Author Archives: Cyrus

About Cyrus

Editor in Chief, Owner/Operator, Board Game Fanatic, Father of Three, and Nice Guy, Cyrus has always enjoyed board, card, miniature, role playing, and video games, but didn't get back into the hobby seriously until early 2000. Once he did, however, he was hooked. He now plays board games with anyone and everyone he can, but enjoys playing with his children the most. Video games continue to be of real interest, but not as much as dice and little miniatures. As he carefully navigates the ins and outs of parenting, he does his very best to bestow what wisdom he has and help nurture his children's young minds. It is his hope and ambition to raise three strong, honorable men who will one day go on to do great things and buy their Mom and Dad a lobster dinner. Cyrus goes by the handle fathergeek on Board Game Geek.

Dungeon Heroes Game Review (prepublished version)

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Stop me if you have heard this one. A Warrior, a Wizard, a Rogue, and a Cleric walk into a dungeon to get some loot. They find some monsters, beat them up, steal their treasure, and do their best to survive. Now here’s the punchline. An epic adventure of dungeon exploration can be had in less time than it takes you to eat your lunch, pay your bill, and regret eating that 12″ sub with extra bacon. All the components for a quick dungeon crawl, complete with exploration and danger, are here and ready for two players who want to do something constructive while they digest their meal. Continue reading →

Do You Know Your Neighbors? Game Review (prepublished version)

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While the neighborhood street might look calm and serene, there is trouble brewing behind locked doors and pulled blinds. Gossip, manipulation, and dirty politics are about to explode onto the quiet streets and change the lives of everyone from one end of the block to the other. In order to control the neighborhood you must first control the neighbors. Find out what motivates them and then use it to your advantage. The King or Queen of the Block will be the best player who can trick the others into thinking they are harmless. When the dust settles, all the houses will still be standing, but the dynamics of the community will be changed forever. Continue reading →

Psight Game Review (prepublished version)

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The Seer looked through time and space, the past and future, to see what would become of us all. There, in the mind’s eye of the Seer, a great war was observed. This was our fate and nothing we could do would change it, but there was much we could do to prepare. Searching the globe for talented individuals with the gift to use their mind like a weapon, the Seer gathered psychics to train to one day be guardians. The war was generations away, but there was no time to lose. Training must begin immediately to strengthen and protect us all from the darkness that was coming. Continue reading →

Decktet Game System Review

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Imagine a world where vast kingdoms are ruled not by men, but by beasts. Magic and mystery float through the air like clouds, and sword and shield protect the innocent. An endless world full of adventure and exploration. This is the background for a deck of cards known as the Decktet. The cards it contains mean many things and can tell the future as well as the past, wage wars and create peace, create sunny days at the market or deadly storms at sea. All things are possible through this one deck. Continue reading →

Super Showdown Game Review

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The City: a great metropolis of people, activity, and commerce, but also a battlefield. Two individuals with super abilities claim ownership to the City’s streets and inhabitants, waging epic battles of brawn and wit. The Champion of the People is ever vigilant and keeps tabs on the greatest Villain the City has ever known, but the City is big. Too big for one super hero to fully defend. This the Villain knows and uses rumors to confuse the authorities and decoys to mislead and slow the super hero down. Soon, the sun will rise and the City will awake to a new day. As dawn approaches, two super rivals prepare for their upcoming showdown! Continue reading →

Catan Scenarios: Oil Springs Game Expansion Review

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Many welcomed the news that rich deposits of oil were found on the island nation of Catan. With the discovery of such a valuable resource under the feet of Catan’s populace, many believed that a new age of prosperity was at hand. Soon the drilling began and small towns seemed to spring up over night, followed by cities, and then Catan’s first metropolis appeared. Oil did indeed bring wealth, but it also brought environmental problems. The level of pollution levels rose significantly and signs of flooding soon began to appear. Now the citizens of Catan must balance their needs and their wants to obtain victory or risk suffering unspeakable ruin. Continue reading →

Rise! Game Review

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Before you stretches a land ready to be claimed! The only problem is, there isn’t much land to start with and you have a pesky neighbor who is looking greedily at what little land there is. What should you focus on first? Exploration? Building? Or maybe you’d like to squash the competition and drive your opponent into the sea? Be a warlord or a peaceful explorer. Build architectural marvels or crash them to the ground. All things are possible if you are skilled enough to rise to the challenge! Continue reading →

Game Night Fight Game Review

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If you have ever played a table top game, be the medium board, dice, or card, you know that the most carefree of games can become a troubled experience. Sometimes people feel picked on, become passive aggressive, and in the most extreme of cases, walk away angry or flip the table in full-out geek rage. Don’t laugh; I’ve seen this happen during a particularly heated game of Candy Land. The point is, games not only bring out the best, but sometimes the worst in people. Who knew it could be so much fun? Continue reading →

For the Win Game Review

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Challenge your longtime nemesis to a game of strategic tile placement utilizing the martial arts of the Ninja, the out-of-this-world technology of the Alien, the audacity of the Pirate, the tenacity of the Zombie, and the brutal strength of the Monkey. To win, simply connect one of each of the five characters orthogonally or diagonally. It’s not as simple as it seems! Each of the five characters have a special ability that can quickly turn the game in your opponent’s favor! But such power is not limitless and comes at a cost. In the end, the player with the best timing, strategy, and tactics will be victorious! Continue reading →

Heroes & Capitols Game Expansion Review

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The small island nation of Catan is no longer a footnote on the maps of the world. The men and women who have tilled the soil and farmed its lands have brought forth a bounty large enough to support a growing population and a healthy economy rivaling those of its larger neighboring nations. But it was not through the work of farmers and ranchers alone that raised a handful of colonies into a thriving world power. Scattered among the towns and cities are monuments to the heroes who lead the people and protected them through trials and tribulations. Now you have a chance to relive these epic tales and breath new life into long-lost legends of old. Continue reading →

Specimen Game Review (prepublished version)

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Everything was going by the book. All the safety measures were in place, systems were checked and double checked again, and the crew members of the deep space freighter T.C.S Brown were sleeping safely in hibernation on their way back to Earth. Then the unthinkable happened. Something collided with the ship. The emergency systems immediately came online and started reviving the crew. When the crew emerged from hibernation, they found that the damage could be fixed without much effort, but that wasn’t the issue. Something was released when the ship was struck and was now hunting them down, one by one. Continue reading →

Viticulture Game Review (prepublished version)

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Ah, Tuscany. Considered by many the birthplace of the Italian Renaissance where great thinkers and artists would gather. Its landscapes are the subject of countless paintings, poems, and dreams. It is here you find yourself with a dream of your own and a strong desire to make it a reality. With just a little bit of money, dedication, and a head for business, you will work to make your mark. Leveraging the cycles of nature to grow the prefect grape and make the greatest wine, you open your winery doors in hopes that Tuscany will prove to be all that you had dreamed it would be. Continue reading →