I've Got My Samurais On You (A Review of Shitennō )

Japan has been unified.  After years of turmoil and uncertainty, a new Shogun has brought the warring provinces under his control through cunning diplomacy and ruthless conquest.  But that doesn’t mean all the fun has to stop!  Now the emperor’s conniving court officials, governors, and generals squabble behind the scene – or rather in plain sight – for the Shogun’s favor.  Peace is such an illusory concept.

Swimming with the Sharks (a review of Get Bit!)

Jaws was a terrifying movie when I was younger. Terrifying. I didn't want to go near the ocean (not that I had much opportunity), and I was even suspicious of our landlocked Midwestern lakes.

But you know what is significantly less terrifying than a giant shark destroying boats and eating humans? A giant shark tearing unsuspecting swimming robots apart. See, that? That's not terrifying. That's just plain fun. That's also the premise behind Get Bit!, the game where you don't have to swim fast, just faster than your mechanical friends.

Penchant for Plunder (a review of Libertalia)

When I was in college, each year there was one movie that got watched over and over again in the dorms, to the point that I never wanted to see it again. My freshman year, that movie was Shrek. My sophomore year, that movie was Pirates of the Caribbean.

Now, some ten years later, I can look back fondly on those times in the dorm together with friends (even if I'm not keen to watch those movies again). And despite not wanting to watch Pirates again, piratey games are definitely not off limits. Does Libertalia deliver the goods (and then plunder them)? Find out below!

The Sum of Glory (A Review of Twilight Imperium 3rd Edition)

"I feel as if the galaxy is waking. As if an ancient beast stirs from slumber in a dark cave.  The day will soon come when a new empire will rise. For the sake of all, may the new emperor not only have the power to seize the throne, but the strength to conquer the peace. If not, I fear that a sea of desolation will drown us all."

These dramatic words conclude the ancient tale behind the universe of Twilight Imperium and prepare players to launch into their own epic tale. Thousands of years of darkness and chaos followed the fall of the once great Lazax, the ruling race of an ancient galactic empire that has been all but completely lost. Now, alien races who have stayed hidden and patient as they licked their wounds and repaired their own worlds are starting to expand. Some of these races were once part of the great empire, others have only recently made themselves known, but it doesn't matter where they come from. It only matters where they're going; to Mecatol Rex, the center of the ancient empire, the home to the galactic council, and the seat of power in the galaxy.  

Will anyone be strong enough to take charge, rebuild the empire, and rule the galaxy?

[Ed. Note: Some photos contained in this review show elements of expansions to the core game of Twilight Imperium. Everything mentioned in the review, however, is only from the core game.]

You Need Me on That Wall (A Review of Island Fortress)

Have you ever dreamed of being a courageous, colonial pioneer building a mighty fortress amidst a harsh, cruel, and barren landscape?  Island Fortress dares proclaim to be that game.  However, the only cruelty is that inflicted upon the poor saps who perish during its construction whilst limitless resources and labor are within your reach.  Still, your nondescript king must have his nondescript power projected into this nondescript area – so your task is to help build him a nondescript fort!

Who Am I This Time? (a guide on role selection)

"All the world's a stage, and all the men and women merely players."

Shakespeare wasn't talking about "players" in the gaming sense (at least, I don't think he was--who knows the mind of the Bard?), but today's Guide to Gaming topic--role-selection--serves as a bridge between Shakespeare's players (actors) and the typical players we talk about on this site (gamers), though not in the full-on RPG sense.

Role-selection, especially in Euro games, is a little more abstract than that, but it does allow players within the game to identify as, influence, or otherwise gain the support of powerful personages (roles) to accomplish game tasks. Role-selection isn't the most popular gaming mechanism out there, but as you will see, for the games that use it well, it offers quite a lot of tense decisions and replay value.

The Sky's the Limit (a review of Sunrise City)

I was playing WarCraft III with @Futurewolfie and one of our friends a few years ago. We were on a local network, each on our laptops or desktops, our positions and strategies unknown to the others. I was furiously clicking, commanding my workers, building my army, preparing for battle. I had all sorts of buildings, my upgrades were maxed out, and my little city was beautiful.

I was out of the game almost as soon as my location was discovered.

The reason? I was playing WarCraft like it was Sim City.

I've abandoned computer games for the most part, but I've taken my desire to build into the tabletop realm. Even after several years in the hobby, though, I hadn't found a game that mimicked the experience of building a city from the ground up.

Until I saw Sunrise City from Clever Mojo Games. But is it worth breaking ground for? Find out below!

Guide to Gaming: Gaming with Kids

One of the simpler and under-rated joys in life is playing with kids. As it pertains to our hobby, of course, that means enjoying time spent on board games with our children, grandkids, nieces and nephews, as well as in other, family-oriented, social circles. Not only are these occasions just flat out fun, but it is important in teaching kids critical thinking skills, family bonding, and developing strong and healthy child-adult relationships.

San Juan--IN SPACE! (A Review of Race for the Galaxy)

Welcome to the very first NEMESIS REVIEW on iSlaytheDragon.  In this post, @FarmerLenny offers a review of a game, and @Futurewolfie adds his own thoughts afterward.  Then, at the end, both summarize their general thoughts about the game in 5 words or less.

[Ed. note December 2012:  the 5 word summary has been removed in favor of a much more useful pros/cons list and ratings on a 10.0 scale. Woo!]

@FarmerLenny's Take
I mentioned in my review of San Juan (which is posted here) that I didn't particularly care for it. It seemed like it had elements of a good game, but something just didn't click for me (perhaps it was fellow players burying all the good cards under their chapels?). It's also telling that those I play board games with most frequently weren't itching to play it either. I was offered Race for the Galaxy in a trade through BGG, so I thought I'd try San Juan's beefier big brother before completely swearing off games of this type.

And you know what? I loved it.

So why did I love one game and not care for the other when they're so similar? Let's get into the review.