The Angel Gibreel

I love board games with variety and off the board action, and Battlestar delivers this in spades. The gameplay is manageable, yet not overly simplistic, the components are of high quality, the BSG universe is pulled off very well, and the game itself is challenging without being frustrating.

The initial phase of the game is heavy on the suspicion and social interaction, and the second phase is heavy on action, allowing a nice mix of styles and experiences every time you play. The games that I’ve played always seem to go down to the wire and truly capture the sense of desperation that I found so attractive about watching the show itself. The ability to scream at your friends and give them dark, suspicious glances also is a huge plus.

I’ve never tried to play this game with someone who hadn’t seen the show, so I’m not quite sure how ignorance of BSG would affect the dynamic. However, I can confidently say that since this is one of the best games I’ve had the pleasure to play, with a little explanation of the flavor behind the game I’m sure even newbies to the BSG universe will enthusiastically buy in!

The issue I have with this game is that there are limited things to actually do and limited ways for the player(s) to impact the course of the game. It took me a game or two for this to truly sink in — I was bedazzled by the seeming variety that the different locations/Space Marines/events SEEMED to provide. An additional issue is that the rulebook is atrociously written.

I’ve only played this once with other people (none of them fanatical 40k fans) and it seemed to be met with a general feeling of “meh.” I’ve played a number of games solo, which can be enjoyable, but I’m always left a little disappointed. I really truly wanted to love this game, as I love the Warhammer 40,000 universe, but I just can’t.

Uno can be a whole lot of mindless fun. Now, mindless is the key word, but I’m not too proud to say I can enjoy a game or three now and again.

Sometimes you just need to make that punk next to you draw four.

Easily taught, intuitively understood (by most), deep mechanics without being overwhelming, endless variations, lightening-fast play/set-up/clean up… I could go on all night. A perfect gateway drug game for more casual gamers seeking to escalate, in my opinion.

I love variety and replay value, and Dominion by that standard is one of the best. One of the best games I’ve ever played.

I think this is an excellent first expansion to buy for Arkham Horror. The added cards are delicious, and the Dunwich board isn’t overly complicated. I especially like the Madness and Injury dynamics that Dunwich Horror adds. All in all, a solid expansion that doesn’t add too many complications, while expanding the already impressive range of items and ways to die.

I absolutely love this game. Its cooperative nature makes for a nice change of pace when playing with friends, and in a pinch it proves perfectly playable solo as well. There’s such a sense of dread and hopelessness that winning (by no means a foregone conclusion) actually feels like you’ve accomplished something!

Arkham Horror’s versatility is one of its strongest features. A massive number of characters to play as, monsters to fight, and events to occur ensure that you’ll be surprised by this game long after your first run through.

It is complicated, as has already been noted. No more complicated than some of HP Lovecraft’s prose, but still intimidating for those who are more casual gamers. I’ve only played this with people who are avid gamers or are fans of HP Lovecraft, so I don’t know how it’d do among “normal” people, but I’d wager that if you have someone who knows the rules very well and can play “dungeon master,” the atmospherics and cooperative nature of the game should ensnare most.

In short, I love it, and play it as often as possible. Definitely a great game.