Throne of Under Game Review

A general in the United States Army who commanded the Seventh United States Army in the Mediterranean theater of World War II, and the Third United States Army in France and Germany after the Allied invasion of Normandy in June 1944, George S. Patton, said: “Accept the challenges so that you can feel the exhilaration of victory.” In this game, players will take on the role of ambitious characters who compete in a race to a throne. If they get their first, they get to rule. However, only one butt can sit in that seat and the player’s opponents want that throne just as bad as they do. Get ready to race fast, battle hard, and try every trick in the book to trip up your opponents so you get to the throne first! Continue reading

Otherworld: Orcs Versus Humans

German Romantic writer, Jean Paul, wrote, “Courage consists not in blindly overlooking danger, but in seeing it, and conquering it.” In this game, players explore a new world opened to them through magic and mystery. What lies beyond the portal is unknown, but two groups bravely go through to explore and conquer the new land. They will have to compete for the resources while expanding their influence and knowledge of the new kingdom. What new wonders and dangers will this other world, full of promise and peril, bring? Continue reading

Dwarves Inc. Game Review

Chinese Confucian philosopher and writer Xun Kuang said, “A person is born with a liking for profit.” And if that is true, the fantasy dwarven race is perhaps the epitome of this ideal. Driven by the desire to acquire wealth and maximize their riches, the dwarves dig deep into the earth to find rare jewels and metals. In this game, players will be helping, hindering, and manipulating both the economy of the dwarves and each other. But, do it right, and you’ll walk away with a jingle in your pocket and a smug look of satisfaction on your face. Just don’t be greedy, or your greed will limit your share of the wealth. Continue reading

Dale of Merchants 3: The Grand Continental Railway Game Review

French novelist, poet, and playwright, Jules Verne, said: “Trains, like time and tide, stop for no one.”. Heavy powerful, trains will travel on their tracks, laboring with their load, no matter the weather. In the world of commerce, the railroad system opened new corridors to profit and opportunity. Prosperity can now be found in distant corners of the land that could only be traveled to by foot. For you, a savvy merchant always on the lookout for new markets, the rails offer a gateway to new riches, but the competition is always fierce. Continue reading

Dale of Merchants Collection Game Review

American economist, Paul Samuelson, said “Economics is a choice between alternatives all the time. Those are the trade-offs.” If that is the case, having more choices certainly seems like a step in the right direction. A case in point is this nice collection of new game enhancements to the Dale of Merchants series that brings more fun in different ways. As always, be careful who you enlist to help you become the leaders of the merchants, but with so many choices, how can you go wrong? Continue reading

Dale of Merchants 2: The Era of Trade Masters Game Review

Czech writer best know for The Unbearable Lightness of Being, Milan Kundera, said “Business has only two functions – marketing and innovation.” In this game, it’s all about getting the goods to market and beating the competition to the punch. You must be creative, innovative, and most of all, flexible. All your plans at the moment might go up in smoke or all your wildest dreams might come true, but way too soo. It’s all about balance, supply, demand, and outthinking your opponent. Continue reading

Seven Dragons Game Review

The very first fantasy creature I can remember falling in love with is the dragon. A fearsome foe to fight in games and a wise teacher in others. They represent chaos and order, destruction and creation. Dragons have been part of mythology in just about every culture and continue to be a topic of discussion, interest, and admiration. In this game, players will attempt to match different colored dragons to the table, and just like dealing with real fake dragons, you best be careful how you go about it. Never trust a dragon, and never trust this game to give victory to you easily. Continue reading

Travelers of Tryphosa Game Review (prepublished version)

Ancient Chinese philosopher and writer Lao Tzu said: “The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step.” In this game, the journey to find your legend begins with the first roll of the dice for your adventuring party. Explore a world full of danger and loot. Meet interesting people with problems only you and your sword can fix. Challenge yourself to find and fight dangerous creatures that magically drop gold when their bodies vanish. The life of a questing adventurer is fraught with peril but has a lot of perks. Continue reading

Fairy Season Game Review

Scottish novelist, playwright, and creator of Peter Pan, Sir. James Matthew Barrie wrote, “Every time a child says ‘I don’t believe in fairies’ there is a little fairy somewhere that falls dead.” Yikes. In this game, whether you believe in fairies or not is inconsequential. Your only goal is to protect and save. To do so, you must follow the rules of nature and outthink the goblins (and your opponents). Sound easy? It’s not. This game might not require you to believe in winged sprites, but it will need all your attention if the fairies are to survive. Continue reading

RPG Battles: The Card Game Review (prepublished version)

Being a hero means you risk it all, for there is a treasure to be won, fame to be earned, and a legend to build! The life of a hero is short and bright, as a result. So sad that many a hero has breathed their last in the darkness of dungeons or crypts. Regardless of the warnings and obvious threats, you grab your equipment and venture forth with a group you don’t entirely trust. Danger and adventure await! And death… Lots of death. Continue reading

Dungeon Decorators Game Review (prepublished version)

English interior designer and socialite, Nicky Haslam, said, “Interior decoration partly thrives on being social.” Which makes sense, but how would that work if you were tasked to design the “perfect dungeon” for a malevolent evil entity with a penchant for ruling the world with an iron fist? What kind of throw pillow fabric pattern goes well with hanging skeletons and flesh-eating monsters? Paisley? Maybe. In this game, you get to make all those choices. You’ve been hired to design the perfect dungeon, with twists, turns, and the proper accents to make the evil dwelling really “pop”! Continue reading

Kingdomino Duel Game Review

You have won the realm, but now you must rule it, and to do so, you must divide it among your loyal royals. And while you want to reward each for their service, you know that each royal will not provide you the same level of prestige you seek. “Divide and conquer” was your motto when on the battlefield, leading your troops. Now you must do the same with the politics of the land. Some would say it was easier to fight and bleed for the realm in times of war than manage it during times of peace. Continue reading