Counter Magazine Issue #69 (July 2015) is now available for download from the BoardGameGeek store:

http://boardgamegeekstore.com/products/counter-magazine-issue-69-july-2015

Here is a peek at the brilliant cover, designed by Timothy Weaver:

Issue #69 is jam-packed with 100 pages of articles, reviews and commentary from a cross-section of renowned individuals.

So, what’s included in this issue?  The following is just a brief overview of some of the material included.

Reviews:

Aquasphere – Stefan Feld strikes again with another meaty game, but this time of the seafood variety!  Players scurry about an underground laboratory while programming robots to do the hard work.  Does this measure-up to other Feld offerings?  Greg Schloesser gives us the scoop.

Diamonds – Mike Fitzgerald is well-known for  his Mystery Rummy series.  This year he offers several new titles, including Diamonds, which has some interesting twists on the trick-taking genre.

Doodle City – Design your own city from the drawing board…literally!  Players create their city by sketching it on their pad.  This popular game is explored by Simon Neale.

Elysium – Space Cowboys created a sensation with last year’s Splendor.  They are back with more, including a trip to Mt. Olympus where players get to write the legends of the gods in Elysium.  Stuart Dagger let us know whether the journey is worthwhile.

Fields of Arle – Uwe Rosenberg seems to have an inexhaustible well of ideas.  His latest offering takes the concepts pioneered in Agricola to the Fields of Arle, an in-depth and challenging 2-player game using similar systems.  John Humphries offers us a detailed look of the game.

The Game – Many folks were surprised that one of the three finalists for the Spiel des Jahre was The Game, which many folks had not even heard of.  Alan How tells us about this simple, yet addicting game.

The Great War – Many feel that a game recreating World War I would have to be boring, as the war is most remembered for the static trench warfare that ensued.  Boredom is not a characteristic of The Great War.  Paul “Pevans” Evans tells us why recreating this war is quite challenging and fun.

Hyperborea – This ambitious Asmodee publication is quite impressive in appearance, with wonderfully detailed miniatures.  Does the game measure-up to the components?  Dr. Steve Owen gives us the inside scoop.

Nations: The Dice Game – Nations created quite a sensation with the civilization-building game fans.  Can one truly recreate the feel of that game — as well as the civ-building genre —  in a dice game?  Simon Weinberg emphatically says “yes!”

Pandemic: The Cure – The Pandemic continues to spread. The latest in this excellent series is Pandemic: The Cure, which converts the game into a dice affair.  John Butitta succumbs to the disease and tells us why experiencing this Pandemic is so much fun.

Progress: Evolution of Technology – Yet another civilization building game, but this one concentrates almost exclusively on the technology tree.  Does it succeed?  Greg Schloesser lets us know.

Quartermaster General – While the game has a strong “wargame” name, it really is a merger between a war theme and European game mechanisms.  Commander Mike Clifford explains why this game has become such a smashing hit.

Scoville – Tasty Minstrel Games has emerged as a dynamic company that offers quality products.  Scoville is one of their latest titles, taking us into the fields where peppers are harvested and used to make mouth-watering chili recipes.  Is the game a tasty treat? Read more and find out!

The Voyages of Marco Polo – The designers of the very popular Tzolk’in are back, this time traveling from the Americas to the Far East as they recreate the journeys of Marco Polo.  The game is being met with wide acclaim, and Stuart Daggers tells us why.

There are numerous other great articles, including:

From Polyominoes to Patchwork – Dr. Mitch Thomashow explains the birth and evolution of polyominoes in games, including their latest use in Uwe Rosenberg’s Patchwork.

Get Off My Lawn! – Are games getting to complicated and unwieldy … or is Greg Schloesser just becoming ornery?

Convention Reports – Learn all about recent game conventions, including reports of dozens of new games that are being released.  Reports include Origins, UK Game Expo and PLAY: The Games Festival.

These are just a few of the many articles and 23 reviews that are included in Issue 69 of Counter.  Intrigued?  Then make sure you visit the BoardGameGeek store and download Issue #69.

http://boardgamegeekstore.com/products/counter-magazine-issue-69-july-2015