Video Game Review: Catan: Console Edition - Cities and Knights by Dovetail Games/Nomad Games

Anyone willing to trade labrious effort for some convenience and a few glitches?

For those who don’t know, Catan, previously known as The Settlers of Catan, is a board game from 1995. Its expansion, Cities and Knights, was released in 1998 and both versions are highly revered and still played all these years later. Over the years it has spawned many expansions and updates (including 5-6 player add-ons, Explorers and Pirates, Seafarers, etc.). I learned about the game eight years ago and have since loved playing with friends who know all about it (or when my cousin comes to town). I will do my best with this review to focus on the console version of the game, though some explanation of the base game and its expansion will be necessary, not to mention some observations I've discovered through multiple games. Most of this review will refer to gameplay experienced through the City and Knights expansion.

First and foremost, Catan is a board game that focuses on collecting resources, trading, and building. The goal is to beat your opponents to a certain score (ten points in standard Catan, thirteen in Cities and Knights) by building settlements, cities, development cards, city upgrades, and more. You gain resources by placing settlements on hexes with numbers and getting said number rolled. Which strategy you employ is up to you, and sometimes a pivot is necessary when things don't go your way. Trading is important and happens more frequently at the beginning of a match than toward the end. After all, the fear that one’s trade may place their opponent that much closer to a win is quite a deterrent. Catan: Console Version takes all the rules of Catan and perfectly implements them onto a virtual board, making long-distance Catan a possible thing. If you are a fellow Catanian, this is your best option to play with friends at a distance.

But is this the best way to play the game in general? Well, there are some caveats here that I must convey before endorsing such an investment. First and foremost, the game can be quite buggy. Not always, and sometimes not necessarily game-breaking, but still an irritation. Some of these simple things make me think no one at the studio used a quality assurance team to check for any issues. For instance, when a seven is rolled in Catan, there is a robber that is placed somewhere on the board (wherever he is placed, the hex will no longer give any resource of that type when the number is rolled until he is moved by a development card or another seven). When playing Cities and Knights, the robber will frequently hide behind a knight, making it difficult to discern his location at a glance. Visual cues in the game are sometimes iffy, sometimes leading to an improperly placed settlement, city, road, or knight. Sometimes the dice are difficult to see (particularly when they land on a wooded zone), which takes a few seconds of precious time away when you're playing on a timer. Minor things, but many of them added up can become an annoyance.

Catan: Console Edition also introduces the option to include AI opponents. This is great when you only have one other person willing to play (or just want to go one round yourself). While the AI is infrequently good enough to win (they have won once in all the games I've played), it is always almost too predictable. Only once in all the time I played did they use The Alchemist card (which allows you to choose the roll of the numbered dice) to roll something other than a seven. They almost always go for city upgrades first. They almost always penalize the player, even if another AI is a point or two ahead (Curse you, Yngvi). It is rather basic but still works well enough to have an enjoyable game of Catan. Sometimes, especially late game, the AI will play multiple cards or build multiple things. This occurs so quickly on screen that it’s sometimes difficult to tell what occurred, then I’ll look at my hand and a few of my cards are missing. I just have to laugh and move on. On the whole, I’d say that despite its simplicity and over-aggression toward the player, the AI is a welcome addition that allows more options for fellow settlers.

Unfortunately, there are some ugly glitches that I've encountered during a heated game. Whenever I play with my cousin and her partner, they are frequently kicked out of the game. Luckily she can rejoin, but sometimes one of them doesn't get back before their turn and the AI takes over briefly, using the player’s cards in a way they did not intend. This has also happened to my partner and I, though less frequently. There should be an option for all players to pause the game (if a timer is running) so that online opponents can rejoin. One time I got kicked and I was completely unable to rejoin. The game continued to bug out by saying that I joined, but never put me back in the action. It was near the end of the game which makes it even more frustrating. I’ve also paused an online game and quit (which is supposed to save the board you were playing to be resumed later), and when I came back, the game was bugged and unplayable. If a game is going to include a convenient option, it should be reliable. I didn't run into too many problems with resuming games in offline mode against AI thankfully. One of the most recent glitches forced the end of my turn, costing me a hefty amount of cards when the robber was rolled and completely ruined my plans (this frustration led me to quit that game).

One of the advantages of Catan: Console Edition is its display. The board looks great and even has small animations for all the hexes, cities, knights, the robber, etc. It brings the game to life a bit, even if the soundtrack and sound effects leave a lot to be desired (honestly just mute the game and put on some music). The sound effects for the barbarian attack are ridiculous and prompt players with a stupid screen that everyone must endure, each in turn, for a few moments (a bit of poor game design) instead of everyone seeing it at once and pressing the X button to continue. Despite these things and some previously mentioned visual issues, looking at the board and seeing it come to life is a welcome incorporation. They could have made it static and it would have been fine, but the extra polish breathes a little life into this thirty-year-old game. It is also nice that the console version gives you the option to view your hand from your phone (if multiple people are playing on the same console), though sometimes it lags behind a bit so you have to reload the page.

One of the biggest advantages of Catan: Console Edition over the tactile board game is the setup. Everything is quick and easy. The board sets itself up and randomizes everything significantly quicker than a person could. Plus it takes the additional sting out of losing (after all, the loser sets up the next board, right?). Not to mention the lack of cleanup and potential loss of pieces. Catan is an extensive game with many pieces and the convenience of the online version is undeniable.

Now for a brief aside about the game itself. Playing the Cities and Knights expansion made me realize how unbalanced the game can be. Make no mistake, when in the heat of a competitive game Catan is one of my all-time favorites. But when your luck is bad, the game becomes an absolute drag. This would be fine if you weren't aware of the fact that you are going to spend the next hour to an hour and a half losing. Sometimes other players are just too far ahead and luck is against you. In these instances, the game goes from being a fun, competitive, strategic escape to an absolute bore. I believe that the lack of tactile pieces makes this even more apparent, as I am drawn to my phone and any other stimuli in these long drawn-out bouts. This doesn't happen every game, but when it does, it can be painful.

When it comes down to it, I believe that the question of whether Catan: Console Edition is for you comes down to a matter of distance and convenience. Do you hate setting up and putting away the board after each bout? Do you want to play with friends across the country? Do you want play to online against strangers (the wait time is rather long, mind you)? If so, the game is for you. Despite its shortcomings, Catan: Console Edition is a convenient way to play this beloved board game, just be ready to fork out a little cash (Cities and Knights and other add-ons are an additional fee). If you've never played, I highly recommend getting the physical board game. It's a safe place to start. If you want to jump into the console experience, expect a few issues, but don't let it bother you too much. Catan is a fun game to lose hours to, just don't get on the bad side of the dice… or the AI.

--

The Math

Objective Assessment: 7/10

Bonus: +2 for convenience. +.5 for non-static visuals. +1 for online play.

Penalties: -3 for bugs. -1 for poor visual cues. 

Nerd Coefficient: 6.5/10

Catan/Cities and Knights (traditional board game version): 8.5/10

Posted by: Joe DelFranco - Fiction writer and lover of most things video games. On most days you can find him writing at his favorite spot in the little state of Rhode Island.

Thursday Morning Superhero: Holiday Gift Guide

As we inch closer and closer to putting 2020 behind us, I thought I would wrap up my Thursday Morning Superhero posts with my annual gift guide.  I wanted to include a variety of items that would be appropriate for a variety of nerds, so here goes!

For the nerdy sports fan:

Defector subscription - Like most of the sports fans I know, I was heartbroken when a change in leadership caused a mass resignation at Deadspin.  While fake Deadspin is still up and running, it is filled with imposters and no longer has the editorial freedom and heart that made Deadspin such a special site.  There has been a void in my internet browsing that has finally been filled with Defector.  The authors who left Deadspin recently launched Defector and its creator owned model is worth applauding. I subscribed prior to its launch and am delighted that the writers that I have enjoyed for so many years have a platform to amplify their voices.  Sports coverage is best when politics and humor are sprinkled throughout.   Despite working in sport, I enjoyed the NCAA and NFL getting called to task on issues like their handling of COVID and the treatment of NCAA athletes.  This is literally a gift that will keep on giving all year.  

For the nerdy gamer:

Gods Love Dinosaurs - This title puts you in charge of the food chain as you attempt to dominate the board with a combination of dinosaur eggs and actual dinosaurs. You will populate the game board with prey, predators, and of course, dinosaurs.  Dinosaurs need to eat prey to survive, and predators to lay eggs. Gods Love Dinosaurs is a terrific middle weight game and will appeal to a wide range of nerds.  If the sale is still on, you can also snag it as part of a bundle with the cooperative puzzle game Mental Blocks, and the pattern creating Passtally. 

Funko Games stocking stuffers - I am a sucker for licensed games that are actually fun to play.  When Funko entered the game market I wasn't sure what to think, but after spending over a year playing the addictive Funkoverse series, placing my workers to secure routes in Pan Am, and collecting ghosts in the Haunted Mansion, I am confident in the product that Funko games produces.  This year they have a wealth of licensed games that are asking to be put into stockings.  I already picked up the Christmas Vacation Twinkling Lights games and enjoyed it, but there is a Frosty the Snowman game, an Elf game, and more! 

For the nerdy comic book fan:

Kent State: Four Dead in Ohio - Having previously recommended this title earlier in the year, it should not be surprising that is the book that I recommend gifting to your comic book reading friends.  Or better yet, your literary friends that don't currently read comics.  This book is an example of how the medium of comic books can effectively educate readers from first hand accounts surrounding this tragedy.  Derf Backderf is masterful at immersing himself in a topic to really inform the story with a personal touch that is often missing. I recommend anything by Backderf, but his newest offering is one that should not be missed.

Locke and Key pendants - If you are looking for a classy comic book themed gift, you cannot do better than the new Locke and Key pendants from Skelton Crew Studios.  I already have a few pins and replica keys from Skelton, but these sterling silver pendants are truly stunning.  I am not much of a jewelry person myself, but you might catch me wearing a head key necklace once the convention scene reopens. 

POSTED BY MIKE N. aka Victor Domashev -- comic guy, proudly raising nerdy kids, and Nerds of a Feather contributor since 2012.

Thursday Morning Superhero

Before we hop into this week's trio of comics I thought I would share a Kickstarter for a board game that has grabbed my attention.  In Dead Man's Cabal, you play a necromancer who is trying to raise the dead to join you for a party. While the premise is simple as you gain skulls and spell cards in order to raise the dead, the variable phase order is what has me excited about this game. On your turn you get to determine one action for yourself and one action for the everyone. Do you maximize both moves knowing it will benefit one of your opponents? Do you settle for a move that isn't as good, but doesn't help anyone else either? There are a lot of tense decisions and the Kickstarter has already reached some cool stretch goals including 3D bones as currency and the art ranks up there with some of the best in the business. The next stretch goal is 3D skulls!  Check it out here.

Pick of the Week:
Batman #64 - This marks the start of a Batman and Flash crossover and I am quickly learning that I need to read more Flash comics. I will openly admit that I grew up as a Marvel kid and have primarily dabbled in Batman in the DC Universe. Batman and Flash are teaming up in this arc to deal with a crimewave that is sweeping Gotham. Batman seems to have some sort of insider knowledge on the attacks and we learn that Gotham Girl, who he once attempted to train, is trying to somehow save her brother who was corrupted by Psycho Pirate. Despite having one of the worst names in all of comics, Psycho Pirate is adept at manipulating people and played a pivotal role in one of the arcs that caused me to abandon this series. While that thought has me a bit hesitant for this crossover, the dynamic for Batman and Flash teaming up has me very excited to explore more of the DC Universe.

The Rest:
Vindication #1 - I wanted to like this book based on the premise, but it felt too cliche and hook me despite a solid cliffhanger ending. Turn Washington was wrongly convicted for a murder 10 years ago and has just been set free. The detective who worked the case disagrees, and is set out to make sure that Washington returns to his prison cell at the first sign of a slip up. There are a lot of interesting elements to this book, including some racial undertones, a corrupt system, and attention grabbing lawyers, but it fell flat to me.  I am currently enjoying the latest season of True Detective and wonder if my standards are elevated due to that series having captivated my interest. There is a good chance that this series will improve as we learn more about the murder 10 years ago and the similarity to a recent murder, but I am not quite there.

Star Wars #61 - It looks like we reached the conclusion of another arc and that the Rebels are going to have to engage with the SCAR Squadron in the near future as they have obtained some of their secret plans. This was a big reunion issue as Han and Chewy join forces again, Han returns to his true love the Millennium Falcon, and Luke rejoins Tula after she helped him and the Rebels escape. The highlight in this issue was a two page interaction between C-3P0 and an alien having what appears to be a tense negotiation, only to learn that C-3P0 was nearly advocating for new leg plating which he successfully obtains. It felt very authentic to the humor that has been sprinkled throughout this series and I remain in awe at how effective the comics are at filling in the gaps of the films and remaining very true to the original source.



POSTED BY MIKE N. aka Victor Domashev -- comic guy, proudly raising nerdy kids, and Nerds of a Feather contributor since 2012.

Holiday Gift Guide: Games

Welcome to our annual Holiday Gift Guide where the flock takes a break from talking about all the awesome and not so awesome things to, well, talk about some more of the awesome things that you might want to consider for your Holiday shopping this year. Today, we're talking gaming - mobile, console, PC, tabletop and board games!

For the Boardgamers:

Carcassonne: Big Box 2017 (Joe)

Do you want to play a game set in medieval France that is all about building roads and cities and making sure that your farm can touch as many cities as possible? You do, actually, because that game is Carcassonne and it is absolutely delightful and wonderful. I won't go so far as to say that has taken over my house, but it is the board game my wife and I have played significantly more than any other in the year that we've had the game. 

The Big Box (2017 Edition) collects the base game, 9 mini expansions to the game, and two of the most popular full expansions (Inns and Cathedrals, Traders and Builders). It's a big jump into the game, but if you're the sort of player who likes expansions and trying new rules, you'll want to jump right in to this Big Box edition.

Fireball Island (Mike):

If you are looking for a blast of nostalgia then Fireball Island from Restoration Board Games is the game you want under your tree. Vul-Kar has returned and is not happy. Players make their way around the island picking up treasures and snapping pictures.  You can try to steal the heart of Vul-Kar, but watch out for the rolling embers and fireballs that will make your adventure a dangerous one.  Featuring a bigger board than the original and some optional expansions, Fireball Island looks amazing on the table with its stunning 3-D board and shiny marbles.

For the person who plays games but you don’t know which ones:

Assassin’s Creed Odyssey (Brian):

I know I called Assassin’s Creed Odyssey “a popcorn game, tasty but void of nutrition or substance.” It still is popcorn, but who doesn’t like popcorn? Odyssey is a game made for wide appeal to the wildly diverse audience of “people who play video games”. If you’ve got a friend or cousin you need a gift for and all you know is that they play video games, you can’t really go wrong with Assassin’s Creed Odyssey. It’s lengthy, diverse in gameplay options, and features a cast of characters they probably heard of at some point in school. Assassin’s Creed Odyssey is a safe choice to get someone who enjoys video games.

PlayStation Plus/Xbox Game Pass (Dean):

If you have a gamer in your life, they have had a busy, expensive few months. Red Dead Redemption 2 and Fallout 76 and currently occupying my personal time and money, so someone taking care of my PlayStation Plus subscription for a bit would be incredibly appreciated - and not terribly expensive for the gift giver! It makes a great stocking stuffer, and it's something any gamer will put to good use.

For the person you want to talk about video games with:

Kentucky Route Zero (Brian):

Kentucky Route Zero is an adventure game without the esoteric puzzles. It’s more about exploring spaces and talking to people. There are no wrong choices. It’s a journey through surreal locations mostly made of beautifully crafted flat polygons and populated with lonely people. Its minimalistic design and lack of punishment makes it accessible to nearly everyone, even if the slow pace will turn some people off. Sometimes funny, sometimes somber, always thoughtful, Kentucky Route Zero is a great game to play with a friend and talk about just what’s going on. It’s also a gift that keeps on giving as it’s not quite complete yet. The fifth and final act has been in development since the release of the fourth act in 2016. It’ll be finished eventually, but good stories sometimes take a while to tell. 

For the Roleplaying Gamer:

13th Age and 13th Age in Glorantha (Paul)

You may have recently heard of the passing of RPG legend Greg Stafford. Greg Stafford was a key figure in a number of roleplaying games, and founded a number of a couple of roleplaying game companies, including Chaosium. What is best known for, the single RPG word; Glorantha.

Glorantha is Stafford’s greatest creation, an ever evolving and growing mythic world that he channeled and filtered from an unfathomable outside source as much as he wrote down. Glorantha is a bronze-age like fantasy world like very few. The world is flat, with the boundaries in all directions leading to the realm of the Gods. There are thousands of Gods, and the world has been changed radically several times in its history…including one of those changes being the invention of time AND history. But there are some things that are the same—or are they? There are Elves—but they are living plants. There are Dwarves, workers in the world machine who hope to be purified into creatures of metal. There are trolls—but they eat evil creatures of Chaos. And then there are the Durulz, or as everyone else calls them, the Ducks. Yes, Ducks. Ducks are figures of comedy, not the strongest race on Glorantha by any standard, but they are dedicated undead-hunters. 

There have been a few systems like Runequest and Heroquest that have tried to capture the world of Glorantha and allow it to be a playable world and system, but there is a large learning curve when you have a system *and* a vastly complicated world to try and navigate. Glorantha often gets admired but not played and that is a terrible shame! Glorantha is such a rich place that it should be explored and loved by more gamers than it is.

But, you regular gamer, you can play and run Glorantha, and relatively easily, too, without too much of a stick shift change in systems. You, oh GM of the weekly D&D group, can give your PCs the richness of Glorantha, too. Let me introduce you all next to 13th Age. 

13th Age emerged in the explosion of D&D like systems that occurred around the creation of 4th Edition. 13th Age’s D&D like mechanics and character builds and creation are relatively easy for D&D players to port into. Hit points, Hit Dice, Saving Throws, character classes and races, spells and the like are all very much in line with what a D&D player might encounter. It’s not a formless D&D clone, however, with meddling Icons that influence the world at large and have connections to players. The escalation die provides new mechanics and tempo for combat. Every PC has “one unique thing”, which provides story hook and ideas for GMs to incorporate PCs history into the campaign. 13th Age is my favorite of the current crop of D&D and D&D like games.

13th Age in Glorantha, recently released by Pelgrane Press, is the fusion of these two that gives you a roleplaying experience in Glorantha, with the D&D like engine of 13th Age that you will find relatively easy to pick up. It expands some of the rules of 13th Age to allow for Gloranthan concepts such as runes to work within the rules of the core system, replacing the Icons of the base system as the focus for character relationships with greater powers.

Together, now you can roll dice and wade into the desperate fight against the tyrannical Lunar Empire, support your tribe against its rivals, deal with monsters, or explore ruins from past ages of the world. The default location for characters and their people is the tumultuous Dragon Pass, an area of Glorantha full of history and dangers. The locals are under threat, there are numerous colonies of creatures benign, neutral and dangerous alike, and there are surprises around every corner. In other words, its like any sandbox D&D world full of adventure. And with the prophesied Hero Wars about to erupt…perhaps the heroes might become Heroes.

Or the GM and players alike can really get into the spirit of the mythic root of Glorantha, and travel into the God Time, into the realms of myth, and reenact the stories of their Gods, to gain power for themselves and for their tribe. With great risk, comes great rewards, for the PCs and their loved ones alike.

Together, 13th Age and the 13th Age in Glorantha do what earlier iterations of Glorantha sometimes fumbled to achieve for many gamers: to give gamers a chance to explore and make the wild, mythic, magical world of Greg Stafford their own. Including the Ducks.

D&D 5e Starter Set (Dean)

One of the best parts about giving people games is that you usually get to play them! So it's kind of a gift you give yourself, as well. D&D is entering the public consciousness in ways it didn't seem to before, and a lot of people are genuinely excited to try it, where it used to be, well, the sort of people who frequent sites such as this. So maybe you have friends and/or family who have said they want to give it a shot. The starter set includes everything you need to get going - a rues manual, ready-to-play adventure that is pretty easy to jump right in to DM'ing, character sheets and dice. Oh, and it's under twenty bucks.

Gen Con From Afar

It has been two years since I have made it to Gen Con and I found myself glued to my social media feed lamenting with the other GenCan't participants. Despite not actually attending the convention, I am happy to report on some of the big developments that I enjoyed.

Games Generating Buzz:
Nyctophobia by Pandasaurus Games - Nyctophobia is the fear of the dark and is from first time game designer Catherine Stippell.  Catherine wanted a game she could play with her uncle, who is blind, and developed this semi-cooperative game that features up to four players who wear black out sunglasses and have to rely on verbal communication and by feeling near them on the board. In Nyctophobia, one player assumes the role of a villain right out of a horror film that is pursuing the other players in the woods. The players have to navigate a maze of trees to accomplish their objective and make it to their escape vehicle. As I mentioned earlier, the survivors can only feel their immediate surroundings and need to communicate effectively to one another if they hope to survive. This is one I have had the good fortune of playing and it is unlike any other tabletop experience I have had.

Forbidden Sky by Gamewright - We finally have a new cooperative Forbidden game from designer Matt Leacock.  Forbidden Island and Forbidden Desert are staples in my house and I am very excited to take to the sky! Players are in the center of a storm and have to connect a series of wires to power their escape rocket. Gamewright only sold 100 copies of this game per day so I will have to wait until September until I can play this one with my family.

Holding On: The Troubled Life of Billy Kerr by Hub Games -If you have ever wanted to play a board game in which you are part of a nursing staff who provides care for the terminally ill you are in luck! In this game you are tasked with trying to save Billy Kerr who just had a massive heart attack.  You do this by delving into his troubled past and piecing together his memories. The goal is to get him to confront his regrets so he can die in peace. This is a game I definitely want to try, but I'm not sure how often I could play a game with this heavy of a theme.

Big Announcements:
Machi Koro Legacy - Pandasaurus Games surprised everyone when they announced that Machi Koro is getting the legacy treatment! The godfather of legacy games himself, Rob Daviau, teamed up with JR Honeycutt to figure out a way to allow players to experience a 10 game narrative set in the Machi Koro Universe. At the end of your 10 game journey, players have a unique edition of Machi Koro that they can play with their friends. Definitely going to pick this one up to play with the family.

Return to Dark Tower - Restoration Games was somehow able to figure out the murkey copyright issues with Dark Tower and announced a sequel to the game that came out in 1981. In the game players must work together to gather resources, fight off bad guys, and ultimately take on the tower itself. Restoration Games has produced some amazing titles thus far (I can't wait to get Fireball Island!) and they don't seem to be slowing down.



POSTED BY MIKE N. aka Victor Domashev -- comic guy, proudly raising nerdy kids, and Nerds of a Feather contributor since 2012.

Thursday Morning Superhero

Not sure how many of you remember the game Fireball Island, but the good folks at Restoration Games are bringing it back with updated rules via Kickstarter!!! Restoration Games specializes on taking games from our childhood and modifying the rules to add depth and make them more strategic. I cannot wait to explore Fireball Island and risk getting knocked down by a tumbling marble out of the mouth of Vul-Kar!  Do yourself a favor and check out the amazing 3-D molded island and the gifs of the marbles trailing around the island here.

Pick of the Week:
Xerxes: The Fall of the House of Darius and the Rise of Alexander #1 - After the debut of 300 almost 30 years ago, Frank Miller has returned to that world for the tale of the downfall of the Persian Empire.  In this gory debut issue, we have a front row seat to the Battle of Marathon as the Athenians attempt to thwart their Persian foes.  Not sure when we will see anything from the perspective of Xerxes, but this issue focused on Aeskylos and Themistokles, the captain of this army. Aeskylos is particularly entertaining, brandishing exotic weapons capable of slicing opponents in half due to the time he spends sharpening them. While the overall story didn't advance much, it was a nice reintroduction to this world and makes me want to reread the original series and watch the movie. Definitely looking forward to this one.

The Rest:
Snotgirl #10 - Lottie and her fellow influencers wake up and learn that someone died at the convention they are all attending. Add to this the ghost that is currently haunting Lottie and it is clear that there is more going on at this remote motel than meets the eye. In addition to the murder mystery that everyone is involved in, there are emotions at play as relationships among the group are tested in a variety of ways. Bryan Lee O'Malley sure knows how to craft interesting stories as I would have never imagined reading a comic about a fashion influencer that make repeated references to Instagram followers who also suffers from allergies and has the nickname Snottie.  But here we are.



Star Wars #46 - In order to convince the Mon Cala to join the rebellion, Leia continues with her Ocean's 11-esque heist that involves a famous shape-shifting actor, hijacking the Moff of the Mon Calamari sector, and using his bio-scan to infiltrate a prison. While the plan sounds dicey at best, it doesn't appear to have hit any hurdles currently as this issue was quite straight forward. The highlight was C-3PO simply stating "Oh Dear" when he realized he was in charge. Still digging the series, but this issue felt a bit too easy.

A look back:
Y the Last Man #1 - I am not picking to get under the skin of The G (who is not a fan), but wanted to look back at some of Brian K. Vaughan's  Eisner winning series. The first issue opens with the world in shock as a plague has apparently killed all of the male species on earth. All human men and animal men die suddenly and chaos ensues.  We learn a bit more of some events that happened immediately prior to the plague, but don't really learn why something like this happened. The scenes where pilots, doctors, and other men die horrifying and are effective informing the reader of how horrendous like this something would truly be. We do know that at least one man, the illusionist Yorick, has survived. In addition we learn of a mysterious group called the Culper Ring and an amulet that other groups are willing to kill to get. It is mysterious opening to what becomes an incredible journey to get to the bottom of what truly happened.  Vaughan does a great job introducing a wide variety of interesting characters, blends humor and drama exceptionally well, and demonstrates a knack for managing multiple complicated story lines with ease. Yorick also has a pet monkey named Ampersand who is quite awesome.




POSTED BY MIKE N. aka Victor Domashev -- comic guy, proudly raising nerdy kids, and Nerds of a Feather contributor since 2012.

Holiday Gift Guide: Board Games

Joe - For the gamer with a dedicated gaming group

Pandemic Legacy: Season 2 by Z-Man Games

Probably my favorite gaming experience of 2017 has been gradually working my way through Season 1 of Pandemic Legacy. We’re perhaps ¾ through the campaign and we already know that Season 2 is a must buy that we’ll dive into right away. Pandemic Legacy is a fantastic way to level up your Pandemic gaming experience.  

Mike - For the 90's dino loving gamer

Dinosaur Island by Pandasaurus Games

Before I even talk about the game itself, how can you not want to buy this based on the exceptional box art alone?!? The goal of Dinosaur Island is to build a successful dinosaur theme park. A good park will include rides, attractions, and dinosaurs! Putting a T-Rex in your park will bring you some visitors, but you run the risk of it breaking out. Featuring clever worker placement mechanics, dino crafting via DNA collection, and a fun auction mechanic,  Dinosaur Island will definitely impress when it hits the table.

Mike - For the gamer who wants to test friendships

The Thing: Infection at Outpost 31 by Mondo

Mondo's first excursion into the world of games is a lot of fun and drops you arctic outpost from John Carpenter's 1982 film The Thing. As you explore the outpost and battle The Thing, you also have to figure out who among the group is a human and who has been infected. Very few gaming moments are as fun as deceiving one of your friends so you can make it to the escape chopper and bring the infection to the rest of the world.

Mike - For the gamer looking for a stocking stuffer

Simon's Cat by Steve Jackson Games

At the low cost of only $6.95, Simon's Cat packs a lot of fun into a deck of 48 cards. Featuring art from the Simon's Cat YouTube cartoon (which I have never seen, but have been told about it by my kids' friends every time we play this game), Simon's Cat is a light Uno-esque card game that is a lot of fun and can be played very quickly. This is our go to game to play while we wait for food at a restaurant or want something light for a quick family game.

POSTED BY MIKE N. aka Victor Domashev -- comic guy, proudly raising nerdy kids, and Nerds of a Feather contributor since 2012.

Microreview [board game]: The Thing: Infection at Outpost 31

Mondo, who is well known for its limited prints and stunning vinyls, is getting into the board game arena and its debut is quite impressive. The Thing: Infection at Outpost 31, puts gamers at the dreaded Arctic outpost from John Carpenter's 1982 thriller The Thing. Sticking true to the source material, players are either a human or are an imitation and the only way for humans to survive is to escape without letting any imitations on the helicopter. This is a great medium to lightweight game that works with experienced gamers or as a gateway game for new players.

Gameplay:
At its heart, The Thing: Infection at Outpost 31 is a social deduction game. Inspired by games like Werewolf and The Resistance, players have to read social clues from one another to determine who you can trust and who is secretly working against you. One big difference from other social deduction games, the miniatures and the way you progress through the outpost enhance the immersion and gameplay experience. The game supports 4-8 players and takes between 1-2 hours. If you want to learn more about the rules you can watch a snazzy video featuring Elijah Wood!

Players are dealt a blood sample card to start each game to determine who is human and who is imitation. For the humans to win, players must go on missions throughout the outpost, collecting essential gear and battling the Thing. If they are able to collect the necessary gear and are successful in their battles, they enter the final escape phase. The escape phase is where this game truly shines, as the selected captain must choose who is able to ride the helicopter to freedom and who is left behind. If only humans are on board then the humans win.

Each round the captain, who rotates each turn, selects his or her team to go on a mission. The captain determines which room to explore and those selected secretly pass the captain a card to help or sabotage the mission. The captain shuffles up the cards and examines the cards to see if the mission is successful or not. Each captain has unique abilities and the option to swap cards in an attempt to help or harm the current mission.

The imitations have multiple paths to victory. By sabotaging missions, they can move the chess computer down the imitation track, destroy rooms to cause the outpost to collapse, or sneak onto the helicopter and bring about the destruction of the human race. The game seems to be skewed a bit in favor of the imitations, which is a good thing in my opinion.

The Components:
Featuring art from Justin Erickson, the board, player dashboards, cards, instructions and box are all beautiful and really enhance the player experience. The spot UV on the board looks sharp and the game insert allows for easy setup and take down. I was impressed with the quality of the sculpt of the miniatures (or movers as they are called in the orientation and regulation manual) and it is a lot of fun playing as Wilfred Brimley or MacReady. In typical Mondo fashion, a limited version of the board game debuted at Mondo Con last weekend featuring a limited print and cover art from Jock. In addition, players get two bonus missions complete with miniatures. It is limited to 1,982 copies and the remaining stock will be sold at Mondo's website at some point soon.

The Math:

Baseline Assessment: 8/10

Bonuses: +1 for attention to detail and movie references, +1 for the artwork

Penalties: -1 for repetitive missions, -1 for advantage given to imitations

Nerd Coefficient: 8/10 "well worth your time and attention"

POSTED BY MIKE N. aka Victor Domashev -- comic guy, proudly raising nerdy kids, and Nerds of a Feather contributor since 2012.

Tabletop Pile of Shame Update

One of my resolutions this year was to play 10 games from my pile of shame and I cannot believe that I have successfully met my goal with plenty of room to spare.  My new goal is to try and check off even more games from my pile of shame and maybe even one day clear it completely. 

In my first entry I played Abyss and Colt Express, my second entry featured Carrotia and Codenames, my third entry included Just Desserts and Machi Koro: Bright Lights, Big City, my fourth entry focused on Mice and Mystics and Clank!: A Deck-Building Adventure, and my fifth and entry features 7 Wonders Duel and Dastardly Dirigibles.  

7 Wonders Duel by Repos Production - My wife was kind enough to get me this game as a Christmas gift even though she had no intention of playing it with me. I was worried that it might be a bit too much for my 10 year old son, but after playing it I was amazed at how slick this game is and how it streamlines the decision making process. 7 Wonders Duel attempts to provide a two-player experience based on the mega-hit card drafting game 7 Wonders. You are competing with a rival city to develop as much as you can over three ages. You are working towards the construction of wonders, while also cultivating a quality of life for your residents with a solid military, investment in the arts, and others. Turns are quick and simply and involve taking a card from the available area, and either purchasing it and building it in your city or cashing it in for gold. In addition to maintaining your city and working towards your wonders, you have to keep an eye on the military balance between your city and your opponents. While I wasn't blown away in my first play through, I immediately wanted to play again to mix things up. It was quick to learn, quick to setup, and offered multiple strategies on the path to victory. Definitely happy to have this in my collection and cannot wait to play it again.

Dastardly Dirigibles by Fireside Games - This is a game all about building your own steampunk blimp in order to score the most points.  Game play is extremely simple and this game makes a good filler game or one to play with non-gamer or younger players. The twist in Dastardly Dirigibles is that when you build on your airship, your opponents must build the same part if possible. This can take away from their bonus or potentially provide a bigger bonus depending on the suit. There are few "event" type cards that mix things up a bit more, but in the end this game is extremely light and quite a bit of fun.  I don't imagine it will hit my table a ton, but it will be a game that pops out from time to time depending on the group. One nice thing about each round is that you get to marvel at everyone's dirigibles as the game includes some pretty cool art.

POSTED BY MIKE N. aka Victor Domashev -- comic guy, proudly raising nerdy kids, and Nerds of a Feather contributor since 2012.

Five Games to keep an Eye on at Gen Con

This marks the first time in a number of years that I will not be in attendance at Gen Con.  With it just one week away, I have hanging my head in sorrow thinking of the games I am going to be missing. Fortunately there is an amazing Gen Can't community for those of us who can't make the trip to Indiana. There are also some great games to keep an eye on and I am sharing five games that should be well worth your time at Gen Con.

1. Wasteland Express Delivery Service by Pandasaurus Games - I have had the good fortune to have played this game a couple of times and am thrilled that it lives up to the hype.  This pick-up and deliver game is set in a Mad Max-esque wasteland. The world has burned to the ground and competing factions are vying for control. You work for the Wasteland Express Delivery Service, a brave delivery company who deliver food, water, and weapons to and from various cities and encampments. There are a lot of moving pieces to this game, from customizing your truck for battle and keeping an eye on the supply and demand of goods, but turns are lightning quick and the gameplay is extremely intuitive. Featuring some of the best art, literally the best insert you will ever see (custom Game Trayz that make setting this game up a joy), and a good mix of humor, this game will see your table frequently and provide endless hours of entertainment for your gaming group. It is also sold out at the distributor level so this is a great chance to pick up a copy and avoid waiting for the second printing.

2. Edge of Darkness by Alderac Entertainment Group - When I first learned about Mystic Vale and its card crafting, I was convinced it was merely a gimmick. After giving the game a chance, I realized that it made for a very interesting game mechanic and allowed you to craft a deck that allowed you to cycle your new abilities much quicker than a traditional deck builder.  AEG hinted at a future game that featured this mechanic, and Edge of Darkness will be at Gen Con in one form or another and I am stoked. Featuring worker placement, card crafting, and shared deck building, Edge of Darkness puts players into powerful guilds who are attempting to rule the city. It is semi-cooperative, as guilds must work together to fight the darkness, but also are working against each other for control. Not much else is known about this title. I am not sure when the official release date is, but I am guessing that will be revealed at Gen Con and I am looking forward to learning more about this title.

3. Sheriff of Nottingham: Merry Men by Arcane Wonders - I was tickled when I learned one of my favorite party games was getting an expansion. To be honest, Sheriff hasn't seen the table in my house for a while and I am hopeful that this expansion will breath new life into it.  In Sheriff of Nottingham, you attempt to bring in legal and illegal goods to Nottingham. It sounds easy, but each bag is subject to search by the Sheriff, but you are welcome to lie and bribe your way to victory. The expansion adds deputies (bumping the max players to 6), Merry Men (illegal goods that provide special abilities when smuggled in), a black market (additional bonuses for smuggling), laws (special rules that change from round to round), and special orders (bonuses for certain combos).  While none of it sounds groundbreaking, the game is good and doesn't need anything major to breath new life into what was once a stable at game night.

4. Whistle Stop by Bezier Games - I am surprised to put another pick-up and deliver title on my list, but I have heard a lot of hype about this game and am very curious to get it to the table. Featuring tile laying and pick-up and deliver, players in Whistle Stop are working their way west, building routes and a network in order to be the most profitable railway in the US. Players are faced with choices that include delivering goods farther for a greater reward, and choosing to optimize their route or block a competitor. Trains are a tried a true gaming theme and this looks like a good game for those looking to ride the rails in a game that is heavier than Ticket to Ride.

5. Indulgence by Restoration Games - A restoration of the Milton Bradley game Dragonmaster, Indulgence is a trick taking game for 3-4 players in which players attempt to violate edicts that are established for each hand. This "sinning" allows a player to seek an indulgence to relieve their sins.  A Catholic re-skinning of a dragon themed game seems extremely odd to me, but the nuances of trying to commit the right "sin" during gameplay sounds like it could be a lot of fun.  Definitely a title I want to check out to see if it is a good fit for a lighter gaming crowd.

POSTED BY MIKE N. aka Victor Domashev -- comic guy, proudly raising nerdy kids, and Nerds of a Feather contributor since 2012.

Tabletop Pile of Shame: New Year's Resolution Update

Moving forward I need to make all of my New Year's Resolutions board game related.  One of my
resolutions this year was to play 10 games from my pile of shame and I am happy to report that I am writing my third entry in this series and have crossed the half-way point!

In my first entry I played Abyss and Colt Express, my second entry featured Carrotia and Codenames, and I am pleased to report that my third entry features Just Desserts and Machi Koro: Bright Lights, Big City.  Hopefully I will be able to chime in soon that I have played games number seven and eight.

Machi Koro: Bright Lights, Big City by Pandasaurus Games -If you have read any of my board game related posts then you should be aware that my family and I are a big fan of the Machi Koro series.  I have included it previous holiday guides and feel that it should be on everyone's shelf.  It is, in my opinion, the best gateway game on the market.  About a year ago I saw that Target had an exclusive version of Machi Koro and was curious, but was good with our current copy and expansions.  Bright Lights, Big City is no longer exclusive to Target and should be available at your FLGS.  Even though I never planned on picking up a new version of Machi Koro, I heard in various gaming groups and from some friends that this was the definitive version of Machi Koro.  After having a copy for a few months, I decided to give it a whirl with my 9 year old son and we instantly fell in love it.  It takes all of the good elements from the expansions, eliminates some of the cards that can get overpowered, and introduces some new elements to provide a quicker, more polished Machi Koro experience.  The experience reminds me of the first time I played the base game with the Harbor expansion.  Bright Lights, Big City randomizes what cards are available, but organizes them in a way to provide a balanced pool of cards to select from.  It also introduces the third dice, which is an absolute game changer.  Some people are bothered by randomization, which I feel Machi Koro hedged effectively from the beginning, and the Moon Tower grants you even more control.  It also allows you to pretend that you are in Dazed and Confused and that everything is alright, alright, alright.

Just Desserts by Looney Labs - My wife got this game for Christmas and it sadly collected dust on my pile of shame for nearly six months.  I had heard this was a light card game that was a good filler, and I thought that she would enjoy the dessert theme.  In the game, you assume the role of a server trying to provide desserts to your guests.  There are a series of guests of different suits with dietary needs, and you collect cards on your turn to try to gather the necessary ingredients to serve them up a tasty treat.  There are bonuses if you have the specific dish they are looking for, and you can try to focus on one particular suit of guests or serve a variety of hungry patrons.  Just Desserts is a good filler game that is appropriate for the entire family.  I would recommend it if your family is just starting to get into the hobby or are looking for a quick game to take on the road or play during a busy game night.

POSTED BY MIKE N. aka Victor Domashev -- comic guy, proudly raising nerdy kids, and Nerds of a Feather contributor since 2012.