Evil has always existed. It mostly stays in the shadows, on the fringes of society, corrupting the weak. But this is changing and the kingdom is in peril. Demonic forces are entering the world and evil is growing stronger. Take up sword and spell book and go forth into the land, fighting foes and saving friends. The kingdom stands on the edge of ruin, but through your bravery, the city of Havenfall will stand the land can be healed. Continue reading
American theoretical physicist, mathematician, and string theorist, Brian Greene, said “Exploring the unknown requires tolerating uncertainty.” In this game, you’ll be exploring a dungeon in the blind. What lies ahead of you is unknown and always random. You might encounter a monster or more treasure than you could possibly carry. Fame and glory are yours to be found, but so is a gory death. Being an unprepared hero is hard work! Continue reading
You were one of the first. You saw the dawn of creation and have drifted among the stars for eons. You were content to simply observe and learn, but then something changed. You got bored. The more you knew, the more you started to feel you were missing something. Curious, you began visiting new realms and realities. You became stronger. Curiosity was replaced by greed and you became hungry for power. Now you fight for domination over all forms of reality, no longer content to simply watch. You want to rule. Continue reading
English writer, H.G. Wells, said “The crisis of today is the joke of tomorrow.” For many lovers of board games who have many titles on their multiple shelves (me included), the ongoing crisis is storage. Individual games, no problem. Games with expansions? Many expansions? How the heck do we keep the core game and its expansions in one place? AEG, the publishers of Smash Up, have a BIG solution. Continue reading
Contemporary American crime writer, Patricia Cornwell, said “I believe the root of all evil is abuse of power.” In this game, abusing power by any means possible is the name of the game. You are a lesser lord of evil, but what you really want to be when you grow up is an Evil Overlord, the supreme ruler of all of things “not good or even remotely great”. But there’s a catch. You are not the only one with ambition and the hordes of evil at your command can be cantankerous. Oh, well. If it was easy, you’d most likely wouldn’t want the job. Continue reading
German-American developmental psychologist and psychoanalyst, Erik Erikson, said “The playing adult steps side-ward into another reality; the playing child advances forward to new stages of mastery.” Role-playing games challenge people to create concrete solutions from abstract ideas. Imagination in such games is an invaluable tool. Children have an incredible imagination, and now thanks to this game, they have an opportunity to explore new worlds with their family. Continue reading
You have survived the terrors of the dungeon and defeated the final boss. Before you lies a treasure pile just waiting to be plundered. But wait. Why should you share this with your so-called friends? Didn’t you deliver the final stroke that killed the dragon? Wasn’t it you who made sure the rest of the party survived? You should have the majority of the treasure! Now to convince the others… Continue reading
There was a time when you looked out your window and were content to see the small cottages and your fellow villagers passing by. But that time has come and gone. Now you dream of your village being the center of trade, commerce, and a military power. Very ambitions, indeed. A feat that might very well be possible – easy even – if it weren’t for the other nearby villages who had the same idea. Continue reading
Dragons are sacred beasts. They embody magic, strength, and benevolence. Tribes of warriors and mystics have dedicated their lives to protect these beasts from those who would harm them. You are such an individual and you have trained your whole life to be the sword and shield for these magical creatures. Your greatest allies are other Keepers who have sworn to protect the dragons and the dragons themselves. Continue reading
American businessman and entrepreneur, James Cash Penney (yes, the guy who started J.C. Penney), said “There’s no better friend to any merchant than a fair competitor.” But in this game, it’s not about being fair. It’s about winning. That can be done through fair competition or through blatant underhanded disruption. All is fair in war and commerce. Continue reading
The job of an adventurer is pretty easy. Find treasure, kill monsters, and stay alive. Out of the three, staying alive is the hardest to do alone, which is why you see so many adventuring parties. Safety in numbers in all that. The problem is, the more people you have, the less treasure you personally get. Thankfully, there is an easy – if not somewhat underhanded – way to fix this issue. Continue reading
You might have heard the story of the unfortunate school teacher, Ichabod Crane, and his horrific encounter with the Headless Horseman, but you haven’t heard it all. There are darker stories and deeper mysteries to be found in the misty forests surrounding Sleepy Hollow. Evil lurks here and ancient darkness stirs. It’s up to you, an unlikely band of heroes, to defend the people and shine a light where only shadows dwell. Continue reading
