Debt, Diplomacy, and Deviousness (a review of 7 Wonders: Cities)

It's easy to blend in when you're in the city. In the country everyone knows everybody. It's hard to carry out your subtle machinations among farmers. But in the city? There's so much activity, so much bustle, that you can traverse dark alleyways without notice. There are plenty of places to hide, even in plain sight. There are plenty of people to plan with, plenty of people to backstab. And there are plenty of opportunities for you to make your way to the top.

Enter the dark underworld of 7 Wonders in Cities.

So Happy Together (A Guide on Cooperative Games)

Only you and your teammates can stem the tide of disease in Pandemic

When non-gamers first hear that I like to play board games, I think one of the first scenes they imagine in their minds is the one with a group of young siblings playing a competitive game of monopoly or sorry until they get in a fight and quit angrily.  And while some relish the conflict and competition inherent in most board games, there is a genre of game which pits players not against each other, but against the game itself.

Even though cooperative games aren't a new phenomenon, many outside of the hobby gaming scene haven't heard of them, and aren't sure what that means.  Usually one of the first questions I get when I introduce a cooperative game is, "So you're on, like, teams?"

Fortunately, if you've run into trouble explaining the concept, or are unsure what it means yourself, this guide is here to help you out.  

So, what is a Cooperative game?