Alison Brennan: Game Snapshots – 2025 (Part 30)

Posted on December 1, 2025 by Dale Yu

This is unfortunately a pretty miserable set of games to explore, with Tea Garden the only one that wanted to draw me back. So let’s talk about other stuff instead. My favourite new-to-me series this year was catching up on Severance – it has that Twin Peaks mystery on mystery slow-pace feel, always wondering where on earth it was going next. And my favourite new-to-me artist would be Ethel Cain – there’s an ethereal vibe there that I just sink into and enjoy.

Right, back to this set of games if we must …

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Dale Yu: Review of Alphabet Code

Posted on November 30, 2025 by Dale Yu

Alphabet Code

  • Designer: Shota Hasuike
  • Publisher: playte
  • Players: 2-5
  • Age: 8+
  • Time: 20 minutes
  • Spiel 2025 order link: https://tally.so/r/mBYNZe 
  • Played with review copy provided by publisher

Alphabet Code is a fast-paced logic and deduction game for 2 or more players. Each player secretly creates a 5-letter code using digital-style alphabet tiles (a–j), hidden behind a screen. Players take turns asking grid-based questions to deduce their opponent’s code before their own is uncovered.

The game rewards clever questioning, spatial reasoning, and strategic thinking. If you believe you’ve cracked your opponent’s code, you may declare your answer—but beware: two incorrect guesses and you lose!

With optional Advance Rules that use real words and expanded setups using more letters, Alphabet Code offers scalable challenge and replayability. Great for fans of deduction games like Mastermind or Cryptid, but with a uniquely visual and tactical twist.

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Dale Yu: Review of Burgle Bros Blackjack

Posted on November 29, 2025 by Dale Yu

Burgle Bros Blackjack

  • Designer: Tim Fowers
  • Publisher: Fowers Games
  • Players: 2-4
  • Age: 10+
  • Time: 30 minutes
  • Played with review copy provided by publisher

The Burgle Bros are back—this time, the heist is at the Blackjack table! In this cooperative twist on the classic casino game, you and your crew work together to crack safes while dodging guards. Trade cards, build your decks, and plan your moves carefully—every swap brings you closer to success… or disaster. Use unique character abilities and clever tools to stay one step ahead. Can your team pull off the ultimate score before time runs out?

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Posted in Essen 2025, Reviews | 1 Comment

Dale Yu: Review of La Cuenta

Posted on November 28, 2025 by Dale Yu

La Cuenta

  • Designer: Litus Carreras
  • Publisher: 2 Tomatoes
  • Players: 3-8
  • Age: 7+
  • Time: 15 minutes
  • Played with review copy provided by publisher

 In La Cuenta (“The Bill”) you go tapas bar hopping with your little group.  At each bar someone will have to pay the bill – try not to be you! Inevitably, someone will run out of money. When that happens, whoever has the most money left wins.

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Posted in Essen 2025, Reviews | 1 Comment

Opinionated Gamers Quick Takes 2025 – Part 1

Posted on November 27, 2025 by Dale Yu

 

We’ve started a tradition of writing a group document with very short takes on the games that we play.  Of course, you’ll not get as much info as in a full review, but as our reviews likely won’t start for awhile, you can at least get a glimpse into what we think about certain games.   The OG writers can leave their initials at the end of a comment if they want attribution…

We’ll post this to the blog every few weeks to give some thoughts on each game.   Here is the first installment on what we think about the games from Spiel 2025

  • 1975: White Christmas – Quick to learn card drafting game about rescuing people during the fall of Saigon at the end of the Vietnam War (a theme I’ve never seen outside a war game). As with all Looping Game titles, this one plays bigger than the box would suggest. Interesting tactical decisions over 4 rounds. I Like It (DG)
  • A Wild Venture – a 2p game about exploring and making card combos.  The game really needs about double the number of counters that you get; we kept running out.  Some interesting card interactions, but this game felt too long for what it delivered.
  • Amanite – a game with a mushroom theme where you’re supposed to intuit or deduce the values of the six different mushrooms in the game.  You are given a bit of jumbled information at the start and then get two concrete pieces of evidence in between the 3 rounds.  Not enough to make me want to play again

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Dale Yu: Review of Ninety Nine

Posted on November 26, 2025 by Dale Yu

Ninety Nine

  • Designer: Reinhard Staupe
  • Publisher: Kendi
  • Players: 2-4
  • Age: 8+
  • Time: 30 minutes
  • Amazon affiliate link: 
  • Played with review copy provided by publisher

Ninety Nine is a race to 99 points, with players scoring for both smart card playing and smart card discarding.

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Posted in Essen 2025, Reviews | 2 Comments