Tuesday 30 December 2014

Tuesday Reviewsday: Scoundrels of Skullport




Players: 2-4
Playtime: 45minutes +
Replay Value: 8/10

Scoundrels of Skullport is an expansion to Lords of Waterdeep (which I reviewed back in November). Released in 2013 it includes two different expansions, three new boards and a mountain of new Intrigue and Quest Cards, as well as new buildings and Lords.

You can use one or both of the new expansions. Using only one expansion means adding 3 buildings to the base board, but has no other effect on set-up. Using both expansions adds 6 buildings to the board, and each player gets another agent.

Friday 26 December 2014

Christmas in the smart-ass house

I intended to ignore Christmas. I told my partner I wasn't looking forward to the Big Day. I made him promise not to buy me a gift. I even asked him on Christmas Eve if he had bought me anything. And he said no. Liar.

A couple of weeks ago we went to see the Hunger Games, and I got all worked up over the terrible advert for NERF Rebelle. Basically generic NERF toys made 'girly'. Take three guesses what I got for Christmas.


That is the Nerf Rebelle Diamondista Blaster. Not only ignoring my request to not exchange gifts, he bought me something I had actively whinged about. Smart-ass.

Tuesday 23 December 2014

Tuesday Reviewsday: Takenoko



Players: 2-4, better with more players
Playtime: 45minutes
Replay Value: 7/10

Takenoko is probably the lightest game I own. It's good to pull out every now and then to remind myself that not every games needs to have 12 layers of strategy and contingency plans. Sometimes it's gardening and feeding the roly poly fat panda.

Takenoko was released in 2011. Unlike the majority of my library it is a simple and pleasant concept, where you help build a lovely garden, grow beautiful bamboo, and then feed it to a roly poly panda.

Tuesday 16 December 2014

Tuesday Reviewsday: Pandemic - On the Brink



I'm going to assume you have read my review of the base game Pandemic, or know how the gameplay is structured.

If you have played Pandemic or read my review, you know that you lose. A lot. But for some reason I decided to go out and buy the Pandemic expansion On The Brink. And now I have three new and brilliant ways to lose.

Tuesday 9 December 2014

Tuesday Reviewsday: Betrayal at House on the Hill


Players: 3-6, semi co-operative - more players is always better
Playtime on the box: 60minutes
Actual playtime: Up to 2 hours
Replay Value: 7/10
Is there someone in your group who likes to read the manual cover to cover? Good, invite them over and give them the rule book. Make them read it twice while you are cooking dinner. Then keep the rule book close at hand to answer your ten thousand questions.

Betrayal at House on the Hill was released by Avalon Hill and Wizards of the Coast in 2004. You are cast as a motley assortment of characters who have stumbled into a haunted house. So, of course, you decide to go exploring.


Friday 5 December 2014

An over-reaction, the gender binary and kids toys

I went to see The Hunger Games: Mockingjay last night. It was one of those rare occasion where I think the movie outshone the book, and I'm actually happy that they split one book into multiple movies. Kudos to the director/screen-writing and the rest of the production team. Anything with a female, weapon-carrying protagonist gets my attention. I especially loved the scene where Hamitch mocked they stylist for covering Katniss in an inch-thick layer of make-up. Just that little bit of recognition that it's okay not to wear make-up made me punch the air.

Tuesday 2 December 2014

Tuesday Reviewsday: Pandemic


Players: 2-4 Co-operative
Playtime on the box: 45minutes
Actual playtime: Depends how quickly the game stomps you
Replay Value: 10/10 - I will never turn down a game of Pandemic


Now that the Ebola scare has quieted down (in my corner of the world at least) it seems safe to talk about Pandemic. Released in 2007 by Z-Man games, Pandemic is a devilish horror of a game where you are a Centre for Disease Control team trying to save the world. Designed by Matt Leacock, it is a beautifully balanced game where you are constantly hovering between life and death by plague.

A two-player game after set up

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