Exciting box art and all the gorgeous components

In a nutshell:

Epic Spell Wars of the Battle Wizards: Duel at Mt. Skullzfyre (phew that’s a long name and henceforth known as Epic Spell Wars) is a quirky light hearted game where the gameplay and outcome is anything but light hearted! You will have to defeat everyone else using outrageous spells and be the last wizard standing to win.

Innovation:

The main innovation of the game is creating combinations of spells to hurt/maim/injure/burn/decapitate/kill/exterminate your other players. You will need to learn when to make those powerful spells and when a simple one will be enough to secure your win. The ingenious way the art and the spell names are depicted on the cards make for thousands of possible combinations and they will still make some sense.

Components:

Comprises of 3 main parts:

Spells, Treasures and Dead wizards cards which have cartoony art but done in very bright and you can even say psychedelic colors. The art usually depict ways in which opponents are fried or burnt or dissected but it is done in a cartoony way thus should not be too hard to swallow.

Player mats which are thin cardboards that could wear out with multiple plays. These detail how much health a player has left as well as a character profile done in the same art as the spell cards.

Miscellaneous cardboard chits, which are used to denote the player health as well as who was the last wizard standing, and black and red pip dice for rolling of spell effects.

Age group:

Box states 15 and up and that is about right. Kids that are too young may not be able to understand chaining the combinations and the art maybe too violent sometimes so teens to adult is definitely the right age that this game is targeting.

Number of players:

Players available to choose from....

Epic spell wars plays 2-6 players and I have played with 4-6 but not 2 or 3. I suspect 2 maybe not as fun though but will also mean you get to play more spells before one player dies. Still this is a party-like game and thus the more players the better in my opinion.

Time required:

This is subjective as on one hand, when you would think that many players means players will be dropping like flies in each round. However that will also mean to win the game by being the last wizard standing twice will be more difficult. With fewer players, it will be easier to be the last wizard standing twice but it will take longer each round to kill your adversaries. Thus on average will be approximately 1 hour game. It is a tad too long for a game as light as this.

Gameplay:

All the different cards available in the game

Each game round will start with players each having a wizard card and at 20 healthpoints. Each turn of the round, gamers will have a hand of cards and then choose from the cards to create a spell. Spells come in 3 types which basically constitute the front , middle and end. When choosing a spell, a player can have a combination of these 3 (from 1 component up to 3) as long as it is legal (i.e. cannot have 2 of the same portion in a single spell). After all players have chosen, the players who have only used 1 spell component will take their turns first, resolving the effects on the spell cards. Players with 2 spell components will take their turns next and resolve the effects. Finally players with 3 spell components will take their turns last and resolve the effects. If only 1 player is left alive, then he/she wins that round and takes a Last Wizard standing token to indicate the win. A new game round will start and play continues until at the end of a game round a player has 2 last wizard standing tokens and wins the game!

The text on the spells are the meat of the game as they sometimes dictate you to direct damage to your most powerful opponent or to the player on your left. In addition, spells each have a rune symbol and will sometimes reward you for choosing spells in that turn that have the same symbol (which will add more dice when rolling for power effects) or different symbols.  Spell effects are usually determined by rolling a number of dice. Depending on the spell effect, the more identical runes you have, the more dice you roll which can allow the more powerful effects to be resolved. The dice rolls definitely add much randomness to the game which maybe a bane for players that prefer euro games.

Some spells also gives you treasures which can give you certain benefits but from my experience so far most players will not be able to gather more than 2 treasures before either they are killed or it is stolen. So this is more like a side distraction from the main game mechanic.

Categories this game fits into:

Set creating; Light filler; Dice-rolling;

Final thoughts and observations:

Epic Spell wars is in essence a light game with a fair bit of randomness that can fit well as a filler or as a last game to round off an intense gaming session. It is definitely not recommended for players that prefer heavier games that require more strategy and planning so take note if when deciding if this game is suitable for you. I played this with 2 different groups and different make up of men and women and have mixed results. The heavier gamers did not enjoy this but women seem to enjoy this as there is a lot more cheering and applauding for being the last wizard standing. Interesting no… ?

Splatter your opponents all over!!!

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Box art and overview image

In a nutshell:

Vineta is a game with straight forward, easy to learn mechanics and somewhat fluffy exterior that hides what it really is, a cut throat game that encourages a lot of indirect (or direct if you know your opponents’ objectives) sabotaging and manipulating to win the game. The game was a big surprise to me in just how much fun it packed into a small box and a light-medium complexity game.

Innovation:

The innovation in this game would be how you are trying to manipulate the pieces in the game so as to meet your objectives but at the same time you cannot be too obvious  or else the other players will be able to cause a lot of trouble for you. This is not a new mechanic though as there is another game, The Name of the Rose, that has the same mechanic. To me though this is the best part of the game and what makes it really fun.

Land tiles and house pieces

Components:

Comprises of 3 components:

Land pieces which make up the town of Vineta. These fit together in a jig-saw puzzle type of way and are color coded to help you easily figure out which layer (outermost, middle, innermost) they belong to.  They are fitted together at the beginning of the game but will be removed piece by piece until only one piece is left standing and that will signal the end of the game.

House pieces are nice thick wooden pieces and brightly colored. These pieces form one of two main objectives that players are trying to achieve.

Player cards are of a good stock and average size. Each player will have a set of identical cards to play during the game so careful planning of which cards to use is essential to winning the game.

Overall art of the land pieces and player cards has an old style ancient pictorial format and is very well presented and nicely drawn. Thumbs up!

Age group:

Box cleverly states Teen to Adult without the actual age which I think is interesting since most games will state a particular age. I have played with my cousins aged 10 and up and I think that is about the appropriate age. Though to truly appreciate the game, teen to adults sounds about right. Be aware about the cut throat aspect of the game so some kids may not be able to appreciate and understand this.

Number of players:

Vineta plays 2-6. My games so far have always been full 6 players so unfortunately I cannot tell you how well it will scale down to 2 but I feel on average 4-6 will be a good number for the game as it allows enough players to really mess up well-laid plans. I suspect 2 players will really make it a tense and very competitive game.

Time required:

For a 6 player game, it will take a bit longer to play the game, depending on how long the players will take to make a decision on which card to play and also which cards they play. There is a card in each player’s set that can extend a game turn which will also extend the playing time. However on average, the game time is about 45 minutes to an hour.

Waves threatening Vineta!

Gameplay:

Each player will take 1 set of cards. Thematically each player is a Norse god that is sent to sink the town of Vineta. Gameplay wise, each player will receive two secret objectives. One of which will show a color of a house piece. The other will show a land tile piece. These objectives will give a player more points should they meet them at the end of the game. At the beginning of the game, the land tiles are assembled and each player will then, taking turns, place a house piece of their choosing on any of the land tiles. Once this is done, the game can begin.

Each round of the game will usually last 3 turns but this can be increased or decreased depending on certain cards that the players use. In each turn, players first choose a card from their hand and place it face down in front of them.  Then beginning with the active player, each player will reveal their card and apply the action. Most cards are wave cards which allow a player to start a new wave front or add the card to an already established wave set. Other cards provide actions which primarily deal with manipulating the house pieces or wave cards. This is where the main bulk of manipulation and sabotage will happen. Each player then draws a card after playing their card. At the end of the round (usually between 2-4 turns), the wave set that has the highest number, will cause the land tile it is facing to sink. Each of the players that have contributed to the wave set will then be able to claim a house piece.

The game will end when only 1 last land tile remains in the game. Players will then count their points. Each house that were collected during the game but does not coincide with the player’s secret house objective (same color) will score the player 1 point. Each house that does coincide will score 2 points. Finally for each house that is identical to the player’s house objective that remains on the last tile will score the player 3 points. If the last tile is identical to the player’s secret land tile objective, that player will score points listed on the objective.

The player with the most points will win the game.

Categories this game fits into:

Backstabbing; Secret Objective;

Final thoughts and observations:

Vineta has easy to understand mechanics but the best parts of the game are the interactions between players as well as the subtle manipulations to push one’s secret objectives. Upon reading the rules, I could not tell just how much fun this game can be. After my first play I truly appreciated just how much sabotaging can happen in the game. One of the games, I had thought I was so smart in maneuvering and near the end I was sure I would win. But a good play by my opponent sunk my tile with most of my house secret objective and caused me to come in almost last. A very nail biting game that will sure to cause you a lot of groans, forehead slapping and nerve wrecking moments all the way to the end of the game!

Card that brings a house piece out to a threatened area

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Box art

In a nutshell:

Takenoko is a light game great for beginners and with wonderfully cute components excellent for attracting the younger ones to play. The gameplay is straight forward and there are not many layers of strategy but the packaging is very high quality and thus the overall feel of the game is still that of a short but fun game.

Innovation:

Instead of having your own pieces to place, players will be controlling 2 common pieces of the game, namely the farmer and the panda figures. Indeed, while the entire game can be played without one interacting with them, they are essential if one is to win the game.

Components:

Comprises of 4 main components:

Wooden pieces which

Cards are of average quality and smaller than normal thus requiring the “mini” series of sleeves. The art on the cards are clear though and language independent.

Cardboard components of the game consist of the Land tiles, the smaller improvement tiles as well as the player boards. They are all of average thickness and good quality cardboard. Land tiles are big (about a normal palm size) and easy to handle. The art of them however is what makes them shine as there are intricate details in the 3 main color tones (pink, yellow, green) of the game. The improvement tiles are much smaller but the art is still quite clear as to what they represent. The player boards are about A5 size and show the player what actions that can be taken as well as spaces to place the irrigation wooden pieces, improvement tiles and the bamboo pieces.

Look at all them bamboos!

Age group:

The box says 13 years and up and I think that is about right. Most of my players so far have been adults and they have found it fun and very nice to look at thus the game should appeal to most age groups.

Number of players:

Takenoko plays 2-4 players. All of my games have been with the full 4 players and there is a lot of tension as there are 3 other players who may cause you grief through the actions. Unfortunately I have not played with 2 or 3 yet but from what I can tell from other sources, it plays 2 well. So Takenoko should scale well.

Starting tile and all the Irrigation connected to it

Time required:

For a 4 player game, it will typically take about an hour, including rules explanations, to finish the game. I suspect a 2 player game will take shorter as meeting the objectives should be easier with fewer players to disrupt your plans.

Gameplay:

Briefly, the game requires players to complete objectives through various actions and score points from the objectives. Depending on the number of players, after a certain number of objectives are completed by any single player, it will trigger the last round and the game ends. The player who scores the most points is the winner.

Players take turns performing 3 actions. The first action is to roll a special die which will determine an effect that will occur during your turn. Effects may entail growing a piece of bamboo or taking a piece of Irrigation. After which, players must choose to take 2 different actions from a list of available actions. Playable actions are, for example, moving the Farmer, moving the Panda and taking an Objective card. Players can also choose to lay 1 piece of tile to increase the bamboo garden which can help complete certain objectives in the game.

Irrigation allows a tile that may not be connected to the starting tile to be eligible to grow bamboo. Irrigation is done using blue wooden rods, similar to roads in Settlers of Catan, to connect from the starting tile to an edge of your target tile.

Farmer helps to grow bamboo in a set of tiles. By selecting a direction and then moving the Farmer, a player can grow a piece of bamboo at the destination tile. Any connected tiles of the same color will also grow a piece of bamboo, provided all tiles involved are irrigated.

Panda will eat a piece of bamboo in the destination tile. During our games, we will make noise as we move the Panda or when the Panda eats a bamboo. Often though other players who have been planning to meet certain objectives will groan when the Panda spoils their plans!

There are 3 types of objectives that you can try to fulfill. The first type is land tile specific which involves a certain configuration of tiles on the game area. Once the tiles are all irrigated, during your turn, you can reveal the objective and declare it is completed. The second type is farmer specific which involves a certain number of bamboos, the location and the height in the game area. Similar to the previous objectives, during your turn, you can reveal and declare it is completed. The final type is panda specific which involves eaten bamboos and when revealed, those bamboo portions are returned and the objectives is completed.

Example of a Player's play area at the end of a game

Categories this game fits into:

Family; Puzzle;

Final thoughts and observations:

Takenoko is a great filler game with beautiful components that can capture everyone’s attention instantly. Gameplay is easy to grasp with just enough strategic planning to make it fun for your seasoned gamer. So far, my gaming groups have enjoyed the game as it delivers just enough entertainment for the amount of time spent on the game. We will often be cursing the Farmer for too much growing of bamboo which will spoil our plans or the hungry Panda for eating too much bamboo and also foiling our well laid plans. Not too long, not too short, Takenoko is just nice!

Puzzled farmer wondering where the Panda has gone!

Hungry hungry panda

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In a nutshell:

Dixit:Odyssey is a light-hearted game more suitable for parties and large groups and includes thought provoking art. It relies on the creativity of the group to make this game truly shine.

Innovation:

The art on the cards are amazing. Though they do not seem to be logical as known to most people, they are presented in such a way to make the players think out of the box during the game.

Components:

Comprises of 4 main components:

Cards are of average quality and larger than normal thus will require special sleeves.

Scoring board is thick and very useful.

Voting cards are also made of the same cardboard and have the art printed on them.

Rabbit meeples for each player. Enough said!

Age group: It is kid friendly however will require them to be able to describe a scene with some vagueness. So recommended from Primary/elementary school and up.

Number of players: 3-12. However it will be more fun at 6 and above. This will provide more variety and more cards will be seen during the game.

Time required: Minimum time required is about 30-45 minutes. It is dependent on the players, how good they are at being subtle and how good they are at guessing.

Gameplay:

Each player will get to play the role of Storyteller. As the Storyteller, the player will first choose a card from his/her hand and say a phrase or word to describe the card. The aim for the storyteller is to avoid letting everyone guess his/her card but at the same time to have at least 1 other player guess his/her card. The other players who aren’t the storyteller will then select a card that fits the Storyteller’s description. Their aim is to trick the other players into voting for his/her card instead of the storytellers and thereby scoring points themselves.

Storyteller will consolidate the cards, shuffle and then display them along the scoreboard. In secret, players will vote using the voting board and blue/red pegs provided. Typically they will use 1 peg to vote however they can use both pegs to vote on 2 different pictures. Voting on 1 only provides more points if they manage to select the storyteller’s card.  If there are more than 6 players, Storyteller will be allowed to use 1 peg to cancel out a card. This will ensure that the player of that card will not score any points should his/her card be voted by the other players.

After all players have voted, then they will reveal. If ALL players managed to or failed to guess the Storyteller’s card then they score. Storyteller gets no points. This also means end of that turn. Otherwise, Storyteller and those that manage guessed his/her cards will score points. In addition, those players (who are not the storyteller) but had votes for their pictures also score points. Shift the player’s bunnies accordingly on the score track.

At the end of the turn, the Storyteller role is passed to the player on the left and another round begins. The game will end when 1 player has reached 30 points at the end of the score track.

Compatible with:

Dixit 1 and Dixit 2. The cards are all similar and can be mixed together. I recommend playing using Dixit 3 components and with the additional cards from both previous Dixits

Final thoughts and observations:

Dixit Odyssey is a game that will get your creative juices flowing as you try to analyze the art and conjure up phrases and words. It is however quite dependent on the group chemistry and dynamics to create the game experience. It is language independent and even though it has a lot of art, the colors are not the main focus here so the color-impaired can still play.

It is great for family gatherings or as a way to break the ice at social gatherings. It is also a great way to train kids to think from different angles and to improve their command of words. It will be too light for gamers that want something substantial but may bring a refreshing change and should still be given a try to at least admire the artwork.

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