Board Game Reviews

A Rogue Trader, a Ministorium Priest, an Aeldari Ranger, and a Kroot Tracker walk into a Blackstone Fortress...

I googled Ninja Jokes and it told me none could be found. Well played, ninjas, well played.

An observer would have seen nothing but a brief blur around the ship, but the Uprising Destroyer "Resistance" had gone to battle stations. Shields up, the captain then gave orders to activate the defence grid ready for firing. Everything seemed to be going fine until the Resistance fired engines to manoeuvre into position. It slid across space, spinning wildly, before coming to rest in the opposite direction.

This week I'm looking at two of Blue Orange Games' latest from Reiner Knizia and the Bruno Cathala/Ludovic Maublanc team.

High on storytelling, but with some interesting tactical choices to make, Big Trouble in Little China is a solid co-op.

The Masquerade is about to begin. All the attendants sneak glances at the time, awaiting the arrival of Prince Prospero. As the clock strikes 8:00, the prince arrives, draped in his regal attire and everyone jostles for position, pressing close to his majesty. A witty quip and a subtle flirt bring a smile and a chuckle from the Prince. As he slowly moves away, the socialites plan how they can next meet with him, preferably alone, in hopes of currying his favor. A glance at the clock shows it is 8:30…*booming disembodied voice* Aww, hell, the...

All the dice...half the excitement.

If there’s one thing that never ceases to amaze me in Ascension, it’s the innovation that keeps emerging after 13 sets. The latest standalone expansion, Delirium, does what Ascension does best: reinvigorates some old mechanics while adding a few new trappings. I was trepidatious about these new features, especially after the previous release being rather lackluster, but it turns out that the Stoneblade team knows better than me.

Humanity packs the convention hall, a sea of nerdy sardines. But the most packed bit of all is the tables demonstrating Dice Hospital. Again and again, I pass by and there's no space. Twice I play other games by the same publisher while I wait, and nothing comes up. It's a frustration that builds over the two days, then drags sullenly into weeks while I wait for a release.

We would like to welcome the latest graduate from the Dr. Evil school of evil naming...