Spinning Out of Control (a review of Gravwell)

This game, in case you couldn't tell, takes place in SPACE

Trapped in the 9th Dimension, engines down. This is your predicament; the only working device on your ship is your tractor beam, so the only way to move is to push or pull off of the nearest heavy object. But what happens if that object moves the other way?

This is the premise of Gravwell, and you'd better be on your toes, because only one of you can make it out of this dimension. Try not to spin out of control.

News Bits: 12/9/2013

As promised, this week's NEWS is back to business and bursting at the seams. Without further ado, the NEWS:

Gravwell release date set for December 20 [Link] This according to the game's designer, Corey Young. For those not in the know, Gravwell was one of the best games I played at Gen Con. I've played it several times since on Futurewolfie's copy he purchased there, and I still like it quite a bit. Review forthcoming, closer to the release date, and it will be a nemesis review (that is, Wolfie and I will both provide an opinion). In the meantime, set phasers to "preorder."

News Bits: 11/18/2013

This week's NEWS is a little light, unless you follow the rabbit holes in the first link (which is what I did...):

Board Game Geek posts Essen coverage [Link] Here's a list of the videos in one spot. I'm not gonna lie: I've come away with more than a few games added to my wishlist after watching some of these. I'm very grateful for this service since I was unable to attend.

News Bits: 9/9/2013

Another week that begins with the NEWS:

Spielbox teases deluxe edition of Hanabi [Link] Well, this looks awesome...though nearly $80 is more than I'd be willing to pay, considering the basic version is $10. (Of course, the problem is finding a copy, with the initial print run sold out.) But still: stylish.

Tales of Legend and Woe at Gencon 2013

Yesterday, FarmerLenny wrote up his experience at Gen Con, primarily regarding the games he played.  Now it's my turn.  I'll talk about some games, but I feel that my experiences go beyond just playing a few demos, and most of the games I played were also played by FarmerLenny, so I don't need to bore you with unnecessary details.  It was definitely a wild ride, but not all of what happened was super fantastic, even though it tried to be.

So, without further ado, here's what happened at Gen Con.

What I Played at Gen Con: FarmerLenny Edition

Gen Con is billed as "the best four days in gaming," and it must be true, or they couldn't put it on the sign. Okay, I'm not sure how to empirically verify the statement, but my experience at least comes close to validating the claim.

I promised in today's news post that I would discuss the new games I played at Gen Con this year. I don't plan to discuss the people I met (who were great) or tell the story of how these games came to be; I'm just going to give you the skinny on the games and how I thought about them after my play(s). (I'll note whether my play was a full game or a demo game.) The first paragraph is a game overview if you want a (very quick) rules summary; the second paragraph is my impressions. These are in alphabetical order. If you want to skip to the games I liked best, you might want to check the entries for Gravwell, Impulse, Spyrium, and Rialto. Also, sorry; I was too busy playing to take pictures. I realize this is text heavy; I trust interested readers will persevere.

[Note: Futurewolfie posted his Gen Con wrap-up here. It's more about the events at Gen Con and less about the games and fills in the details I left out.]