Continuing the quick reviews of 9 games per month series. These will be smaller or children games that don't need a big review or games that I only played once and I cannot give a final review yet, but I would still like to share my initial thoughts on.

 

Books of Time

Published: 2023
Players: 1-4
Playing Time: 45-60 Mins
Publisher: Board&Dice

Mechanisms: Deck Building, Hand Management, Open Drafting, Solitaire Game,

Sleeves: BEU 80x120mm,

 

Gameplay & Replayability: 9/10

It’s an original type of deck building. Players will place cards in a book instead of a deck and then they will turn the pages by using the effects on the cards… a fun twist. There are many cards and many ways how to get points, so each game will be different.

 

Art & Graphic Design & Theme:

The art and graphic design really fit the theme of creating books that capture the history of your civilization. There is a lot of icons that should be easy to understand after 1-2 turns.

 

Creature Caravan

Published: 2024
Players: 1-4
Playing Time: 60-90 Mins
Publisher: Red Raven Games

Mechanisms: Dice Rolling, Multi-Use Cards, Simultaneous Action, Worker Placement

Sleeves: EUR 59x91mm

 

Gameplay & Replayability: 9/10

Worker placement with dice can be risky… but in this game you will always have somewhere to use your dice. Of course, with time new cards will create better combos and you will snowball toward the finish line.
There are many cards in the game and you will only get to play a few of them each game. Add to this many different ways to score points and you have yourself a game that will last a long time.

 

Art & Graphic Design & Theme:

The art is gorgeous and the graphic design on the cards is clean. Icons are clear and the little text is short and to the point. All the strange creatures bring this world alive.

 

 

Faraway

Published: 2023
Players: 2-6
Playing Time: 15-30 Mins
Publisher: Catch Up Games

Mechanisms: Contracts, Open Drafting, Set Collection, Simultaneous Action Selection

Sleeves: MEU 45x68mm, S70 70x70mm

Gameplay & Replayability: 6/10

Trick of the game is that you need to collect cards that will score the latest. So you should first collect the scoring cards and then try to get the resources to score the cards in the first place… and this is where the luck comes in. Fortunately it’s a short game so if you don’t get the needed cards, you will waste just 15 minutes and you can try your luck again.

 

Art & Graphic Design & Theme:

The game is very colourful and popping on the table. The icons are clear and make sense at first glance. The game is too short to have a theme.

 

 

Fit to Print

Published: 2023
Players: 1-6
Playing Time: 15-30 Mins
Publisher: Flatout Games

Mechanisms: Closed Drafting, End Game Bonuses, Pattern Building. Grid Coverage, Tile Placement, Real-Time

Sleeves: STN 57,5x89mm

 

Gameplay & Replayability: 6/10

Players will have to check facedown tiles in real time and decide if they want to use them in todays’ printing (putting it on the side without placing on the actual board). The goal is to fill out the most of the page following the rules of placement (same type of articles can’t be together). If you collect too many articles, you will score minus points, while collecting too few will cost you possible points.

If you like this frantic style of game… this game has unlimited replayability as there are tons of pieces and goals etc.

 

Art & Graphic Design & Theme:

You will feel like an editor of a newspaper that has to finish up the layout and send it to the print. They really made an amazing mix of theme and art and mechanics.

 

 

Fyfe

Published: 2022
Players: 2-5
Playing Time: 30-45 Mins
Publisher: Edition Spielwiese

Mechanisms: Pattern Building, Set Collection, Tile Placement

 

Gameplay & Replayability: 6/10

Players will choose 1 token out of the two available ones and place it on the 5x5 grid, trying to make the patterns scoring the most points. Sounds simple but it is not. It’s a bit overwhelming for my taste and yet fun enough that I will give it a few more plays at least.

 

Art & Graphic Design & Theme:

The art & graphic design fit a cute tropical flowery theme with relaxing vibes… not really matching the vibes of the brainy gameplay.

 

 

Point City

Published: 2023
Players: 1-4
Playing Time: 15-30 Mins
Publisher: Flatout Games

Mechanisms: Open Drafting, Set Collection

Sleeves: STN 57x89mm

 

Gameplay & Replayability: 7/10

Players will be choosing between building materials and actual buildings that bring points to them. Some games will end with combos that will make you feel very smart, while others will be a tight point by point fight. There are plenty of cards that will make each play different.

 

Art & Graphic Design & Theme:

The art is cute and non-intrusive because there is plenty of information that you have to take into consideration. It’s a simple game with a simple city building theme.

 

 

Res Arcana

Published: 2019
Players: 2-4
Playing Time: 30-60 Mins
Publisher: Sand Castle Games

Mechanisms: Hand Management, Open Drafting, Race, Variable Player Powers

Sleeves: MEU 45x68mm, TCG 63x88mm

 

Gameplay & Replayability: 7/10

Players will race to 10 points by exchanging resources and spending them to earn points. The trick is that each player will only get a small deck of cards from which some will be played to create the best combos while other cards are used as resources to speed up the process. With a nice selection of starting wizards, monuments and cards… you will not get bored of the game that fast.

 

Art & Graphic Design & Theme:

Wizards fighting for power is well represented with the beautiful art. Graphic design is well done as there is a lot of info on the cards and yet everything is visible at a quick glance.

 

 

Snowman Dice

Published: 2019
Players: 2-4
Playing Time: 10 Mins
Publisher: Brain Games
Mechanisms: Dice Rolling, Real-Time

Gameplay & Replayability: 6/10

Players will frantically roll dice to build a snowman and move it toward the center of the table while others will try to do the same and at the same time flick snowball dice toward you to destroy your own snowman… a fun game that keeps on giving if all players are young by heart

 

Art & Graphic Design & Theme:

Snowmen are racing to the north poll by rolling nice chunky blue dice.

 

 

Voyages of Marco Polo

Published: 2015
Players: 2-4
Playing Time: 40-100 Mins
Publisher: Hans im Gluck
Mechanisms: Contracts, Dice Rolling, Resources to Move, Variable Player Powers, Worker placement with Dice Workers
Sleeves: MED 43x67

Gameplay & Replayability: 8/10

Players will move through the map, finding a nice route around Asia. Maybe they will try to win by reaching the distant lands first, or they will try to fulfil the best contracts…

The first thing you notice in this game is that all your opponents have dramatically OP starting powers, that magically balance out (more or less) during the game.

 

Art & Graphic Design & Theme:

It’s an older game and the art is showing it. But it fits the theme nicely and with all the things going on in this game, everything is well graphically arranged.