Tammany Hall Game Review: A nuanced, cutthroat game of winner-takes-all

Best (i.e., Worst) Moment

I felt squarely in control of the game. I had been mayor twice already, was in the lead, and was feeling pretty good about myself. Queue the great fall from grace. A simultaneous, multi-faceted attack from my opponents (yes, we’re still friends…mostly) came during the 3rd term. I did my best but never quite recovered from the onslaught of double slanders, Chief of Police arrests, and Council President lock-ups. Why do I include this in my game review as the best moment? Well, I happen to like the people I was playing with and, with a little time and snacking, I was happy for them. Yes, my sweet wife, who ended up winning, was the catalyst for my downfall. =-)

Adrenaline Game Review: An insane, high-octane, shoot-’em-up game

Best Moment

My boy and I took over the family room on a relaxing Sunday afternoon. After an intense back-and-forth throughout the game, he had sneakily built up his Dozer Overload, poked his head through a door and blasted away my Echo with his Scrapshot for the big win against Dad. Yes, I tackled him scattering the game all over the room. =-)

Last One Standing Board Game Review: An exciting battle royale where winner takes all!

Best Moment

My son and I were the last two alive in an epic, back-and-forth battle which included sniper head shots, perfect grenade lobs, armor-piercing assault rifle retaliations, and throwing knife kill shots. I climbed up into a tower to increase my range, ready for the final, pre-explosion kill shot when he pulled out a rocket launcher and took me out with the tower for the win. Little did I know then that rocket launchers gain two extra hit points when targeting a player in a tower. =-)

Stratos: Light in the Darkness Board Game Review – Attack, defend, explore, harvest, and cast spells to defeat your foes!

Intro

This game is a give-and-take balancing act of attacking, defending, and investing (in your characters, in resource gathering, in spell casting, etc.). Play as a group of heroes, each which his or her own special abilities, bent on defeating your opponents as you earn prosperity points for the victory. And then come the monsters! You may need to team up with your enemies for a time to defeat these vile creatures from the underworld or they will quickly take over the land.

Carthage Board Game Review: An intense, gladiator battleground of wits, brawns, and luck!

Intro

My first game playing Carthage was with my son which turned into one of my top ten all-time game experiences with my kids. It was SO much fun. We both felt transported to an ancient, sandy arena surrounded by screaming, blood-thirsty fans trying to outmaneuver, attack, build armor, gather weapons, and be the last to survive!

Photosynthesis Board Game Review: Box out other trees to become king of the forest!

Intro

A seed is planted, a young tree sprouts, its roots start to crawl deeper into the earth, its branches begin to reach toward the sky…then it gets crowded out by surrounding bigger trees and dies. =-( Your job is to be those bigger trees by hungrily soaking up the lion’s share of sunlight at the expense of other trees around you!

Last One Standing Board Game Pre-review: A fast-paced, frantic battle royale game!

I’m hosting a giveaway for an awesome new game just launched on Kickstarter! A full review will come when the campaign is fully funded.

“Last One Standing is the battle royale board game where up to 8 players find themselves on an ever-shrinking map where they must shoot, move, and loot to be the last one standing.

Student Bodies Board Game Review: Thrilling zombie mayhem!

I fully admit, I love zombie horror games. Student Bodies takes a fresh new twist on the many classic, co-op, shoot-’em-up zombie games out there. You play as one of several high school students in a zombie-infested school. Here’s the catch: you’re already bitten! The clock is ticking for you to race across the hall to the science lab, find your antidote, and make your way back to the exit, shoving your fellow classmates aside (and hopefully into a zombie!) along the way. The winner makes it to the exit first, locks the door behind him or her, and gleefully skips away with his life while the other students get eaten alive.