Paperback Game Review (prepublished version)

The idea of being a novelist has always been alluring to me. I romantically dream of a life full of literature, sweater vests, and luncheons with poets and other writers. Conversations would be deep and meaningful as we sipped our expensive coffees. In reality, being a successful writer means lots of long hours, rejection letters, and moments of pure panic as you struggle to write. In this game, players will get to experience the trials and tribulations that come with attempting to write the next great novel! Continue reading

Guile Game Review (prepublished version)

The legend of King Arthur is loaded with heroic deeds and betrayal. At the very heart of King Arthur’s kingdom, the Round Table, deceit spreads like a disease. No one can be trusted fully and the forces that would see King Arthur fall work hard to influence and corrupt the king’s most trusted Knights. The true ruler of the kingdom and of the Round Table is the player who is the most cunning and knows that loyalty is a very fickle thing. Continue reading

Alliances Game Review (prepublished version)

John Kenneth Galbraith, an economist, public official, diplomat, and a leading proponent of 20th-century American liberalism, said, “Politics is the art of choosing between the disastrous and the unpalatable.” If that is the case, then the world political stage is a smorgasbord of rotten and slightly tolerable results. The same cannot be said about this game of political intrigue, power, and persuasion where players attempt to conquer and control one country at a time. Continue reading

Elemental Clash: The Master Set Game Review (prepublished version)

There is a veil that separates reality from endless possibility, and just beyond it lies the power to manipulate and destroy the very powers of creation. Only a handful out of a thousand are sensitive enough to perceive the veil, and from that number a rare few have the ability to focus its power for their own use. These Spellcasters, as they have come to be known, are loved, feared, admired, and hated, but their worse enemies are themselves and their need to dominate all. Continue reading

Gemstone Island Game Review (prepublished version)

The old and beloved king of the small island kingdom was nearing the end of his reign and was without an heir. To avoid a potentially violent dispute over the throne, the old king decreed there would be a competition available to all his subjects. This competition would test the contestants’ wits and intelligence. Whomever won the competition, be they a noble or a simple peasant, would be the next king. You eagerly signed up. Continue reading

Stones of Fate Game Review (prepublished version)

Life is a mystery and an adventure. We can clearly see the choices put in front of us, but not the results of the choices we have not yet made. Some believe in fate and some believe that the future is not yet written. In the end, it really doesn’t matter because we can only take action on what we know and what is before us. In this game, what is before you is a mystery, but through subtle game play and manipulation, even fate can be controlled. Nothing is for certain. Continue reading

Zooligans Game Review (prepublished version)

Do you remember your first time to the zoo as a child? That moment when you looked into an exhibit and felt like you were magically teleported to the African savanna or a tropical rain forest? Zoos have fascinated us for generations and serve not only as a wonderful way to learn about the diversity of life on our planet, but also to spark an interest in the welfare of animals that have led many to dedicate their lives to protect them. Start your own journey at your gaming table and build a zoo! Continue reading

Civility Game Review (prepublished version)

As a civilization grows, so too must it change. Change comes from within as well as without. As your civilization’s leader, you direct its growth from your seat of power in your capital city. But sometimes growth comes at a price. You are wise and know that war brings destruction, but also construction. Death opens the way to Life. The heavy burden of your civilization’s survival rests on your shoulders alone. Are you up to the task? Continue reading

Euphoria: Build a Better Dystopia Game Review (prepublished version)

From the ashes of war arose a new order determined not to repeat the past. The center of power dwells in the walled city of Euphoria that you call home. Peace and prosperity is abundant, but all is not well. The new world order of Euphoria’s elite keeps tight control of the masses through subtle influence. You have been quietly watching, waiting, and learning the game so you, too, might play it. You are a danger – a threat – because you have ideas of your own. Continue reading

Ars Victor Game Review (prepublished version)

The soldiers were hunkered down behind their barricade on the outskirts of the small settlement. They had solid intel that the enemy was advancing on their position, but the distant treeline made it difficult to see the enemy approach. Then came a rumbling that sounded like thunder and the soldiers looked up into the cloudless sky. Too late, they realized that the enemy was advancing from above! Both sides fire at each from the ground and the sky, while a large cannon emerges from the treeline, unnoticed. Continue reading

What the Food?! Game Review (prepublished version)

It started out like any other day in the lunchroom. The popular kids sat on one side and everyone else squeezed in on the other. Some say it all started when a brave tuba player from the Pep Band chucked his fruit cup at the football team’s quarterback. Some say it was the disgruntled lunch lady. The only thing known for certain is that everyone in that lunchroom came out wearing their lunch that day. Continue reading

Swords & Heroes Game Review (prepublished version)

As the fog of the morning slowly lifts from the battlefield, the two opposing forces face each other. From afar, their opponent’s strength is hard to determine. The officers know that the true strength of their enemy can’t be measured until they can see the whites of their eyes. Giving the order to advance, one and then both armies slowly move towards one another. On this day, many will fight and die for a cause they believe in. FOR BLOOD AND HONOR! Continue reading