Essen SPIEL]
<div>Arctic Designer: Cedric Lefebvre Publisher: Ludonaute Players: 2-4 Age: 10+ Time: 10 min / player Played with review copy provided by publisher White, white, nothing but white. You scan the snowy expanse of the Arctic, hoping to catch a glimpse … <a href="https://opinionatedgamers.com/2024/10/21/dale-yu-review-of-arctic-2024-essen-spiel/">Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">→</span></a></div>
Dale Yu: Preivew of Orleans: The Plague
<div>Orleans: The Plague Designer: Reiner Stockhausen Publisher: dlp / Capstone Players: 2-5 Age: 12+ Time: ~90 minutes Review copy provided by Capstone Games Mon Dieu, quelle horreur! The inhabitants of Orléans have been hit hard as the plague has come … <a href="https://opinionatedgamers.com/2024/10/20/dale-yu-preivew-of-orleans-the-plague/">Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">→</span></a></div>
Josiah’s Monthly Board Game Round-Up – September 2024
<div>September 2024 Games I played for the first time this month, from worst to best, along with my ratings and comments. Senshi – 4/10The trouble with abstracts is that the strategic and tactical play have to create all of the … <a href="https://opinionatedgamers.com/2024/10/20/josiahs-monthly-board-game-round-up-september-2024/">Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">→</span></a></div>
Game Market West: Are indie game markets coming to the United States?
<div>I attended Game Market West in Fremont, California, this morning, and the event was tremendous fun. For the gamer in me, this was an exciting shopping adventure, a chance to buy something off the beaten path. For the game designer … <a href="https://opinionatedgamers.com/2024/10/20/game-market-west-are-indie-game-markets-coming-to-the-united-states/">Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">→</span></a></div>
Solve Murder Mysteries, Explore a Mystic Manor, Tell Stories of Death, and Play with Candy
<div><p>by <a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/blogger/17/w-eric-martin">W. Eric Martin</a></p>
<div style=""><a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/image/8314933"><img src="https://cf.geekdo-images.com/xnu-bIxRskyAIXzW-RHwLQ__small/img/YMjlZi6um8Ri2LP162wOQu-e9m8=/fit-in/200x150/filters:strip_icc()/pic8314933.png" border="0"></a></div>Let's spend our Sunday checking out creators passing around the offering plate to see who wants which games brought to life:
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<br>• <a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/377184/epilogue"><b><i>Epilogue</i></b></a> will be the debut title from <a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgamepublisher/53018/violet-daisy-games-llc">Violet Daisy Games</a>, with this being a new edition of <a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgamedesigner/83925/emma-larkins">Emma Larkins</a>' co-operative storytelling game <a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/262974/and-then-we-died"><i>...and then we died.</i></a>, which I <a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/blog/1/blogpost/83576/be-combat-ready-for-genius-metal-odysseys-at-pax-u">covered</a> in 2018. (<a href="https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/violetdaisygames/epilogue-finish-your-story?ref=bggforums" target="_blank" class="postlink" rel="nofollow noreferrer noopener">Kickstarter</a>)
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<br><i>Epilogue</i> skirts the edge of what can be considered a game, but that technical detail should be overlooked in favor of what Larkins' design offers: hand-holding creativity that spurs you into an unforgettable blend of mortality and silliness...assuming that's what you want to do, of course. Results will vary widely depending on who's holding the cards and which words you put together while playing.
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<br>• <i>The Magnus Protocol</i> is a horror podcast from Rusty Quill, which is not the name of a little-known 1950s baseball player from Iowa, but a production company and podcast network founded in 2015. Here's the setting:
<br><font color="#2121A4"><div class="quote"><div class="quotebody"><i>The Magnus Institute was an organization dedicated to academic research into the esoteric and the paranormal, based out of Manchester, England. It burned to the ground in 1999. There were no survivors. Now, almost 25 years later, Alice and Sam, a pair of low-level civil service workers at the underfunded Office of Incident Assessment and Response, have stumbled across its legacy, a legacy that will put them in grave danger.
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<br>If this intrigues you, then it is our pleasure to welcome you to the Office of Incident, Assessment and Response. Make sure you pick up your badge at desk and report to your line manager before sitting down. Oh, and stay away from I.T., seriously.</i></div></div></font>
<br>Designer <a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgamedesigner/59662/sydney-engelstein">Sydney Engelstein</a> has created a half-dozen co-operative mystery games inspired by <i>The Magnus Protocol</i> that make you a member of the O.I.A.R. and charge you with investigating strange happenings. (<a href="https://www.backerkit.com/c/projects/indie-boards-and-cards/magnus-protocol-mysteries" target="_blank" class="postlink" rel="nofollow noreferrer noopener">BackerKit</a>) Here's what <a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgamepublisher/10290/indie-boards-and-cards">Indie Boards & Cards</a> plans to release in the second half of 2025.
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<br><center><div style=""><a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/image/8457576"><img src="https://cf.geekdo-images.com/FWgRiiodW7hbLS8noBgzCw__small/img/v9uSzqv9pzlMm9hBcRTa2Vu86uI=/fit-in/200x150/filters:strip_icc()/pic8457576.jpg" border="0"></a></div></center>
<br>— In <a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/429892/the-magnus-protocol-mysteries-the-doppelganger"><b><i>The Magnus Protocol Mysteries: The Doppleganger</i></b></a>, a man is terrified to see himself dancing in a club with his ex-husband, while a rash of bad luck tears its way through his friend group.
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<br>— In <a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/429893/the-magnus-protocol-mysteries-the-woman-on-fire"><b><i>The Woman on Fire</i></b></a>, a block of flats burns down in the night, after which the residents claim they saw a woman made of fire wandering the hallways.
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<br>— In <a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/429890/the-magnus-protocol-mysteries-six-feet-under"><b><i>Six Feet Under</i></b></a>, a small-town therapist goes to the doctor for chest pain and discovers that her lungs are filled entirely with dirt.
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<br><center><div style="display:inline;"><a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/image/8457563"><img src="https://cf.geekdo-images.com/u54BEYNzJ32I9T1r27-D6w__small/img/KpuvJvLe2fsP4L7rH4CTDMMdfiI=/fit-in/200x150/filters:strip_icc()/pic8457563.jpg" border="0"></a></div> <div style="display:inline;"><a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/image/8457556"><img src="https://cf.geekdo-images.com/3CrEOb35nyjRWjLsR3TtuQ__small/img/n_jHjdrO5Iu_I78AEMk4UBMnbzQ=/fit-in/200x150/filters:strip_icc()/pic8457556.jpg" border="0"></a></div> <div style="display:inline;"><a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/image/8457558"><img src="https://cf.geekdo-images.com/T_JgLY9RoxaRQEZcZ5JPXg__small/img/bo57c4-xja1MquOq5KVrggPKUeo=/fit-in/200x150/filters:strip_icc()/pic8457558.jpg" border="0"></a></div> <div style="display:inline;"><a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/image/8457579"><img src="https://cf.geekdo-images.com/XZrBz2o_7h78vb337YFQXA__small/img/nA2s17O76h1MuWjElJSlpEqiUtM=/fit-in/200x150/filters:strip_icc()/pic8457579.jpg" border="0"></a></div></center>
<br>— In <a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/429894/the-magnus-protocol-mysteries-blackout"><b><i>Blackout</i></b></a>, you confront two situations: In 1940, a boy is trapped alone in the dark with a broken camera. In 2022, with energy prices rising out of control, a strict blackout curfew is imposed upon the residents of an apartment building, and a student goes missing from his flat.
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<br>— In <a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/429891/the-magnus-protocol-mysteries-the-grinning-corpse"><b><i>The Grinning Corpse</i></b></a>, a man is hospitalized and in a coma after a car accident, yet even through his vegetative state, his face is locked in a rictus smile.
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<br>— In <a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/429889/the-magnus-protocol-mysteries-the-last-supper"><b><i>The Last Supper</i></b></a>, a famous young chef who specializes in cooking organs is found dead in her apartment, with an organ missing from her own body.
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<br>• If you're looking for more spooky games that you can't play until Halloween 2025, you can check out <a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/430067/mystic-manor"><b><i>Mystic Manor</i></b></a> from <a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgamedesigner/90563/jake-jenne">Jake</a> and <a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgamedesigner/90564/nathan-jenne">Nathan Jenne</a> of <a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgamepublisher/32519/last-night-games">Last Night Games</a>. (<a href="https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/lastnightgames/mystic-manor-a-strategic-board-game-for-2-5-players?ref=bggforums" target="_blank" class="postlink" rel="nofollow noreferrer noopener">Kickstarter</a>)
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<br><center><div style=""><a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/image/8463111"><img src="https://cf.geekdo-images.com/uQaA_FSeyL-nGqNbIWNmIg__small/img/jxWge5_B4Sabn7om60swXFKWDms=/fit-in/200x150/filters:strip_icc()/pic8463111.jpg" border="0"></a></div></center>
<br>In the game, 2-5 players perform actions outside said manor that allow them to build up their character's maximum courage and storage, gain new items, sell items they've collected, enlist the help of a pet dog, or reset their courage points to re-enter the manor. Once inside, you spend courage to move to a new room to collect items, attack ghosts, capture imps, bargain with apparitions, or gain the companionship of a house cat.
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<br>• <a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgamedesigner/101605/carla-kopp">Carla Kopp</a> of <a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgamepublisher/33013/weird-giraffe-games">Weird Giraffe Games</a> has a new roll-and-write design — <a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/427036/reef-and-ruins"><b><i>Reef & Ruins</i></b></a> — that can be played by any number of people, each of who has their own reef, ruin, and enchantment player sheets. (<a href="https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/weirdgiraffegames/reef-and-ruins?ref=bggforums" target="_blank" class="postlink" rel="nofollow noreferrer noopener">Kickstarter</a>)
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<br><center><div style=""><a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/image/8370919"><img src="https://cf.geekdo-images.com/e4EFPMAdSOuqwzUjY8lUKA__small/img/EU-uRLm0zh30QlQryyytPjpk2og=/fit-in/200x150/filters:strip_icc()/pic8370919.jpg" border="0"></a></div></center>
<br>On a turn, someone rolls three dice, which represent the three heads of a hydra you control. You can use these "heads" separately to make progress on all three sheets, or have them together on a single sheet. After eighteen rounds, you calculate the value of found treasures, enchant them for more points, then add in reef benefits to get your final score.
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<br>• Designer <a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgamedesigner/127626/totsuca-chuo">Totsuca Chuo</a> and publisher <a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgamepublisher/44250/uchibacoya">uchibacoya</a> describe their upcoming title <a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/425445/sweet-lands"><b><i>Sweet Lands</i></b></a> as "a heavy Euro game inspired by <a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/120677/terra-mystica"><i>Terra Mystica</i></a> and <a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/167791/terraforming-mars"><i>Terraforming Mars</i></a>". (<a href="https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/uchibacoyapiece/sweet-lands-advanced-strategy-game-to-build-candy-city?ref=bggforums" target="_blank" class="postlink" rel="nofollow noreferrer noopener">Kickstarter</a>) The game bears a 1.5-3 hour playing time, so this game is operating on a grander scale than earlier games from this designer/publisher duo such as <a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/322421/aqua-garden"><i>Aqua Garden</i></a> and <a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/347767/ostia"><i>Ostia</i></a>, but the gameplay details are minimal for now:
<br><font color="#2121A4"><div class="quote"><div class="quotebody"><i>Welcome to "Sweet Lands", the kingdom of delightful confections! The former king has succumbed to his gluttonous love for sweets, leaving behind a final decree. Summoned by this royal edict, you and your fellow players are challenged to build the most magnificent city — and if you succeed, you will ascend as the new ruler of Sweet Lands. Gather the support of various townsfolk and navigate through fierce competition to create the richest and most prosperous city of sweets!
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<br></i><center><div style=""><a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/image/8329173"><img src="https://cf.geekdo-images.com/qmCyTIgGhdSON0bMUk8qjQ__small/img/7NwXv2G1UPErGTvHHm-R6wdYsoY=/fit-in/200x150/filters:strip_icc()/pic8329173.jpg" border="0"></a></div></center>
<br><i>Sweet Lands</i> is a heavyweight Euro-style game with over 200 cards, 14 unique characters, and 449 wooden tokens, offering an unprecedented gaming experience. This game captures the essence of traditional Euro-style games while introducing fresh and innovative mechanisms. Come and experience our biggest masterpiece!</div></div></font></div>
Outdoors North: Falling, tumbling leaves like tossed playing cards, leaves heart soaring
John Mellencamp The first sound I heard after I slipped outside the back door that morning was the croaking squawk of an old raven. He sounded upset about the cold and the snow. I couldn’t blame him.
Dale Yu: Review of Magic Maze Tower
<div>Magic Maze Tower Designer: Kasper Lapp Publisher: Sit Down! Players: 1-4 Age: 9+ Time: 30 minutes Amazon affiliate link: https://amzn.to/3BIeb8w Played with review copy provided by Flat River Group Magic Maze Tower is a new standalone game in the universe … <a href="https://opinionatedgamers.com/2024/10/19/dale-yu-review-of-magic-maze-tower/">Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">→</span></a></div>
Go Big for Risk 2210 A.D., BANG! The Dice Game, and Champions of Midgard
<div><p>by <a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/blogger/17/w-eric-martin">W. Eric Martin</a></p>
<div style=""><a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/image/8484476"><img src="https://cf.geekdo-images.com/W1o2MoVD_Qs9L9kHQj4MMw__small/img/QEe7n3ebXJQ8e1tcM4XlXFvjez0=/fit-in/200x150/filters:strip_icc()/pic8484476.jpg" border="0"></a></div>• In March 2025, Renegade Game Studios will release <a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgameexpansion/430913/risk-2210-ad-frontline"><b><i>Risk 2210 A.D.: Frontline</i></b></a>, a collection of four <a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/1829/risk-2210-ad"><i>Risk 2210 A.D.</i></a> expansions originally released in 2004(!) that were available as tournament prizes:
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<br>— <a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgameexpansion/31726/risk-2210-ad-frontline-season-one-mars"><i>Mars</i></a>: Shake up combat by fighting in two new locales: Mars, and the Martian moons Phobos and Deimos. Unlike the Earth map, these maps add neutral territories that don't belong to any continent, so no continent bonus can be gained from having control of them.
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<br>— <a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgameexpansion/31727/risk-2210-ad-frontline-season-two-tech-commander"><i>Tech Commander</i></a>: Introduce a sixth commander to the game, with a new command card set that adds advanced weapons and tactics such as mind control and technical espionage.
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<br>— <a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgameexpansion/31728/risk-2210-ad-frontline-season-three-factions"><i>Factions</i></a>: Before the game begins, each player chooses one of six factions, which determines the amount of energy, cards, and commanders you start with, as well as whic h special abilities you have.
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<br>— <a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgameexpansion/31729/risk-2210-ad-frontline-season-four-invasion-of-the"><i>Invasion of the Giant Amoebas</i></a>: At the beginning of a turn, the active player draws from the amoeba event deck, with amoebas being an extraterrestrial threat with advanced technology that will threaten everyone.
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<br><center><b>•••</b></center>
<br>Not to downplay the good news of these items becoming available again for those <i>Risk 2210 A.D.</i> fans who previously had to scrounge eBay and convention vendors, but I sometimes wonder whether the current era is too much of a good thing, making us devalue items that used to require persistence and long-term effort to acquire. <a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/18/roborally"><i>RoboRally</i></a> expansions were a rarity, and <a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgamefamily/35/game-heroscape"><i>Heroscape</i></a> was a glorious garage sale find, and now we have new items being added to these product lines on the regular. If you miss one, well, whatever because two more will be on store shelves before too long.
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<br>I will now relinquish the soapbox for others who recall what a soapbox even is.
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<br><center><b>•••</b></center>
<br>• At Gen Con 2024, Italian publisher DV Games debuted <a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/422159/bang-dice-explosion"><b><i>BANG! Dice Explosion</i></b></a>, a collected edition of <a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgamedesigner/461/michael-palm">Michael Palm</a> and <a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgamedesigner/7808/lukas-zach">Lukas Zach</a>'s <a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/143741/bang-the-dice-game"><i>BANG! The Dice Game</i></a>, the <a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgameexpansion/193614/bang-the-dice-game-old-saloon"><i>Old Saloon</i></a> and <a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgameexpansion/283717/bang-the-dice-game-undead-or-alive"><i>Undead or Alive</i></a> expansions, and four new characters packaged in a giant stick of dynamite that will look nice on your shelf next to <a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/247191/ya-blew-it"><i>Ya Blew It!</i></a> and <a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgamedesigner/94/reinhold-wittig">Reinhold Wittig</a> designs from <a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgamepublisher/402/edition-perlhuhn-gottinger-spiele">Edition Perlhuhn</a>.
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<br><center><div style=""><a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/image/8322462"><img src="https://cf.geekdo-images.com/j0WvtyKSiMiXa7JDRJvQTQ__small/img/UyrO3MgmwHCPUHB1II8OfcYO1Yo=/fit-in/200x150/filters:strip_icc()/pic8322462.png" border="0"></a></div></center>
<br>• In September 2024, <a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgamepublisher/10768/cranio-creations">Cranio Creations</a> <a href="https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/craniocreations/barrage-the-legendary-box?ref=bggforums" target="_blank" class="postlink" rel="nofollow noreferrer noopener">crowdfunded</a> <a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgameexpansion/426268/barrage-the-legendary-box"><b><i>Barrage: The Legendary Box</i></b></a>, which it describes as a storage solution for everything related to <a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgamedesigner/108836/tommaso-battista">Tommaso Battista</a> and <a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgamedesigner/35418/simone-luciani">Simone Luciani</a>'s 2019 game <a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/251247/barrage"><i>Barrage</i></a>, along with two new companies: Japan and Brazil. This item should reach backers in mid-2025.
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<br><center><div style=""><a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/image/8351100"><img src="https://cf.geekdo-images.com/0sywQlZzSxovpo-QxfrDJA__small/img/nlXmhNCw1zshAXCfIMlkZrsvlvM=/fit-in/200x150/filters:strip_icc()/pic8351100.png" border="0"></a></div></center>
<br>• <a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgamepublisher/26427/grey-fox-games">Grey Fox Games</a> has <a href="https://x.com/GreyFoxGames/status/1842059506089390163" target="_blank" class="postlink" rel="nofollow noreferrer noopener">announced</a> a tenth anniversary edition of <a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgamedesigner/57793/ole-steiness">Ole Steiness</a>' <a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/172287/champions-of-midgard"><b><i>Champions of Midgard</i></b></a> that will include the <a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgameexpansion/219788/champions-of-midgard-valhalla"><i>Valhalla</i></a> and <a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgameexpansion/219787/champions-of-midgard-the-dark-mountains"><i>The Dark Mountains</i></a> expansions and every promo previously released — all rebalanced to mesh well — along with new artwork and "super premium components".
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<br><center><div style=""><a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/image/8484517"><img src="https://cf.geekdo-images.com/0kKWOwm28BOHIAWvX9kKtw__small/img/C-fi2Vm1j3Z13JZAK0UoaC4g2NI=/fit-in/200x150/filters:strip_icc()/pic8484517.jpg" border="0"></a></div></center></div>
Light Up a Festival of Lanterns, and Bring Diplomacy to Asia
<div><p>by <a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/blogger/17/w-eric-martin">W. Eric Martin</a></p>
<div style="display:inline;"><a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/image/2372790"><img src="https://cf.geekdo-images.com/JmY4nVWwW98qEn0NRbKdTw__small/img/qQuRUZQAineOCl4abLvZgPjnqTE=/fit-in/200x150/filters:strip_icc()/pic2372790.png" border="0"></a></div> <div style="display:inline;"><a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/image/6733438"><img src="https://cf.geekdo-images.com/28mvFy140UYyyJt_HhoptA__small/img/5dMcxdweKDO26_qCT4nGPV8B_Z0=/fit-in/200x150/filters:strip_icc()/pic6733438.jpg" border="0"></a></div><center><i>This mash-up glows...</i></center>To follow up <a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/blog/1/blogpost/166479/batttle-for-the-deep-pitch-out-new-armies-and-disc">today's post</a> about new editions and spinoffs, let's talk about two other titles that <a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgamepublisher/28072/renegade-game-studios">Renegade Game Studios</a> has recently announced on top of <a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/430813/battle-for-the-deep-powered-by-axis-and-allies"><i>Battle for the Deep</i></a>.
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<br>• <a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgamedesigner/71997/christopher-chung">Christopher Chung</a>'s 2015 game <a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/160851/lanterns-the-harvest-festival"><i>Lanterns: The Harvest Festival</i></a> will be magically transformed into <a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/430816/my-little-pony-festival-of-lanterns"><b><i>My Little Pony: Festival of Lanterns</i></b></a>, with Renegade taking advantage of its Hasbro licensing deals to add 100% more sparkle to its catalog. (Chung is also the designer of 2022's <a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/358558/my-little-pony-adventures-in-equestria-deck-buildi"><i>My Little Pony: Adventures in Equestria Deck-Building Game</i></a> and its handful of expansions.)
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<br>Here's an overview of this March 2025 release:
<br><font color="#2121A4"><div class="quote"><div class="quotebody"><i>Join Twilight Sparkle and her friends as they visit Mistmane's Eastern Village, where they will celebrate all of their accomplishments in restoring Equestria to its peaceful ways by releasing Cutie Mark lanterns. As the glowing lanterns rise up to form patterns in the sky, they all can feel the magic of friendship abound!
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<br>In <i>My Little Pony: Festival of Lanterns</i>, players have a hand of tiles depicting various color arrangements of floating lanterns, as well as an inventory of individual lantern cards of specific colors. When you place a tile, all players — both you and your opponents — receive a lantern card corresponding to the color on the side of the tile facing them. Trade mooncake tokens for new lantern cards, and return lantern cards to claim a dedication tile worth points. After all tiles have been placed, all players get one final turn, then whoever has the most points wins.
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<br></i><center><div style=""><a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/image/8484288"><img src="https://cf.geekdo-images.com/wClEVhH_T-STwxQzQw3Olg__small/img/5sKtylczlGMSQO9cl28u8qMln6I=/fit-in/200x150/filters:strip_icc()/pic8484288.jpg" border="0"></a></div></center>
<br><i>My Little Pony: Festival of Lanterns</i> features some modifications from <i>Lanterns</i>, including a solo mode and a "Gala" expansion in which you add up to four friend cards to the game from the sixteen included; on a turn, you can now spend mooncakes to use the power of a friend to fain a bonus lantern, make a second dedication on a turn, force someone else to trade lanterns with you, and so on.</div></div></font>
<br><div style=""><a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/image/7376874"><img src="https://cf.geekdo-images.com/CGJihifkrZSqW40zElgXkQ__small/img/_Ar945YdaXSz3iFIR_aOCCcf6zc=/fit-in/200x150/filters:strip_icc()/pic7376874.jpg" border="0"></a></div>• If rainbow colors and friendship aren't your thing, you can instead bring <a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/430814/diplomacy-era-of-empire"><b><i>Diplomacy: Era of Empire</i></b></a> to the table, with this being a standalone game with a four-hour playing time aimed at both new and experienced <a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/483/diplomacy"><i>Diplomacy</i></a> players.
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<br>Here's an overview of this 2-7 player game due out in September 2025:
<br><font color="#2121A4"><div class="quote"><div class="quotebody"><i>The 19th Century was a dynamic, yet turbulent time when huge areas of the Ottoman Empire, the Indian sub-continent, China, Indochina, and the East Indies were fought over by competing empires.
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<br></i><center><div style=""><a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/image/8484358"><img src="https://cf.geekdo-images.com/Faqs6CrX0YMSFYTrA1Lbtw__small/img/zoiELs42RADdHcVkfJcMTkvsaYo=/fit-in/200x150/filters:strip_icc()/pic8484358.jpg" border="0"></a></div></center>
<br>In <i>Diplomacy: Era of Empire</i>, seven great empires — Britain, France, Russia, Turkey, China, Japan, and the Netherlands — vie for control as alliances are formed and trust is betrayed. Players negotiate and outwit one another in a delicate balance of co-operation and competition to gain dominance of the region. Players must rely on their own cunning and cleverness, not dice, to determine the outcome of this game of conspiracies and conquest.
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<br><center><div style=""><a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/image/8484359"><img src="https://cf.geekdo-images.com/DZvyZAIHz4qRirPFai5F5A__small/img/L1wDpKx1gSAsPgE9rlXXQOkE5w0=/fit-in/200x150/filters:strip_icc()/pic8484359.jpg" border="0"></a></div></center></div></div></font></div>
Alison Brennan: Game Snapshots – 2024 (Part 6)
<div>Wow, look at me giving out multiple 8’s below like it’s Christmas already. I swear there’s no rating inflation just because I’m in a better place … and what better way to prove it than our first entrant. THE DRAGON … <a href="https://opinionatedgamers.com/2024/10/18/alison-brennan-game-snapshots-2024-part-6/">Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">→</span></a></div>
Batttle for the Deep, Pitch Out New Armies, and Discover a Double Half Truth
<div><p>by <a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/blogger/17/w-eric-martin">W. Eric Martin</a></p>
<div style=""><a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/image/7883604"><img src="https://cf.geekdo-images.com/VxVtboFXPDhqw6Zd5Pcsrg__small/img/pfH4t_A06XVpeM2A8WWF3am29OQ=/fit-in/200x150/filters:strip_icc()/pic7883604.jpg" border="0"></a></div>I'm still working through notes from SPIEL Essen 24, but let me take a detour to highlight new editions and spinoff titles of existing games, starting with one that relates to a title that debuted in Essen in October 2024:
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<br>• U.S. publisher <a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgamepublisher/30958/capstone-games">Capstone Games</a> has signed a deal to release <a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgamedesigner/135378/tomas-holek">Tomáš Holek</a>'s <a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/393333/galileo-galilei"><b><i>Galileo Galilei</i></b></a> from new Czech publisher <a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgamepublisher/54356/pink-troubadour">Pink Troubadour</a>. This title will hit North America in Q2 2025, and Capstone Games promises more collaboration with Pink Troubadour in the future.
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<br>For background on the game, read Holek's <a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/blog/1/blogpost/162995/designer-diary-galileo-galilei">designer diary on BGG News</a>.
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<br><div style="display:inline;"><a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/image/5398236"><img src="https://cf.geekdo-images.com/agtC68DUMX6wvqj94EoGnA__small/img/KXTxSKlr4RZlK7HDU5rvYDfHJ14=/fit-in/200x150/filters:strip_icc()/pic5398236.jpg" border="0"></a></div> <div style="display:inline;"><a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/image/8328097"><img src="https://cf.geekdo-images.com/zh8e_CeMk5jp0g8gxyxicg__small/img/APCLYhpXpabtck_Kno8lmFzZTO8=/fit-in/200x150/filters:strip_icc()/pic8328097.png" border="0"></a></div>• <a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgamepublisher/33591/nighthawk-interactive-llc">Nighthawk Interactive</a> is crowdfunding <a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/425299/half-truth-second-guess"><b><i>Half Truth: Second Guess</i></b></a>, a party game from <a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgamedesigner/14/richard-garfield">Richard Garfield</a> and <a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgamedesigner/120954/ken-jennings">Ken Jennings</a> that mirrors the gameplay from their 2020 release <a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/287158/half-truth"><i>Half Truth</i></a>. (<a href="https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/halftruthgame/halftruthsecondguess?ref=bggforums" target="_blank" class="postlink" rel="nofollow noreferrer noopener">Kickstarter</a>) The gist of gameplay is that each round, a team is presented with a question and six answers to that question, half of which are true and half of which are lies. You want to guess as many true answers as possible, scoring nothing for the round if you fall for a lie.
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<br>• French publisher <a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgamepublisher/36985/jocus-ii">Jocus</a> plans to crowdfund <a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/427800/pitch-out-under-vs-aquilies"><b><i>Pitch Out: Under vs Aquilies</i></b></a>, a new edition of <a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgamedesigner/116472/adrien-charles">Adrien Charles</a>' disk-flicking game <a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/255635/pitch-out"><i>Pitch Out</i></a>, which debuted in 2020, then was followed by <a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/363479/pitch-out-nomads-vs-seeds"><i>Pitch Out: Nomads vs Seeds</i></a> in 2022. (<a href="https://gamefound.com/en/projects/jocus/pitch-out-free-to-play" target="_blank" class="postlink" rel="nofollow noreferrer noopener">Gamefound</a>)
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<br>Each set includes components for two players, with each player getting five walls and 5-8 disks, with each disk having a special power. You can combine sets for team games. If you knock an opponent's leader outside the playing area — or all of that opponent's other pieces — you win.
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<br><center><div style="display:inline;"><a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/image/7186668"><img src="https://cf.geekdo-images.com/nUudSoFasIkgxvs6DYnyHA__small/img/VZtvwUA3rxll0AS8uioUwNk8_Kc=/fit-in/200x150/filters:strip_icc()/pic7186668.jpg" border="0"></a></div> <div style="display:inline;"><a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/image/6875583"><img src="https://cf.geekdo-images.com/D2H2l-UsBHVhrboAtUpCKw__small/img/3egZWCtRsNOfbupYPcWhz5LEn5M=/fit-in/200x150/filters:strip_icc()/pic6875583.jpg" border="0"></a></div></center>
<br><div style=""><a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/image/5373953"><img src="https://cf.geekdo-images.com/3p7c-u4I9YpHRh1ET--7KQ__small/img/ls291pf29DbrptJQCLE_nD_Qa1Y=/fit-in/200x150/filters:strip_icc()/pic5373953.jpg" border="0"></a></div>• In May 2025, Polish publisher <a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgamepublisher/26630/board-and-dice">Board&Dice</a> will crowdfund a new edition of <a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgamedesigner/118417/federico-pierlorenzi">Federico Pierlorenzi</a> and <a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgamedesigner/59986/daniele-tascini">Daniele Tascini</a>'s <a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/281442/trismegistus-the-ultimate-formula"><b><i>Trismegistus: The Ultimate Formula</i></b></a>, which was apparently not ultimate enough for today's game market. The publisher states that this new edition will feature "streamlined rules, intuitive graphic design, and completely new artwork".
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<br>• In December 2024, <a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgamepublisher/11752/level-99-games">Level 99 Games</a> will have a new printing of <a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgamedesigner/75597/cliff-kamarga">Cliff Kamarga</a>'s <a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/199907/sellswords-olympus"><b><i>Sellswords: Olympus</i></b></a> on the market.
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<br>In this two-player game, you lay out one of four terrain cards, then each draft six of fifty hero cards. You take turns placing them in an imaginary 5x5 grid, using special abilities in order to win head-to-head battles with the opponent. You score once all cards have been played, then you draft another six cards each and complete another round.
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<br>• In <a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/blog/1/blogpost/163771/gen-con-2024-pics-from-set-up-day-giant-heroes-and">an August 2024 post from Gen Con</a>, I posted a teaser pic of a new <a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/98/axis-and-allies"><i>Axis & Allies</i></a> game from <a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgamedesigner/774/matt-hyra">Matt Hyra</a> and <a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgamepublisher/28072/renegade-game-studios">Renegade Game Studios</a>. Now the publisher has revealed that <a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/430813/battle-for-the-deep-powered-by-axis-and-allies"><b><i>Battle for the Deep: Powered by Axis & Allies</i></b></a> will debut in March 2025. Here's the pitch:
<br><font color="#2121A4"><div class="quote"><div class="quotebody"><i>Four aquatic factions vie for control of the vast oceans: the Undersea Kingdom led by Coraline Oceanus, the Leviathans commanded by Scyphozoa Regina, the Protectors and their Turtle Mother, and the Denizens of the Deep, who are controlled by the necromancer Azazel Dreadborne.
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<br></i><center><div style=""><a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/image/8483263"><img src="https://cf.geekdo-images.com/S6Z4KgUXKfTGkzbXOaL4qA__small/img/Z6OJbkAUXU-9XHNfi_QDmtSICVQ=/fit-in/200x150/filters:strip_icc()/pic8483263.jpg" border="0"></a></div></center>
<br>However, after centuries of battle, it has become obvious that no one kingdom is powerful enough to bring peace to their world. The factions must choose an ally...</div></div></font>
<br>Despite this description, the game is listed for 2-4 players as opposed to only four, so I would imagine that all four factions are in the game each time you play no matter how many people are at the table.
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<br><center><div style=""><a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/image/8483264"><img src="https://cf.geekdo-images.com/TUo9K_v6U5SoFwKGCCoRug__small/img/Rh26kR3_aFSVaX7rKpTjJqJNczI=/fit-in/200x150/filters:strip_icc()/pic8483264.jpg" border="0"></a></div></center></div>
Another Wave of Heroscape (And Questions!)
<div>When Wave 1 of the new era of Heroscape released in August, my sons & I put out a rather long post to answer a plethora of questions about Heroscape: Age of Annihilation. I thought it fitting that we continue … <a href="https://opinionatedgamers.com/2024/10/18/another-wave-of-heroscape-and-questions/">Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">→</span></a></div>
Dale Yu: Review of Qwords [Essen SPIEL 2024]
<div>Qwords Designers: Bernhard Lach, Uwe Rapp Publisher: Kendi Players: 1-15 Age: 8+ Time: 15 minutes Played with review copy provided by publisher The word game Qwords, first released as Kreuzwort, features four letter dice in different colors and one black … <a href="https://opinionatedgamers.com/2024/10/18/dale-yu-review-of-qwords-essen-spiel-2024/">Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">→</span></a></div>
Designer Diary: King's Coalition
Thus, the principle of King's Coalition is that the bonuses are open to everyone, bonuses such as multiple cards of a class, a sequence, or one of the card bonuses that is turned up in the game. Unlike in Fantasy Realms, the cards have a narrower range of values; since none of them get blanked or blank other cards, it wouldn't make sense to have some cards worth three or four times the value of others. The classes are asymmetric but are easily summarized, so you can start playing competitively i
Dale Yu: Review of Stonespine Architects
<div>Stonespine Architects Designer: Jordy Adan Publisher: Thunderworks Games Players: 1-5 Age: 10+ Time: 45-60 minutes Amazon affiliate link: https://amzn.to/3NkzRtY Review copy provided by publisher Dungeon-crafting is an ancient minotaur art that you’ve studied for a decade under Master Hortgully. To … <a href="https://opinionatedgamers.com/2024/10/17/dale-yu-review-of-stonespine-architects/">Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">→</span></a></div>
Dale Yu: Review of Harvest
<div>Harvest Designer: Trey Chambers Publisher: Keymaster Games Players: 1-4 Age: 10+ Time: 30-60 minutes Amazon affiliate link: https://amzn.to/3BIdQ5K Played with review copy provided by publisher Salutations, neighbor, and welcome to Furroughfield, the Commonwealth of Free Beasts! Ours is a budding … <a href="https://opinionatedgamers.com/2024/10/16/dale-yu-review-of-harvest/">Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">→</span></a></div>
SPIEL Essen 24 Report: Mission: Red Planet, Solstis, Kado, Paper World, and The Peak Team Rangers
For those not familiar with the design, in each of the ten rounds of Mission: Red Planet each player chooses a role card from their hand, then these cards are revealed one by one, with players trying to place astronauts on spaceships that are launched to Mars, after which they will move across different regions of the planet to fulfill missions and score points. • In late 2025, Matagot will release The Peak Team Rangers, a co-operative design for 2-5 players by Scott Almes in which (if I can fol
playing cards power😳 #shorts #youtubeshorts #trending
playing cards power #shorts #youtubeshorts #trending.
Reiner Knizia and Bitewing Games Bring Aliens to Earth, Then Humans Beyond the Stars
publisher Bitewing Games has been teasing a "secret epic" Reiner Knizia project, and today it's revealed that the project is a trilogy of games — two updated editions of older games and one new design — that together tell the story of how aliens discovered Earth, how humans in our solar system ventured to other systems, and how we're so comfortable in space these days that we compete in races between celestial bodies. Together these games form the Cosmic Silos Trilogy. Let's start with SILOS, a