Dale Yu: Four recent Expansions – Heat Rocky Roads, Luna (Galileo Galelei), Terra Mystica Fan Factions, Cities: Achievement Boards and Theaters

 

So, just got a chance to play through a number of recent expansions, and I thought it would be nice to package up the previews/reviews in one piece.   I’ll include the link to our review of each base game – if you’re unfamiliar with the base games, go read that first and then come back to learn of the additions included in each of these expansions!

 

 

Review of Heat

Review of Galileo Galilei

Review of Terra Mystica

Review of Cities

 

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Dale Yu: Review of Behind

 

 

Behind

  • Designer: Cedric Millet
  • Publisher: KYF edition
  • Players: 1+
  • Age: 10+
  • Time: 45-90 minutes
  • Played with review copy provided by publisher

 Analyze, assemble, admire — in Behind, you’ll find three scenes to solve, each with its own unique mechanisms and reflection. You want to observe the tiles laid out in front of you, then assemble them logically and turn them over to admire the result on the reverse! Six clue cards are available for each scene and should be turned over in numerical order. The scenes in the box are:

  • The Theft: A theft has taken place in a city museum. The investigation is moving fast! (Illustrated by Pierô – 56 tiles)
    • The Professor: Two scientists experiment with an incredible machine. (Scripted and illustrated by Martin Vidberg – 54 tiles)
    • Imhotep: A bas-relief of strange hieroglyphs is said to open a door to the cosmos. (Illustrated by Maud Chalmel – 70 tiles)

Once you’ve reconstructed the picture, you can read all of the clues at your disposal, even if none of them were turned over while you were solving the picture. They’ll help you validate your thinking and confirm your thoughts! Finally, flip each tile to reveal the final image…

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Dale Yu: Review of Pinched!

 

 

Pinched!

  • Designers: David Gordon, Jonathan Gilmour-Long
  • Publisher: Mighty Boards
  • Players: 2-5
  • Age: 10+
  • Time: 60 minutes
  • Amazon affiliate link: https://amzn.to/3ZcfNzP
  • Played with review copy provided by publisher

As the wealthy flaunt their valuables, with their infinite money and privilege, the less fortunate of us are left to scheme on how to skim a bit off the top. You are not wealthy. You call your esteemed profession: “Wealth Redistribution” or, in layperson’s terms – burglary, ah – but burglary is such a harsh word – pinching, merely, and you’re darn good at it. Unfortunately, so are your “friends”.  Each turn, one player (burglar) becomes “The Mastermind”, planning their perfect, infallible Heist. In the meantime, the other burglars in town have been busy trying to guess where the break-in will be. If The Mastermind manages to go alone, they will take all valuables in that location for themselves, but if the other burglars guess correctly, and show up in the right place, they will be able to pinch some Valuables from The Mastermind’s Heist! The player who steals and sells the most Valuables, and hence “Redistributes” the most wealth is the winner.

 

 

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Dale Yu: Review of 7 Wonders Dice

 

 

7 Wonders Dice

  • Designer: Antoine Bauza
  • Publisher: Repos
  • Players: 2-7
  • Age: 10+
  • Time: 25 minutes 
  • Amazon affiliate link: https://amzn.to/480ZMlC
  • Played with review copy provided by publisher

Guide one of the seven largest cities of antiquity to prosperity in 7 Wonders Dice. During the game, you will construct a wonder that defies time, make scientific advances, develop commerce, manage your resources, and handle your gold reserve prudently — all while keeping an eye on neighboring cities since ignoring them has a heavy price!  A game plays over a series of turns during which you will use dice to construct your city. At the end of the game, count up all of your points to see who has the highest score.

 

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Dale Yu: Review of Beastro

 

 

Beastro

  • Designers: Matteo Uguzzoni, Jason Corace 
  • Publisher: Hello Mountain Games
  • Players: 3-6
  • Age: 8+
  • Time: 30 minutes
  • Played with review copy provided by publisher

Welcome to Beastro, where mythical beast chefs compete to make the best dishes! Beastro is a team-based trick-taking game with hidden roles where you have to figure out who is in your team and outsmart the others, collecting as many tricks as possible for your team.  Each round you: (1) wager to become the Head Chef and select your Secret Chef teammate, (2) Cook crazy dishes in order to win the most tricks for your team, (3) Play special cards to ruin dishes and get bonuses at unique Restaurants!  Every game you will play as of the mythical Chef and use their beastly power only once to turn the odds in your favour.  Beastro is played over a series of three round and the player with most point at the end will be the winner.

 

 

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Dale Yu: Review of Carnuta

 

 

Carnuta

  • Designers: Yohan Goh, Hope S. Hwang, Gary Kim 
  • Publisher: Repos Production
  • Players: 2-4
  • Age: 10+
  • Time: 25 minutes
  • Played with review copy provided by publisher

Welcome to the annual ceremony that brings together druids from distant lands! Eight secret ingredients have been selected, and your task in Carnuta is to combine them carefully and assemble your runes to create an exceptional potion.

 

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