Dale Yu: Review of Vegetable Stock

Vegetable Stock

  • Designer: Zong-hua Wang (Bob)
  • Publisher: Good Game Studio
  • Players: 2-6
  • Age: 6+
  • Time: 10-15 minutes
  • Played with review copy provided by publisher and Taiwan Boardgame Design

vegetable stock

Vegetable Stock is a game originally released in 2019, which comes to SPIEL 2022 with all new art.  In this game:  Grow the vegetables, raise the sale price, and make a fortune!

Small Farmer is a simple card game about vegetable economics.  The game revolves around the 45 Vegetable cards. Each card has 3 vegetable icons on it (a combination of 1 to 5 types of vegetables).   There is also a price card for each type of vegetable which shows the current price for each variety.  Randomize the vegetables so that each has a different starting value from 0 to 4.

Continue reading

Posted in Essen 2022, Reviews | Leave a comment

Ted C. – Assassin’s Creed: Brotherhood of Venice

Assassin’s Creed: Brotherhood of Venice

By: Triton Noir

Players: 1-4

Overview: Ted Cheatham

Assassins Creed_ Brotherhood of Venice

After about nine months of painting and 40 hours of play time, Assassin’s Creed: Brotherhood of Venice has been completed.  Due to its vast length and campaign format, I doubt this is a game many people will get a chance to complete without pure dedication.  I was lucky enough to have two great friends who love campaign games like Lord of the Rings: Journeys to Middle Earth, Descent: Legends in the Dark, and Gloomhaven for example.  And, we spend four straight days to play this to completion in about 40 hours.  Your play time may vary with speed, but I still think you will need at least 30 hours.  It is an expensive game with lots of components.  Even at 30 hours of enjoyment, it is worth the price at $5 or less per hour.

Continue reading

Posted in Reviews | Leave a comment

Patrick Brennan: Game Snapshots – 2022 (Part 6)

netball

In netball, you don’t get a backboard.

I’m not big on expansions but I recently forked out for Dune: Imperium’s Rise of Ix. It changes the focus from spending spice on troops and money to spending spice on troops and tech tiles. It doesn’t change the essence of victory point acquisition (climb tracks, get troop majorities, acquire purchase power) but it does provide different strategic paths as to how to achieve these which I enjoyed exploring. It stays in the mix and improves the game’s longevity.

 

I also went all in on Spirit Island expansions, figuring it’s currently the co-op with the most variety and staying power I have now that Gloomhaven is kinda done. All the extra elements are a little overwhelming in the first game (new powers tick, addition of events tick, new token powers tick) and made the game go way longer than desired while we came to grips with new iconography and effect types. I’m hoping now that that’s done it all speeds up and we can get on with enjoying the variety and the new challenge.

  Continue reading

Posted in Sessions | Leave a comment

Dale Yu: Review of Ted Lasso Party Game

Ted Lasso Party Game

  • Designer: Prospero Hall
  • Publisher: Funko Games
  • Players: 2-6
  • Age: 10+
  • Time: 20 minutes
  • Played with review copy provided by Funko

ted lasso

Ted Lasso is a hit streaming show (available on Apple TV) about a folksy American football coach who somehow ends up in England, managing (not coaching) a football (not American football) side (not team), AFC Richmond.

Continue reading

Posted in Reviews | 1 Comment

Dale Yu: Review of Junior Detective

Junior Detective

  • Designer: uncredited
  • Publisher: Buffalo Games
  • Players: 2-6
  • Age: 8+
  • Time: 20 minutes
  • Played with review copy provided by Buffalo Games

junior detective

In Junior Detective, “Curious things have been happening in the neighborhood, and it needs the smartest detectives to solve the case!  Choose the mystery for each game from 40 unsolved case files. Decode clues using your trusty detective gear like your red spy glass, detective mirror, cipher solve card, and even the magic of your own hand! Be the first to identify the culprit and where they are hiding by interviewing neighborhood witnesses and taking notes.”

Continue reading

Posted in Reviews | 2 Comments

Dale Yu: Review of Dungeon Fighter – 2nd Ed

Dungeon Fighter, 2nd ed

  • Designers: Aureliano Buonfino, Lorenzo Silva, Lorenzo Tucci Sorrentino
  • Publisher: Horrible Guild
  • Players: 1-6
  • Age: 14+
  • Time: 40-60 minutes
  • Played with review copies provided by Horrible Guild

dungeon fighter 2nd ed


Way back in 2011, the original release of Dungeon Fighter hit the market.  “In Dungeon Fighter, a fully cooperative board game, players take on the roles of heroes venturing deep into a three-tier dungeon. Along the way, they explore the dungeon, search its many rooms, and face endless hordes of vicious monsters. Best of all, your skill determines the ability of your character. Can you kill Medusa without looking into her eyes, defeat the Minotaur in the labyrinth, or resist the breath of the dragon? Will you be able to hit a target by throwing the dice under your leg with your eyes closed?  You will feel truly part of a centuries-old battle between good and evil…with a touch of foolish stupidity.”

Continue reading

Posted in Essen 2022, Reviews | Leave a comment