Board Games News

With only one week to go, your chances to back Ostia Pirates is slowly fading away. Listen folks, take it from me, if you want to pick up a game from UCHIBACOYA you do not want to wait. These games generally will not hit retaliers in the West, and I've already disappointed myself by missing out on their games multiple times. Yes, the price might be a bit concerning, but these are games that hold their value and will be something you are happy to have in your board game collection!

When Star Trek: Away Missions landed at my office for review, I was surprised by how hefty the box felt. From the videos and images I had seen, it didn’t seem like much more than some cardboard and miniatures, but I quickly realized there is a lot more going on in the box than just that! Using a popular license like Star Trek is often an excuse for a company to skimp on components and quality. Is that something Gale…

I love playing Trading Card Games (CCGs) but sometimes I’d rather play with more people than just one other person. We have attempted to play games of Disney Lorcana over the past six months with little success. It just doesn’t work. As I’ve watched Fantasy Flight Games show off their Twin Suns multiplayer mode, I’m very excited for a gameplay system that seems like it will work with more than 2 players! There are a bunch of changes to the…

Calling all seafaring strategists! Japanese board game publisher Uchibacoya is excited to announce the launch of their Kickstarter campaign for “Ostia Pirates,” an expansion to their popular title, “Ostia.” Navigate the High Seas for Trade and Treasure: “Ostia Pirates” invites 2-4 players to take on the roles of daring ship owners navigating the treacherous waters of the ancient Roman port city. Players must balance the risks of pirate encounters with the rewards of lucrative trade routes. This expansion adds exciting…

GameGenic is making some of the best components for Collectable Card Games (CCGs) and their most recent partnership with Star Wars Unlimited has me very excited. I love branded products for CCGs – the deck boxes and card sleeves for Disney Lorcana, for example, aren’t the greatest things I’ve ever used, but I like them none-the-less. Thing is, while Ravensburger has attempted to do everything in house – and have done an adequate job – Fantasy Flight Games has said,…

Garden Geckos from Tin Robot Games is finally here, and with the Kickstarter launching April, we are testing out the game!

I'm firmly in the camp that not all good and classic board games need to have a Special Edition. Far too often we see overproduce special edition games that, while look pretty, are prohibitably expensive and don't really have universal appeal to longtime fans and new players alike. Think, for example, of the 3D Settlers of Catan releases. Beautiful, yes! Practical? Not at all. Accessible to the wider gaming audience? Nope. Castles of Burgundy hits very differently, however, making a few really good improvements to the game table presentation, while also being ...

"Harmonies is not just any game. Yes, you will draw tiles and compete with your opponents to create the best combinations... But the experience goes much further. Because Harmonies is a real ode to nature, to the balance between fauna and flora. It doesn't play on rivalry between species and essence, predation, or the will to power but on the necessity of harmony among all elements of an ecosystem."

Here at GamesReviews we get approached more and more often by publishers and developers to check out their games and give our impressions of them. With board games, the process of doing a review is a lot more involved than it is with a video game. You have to wait for the game to be shipped to you, wait for your next game night, play it a few times over a few weeks, before even beginning the process of writing a review. With video games, it's generally a very solo experience. With board games, you are often relying on others to get your work done. As more and ...

I’ve never been a huge Dungeons and Dragons fan, nor have I played many 5e RPG experiences. Why? Honestly, perhaps it is a lack of imagination, or a lack of desire to play something I’m not really familiar with. I’m sure I’m missing out on a great time, but it’s really how I feel. When Free League Publishing reached out and offered us the chance to try out the Lord of the Rings RPG, I was instantly intrigued. I love…