Derek J: Review of 1975 White Christmas

Posted on March 15, 2026 by opgamers

1975: White Christmas

  • Designer: Albert Reyes 
  • Publisher: Looping Games
  • Players: 1-4
  • Age: 12+
  • Time: about 25 mins per player
  • Review by Derek J

1975: White Christmas specifically simulates Operation Frequent Wind. The “White Christmas” song isn’t just flavor text; it serves as the thematic anchor for the evacuation signal. On April 29, 1975, the operation began in the morning when the following message was heard on Saigon radio: “The temperature in Saigon is 105 degrees and rising.” followed by a broadcast of the Bing Crosby song “White Christmas”. The mechanics reflect real-world logistics, such as helicopters needing to return to carriers to unload rescued civilians before the city falls. 

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Dale Yu: Review of Etherstone

Posted on March 14, 2026 by Dale Yu

 

 

Etherstone

  • Designer: Virginio Gigli, Simone Luciani
  • Publisher: Thundergryph
  • Players: 2-4
  • Age: 14+
  • Time: 20 min per player
  • Amazon affiliate link: https://amzn.to/4aXGXBM
  • Played with review copy provided by publisher

Nobura is a forgotten planet shrouded in mystery. The story told that a cosmic being sacrificed its divine essence to breathe life into its desolate lands. Etherstones shaped the planet’s biomes and interconnected all living beings with nature. Yet, the lurking threat of the Vacuous, a parasitic force born from the depths of Nobura, poses a challenge to life on the surface, weaving a tale of divine sacrifice. Nobura has always been part of a paradoxical loop of life and death, where the forces of creation and destruction dance in an eternal cosmic struggle. In Etherstone, players embody faction leaders uniting forces to avert the impending extinction, striving to gain the most victory points through various means, such as summoning cards, overcoming threats, and utilizing their abilities as effectively as possible.

 

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Heroscape: Designers Talking

Posted on March 13, 2026 by Mark Jackson
Three game designers at a virtual roundtable discussion, with Anais Morgan on the left, Alex Davy in the center, and Dyllan Fernandez on the right, set against a colorful fantasy-themed background.

The last few RenegadeCon events have included a Heroscape Designers Roundtable… which isn’t actually round, since they are appearing on camera via Zoom or Teams or some such wizardry of our modern age. But there is a lot of talking – and this time around there were some interesting bits about the new era of Heroscape that begins this summer. The questions are pretty straightforward to begin with – but later in the discussion the team falls into a conversation about points of inspiration and Heroscape lore that is absolute catnip for those of us who’ve clocked 22 years with this game system.

Regarding the picture at the top of this article: apologies to Anais & Dyllan who do not usually have the “when’s Alex gonna stop talking?” vibe going on… and to Alex, who looks like he’s just seen the mothership from Close Encounters. (Also, I’m jealous about Dyllan’s shirt…)

I also added a special bonus section on Dyllan’s Dev Diary that was released earlier this week… so it’s double the Heroscape content!

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Dale Yu: Review of Shallow Sea

Posted on March 13, 2026 by Dale Yu

 

 

Shallow Sea

  • Designer: Yeom.C.W
  • Publisher: Bad Comet
  • Players: 1-4
  • Age: 14+
  • Time: 30-45 mins
  • Played with review copy provided by publisher

In Shallow Sea, a multi-layered puzzle board game inspired by the breathtaking beauty of the Great Barrier Reef, players create their own vivid ocean landscapes by strategically arranging an array of marine life, colorful fish, and corals. Unlike typical puzzle games in which pieces merely stack up, the elements in Shallow Sea can activate, deactivate, and even move, creating exciting combos and thought-provoking dilemmas that keep you on your toes.

On your turn, choose tiles showing fish, coral, or sea life, and place them on an empty space on your board. When fish surround a coral of the same color, you flip over the completed coral, which becomes a home for fish. Choose which fish will inhabit the coral, keeping the puzzle and ecosystem cards in mind. Use seashells to lure fish and move them, ideally completing multiple coral at once if you build them strategically.

Invite other creatures to enrich your ocean, trying to match the distinct scoring requirements of the ecosystem cards in order to score the most points.

 

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Dale Yu: Review of Countryside 

Posted on March 12, 2026 by Dale Yu

 

 

Countryside

  • Designer: Peter Prinz
  • Publisher: nanox games 
  • Players: 1-4
  • Age: 10+
  • Time: 60 mins
  • Played with review copy provided by publisher

In Countryside, you are a farmer with a vision, and you want to build the most thriving and efficient farm the land has ever seen. To do so, you will expand your territory by playing area cards and cultivate it with trees, vegetables, animals, and more. Will you raise live-stock in lush meadows, plant trees in your garden, or focus on growing hearty crops? Every decision counts as the right combination of items, perfect timing, and smart planning will bring you step by step closer to your goal. Balance your strategy and manage your resources wisely in this competitive game as you race to earn the title of the region’s top farmer.

 

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Posted in Essen 2025, Reviews | 1 Comment

Dale Yu: Preview of Death Strikers: Overkillers of Epochalypse

Posted on March 11, 2026 by Dale Yu

 

 

Death Strikers: Overkillers of Epochalypse

To win each battle, you gotta throw hands! Get the coolest cards, throw out your strongest hand, and watch them try to do something about it. Will you sap their stamina with a bunch of small hands or go for the throat with a big hand? The first player to take too much damage loses the round. Win enough rounds to win the war!

 

Players play hands of either runs or sets, targeting the opponent to their left. That player must play also play a run or set of a higher value, so a 3-3-3 must be beaten by a 4-4-4 or higher. And a 2-3-4-5 must be beaten by at least a 3-4-5-6 or higher. If not, that player takes those cards as three damage, and whatever they did play becomes an attack to the next player.

 

But beware, many cards have extra effects when attacking or blocking. When a player receives 10 cards as damage, they are knocked out and the round is over. The player with the least damage, and the player who dealt the killing blow each get a winner token. The most winner tokes after a set number of rounds wins the game!

 

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Posted in Kickstarter, Preview | 1 Comment