Quirky characters and simple rules make this a charmer

Some games just charm you from the moment you rip off the cellophane.

Cube Creatures is one of those games.

It starts with the nifty magnetic closing box lid, and the clean front of box design – both a credit to someone wanting to present their game in a most satisfying way.

Inside is a rather straight forward two-player card battler that will remind a bit of Magic the Gathering if you striped it down to its most basic mechanics – critters battling critters.

In Cube Creatures players share a single deck of cards – no pre-game time consuming deck building here, and no expense buying booster packs. (The caveat being if this one sells well you almost know an expansion would be forthcoming).

So each player gets a hand of cards – they are going to be creatures, or creature enhancements for the most part with a spattering of ‘instant’ play cards or spells.

You must have creatures in play and you have to battle. It’s really that straightforward.

You win five battles so that you claim the losing creatures and you win.

It’s quick and it is so much fun.

Helping raise this one a click higher is amazingly charming art – think the best doodles in the margins of a middle school student’s notebook. That is actually the case here since Cube Creatures is the creation of a dad and his seven-year-old son.

That combo is no doubt why this game plays so easily. It is an entry level battler for even the youngest player.

And, while it is all easy and geared to the broadest audience of gamer, grizzled old vets like Trevor and I with years of Magic, Warlord, Flesh and Blood and so many more card battlers, Cube Creatures was still ‘fun’.

Ultimately, fun is all one should want from any game, and with that you really need to check this one out via a Facebook search.

A surprising mind twister

If The Meeple Guild were to categorize 2025 it might be the year of games just a bit different from the norm hitting our table.

It is a year which has included games such as Bloomchasers, Yoink!, Rivages among others which have rule sets which are a bit different, and now we add A Carnivore Did It! 

From designers Daumilas Ardickas, and Urtis Šulinskas, and publisher Horrible Guild, A Carnivore Did It! sort of puts players in the role of detectives trying to determine the culprit from an array of suspects.

Each suspect offers up a statement which may, or may not be true – the game at least tells you how many are being untruthful in each array.

You use logic to determine who is lying and from there you hopefully can finger the culprit.

The game plays one-to-five, although there is no reason a larger number couldn’t co-operate in this one, but the arguments as everyone offers up their ideas might bog down things.

The game is a solid puzzle offering to play solo, but works as a group effort.

Now it was expected by yours truly that The Meeple Guild might not like this one because it’s quite different, but that difference actually enhanced the interest.

A Carnivore Did It! is so different from any other game in The Meeple Guild collection that it was a rather entertaining exercise.

Now if you really like the game – it could easily be a go-to solo time sink – this one can stay fresh for a very long time.

While the most basic ‘case’ has only a few suspects and one culprit to find, it ramps up the difficulty if you think you’ve got the game figured out as being too easy.

There are cases where you're searching for two culprits — or even three, and more than one of the suspects may be lying.

A Carnivore Did It! includes 2,000 cases, each with a single solution, with the difficulty increasing to have up to seven suspects, conditional statements, and varying levels of truthfulness.

The sheer volume of cases provided here really sets this game apart.

Admittedly though you will need to fall deeply in love with A Carnivore Did It! to ever complete 2,000 cases, but the sheer volume will keep the game interesting for as long as it intrigues you.

Now, while we liked this one quite a lot it’s brain burner nature – we tried a more complicated case and failed miserably – it isn’t a game for all evening play at our table. Reasonably it tops out at about a half dozen cases – certainly no more than 10 – at a session for us, and not week after week either.

But drag it out every couple of months to give the brain a bit of a workout and A Carnivore Did It! is going to shine.

As a solo it would be an interesting self-challenge to track how many cases you successfully solved when you finally check the answer – I fear my success rate would be less than impressive.

In the end A Carnivore Did It! is an acquired taste, but if it interests, it will provide hours of game time.

Check it out at www.horribleguild.com

 

Clans of Chayil offers RPGers much that is fresh

Yes there are many role playing games out there, so when a new one pops up the question must be; do we need it?

Well, when it has bipedal moose – the Ud'lan – the answer is a resounding yes.

It was a picture of an Ud'lan that caught my eye initially with Clans of Chayil, and that led to a request for a sneak peek of this one – soon to hit Kickstarter to raise funds to publish.

Recognizing previews are not full-blown looks – one should expect more in the finished book – at more than 150-pages this preview gave a pretty good look at what should be expected with Clans of Chayil.

Now initially the book suggests typical player character races – humans, elves, dwarves, halflings – but an experienced game master should expect at least one player to be begging – maybe to the point of bribing with Pocky sticks – to play an Ud'lan PC.

As the name implies this one is based around the ideas of clans, and their importance in the world. Many are detailed in the book, and they provide some definite insights into possible player development. Ties and responsibilities to one’s clan can really help a player flesh out who they are ‘in-game’ and what their motivations are.

The clan aspect leads to what designer Robert Porras sees as one of the more unique aspects of the game.

“One of the mechanics of the game is Essence. We don't have magic like magic users and mages. Every creature and every clan both good and evil have an essence. The essence of a creature gives them life,” he related via email. “In the clans of Chayil, there are two different realities. One is physical and the other is Essence. Your Essence is that which does not originate from the physical world. It is life and power. Essence is the purest form of existence, an ethereal force that does not originate from the physical world. It is the very breath of life and the wellspring of power that flows through all living things. Essence is not bound by matter or form; instead, it is a timeless energy that transcends the limitations of the material realm.

“In Chayil there is a good essence called the "Naofa Fiain" pronounced "Nafa Fane", which means "The Holy Wild".  The darkness has an essence as well called the "Dorca Anon" "Dark Soul" and both Essences run like lightning and a gentle wind through the world of Chayil. 

“So you have the physical world to deal with but at the very same time there is the world of Essence. For example a battle may be fought on the battlefield physically, while on the Essence level a battle will be fought to attack the mind, body and soul, all at the same time. It offers a deeper aspect to the world.

It’s a world-building, and character building mechanism different enough to be rather fresh.

Porras said being immersive was a goal.

“Clans of Chayil is more than just a game—it’s an immersive world designed to pull players into living, breathing stories,” he said via email. “Each scenario unfolds like a television episode, with drama, conflict, and unexpected twists that keep players on the edge of their seats. But the real magic lies in how it invites people to step into the spotlight. Players are encouraged to let their inner actor emerge, to not just play a character but to become one.

“It’s a rare opportunity to set aside the everyday weight of work, bills, and school, and enter a world where the impossible becomes possible—a world where ordinary people can rise up and become legends. In Clans of Chayil, every player’s journey is more than dice rolls and statistics; it’s a living story.

“The world challenges players to engage deeply across all four aspects of life: mental, social, physical, and spiritual. Each adventure weaves these elements together, offering moments of strategy, teamwork, endurance, and personal reflection. The result is not just a game session, but an experience that lingers. Adventures that they will talk about as though they were real.”

To create the world which creates the broad opportunities Porras wrote it takes time to create – years actually he noted.

“The idea for what would eventually become The World of Chayil  was first sparked more than 20 years ago, while I was working with a group of teenagers,” he said. “I wanted to create something that would capture their imagination and encourage them to engage with each other face-to-face, rather than disappearing into their social media.

“With 60 kids under my care, I began experimenting with a simple, homemade game. It blended the principles of role-playing games with hands-on, real-world problem solving. Some of the challenges weren’t just on paper—they took physical form as puzzles the players had to solve together. At times, each teenager fully embodied their character, stepping into the adventure as if the story were their own.

“For most of them, this was their very first exposure to the world of RPGs. The result was beyond anything I expected. The kids showed up week after week—sixty strong, gathered in a rented hall—ready to dive into this new world we had created together. The experiment was an overwhelming success.

“Years later, as I moved into retirement, the memory of those sessions still burned brightly. Along with a few close friends, I decided to take that early spark and shape it into something larger, something lasting: a fully realized game world others could explore and play for themselves.”

Perhaps the best aspect of Clans is that it avoids a world painted in blacks and whites, opting for a world where old RPG stereotypes don’t hold true – which opens new game experiences for players.

“One of the aspects I love most about writing Clans of Chayil is the living, breathing quality of its world. Creatures, characters, and entire races aren’t locked into rigid roles—they adapt, evolve, and surprise,” said Porras. “Take the orcs, for example. In most fantasy worlds, they’re painted as mindless brutes or villains. But in Chayil, the story is more complex. There exists a tribe of orcs who have broken away from their warmongering kin and chosen the path of peace, seeking alliance with the Chosen Ones.

“This is the kind of twist that reshapes how players view the world. What appears to be an enemy may, in fact, turn out to be an unexpected ally. The surface tells only part of the story, and not everything is as it seems.

“Walt Whitman once wrote: “Be curious, not judgmental.” That spirit runs deeply through the veins of this game. Adventurers in Chayil will find themselves in situations where a second look—and an open mind—may reveal hidden truths, unlikely friendships, and deeper meaning than they first imagined.”

For Porras Clans is supposed to be about an experience which is more memorable than most.

“On a social level, my vision for this game goes far beyond dice and character sheets. I want it to become a catalyst—something that draws people together in ways that are increasingly rare in our modern world,” he related. “Imagine a group of friends, or even total strangers, gathered around a table. Before long, the walls of unfamiliarity begin to crumble. Laughter fills the room, conversations spark, and bonds are formed through the simple act of shared adventure.

“At its core, this is what we are trying to achieve with Clans. The game will give the player permission to stretch themselves beyond the ordinary—to imagine, to take risks, and to explore new parts of who they are. What I saw with those teenagers is that when they stepped into a character, they weren't just pretending; they were unlocking a part of their creativity that everyday life often pushes aside. We are trying to awaken the imagination again for a larger audience.”

Now to be fair any RPG can be more encompassing depending on the players at the table.

For some that means going deep ‘in-character’ at the table, focusing entirely on the in-game persona.

Our group is more free-form, jumping from in-game to talk of the Saskatchewan Roughriders, or civic affairs, or a good book. The experience is more camaraderie than role-playing.

In Clans how the experience is ultimately as much in the hands of players as in the source material.

Overall Clans is just too intriguing – at least the preview taste – to not suggest – especially for experienced RPG players wanting something new.

Check it out at clansofchayil.com

 

A lot of game in a small wooden box

When a game arrives in a wooden box with labelling which reminds of something done by a wood-burning set – still very nice mind you – it intrigues before you even open it. There is a ‘vintage’ or ‘older’ feel to it, and for a game based on the First World War that is a good fit.

Inside the box – barely as there is a lot of stuff and it takes some careful placement to re-close this one – is a game which is a bit different. Behind the Trenches is touted as a resource management / deck builder, and of course at its core remains a war game. It is not a game trifecta one immediately thinks even exists – so points for a game approach which is a bit different than most.

Now as a preview copy this one was ‘home 3D printed’ or at least it appears that way,  so the finish might not be up to big company print standards, which in this case sort of works.

The entire ‘vibe’ of Behind the Trenches ‘feels’ a bit like something you might find in grandpa’s attic – a bit old school.

Now because you have a bit of a hybrid in terms of game mechanics here there is something of a learning curve – albeit no more than anticipated at first look.

And Behind the Trenches comes with a digital trainer that teaches players the rules and basic strategy. At this point any game that is offered up really needs to have a ‘how-to-play’ video online before the game hits the market. While experienced gamers are likely good at deciphering all but the most poorly written rulesets, watching someone well-versed in the game run through the rules is a benefit for many.

Now in Behind the Trenches you rely on a hand of cards with each country offering some unique options, that ultimately combine into a battle strategy.

The battle begins in earnest with the goal to push the front line into the opponent’s headquarters – you can think of it as a battleground tug of war.

Behind the Trenches plays two-to-four, but probably is at its best with two – it fits the theme best when you think about it.

The game’s greatest drawback might be that it can play a little long – although this one is likely to garner its greatest interest from staunch war gamers and war games tend to be rather immersive and as a result longer on the table.

In the end there is more game in the wooden box, although with a bit of a nostalgic look, which may, or may not appeal.

Check it out at behindthetrenches.com

A fresh look at Kobolds for RPG classic

In no way can I say I am a fan of D&D 5th edition. It is a homogenized creation to appease the legion of gamers who want to do it all, cast spells, carry the great sword, and do it regardless of race and its apparent limitations.

You can kit characters so they feel more like a group of clones rather than a diverse group coming together for adventure.

So when I get my hands on a supplement for D&D 5E, I am looking to see how it might wedge into an earlier incarnation of D&D when diversity and uniqueness reigned based on class and race.

That was why I was intrigued initially by The Kobolds of Frostwind Forest by Canadian Mark Charke, as it is written with 3rd edition in mind – a huge win for me.

Charke “has been writing since the early 90s. He has published over 70 works including 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th Edition and Vampire the Masquerade manuals, several novels and a LARP card game,” noted his Kickstarter bio.

The writing pedigree suggests this one should be good, and that it offers up a rather different view of Kobolds was exciting.

Among the list of fairly standard RPG fantasy races Kobolds have typically been at the bottom of the list – a minor annoyance to a low level adventuring group perhaps, but from there they might be offered up as cannon fodder as a baddie escapes at some point, but otherwise you won’t see them offered up often by the Dungeon Master.

Of course one has to expect not every Kobold is an evil little coward with a pointy stick – or at least that is how Charke looks at the race.

Canadian creator 

In The Kobolds of Frostwind Forest Charke simply builds a broader vision of the race – one where the range of the good, the bad and the neutral of a more race than most associate with ‘mere Kobolds’.

Again I must turn to the Kickstarter campaign for this tome as it paints a fine picture of Charke’s effort.

“This is a story about the underdogs, the little race that has long served not as the villains but rather the pushed aside annoying minions of villains,” the campaign page details. “I suppose they haven't gotten that much better, but they are trying. In Frostwind Forest, the Kobolds have become something a little more, guided and influenced by forces beyond them and having a teacher to elevate them, they may actually become a threat in their own right. Protected by their resistance to cold, the Kobolds are hidden in the Frostwind Forest where their numbers and their might is growing. They aren't all good. Not even most of them are good. The important thing is that some of them are good and they are trying.”

Now simply slapping a more varied array of alignments on Kobolds would not in itself been worth a great deal. In an RPG alignment typically comes from how a player portrays a character through their actions anyway.

But ‘Frostwind’ goes further with a bit of everything to make Kobolds worth another look – “new spells, new races, new prestige classes, mutations, maggot therapy rules, yes you read that right and a story with many different personalities all around the forest region with their own motives and capabilities,” details the KS campaign.

There is world building here too, taking us inside this unique realm of Kobolds, with the forest being home to “three dragons, a dryad venerated by the kobolds, powerful treants, giants and even human explorers.”

There is just enough here to make one want to either roll up a Kobold from the ‘forest’ and take them adventuring, or as a GM send a party into the forest realm and have a party dealing with the mind twist that all Kobolds are not the same.

This is the kind of D&D supplement that truly enhances the game, without simply tossing all into a blender and pouring out glassfuls of ‘sameness’.

 

Going last typically a key

It’s always interesting when a game hits the table and you learn something new as a result.

HOD is one of those games.

A hod, according to an online dictionary is “a builder's V-shaped open trough on a pole, used for carrying bricks and other building materials,” something I didn’t know previously – which I suppose may allow me to know one additional clue on Jeopardy.

But back to the game. HOD is another among the many by designer David McCord, and publisher  at newventuregames.com – a combo which equates to a fine quality game.

This one is played on a 4x4-inch wooden peg board, and 64 coloured wooden pegs, all of which are very nice.

There are also a couple of dice that play a role in the set-up, so they are not influence play through random rolls once the play begins.

HOD is a peg game for two-to-four players – with our group’s experience leaning toward more interesting play with more involved.

The placement of a peg scores you points – multiples of the points on which it is placed, so 15 on the intersection of three and five.

Some holes will be blocked – that is why you roll dice so the board changes somewhat each game.

Now the game plays quick – yep another game that seems a fine ‘in the cabin for rainy day play’ option – but lacks the depth to become a regularly suggested game. That is a result to the last peg to be placed is generally going to be at the intersection of six and six, scoring 36 points which is a big swing.

Scores by the nature of HOD stay close and that 36 looms as the determining score rather often – meaning it’s positioning to get that final peg – which typically goes to the last player in rotation. In HOD going last tends to be a big benefit – so you need to play multiple games with each player going last then adding up overall scores to determine the winner – at least we feel that way.

Nice components with short term interest but not the longer term appeal of some other McCord creations.

 

Fun foray in sports by rolling dice

Roll and write games really run the gambit from superficial to highly detailed, meaning they can fill a pretty wide range of table needs.

Diceathlon is one of those ‘middle-of-the-road’ offerings – not particularly deep -- but more fun than was expected.

Like many games within the genre of R’n’W, Diceathlon by designer Chris Heaney and released in 2022, it plays solo-to-unlimited, although it plays best at three-to-five, maybe six. The reason to hold the number lower is that you roll dice equal to the number of players plus one, then you pick one dice per player, the roller getting the extra die at end of round.

You write the number on your individual score sheet in one of the six sports. Each sport has their own specific goals to how the player can win the medal at the end of the game.

For a little change of pace the same designer came out with Winter Diceathlon in 2023, the same general idea except placing die in one of five winter sports. each with its own specific goals.

I personally like this one in part – a large part actually – because of the sport theme.

Admittedly it’s a sort of ‘pasted on’ element of the game, but they make ‘sense’ on a sport-by-sport basis – golf trying to get the lowest score, hurdles needing a roll higher then three to clear each hurdle, etc.

It is also is thematically when players have access to three ‘coaches’ which allow you to influence one selected die each game. It’s a nice game element to mitigate some bad selections which will inevitably occur in a game of Diceathlon – or its sister.

Both of these are available as print ‘n play games at www.pnparcade.com, and if you like tossing some dice, and making some choices which are simple, but important to a win, it’s worth checking them out.

 

Warcrow book exudes quality

If you were to poll the members of ‘The Meeple Guild’ you would find miniature gaming would rate at or very near the top in terms of favourite category of game.

Over the years we have played and reviewed many – Warmachine, MERCs, Blackwater Gulch, Guildball and others.

Among the best are the games which survive long term – it shows players like the game and the company is dedicated to new offerings to hold interest.

One company which has done that well is Infinity.

Infinity has a pretty basic but effective philosophy in terms on mini gaming.

It starts with absolutely wonderful minis throughout what is now a rather extensive range from the company which has been around for a quarter of a century – quality really is synonymous with longevity in mini gaming.

The other aspect that has made Infinity a success is the ability to offer new things which garners attention.

In 2024 that included the release of the mini skirmish game Warcrow, which we look at today – or at least its core rulebook as an intro to the game.

So a quick explanation on the game from the publisher; “Warcrow is a miniatures game set in the fantastical world of Lindwurm. In this setting you control a small military force made up of warriors, creatures and wizards, who fight skirmishes pursuing the interests of your faction.

“Before starting the game, you must select a scenario to play. Each of the Warcrow scenarios describes the conditions and requirements necessary to achieve victory. Once you have chosen the scenario, prepare the gaming table and deploy the indicated terrain elements: hedges, forests, buildings ... Some of them will be very favourable to your faction. Once you have understood all the details of the scenario, choose your faction and create the company list that best suits your strategy and victory plans. The game begins with the deployment of the troops, following the instructions stipulated in the scenario rules.

“Warcrow scenarios have a variable length of game rounds, which continue until the end-of-game conditions are met. Each round, you and your opponent will take alternating turns activating your units. You can move them around the battlefield, attack your opponent, cast powerful spells ... until you achieve the objectives of the scenario. To win, you must have accumulated more Victory Points (VP) than your opponent at the end of the game.”

Now since the release of the core book there have been some lavish add-ons, scenarios which come with two starter factions etc. that add greatly to Warcrow, but more on those in a future review.

As for the core book, it could be described simply with a single word – that word being Wow!

The book checks in at a heft 365 glossy pages, with full colour throughout.

It starts with a stunning cover which makes it look like a coffee table book – and for a mini gamer it really is that nice.

The book is really two in one.

In part it’s a storybook. There is lots of lore and history here which immerses the reader in the world of Warcrow. For some that will be a major draw, while others may just flip through those pages to get to the meat of the game itself.

And of course that’s all here – in great detail actually.

The core rules – how minis move, how battles play out, how a scenario works, is all here as one would expect – although with this company the detail is ensured.

Factions get their due here, right down to specific characters.

Ultimately, this is one book that provides it all.

A player can really lose themselves in this one absorbing the lore and characters and game play, hours of game-associated enjoyment before ever getting a mini to the table, or rolling a die.

As for the game – more on those details in a future review – but rest assured Warcrow is a good one – this company doesn’t do bad.

Check it out at warcrow.com

First Kanare Kato creation to miss mark with this reviewer

This review needs a significant disclaimer.

It should be understood up front that I have never enjoyed the classic Hex – I find it about as boring and uninteresting as any game I have tried – even after repeated forays into trying to discover why many rave over it.

So I wasn’t expecting too much from Kanare Kato’s Borderland even though several of his games have impressed over time such as Stairs, Lines of Fixation, Meridians, Iago and RosenKreuz.

Now according to the designer Borderland is a game that combines Hex-like connective goals with Go-like territorial goals. The objective is to create a border with pieces by combination of placement and movement so that your territory occupies more than half of the board.

It was also noted Borderland was inspired by Dale Walton’s Make Muster – also published by Kanare Abstract.

So Trevor and I found the game more Hex than Go, and I suppose not surprisingly Make Muster has been our least-liked game among those from Kanare Abstract not created by Kato himself.

That all said Borderland rates well in limited ratings on Board Game Geek.

The game is played on a hexagonal board (91 hexes).

The objective is a border which is an unbroken group of same-colored pieces that connect non-adjacent sides of the board.

When the board is divided into two or more areas by the creation of your border, all but the area containing the most opponent pieces becomes your territory.

The player who has more than half of the board as his/her territory wins.

On a turn a player may perform up to two actions: placing one piece and moving one piece.

However, placement cannot be done twice in one turn. Also, a player cannot move a placed piece or move the same piece twice in the same turn.

When placing a piece, it must be at least one step away from all of your pieces and at least two steps away from all of your opponents' pieces – this makes blocking an opponent’s progress a challenge one we found more frustrating than interesting.

If one player makes a border but fails to achieve the win condition, the game moves to the Emergency Phase. In this phase, players can place their pieces one step away from the opponent's stones and can move the same piece twice in the same turn player. This all seems a tad forced into the game – although it is probably a rare situation for those who want to explore this game more than we will.

Now we have probably 20 games from Kanare Abstract if I were to count, and while Queen’s Guard might be the lowest rank it holds some interest as an historic game, pushing Borderland to the bottom for us. Now there of course has to be a last place if one were quantifying games from Kanare Abstract, and I know many will likely disagree which of course is normal as we all do not like the same thing, but alas Borderland was not for Trevor and I.

Far more fun with this connection game than most

In general connection games – those where you are trying to string a line of something from one side of the board to the other – bore this reviewer.

While many rave for example about Hex – likely the granddaddy of the game mechanic – I have never found the game of any great interest.

That said, an odd connection game climbs about the norm – Tak for example is a top shelf game being among the best abstract strategy games of this millennium, and PUNCT rises about the norm too.

So when Meteor Shower from Queensell ( queensell.com) arrived I was not exactly sure what to expect.

At its core Meteor Shower is a connection game, one that has a ‘mining mars’ theme over laid upon it which at least ticked up interest out of the box.

Inside the box this one is quite nice.

The game board is boldly coloured, and reversible with a smaller grid for quicker games as you try Meteor Showers out and a bigger offering on the other side for longer game play.

In this one players can roll dice to have a meteor fall on the hex matching the roll, or they can roll out neat little toy buggies to gather meteors then transport them back to be dumped as part of their line across the board.

On the small board a few bad die rolls dropping meteors easily within reach of the opponent – this one is a two player offering – is bad news. It happened to me and Trevor stomped me in the game.

The larger board mitigates that a bit by simply needing more pieces collected, but dice rolls do influence Meteor Showers.

The meteors once collected change to your colour – all the pieces being plastic ‘gems’ – functional and bright to match the ‘feel’ of the board.

Now the buggies move according to one of four – three hex – patterns. The patterns are right on the board so that is handy.

However, we still spent more time than was fun trying to determine if we moving correctly.

And, again on the smaller board you can get boxed in and not have a move that is frustrating way to end a game.

In the end Trevor and I have decided to ignore the pattern, allowing you must move three hexes and you cannot cross the same hex twice. It makes movement more naturally free flowing in our minds.

So first thing, ignore the small board for all but a test drive. The more expansive board simply offers more opportunity for an engaging game.

Try the given movement patterns, but if you get frustrated as we did, try our house rule.

In the end this is better than Hex – although most games are for me – but no way is Meteor Shower on the same planet of Tak either. It falls somewhere in between – inching above halfway to the point of being worth a cautious recommendation – or if connection is a mechanic of choice for you.

Such a versatile box of RPG minis

If you follow along with these humble reviews you will know that The Meeple Guild – the little group I game with – like mini game offerings.

And, you will know too we have become eager fans of Helios – a Canadian mini manufacturer which is doing some very cool stuff (check out their entire range at www.heliostabletop.ca)

The coolest of the cool coming from Helios are their Mythic Encounter boxes. The boxes contain a handful of minis around a particular theme which you can paint up and drop into most fantasy RPG games – a situation aided by Helios actually offering up some pre-generated rules for what can be a sweet random encounter in a game session.

The rules really are the icing on the top with the boxes, reducing the workload on a GM to get the minis to the gaming table.

The Curse of the Eternal Pharaoh Mythic Encounter box is probably the most versatile of the boxes to-date. While the Egyptian-themed ‘baddies’ in this box can slip neatly into a typical D&D-style dungeon crawl, they fit thematically into pulp RPGs, think ‘The Mummy’, or could be dropped into a modern museum heist game setting smoothly too.

The Curse of the Eternal Pharaoh Mythic Encounter was designed with both versatility and compatibility in mind, admitted Nick Di Scipio, owner at Helios via email.

“When we plan these sets, we try to strike a balance between highly unique encounters that deliver a one-of-a-kind experience like our Haemoturgy Lab, (previously reviewed and a set more horror-themed), and more broadly versatile sets that can slot into a wide range of campaigns and settings so DMs with different tastes and styles can all find something that works for them,” he said.

Canadian designer

“The sculpted details in this set lean into that ancient desert civilization aesthetic; you can just as easily drop them into a fantasy tomb-crawl, a pulp desert expedition, or even a modern museum heist where the displays don’t stay as inanimate as they should. That broad usability was intentional, because it lets DMs spin different stories without the minis ever feeling out of place.”

It is this versatility that makes this mythic box an easy first choice from the Helios line.

“As for my personal favourite, it has to be the Pharaoh Lich,” said Di Scipio.” The sculpts intricate detail and commanding presence immediately screamed ‘final boss’ to me. I love how its design combines the regal garbs of a pharaoh with the sinister aura of undeath, making it both awe-inspiring and terrifying on the table.

“On top of that, I’ve always enjoyed the mechanics behind lich-type monsters so this piece felt like the perfect centerpiece to anchor the entire encounter.”

It’s a box which beg the question; ‘when is Helios creating skirmish rules to pit box-versus-box?’

“On the skirmish rules idea, to be honest it's not something we've fully thought through yet, but it’s definitely been floating around in the background among many other ideas we have,” said Di Scipio. We're actually in the midst of releasing our first retail product - Mythic Mystery Hero Minis and so right now the focus is on that as well as working on the latest mythic box 'Crimson Feast' but as we expand, I'm sure this is definitely something we can revisit!”

Well from this reviewers point of view bring skirmish rules to the front burner, turning up the heat to high so ideas for them percolate faster, would be something to be undertaken sooner rather than later.

In the mean time though check out The Curse of the Eternal Pharaoh, it’s a good one.

Crank up the amp and take your best shot at stardom

If you want a game that is super immersive, and heavy on conveying its core theme than check out Famous: Stage 1 from Canadian designer Jared Lutes.

However, be forewarned this is not a light game you pull out for quick play. Famous plays one-to-four and comes with a suggested time to play of one to three hours, and your first game or three with four players is likely to push that upper time limit pretty hard.

There is a lot – and we mean a lot – going on in this one.

Players are musicians with a dream of stardom, but how to get to where the bright lights of success are upon you?

Well you gotta live the life, and in Famous Lutes has tried to make the board game experience mimic real life in as many ways as possible.

Players recruit band members, write songs, promote their band and music hit stages and of course deal with the constraints of time.

What does that all mean – well more than can be covered in a written review actually – but suffice it to say players are having to make choices every turn about where they expend their energy just like real musicians must. You can’t be writing on a new hit song if you are out doing promotion work for example. So which choice will take you closer to the big stage?

Canadian designer

As it turns out Famous is almost autobiographical in nature for designer Lutes.

When asked how the idea came about Lutes via email; “It was one of those idea-in-the-shower moments.

“After my injured voice derailed my music career, I was looking for a way to apply my creative energy. I thought, ‘I know all about modern board games, and what makes them good. I could marry that with my knowledge of music and the business, to produce a super thematic game inspired by mechanisms of my favourites.’”

Ok, so with art by Devin Taylor that while may be a tad of acquired taste, fits well in my mind, Famous is certainly immersive in nature.

“My goal from the beginning was to have the game serve the theme in every way,” noted Lutes. “From the characters, to the events, to the uncertainty of crowds and contacts, I wanted to bring to life the trials of a hometown band, as much as is possible in a tabletop game. . .

“The theme in Famous is absolutely front and center.

“While the game play is engaging and variable, I put endless hours dreaming up the ridiculous homemade merch, dozens of useless ‘junk’ items, punny venues, referential character names, realistic events, absurd reward names, genre-specific outfits, and tons of gear. I didn’t have to come up with 60 individual song titles for those cards, but players really love reading them and laughing out loud when they draw them.

“And I wanted to make Devin’s artwork reflects the both the realism and the zaniness of the realism of the music biz, and he nailed it. This box is a treasure chest of the small-town band life that I experienced so well myself.”

Now the immersive aspect here is one of those good news / bad news situations.

If the theme of being in a band attracts your interest, or you just want a ‘full meal deal’ where your evening is delving deep into a single game full of choices, Famous: Stage 1, is a definite recommendation.

If any of the things mentioned in the previous email have you reticent, well then this one might not be for you. It will demand your full attention for a few hours.

Check it out further at electriclute.com

A surprising charmer

Since card games are generally low cost – at least comparatively – they tend to be great choices to add to the collection.

You can crack a new card game, deal out cards for an evening and have a low cost per entertainment hour which as budgets tighten is important.

And if the game is terrible you have not invested huge dollars.

That card games are generally rather flexible in terms of the number the number of players is an added bonus.

EKKO is a card game that meets the criteria or player flexibility to a ‘T’ playing two-to-eight – quite well for two which is surprising and gratifying, but fun does tend to climb with more.

From designer Xavier Jauneault, artist Allison Machepy and publisher The Flying Games (check ilo3-7.com in Canada), EKKO is incredibly simple to play, yet manages to be fun too.

EKKO is a discard game in which you will have to get rid of your cards before your opponents, which is about as simple as a card game goal can get.

A player lays down a card, and depending what it is, the next player must play a card of a higher or lower value. Don’t have one you can play, you draw one!

Yes the core rules are that simple.

But there are a few twists that help keep EKKO more interesting.

Play a card that is divisible by 11, and you can take an extra turn – in a shedding game that’s big.

And, then there is the ‘mirror’ card play.

The mirror card of a card is the one whose numbers are reversed compared to this card. For example, 73 is the mirror card of the card 37. Playing a mirror card allows you either to make all players draw or to get rid of a card.

Most of the time it will be making others draw.

The mirror mechanic adds some nice spice and comes into play more often as player counts rise – more cards in hands which might be a mirror card to one played. The impact of having opponents pull a card increases with higher player counts too.

Now EKKO won’t win fans on art – it’s OK at best.

And if you are looking for a deep thinking card game – well EKKO isn’t that either.

But for a relaxed group gathering EKKO rates high praise from The Meeple Guild.

Block builder a bit to confined

Few things make me feel happier than getting a new game to the table – one made of wood where you get to move pieces around. There is a tactile joy in the game play that is a hard to put into words – but to put it simply I like it.

So Qubik hit the table with an expectation of enjoying it simply based on the fact the game pieces are all chunky wooden cubes – but well-made cubes at that with rounded corners, and with the varying colours of the pieces it looks very nice.

The rules of Qubik – from designer Preeda Pitianusorn -- are super simple. Players take turns to place a cube into a 3x3x3 space until a player creates a straight line of one colour to win. The player has two cubes pulled from a common bag to chose from, pulling a new one after each placement.

It suggests a typical game of Qubik takes around 5-15 minutes, although it seems to tilt heavily toward the shorter end of the spectrum.

It is interesting Qubik can be played by one-to-seven players. The Meeple Guild only gets higher numbers out for role playing so we have not challenged Qubik with lots of players, but with a maximum cube size of 27, with seven players you are not likely to get many turns, and I’d think games might end before the later players get a second turn. The sweet spot, like many games is likely three or four players.

There are three modes of play casual, competitive, and solo. The first two are rather similar and frankly all games are competitive in general.

As a solo effort Qubik is more ‘puzzly’ in nature, but it is a nice feature in a small package game.

On Board Game Geek it was noted, “Qubik is a combination of the classic Tic-Tac-Toe and the Rubik’s Cube” which is quite an apt description.

Now Qubik is not a game in contention to top a list of great games, but it plays quick and in combination with its compact size is a solid coffee break option that will look good on the table to attract interest.

And of course you do get to stack those nice wooden cubes which is a bonus too.

Check it out at www.facebook.com/LifeDMSgame

 

Chicken game not quite up to scratch

This review is for the small box Gigi Gacker, a sort of sister effort to recently reviewed Das wurmt.

The two games share much, both coming from designer Robert Brouwer, artist Doris Matthäus, and publisher Zoch Verlag.

In Gigi Gacker, players are superficially chicks out to eat worms – yes a silly theme that really adds noting to the game but fits with the cartoony art from Matthäus.

In each game round, the number of numbered worm cards equal to the number of players is laid out, and players essentially bid on them. It’s important to capture high-valued worms as they will count in game-end scoring.

‘Mother hen’ cards add a twist to things, and can be crucial in game play.

There is also a rather unsatisfying tie break mechanism here, that while needed, feels forced onto game play to solve a glitch rather than adding something positive.

There isn’t a lot to this one save it plays quick, but alas without holding the interest of Das wurmt .

Like its sister Gigi Gacker plays two-to-five as well, but for two relies on a ‘dummy hand’ something whist players for sure will be familiar with.

In Gigi Gacker the fill-in for a third player functionally works, but is a patch that seems ill-fitting, detracting from this one for two.

Ultimately, where Das wurmt  was worthy of recommendation Gigi Gacker is the weak sister you likely want to pass on.

'Building' a worm should not be this much fun!

When Das Wurmt arrived it was a game where The Meeple Guild were not exactly sure what to expect.

The game, from designer Robert Brouwer, artist Doris Matthäus, and publisher Zoch Verlag (www.zoch-verlag.com), is a small box card game, but the artwork immediately makes one thing of a game more focused on kids.

However, that is not exactly the case.

This one falls in that niche of a family game, or one to play when the in-laws, or neighbours visit, so is not exclusively for younger players, although if they have some simple math skills they can play.

Weirdly theme-wise Das wurmt is a card game about worms – yes you read that correctly.

Worms start out with a tail on the table, and players add to it on each turn.

As ‘segments’ are added you are hoping to create a worm with a value of 10-11-12 – based on the cards in play. This allows you to score a card.

But if the worms gets ‘too long’ or has cards valued at 13, or more, you score negative points.

Along the way a few ‘special’ cards allow you to influence the games – hopefully to your advantage.

As one card in the worm is revealed each turn it’s important if you remember what you place if you can. You want to know what a card revealed will do if possible to the total of the worm, since the actual ‘growth’ only becomes visible when the next head is played and the previous head is turned over.

The game is super simple, and fast, and surprisingly fun – far more than anticipated as it hit the table.

Cards games are generally recommendable because their low cost makes them worth an evening of play, much like a couple taking in a movie. Not every movie is great for the ticket price, nor is every card game, but with Das wurmt  you can buy with confidence. There’s fun in the little box of worms.

Handy little coffee time filler

It has been a long while since a small box game hit the table that I wanted to like anymore than Flip Chess.

The very thought of a micro-version of chess intrigued, and that is what Verne Homsher offers up.

In this one the game board is the plastic box. Pop it open and you have a 4x8 grid board.

The playing pieces are dice – four for each player. Each face on a die is an etched representation of one of the common chess pieces. That’s it in terms of components, although to be clear the dice are chunky and being etched very nice and the compact board means this one pops in a pocket to take anywhere you want to play. Huge marks on looks and quality.

The rules came on separate pages, a small booklet that would fit in the folded board/box is sorely needed.

As it stands there are rules for a few games you can play, which upon initially seeing I applauded because variety is a plus, especially in a small footprint game where managing a ruleset with the depth to hold interest through multiple plays is naturally challenging.

The core game here is the closet to chess, and it’s OK – well for a play or three at least. It doesn’t offer much if you are seeking lots of repeat play.

So we delved into the other rules offered and while they extended interest through a somewhat extended coffee, they didn’t hold interest long either.

On the website (dicemakers.com) Flip Chess sells for $28 and I never dug into postage, but we know that has gotten ridiculously high in general. The game looks so nice, but play never matched the look for us, so this one is a game you need to consider with care.

Production quality so high in this one

There are games which leave one in awe of the quality of a game that hits the table and Blockoff falls into that category.

The game is actually one of those that ‘feels’ almost over-produced in a sense.

The entire game is 3D printed, board and pieces, rendered in bright yellow and blue, so it just ‘pops’ on the table. Get this one out at a coffee shop and you are likely to attract some eyes.

Also of note is that the designer Nate Denham was 12 when the game was created – so kudos to the young creator, with a pat on the back to family for supporting the game available through www.blockoff.fun

But what about game play in this abstract strategy offering?

Well, this one sort of fits into the realm of games a step up from simple Xs and Os, but still rather straight forward, with a ruleset you can learn in about 90-seconds.

Players – Blockoff plays two to four -- begin with their pieces in the corners of a 6x6 grid.

On a player’s turn they must complete a move of three without hitting the same space twice (diagonal costs two movement) and then place a tile to block off an opening.

If you cannot complete your three paces worth of movement then your piece comes off the board. The goal is to be the last person with their player piece on the board.

Yep, that’s the whole game.

So some quick math tells you that in a four-player game you are likely getting a maximum nine moves, but playthroughs with two showed games typically end with players boxed in even with open spaces left – they just can’t get to them.

Blockoff is thus quick – and maybe too quick to inspire die hard abstract strategy fans.

But that rather ‘cool’ look, and the easy to-learn rules and quick play do lend themselves to making Blockoff one to recommend as a starter game to introduce younger players to the genre that will take them in time to Othello, Chess, Hive and all the other great abstract strategy games. So, if you have younger gamers coming up, this would look pretty good under the tree in a few months.

Every move as a 'ripple' effect

Kanare Kato is a rather prolific game designer best known for creating games which can be packed into a small box and taken anywhere.

To the list you can add Ripples, a game which takes minutes to understand in terms of rules, and plays quickly – it is suggested 15-30 minutes, but you would need to be very analytical in moves to burn half an hour with this one.

For two players Ripples is an abstract strategy game where you are battling for control of a 61 hex board. When the board is full the winner is the player with the majority of pieces – so no draws are possible.

It is a territorial game that uses double-sided discs like Othello, but the discs placed by a player are always immediately surrounded by discs of the same colour So you are flipping a lot of pieces on most turns, which for old guys with bigger hands was at times clumsy on the smaller cloth board – common to Kato games.

The board is initially empty.

On a turn a player places a disc of their colour face up in any empty hex. Then flips over all the opponents' discs adjacent to the disc just placed and places discs of their colour in all empty hexes adjacent to the disc. That’s it for rules – super simple.

This one works because it is simple to learn and quick to play. If it was longer in terms of playtime it would over stay its welcome as they say. There is just not quite enough here that you would want longer.

It’s the same thing in terms of repeat play. Ripples is not a game where you want to  hunker down over the table and play the afternoon away with it. Three games is satisfying. A best-of-five, sure, but a best-of-seven might push the limit of Ripples holding your interest. Better to play a few, slip back in the game bag and bring it out in a few weeks for a few more games.

Still as that neat little time filler on occasion Ripples does hold a certain level of charm.

Check it out at kanare-abstract.com

Mining on Mars can be fun

David McCord has become one of my favourite game designers.

Now that deserves a bit of an explanation. It’s not that McCord has created a game – at least among those that I have played – that would make say my top-25 maybe even my top-50 all-time list – but he is prolific in creating games which are pretty accessible in terms of rules and thus creates a rather fun experience at the game table.

That brings us to Mining Mars which fits the above criteria of simple rules and simple fun.

In this one two-to-four players are gathering minerals – different coloured cubes – to the processing plants (game board).

Collect enough and you have successfully processed the mineral which will give you an in-game bonus, and score you points at game end.

One bump in this one is that two of the minerals – ‘rarium’ and the green stuff -- seem to have far more game impact than the others do. That tends to limit the interest in collecting the other minerals, and that detracts from a play a bit.

Initially I doubted there was an in-game comeback, but then Mark used some special cards, manipulated his scoring options, and frankly stole the win.

That said Trevor who appeared destined to win forced the game-end scenario, and probably should have slow played things while trying to overcome Mark’s moves.

That all actually improved the impression of the game. There are in-game actions which can change outcomes.

The components work, but are not exceptional.

The game plays quick, has a certain charm, that would make Mining Mars a fine filler option especially if time in limited and you have new players to teach rules too.

Check it out at www.newventuregames.com

Diagonal moves lift Quatuor above the norm

Quatuor is a recent abstract strategy game from Canadian designer Louis-David Raymond.

Being from a Canadian designer, and an abstract strategy game which is my favoured genre of games, this one excited upon its arrival.

To begin with Quatuor is a self-published effort and Raymond has created a nice looking game.

The pieces are wooden crokinole discs so nice and chunky.

The board – a 4x4 grid -- is some kind of acrylic, which again is very nice.

Each player has eight pieces, and you win by getting four of the pieces in a row. There is nothing new in that regard. There are piles of games with similar goals.

In Quatuor a player slides a piece onto the board around the outside of the board. If that pushes other pieces that is fine – at least up to three other pieces. You cannot push four as that would force a piece off the board.

In terms of getting a piece onto the board Quatuor ‘feels’ a lot like Quixo a game I like quite a lot largely because it is one of those rare abstract strategy games I can get my better half to play on occasion.

Canadian designer 

Initially, Trevor and I expected the game to be drawish. You have only eight moves to win, and yes we ended in a draw once. We still think the more you play the more lacklustre draws may occur.

But saving Quatuor often is the ability to push other pieces by entering on the diagonals. That simple rule is critical in opening the game to ‘force’ those situations where you have two paths to victory knowing your opponent can only deal with one.

Trevor likens Quatuor to Xs & Os, and there is that vibe, but I feel there is a bit more to it than that – maybe because I won far more than I lost with this one.

I do like that it plays quick, and it left me always willing to play ‘one more’ which is about all you can ask from a game that screams ‘play me over coffee’ – with a monthly Quatuor coffee a reasonable expectation.

Tori Shogi a smaller board shogi variant to love

If you enjoy chess you really should take a look into the world of Shogi – essentially the Japanese equivalent of chess.

There is actually a family of related games with the core Shogi dating back to the mid 1500s. It is played on a 9 by 9 board, and the object is to capture the opponent's king.

There are however differences with Western chess.

Most notably, not only pawns but most pieces can promote if it reaches the opponents three last rows – effectively broadening the diversity of pieces.

Secondly, captured pieces become property of the capturing player and during their turn they can ‘drop’ them back to the board instead of performing a normal move, which really changes the game dynamic.

So that is core shogi in a nutshell.

But, this week the review in about a sister game – Tori Shogi or bird shogi – created about 250 years after Shogi.

Tori Shogi is what we would term a variant. In this case it is played on a 7×7 board.

As the name implies each piece is named after a type of bird. The royal piece (King) is the Phoenix. Other pieces include the Swallow (promotes to Wild Goose), Falcon (promotes to Eagle), Crane, Pheasant, and Quail.

The goal of the game is to capture the opposing Phoenix.

Drops are handled in a manner very similar to modern Shogi, with some oddities such as a third swallow cannot be dropped in a file which already contains two others, nor can one be dropped on the last rank, where it would not be able to move. In addition, a swallow cannot be dropped so as to give immediate mate.

This one tends to be a quicker shogi, the smaller board with drops still in play make it feel a bit like the proverbial battle in a phone booth. Unlike the chess North Americans are most familiar with the board in Tori Shogi – or basic Shogi for that matter – never really opens up as captured pieces tend to cycle back to the board in drops rather quickly.

Since Tori Shogi is quicker it’s a great gateway to the world of Shogi variants.

Now Shogi pieces are generally differentiated by Japanese lettering which can be a barrier some will wish not to overcome.

But there is good news on that front Kanare Abstract (kanare-abstract.com)  has produced a Tori Shogi set with the actual birds in the background (underscored with their English name), with the Japanese lettering over top. It’s a brilliantly simple solution to easier access to the game and designer Kanare Kato needs a big pat on the back for creating the set.

The game is a classic so highly recommended.

The Kanare Abstract set gets a positive nod too. The pieces are wood, the board is cloth, the packaging small and easy to get to the coffee shop – as are most games from this publisher of which many have been reviewed here previously. The only caveat here is that the game seems a bit ‘squished’ with 32 pieces on the small cloth board. Kanare Abstract did a quartet of games in a slightly larger format – Trike, Slyde, Make Muster, heXantafl – and it would have been nice had Tori Shogi been part of that effort.

The size issue aside – it works it’s just a tad crowded – this one needs to be in every chess fan’s collection. A solid version from Kanare Abstract.

Take some time and appreciate depth of Iye

Most games you can play once or twice and while not necessarily grasping the nuances of it, you at least get an indication of what the general game strategy is going to be.

Iye – from designer Onur Şencan, artist Eda Esentürk Durşen, and publisher NeoTroy Games is among those games which didn’t play out that way.

Designer Onur Şencan has had a long relationship with games.

“My relationship with gaming is actually a bit strange,” he related via email. “While I love all kinds of games, my wife and I met 10 years ago while playing a real escape game (she was a horror character chasing me, and I couldn't escape from her). My parents also met 42-43 years ago at a university chess final.”

Now he dabbles as a designer.

“This is the third board game I've designed, but my main job is designing and playing events for corporate companies. Since I started designing board games, I've been trying out at least 300 different games a year,” said Şencan. “Of these, Grand Austria Hotel and Rococo: Deluxe Edition are the ones I wouldn't mind seeing on the table. Azul is still one of the best options for new players to enjoy the board game.”

But what about Iye?

“Actually, the first thing I tried to achieve with the game Iye was to design an abstract strategy game that I could play myself, that I wouldn't get bored of, and that had a lot of replayability,” said Şencan “Whether playing Iye on a tabletop or in a board game arena, players can expect an enjoyable two-player abstract strategy game where each game is different thanks to its quick-to-understand, fast-playing, and completely random setup.
“In my opinion, the best thing about the game is that no matter how many points your opponent is ahead in that round, you have the possibility of winning that round by putting him in an impossible position with just one move.”

In Iye, (pronounced EE-yeah), you lay out 25 tiles face down on the board, then take turns moving ‘the drum’ around the board. In Iye the tiles are nice – albeit just cardboard – with sort of geometric art representing different elements.

The drum is a cardboard standee and that would have been nice as a wooden meeple.

Of course production has its constraints as Şencan notes.

“When I first brought this game to the publisher, it had a leather board and pieces like Azul's. However, due to demand and insufficient production conditions in Türkiye, we had to select the most optimal components. My dream is to increase awareness of the game through positive board game geek reviews from those who try it on BGA (the physical version of the game is currently only available in Türkiye). This way, it can be republished with my dream components in the future, and thus, it will have the potential to reach the global market.”

The Meeple Guild hopes this humble review helps in that regard.

Now for the game itself, the basic movement for the Shaman’s drum is one, or two spaces vertically or horizontally. When you land on a tile, and you must, the tile does to the opponent.

At game’s end the player with the most of each type of tile scores points of varying values.

Initially the tendency is to just dance around the board until it’s empty, without delving into the deeper possibilities.

Those possibilities lie in sacrificing collected tiles to make special moves, in the hopes of doing one of two things, preventing your opponent from having a legal move – an automatic win – or forcing them to respond by using one of their collected tiles to turn game-end scoring in your favour. It is here where a far greater depth percolates to the top which in initial plays can easily be overlooked.

The use of tiles of course is a balancing act, as one used to move they no longer count at game end.

In recognizing the depth Iye goes from ho-hum initial play, to a game worth a much longer look, and a definite recommendation.