Weekly Game Night Recap (01/12/19)

Weekly Game Night Recap (01/12/19)

Hey Everyone! Over the weekend we were able to get our game group together and have a massive game day. Got to play a lot of excellent games with varying themes and mechanics. I would encourage all game groups or families to try a game day. With that being said, I would recommend splitting up the rule books beforehand or choosing games you are already comfortable with to spread the workload. It was an amazing experience and a great way to get new games to the table.

Here is what we got to the table Saturday and some of the things I liked about each one...

Architects of the West Kingdom

In my experience worker placement games are prone to analysis paralysis, but Architects of the West Kingdom does a couple of things to limit or get rid of this. First, most of the placement areas on the board have no limit so other players can’t block you out. Second, this freedom of movement leads to quicker turns and more engaged players. The fast turns allow players to follow a strategy, while still being able to adapt on any given turn. Instead of limiting players by rounds, the players set the pace. The game end is triggered when players fill up one of the limited worker sections of the board.

Railroad Ink: Deep Blue Edition

Railroad Ink is a great tactical game. You roll the dice, and you have to work with the results. The other players have no impact when it comes to how you plan your routes, so you're free to take your time, even though this may frustrate impatient players. There is no going back, and you must work with what you have available. Simple to play, hard to win.

Pandemic: Fall of Rome

A new edition of the classic Pandemic, Pandemic: Fall of Rome is fresh and exciting. The player roles are unique to this Roman iteration, with each new role being as useful as the next. All roads lead to Rome, but only as long as you can keep out the invading barbarians hordes.

Arkham Horror (3rd Edition)

Arkham Horror feels like you're moving from chapter to chapter in a book and makes the game feel immersive. I wanted to find out why I kept getting offered pieces of pie while time looped around me. A unique mechanic to me was that if your character dies, you pick a new one and keep playing. Arkham Horror had me guessing whether I was becoming my investigator or actually slipping into madness.

Lost Cities: Rivals

Lost Cities: Rivals comes with super quick turns, and a player triggered auction mechanic. Auctions force the players to decide how much the cards available are worth, and engaged players are more likely to spark a bidding war, making for a more competitive marketplace.

Decrypto

The stress of Decrypto is the only stress I need in my life. Managing hidden words, numbers, and creating clues for your team without giving anything away is intense. Decrypto is a code-breaking game that separates itself from the crowd. It is hard for a description to give this game the credit it deserves, but I highly recommend it.

Chronicles of Crime

We played a new scenario, complete with new characters, locations, and clues to investigate. The app integration of this game makes you feel as if you are interviewing real criminals who won’t tell you everything they know. Chronicles of Crime is quickly becoming a favorite in our game group, and I'm on board.

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Neal Neal Galletti is the resident "Game Guru" at Tabletop Game Gallery. He can help answer any questions you may have and releases a Weekly Game Night Recap, in which he shares what he's been playing recently.

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