TabletopBoard Games

What are the best board games?

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Pandemic vs Catan vs Carcassonne

 vs Ticket to Ride vs Gloomhaven vs Betrayal at House on the Hill vs Go vs Terraforming Mars vs Cosmic Encounter vs Through the Ages: A New Story of Civilization vs A Game of Thrones: The Board Game (Second Edition) vs Chess vs 7 Wonders vs The Resistance vs Twilight Struggle vs Dead of Winter Crossroads vs Heroscape vs Power Grid vs Pandemic Legacy vs HeroQuest vs Arkham Horror vs Eclipse vs Stratego vs Agricola vs Zombicide vs Galaxy Trucker vs Space Alert vs Puerto Rico vs Balderdash vs Arimaa vs Race for the Galaxy vs Arcadia Quest vs Vinhos: Deluxe Edition vs Descent: Journeys in the Dark vs Clue vs Lords of Waterdeep vs Ice Cool vs Battlestar Galactica vs Bohnanza vs One Night Ultimate Werewolf vs Star Realms vs Codenames vs Scrabble vs Sheriff of Nottingham vs Food Chain Magnate vs Dominion: Prosperity vs Junta vs Azul vs Tokaido vs Spyfall 2 vs Risk vs Magic: The Gathering -- Arena of the Planeswalkers vs Mage Knight vs Terra Mystica vs Clank! vs Robo Rally vs Axis & Allies  vs Caverna: The Cave Farmers vs Mice and Mystics vs Crokinole vs Star Trek: Frontiers vs Battle Masters vs Mage Wars Arena vs Super Dungeon Explore vs Icehouse vs Android: Netrunner vs Kingdomino vs Piecepack vs Monopoly vs Twilight Imperium (3e): Shattered Empire vs Settlers of Catan

Specs

# Players

2 to 4

Play Time

45 Minutes

Age

8+

Age Range

-

Setup Time

-

Playing time

-

Setup time

-

Languages

-

Age range

-

Extensions

-

Weight

-

# Players

2 to 4

Play Time

45–90 Minutes

Age

10+

Age Range

-

Setup Time

-

Playing time

-

Setup time

-

Languages

-

Age range

-

Extensions

-

Weight

-

# Players

2-5

Play Time

30 - 45 Minutes

Age

-

Age Range

-

Setup Time

-

Playing time

-

Setup time

-

Languages

-

Age range

-

Extensions

-

Weight

-

# Players

2 to 5

Play Time

30-60 Minutes

Age

8+

Age Range

-

Setup Time

-

Playing time

-

Setup time

-

Languages

-

Age range

-

Extensions

-

Weight

-

# Players

1 to 4

Play Time

60-120 minutes (per scenario)

Age

12+

Age Range

-

Setup Time

-

Playing time

-

Setup time

-

Languages

-

Age range

-

Extensions

-

Weight

-

# Players

3 to 6

Play Time

60 Minutes

Age

12+

Age Range

-

Setup Time

-

Playing time

-

Setup time

-

Languages

-

Age range

-

Extensions

-

Weight

-

# Players

-

Play Time

-

Age

-

Age Range

-

Setup Time

-

Playing time

-

Setup time

-

Languages

-

Age range

-

Extensions

-

Weight

-

# Players

1 to 5

Play Time

120 minutes

Age

12+

Age Range

-

Setup Time

-

Playing time

-

Setup time

-

Languages

-

Age range

-

Extensions

-

Weight

-

# Players

3 to 5

Play Time

60-120 Minutes

Age

12+

Age Range

-

Setup Time

-

Playing time

-

Setup time

-

Languages

-

Age range

-

Extensions

-

Weight

-

# Players

2 to 4

Play Time

3-4 hours

Age

14+

Age Range

-

Setup Time

-

Playing time

-

Setup time

-

Languages

-

Age range

-

Extensions

-

Weight

-

# Players

-

Play Time

-

Age

-

Age Range

-

Setup Time

-

Playing time

-

Setup time

-

Languages

-

Age range

-

Extensions

-

Weight

-

# Players

-

Play Time

-

Age

-

Age Range

-

Setup Time

-

Playing time

-

Setup time

-

Languages

-

Age range

-

Extensions

-

Weight

-

# Players

2 to 7

Play Time

30 Minutes

Age

10+

Age Range

-

Setup Time

-

Playing time

-

Setup time

-

Languages

-

Age range

-

Extensions

-

Weight

-

# Players

5 to 10

Play Time

30 Minutes

Age

-

Age Range

13+

Setup Time

-

Playing time

-

Setup time

-

Languages

-

Age range

-

Extensions

-

Weight

-

# Players

2

Play Time

120–180 minutes

Age

13+

Age Range

-

Setup Time

-

Playing time

-

Setup time

-

Languages

-

Age range

-

Extensions

-

Weight

-

# Players

2 to 5

Play Time

60 - 120 minutes

Age

13+

Age Range

-

Setup Time

-

Playing time

-

Setup time

-

Languages

-

Age range

-

Extensions

-

Weight

-

# Players

2+

Play Time

15min - 1h+ (per scenario)

Age

8+

Age Range

-

Setup Time

20-40 min

Playing time

-

Setup time

-

Languages

-

Age range

-

Extensions

-

Weight

-

# Players

2 to 6

Play Time

120 minutes

Age

12+

Age Range

-

Setup Time

-

Playing time

-

Setup time

-

Languages

-

Age range

-

Extensions

-

Weight

-

# Players

2 to 4

Play Time

~60 min

Age

13+

Age Range

-

Setup Time

-

Playing time

-

Setup time

-

Languages

-

Age range

-

Extensions

-

Weight

-

# Players

2-5 (1 gamemaster)

Play Time

90 Minutes

Age

10+

Age Range

-

Setup Time

-

Playing time

-

Setup time

-

Languages

-

Age range

-

Extensions

-

Weight

-

# Players

1-8

Play Time

-

Age

-

Age Range

-

Setup Time

-

Playing time

120-240 mins

Setup time

15-60 mins (depends on number of players)

Languages

English, Russian, …

Age range

12+

Extensions

9

Weight

-

# Players

2 to 6

Play Time

60 - 180 Minutes

Age

14+

Age Range

-

Setup Time

-

Playing time

-

Setup time

-

Languages

-

Age range

-

Extensions

-

Weight

-

# Players

2

Play Time

45 Minutes

Age

8+

Age Range

-

Setup Time

-

Playing time

-

Setup time

-

Languages

-

Age range

-

Extensions

-

Weight

-

# Players

1-5 (Newer edition -up to 4, All Creatures Big & Small - 2)

Play Time

30-150 minutes

Age

-

Age Range

-

Setup Time

-

Playing time

-

Setup time

-

Languages

-

Age range

-

Extensions

-

Weight

3.63/5

# Players

-

Play Time

-

Age

-

Age Range

-

Setup Time

-

Playing time

-

Setup time

-

Languages

-

Age range

-

Extensions

-

Weight

-

# Players

-

Play Time

-

Age

-

Age Range

-

Setup Time

-

Playing time

-

Setup time

-

Languages

-

Age range

-

Extensions

-

Weight

-

# Players

1 to 5

Play Time

30 Minutes

Age

12+

Age Range

-

Setup Time

-

Playing time

-

Setup time

-

Languages

-

Age range

-

Extensions

-

Weight

-

# Players

3 to 5

Play Time

90-150 minutes

Age

12+

Age Range

-

Setup Time

-

Playing time

-

Setup time

-

Languages

-

Age range

-

Extensions

-

Weight

-

# Players

2 to 6

Play Time

60 Minutes

Age

12+

Age Range

-

Setup Time

-

Playing time

-

Setup time

-

Languages

-

Age range

-

Extensions

-

Weight

-

# Players

2

Play Time

15 - 120 Minutes

Age

10+

Age Range

-

Setup Time

-

Playing time

-

Setup time

-

Languages

-

Age range

-

Extensions

-

Weight

-

# Players

2-4

Play Time

30-60 Minutes

Age

-

Age Range

12+

Setup Time

-

Playing time

-

Setup time

-

Languages

-

Age range

-

Extensions

-

Weight

2.97 / 5

# Players

2 to 4

Play Time

45 - 60 Minutes (per scenario)

Age

13+

Age Range

-

Setup Time

-

Playing time

-

Setup time

-

Languages

-

Age range

-

Extensions

-

Weight

-

# Players

1-4

Play Time

60-135 minutes

Age

-

Age Range

-

Setup Time

-

Playing time

-

Setup time

-

Languages

-

Age range

-

Extensions

-

Weight

3.93/5

# Players

2-5 players

Play Time

60-120 minutes

Age

13+

Age Range

-

Setup Time

-

Playing time

-

Setup time

-

Languages

-

Age range

-

Extensions

-

Weight

-

# Players

3 to 6

Play Time

45 Minutes

Age

8+

Age Range

-

Setup Time

-

Playing time

-

Setup time

-

Languages

-

Age range

-

Extensions

-

Weight

-

# Players

2-5

Play Time

60-120 Minutes

Age

-

Age Range

12+

Setup Time

-

Playing time

-

Setup time

-

Languages

-

Age range

-

Extensions

-

Weight

-

# Players

2 to 4

Play Time

20 Minutes

Age

6+

Age Range

-

Setup Time

-

Playing time

-

Setup time

-

Languages

-

Age range

-

Extensions

-

Weight

-

# Players

3 to 6

Play Time

120-180 Minutes

Age

10+

Age Range

-

Setup Time

-

Playing time

-

Setup time

-

Languages

-

Age range

-

Extensions

-

Weight

-

# Players

-

Play Time

-

Age

-

Age Range

-

Setup Time

-

Playing time

-

Setup time

-

Languages

-

Age range

-

Extensions

-

Weight

-

# Players

3-10

Play Time

10 minutes

Age

-

Age Range

8+

Setup Time

-

Playing time

-

Setup time

-

Languages

-

Age range

-

Extensions

-

Weight

1.41 / 5

# Players

2

Play Time

20 min

Age

-

Age Range

-

Setup Time

-

Playing time

-

Setup time

-

Languages

-

Age range

-

Extensions

-

Weight

1.97/5

# Players

2 to 4

Play Time

15 minutes

Age

10+

Age Range

-

Setup Time

-

Playing time

-

Setup time

-

Languages

-

Age range

-

Extensions

-

Weight

-

# Players

2 to 4

Play Time

90 Minutes

Age

8+

Age Range

-

Setup Time

-

Playing time

-

Setup time

-

Languages

-

Age range

-

Extensions

-

Weight

-

# Players

3 to 5

Play Time

60 minutes

Age

13+

Age Range

-

Setup Time

-

Playing time

-

Setup time

-

Languages

-

Age range

-

Extensions

-

Weight

-

# Players

2-5

Play Time

120-240 mins

Age

-

Age Range

-

Setup Time

-

Playing time

-

Setup time

-

Languages

-

Age range

-

Extensions

-

Weight

4.19/5

# Players

-

Play Time

-

Age

-

Age Range

-

Setup Time

-

Playing time

-

Setup time

-

Languages

-

Age range

-

Extensions

-

Weight

-

# Players

-

Play Time

-

Age

-

Age Range

-

Setup Time

-

Playing time

-

Setup time

-

Languages

-

Age range

-

Extensions

-

Weight

-

# Players

-

Play Time

-

Age

-

Age Range

-

Setup Time

-

Playing time

-

Setup time

-

Languages

-

Age range

-

Extensions

-

Weight

-

# Players

2 to 5

Play Time

45 Minutes

Age

8+

Age Range

-

Setup Time

-

Playing time

-

Setup time

-

Languages

-

Age range

-

Extensions

-

Weight

-

# Players

3-12

Play Time

-

Age

-

Age Range

-

Setup Time

-

Playing time

5-12 mins for a round

Setup time

3 mins

Languages

-

Age range

-

Extensions

-

Weight

-

# Players

2 to 6

Play Time

120 Minutes

Age

10+

Age Range

-

Setup Time

-

Playing time

-

Setup time

-

Languages

-

Age range

-

Extensions

-

Weight

-

# Players

-

Play Time

-

Age

-

Age Range

-

Setup Time

-

Playing time

-

Setup time

-

Languages

-

Age range

-

Extensions

-

Weight

-

# Players

-

Play Time

-

Age

-

Age Range

-

Setup Time

-

Playing time

-

Setup time

-

Languages

-

Age range

-

Extensions

-

Weight

-

# Players

-

Play Time

-

Age

-

Age Range

-

Setup Time

-

Playing time

-

Setup time

-

Languages

-

Age range

-

Extensions

-

Weight

-

# Players

2 to 4

Play Time

30-60 minutes

Age

12+

Age Range

-

Setup Time

-

Playing time

-

Setup time

-

Languages

-

Age range

-

Extensions

-

Weight

-

# Players

2-8

Play Time

45-120mins

Age

-

Age Range

-

Setup Time

-

Playing time

-

Setup time

-

Languages

-

Age range

-

Extensions

-

Weight

2.43/5

# Players

2 to 6

Play Time

120 Minutes

Age

12+

Age Range

-

Setup Time

-

Playing time

-

Setup time

-

Languages

-

Age range

-

Extensions

-

Weight

-

# Players

-

Play Time

-

Age

-

Age Range

-

Setup Time

-

Playing time

-

Setup time

-

Languages

-

Age range

-

Extensions

-

Weight

-

# Players

-

Play Time

-

Age

-

Age Range

-

Setup Time

-

Playing time

-

Setup time

-

Languages

-

Age range

-

Extensions

-

Weight

-

# Players

-

Play Time

-

Age

-

Age Range

-

Setup Time

-

Playing time

-

Setup time

-

Languages

-

Age range

-

Extensions

-

Weight

-

# Players

-

Play Time

-

Age

-

Age Range

-

Setup Time

-

Playing time

-

Setup time

-

Languages

-

Age range

-

Extensions

-

Weight

-

# Players

-

Play Time

-

Age

-

Age Range

-

Setup Time

-

Playing time

-

Setup time

-

Languages

-

Age range

-

Extensions

-

Weight

-

# Players

-

Play Time

-

Age

-

Age Range

-

Setup Time

-

Playing time

-

Setup time

-

Languages

-

Age range

-

Extensions

-

Weight

-

# Players

-

Play Time

-

Age

-

Age Range

-

Setup Time

-

Playing time

-

Setup time

-

Languages

-

Age range

-

Extensions

-

Weight

-

# Players

-

Play Time

-

Age

-

Age Range

-

Setup Time

-

Playing time

-

Setup time

-

Languages

-

Age range

-

Extensions

-

Weight

-

# Players

-

Play Time

-

Age

-

Age Range

-

Setup Time

-

Playing time

-

Setup time

-

Languages

-

Age range

-

Extensions

-

Weight

-

# Players

-

Play Time

-

Age

-

Age Range

-

Setup Time

-

Playing time

-

Setup time

-

Languages

-

Age range

-

Extensions

-

Weight

-

# Players

-

Play Time

-

Age

-

Age Range

-

Setup Time

-

Playing time

-

Setup time

-

Languages

-

Age range

-

Extensions

-

Weight

-

# Players

2 to 8

Play Time

180 Minutes

Age

8+

Age Range

-

Setup Time

-

Playing time

-

Setup time

-

Languages

-

Age range

-

Extensions

-

Weight

-

# Players

-

Play Time

-

Age

-

Age Range

-

Setup Time

-

Playing time

-

Setup time

-

Languages

-

Age range

-

Extensions

-

Weight

-

# Players

-

Play Time

-

Age

-

Age Range

-

Setup Time

-

Playing time

-

Setup time

-

Languages

-

Age range

-

Extensions

-

Weight

-

Pros + Cons

Pro
 One of the first games to implement full co-op gameplay, Pandemic remains one of the defining examples of the genre

When it was first released, Pandemic's co-op gameplay was a pretty unique aspect to boardgames and made for a different and fun experience where either all players won or lost as a team. As the board gaming hobby has grown over the years, fully co-operative games have become an entire genre, and yet Pandemic remains one of the defining examples of the style. With a base game that is consistently difficult--even for veteran players--and an engaging and interesting theme to draw players in, this is a game where working together to achieve victory is almost an art form.
Comment

Pro
 Lots of replayability thanks to each playthrough being unique

With multiple player roles (Pilot, Scientist, Doctor, etc) to choose from and the card draw that infects areas at random, each playthrough is an entirely different experience. Pandemic also has multiple expansions adding more player roles and even a traitor mechanic which can turn the game from fully co-op to 1 vs many, adding an additional challenge for the good guys to overcome.
Comment

Pro
 Easy to learn but still provides a challenge

Learning the rules doesn't take long at all, and within a few rounds, most players will be able to pick up what's going on. Even though the general game flow and rules are quick to understand, there is still plenty of nuances to gameplay, little tricks you'll be learning along the way, and plenty of different roles to choose from which allow room for in-depth strategies.
Comment

Con
 Can suffer from Alpha-gamer / quarterbacking issues

Due to the nature of co-op games like Pandemic, a strong willed or loud player can end up dictating everyone else's turns for them, especially in situations where there are clearly better decisions to be made. This can lead some people to feel like they aren't actually 'playing' so much as being told what to do.
Comment

Pro
 Creates a sense of urgency thanks to the Infection Deck

One of Pandemic's greatest mechanisms is the way the Infection Deck is managed. Each turn players reveal a number of city cards from this deck equal to the current infection level (2-4), this determines where new infections will appear. Players also draw 2 cards each turn from the Player Deck, which has a variable number of Epidemic Cards mixed in based on the difficulty level. The brilliance of the infection deck is how it interacts with Epidemic cards; when one is drawn from the player deck the Infection Deck's discard pile is shuffled, and then placed on top of the current Infection Deck, making it more likely that cities that have previously had outbreaks will have them again. This creates a very real sense of urgency as the first draw after an Epidemic Card can often result in outbreaks and a rapidly accelerating spread of diseases.
Comment

Con
 Won't appeal to competitive PvP players

Everyone works together in Pandemic, so there is no dominating or crushing your opponents in this game. This may not appeal to some competitive gamers who would prefer to play games that allow them to best other players.
Comment

Pro
 The different editions/expansions stay true to the Pandemic experience yet offer something fresh each time

For example, in Pandemic Iberia, your movement is much more limited therefore you have to invest in building railways and the diseases cannot be cured, only researched. They will continue to infect even after being researched. Each expansion is easy to pick up and play as it offers something new while keeping the base game familiar.
Comment

Con
 Difficult

Pandemic is a pretty difficult game, there will be a lot of losses compared to wins. Though when there is a win it does feel righteously earned.
Comment

Pro
 Fun social experience

This is a game that promotes casual conversation during gameplay. You can haggle for resources with other players. You can create drama by intervening in your opponents plans, for example, by breaking their chain of roads, or building a town in their way to the port. You can also make alliances with other players and then betray them when a better offer comes along.
Comment

Con
 Not a good game for a younger audience

Success is heavily dependent on thinking ahead and planning. Even though the recommended age is 10+, it is not a good game for children who may lack the skills needed to get the most out of the game.
Comment

Pro
 Teaches you about basic economic principles

This game teaches how to bargain, the meaning of scarcity, and how free markets work by forcing players to experience these firsthand. You can play without bargaining, but it is more fun to embrace the economy aspect of this game as it's a great learning tool.
Comment

Pro
 An intellectually rewarding strategy game

This game allows you to try different, rewarding strategies. For example, you can create a monopoly over one resource, use the ports to trade with the bank for cheaper or try to buy the majority of victory points using the special abilities cards. There are a lot of options, and you can adapt and switch things up as the game goes on. You also have to think ahead and pay attention to what your opponents are up to. For example, if you've decided to go for the 2 victory points for having built the longest road, you have to watch if anyone else is doing the same thing, because there can only be one longest road.
Comment

Con
 Chaotic expansions

Due to the game's popularity, there have been quite a lot of expansions over the years. While you can combine some of them easily, others not so much. It can be quite messy to figure it all out by yourself. There is a guide on the Catan website containing rules for combining expansions.
Comment

Pro
 Players have control over the pace of the game

A game of Catan can take around 2 hours in a 4-player game. It's not a frantic game, there is no penalty for taking a while to figure out how you want to play your cards. You can keep it leisurely, or speed it up if you want to.
Comment

Pro
 You can increase replayability with different expansions

There are expansions for Catan such as Explorers & Pirates, Cities & Knights, Seafarers, and many more. Each one expands on the base game by adding extra mechanics. For example, the expansion Cities & Knights introduces city improvements that give various benefits to the player, and knights that protect them from invading barbarians. Expansion packs usually add game length and tactical complexity, which in turn greatly improves replayability.
Comment

Con
 Constant haggling

One of the more prominent characteristics of Settlers of Catan is haggling, which can get tiresome if you're not into that sort of thing. You can expect to be bargaining for resources throughout the whole game, since your placement of villages does not guarantee getting a constant supply of a particular resource.
Comment

Con
 No official two-player rules

There are no official two- player rules thought there are some two-player rules that users have created and can be found online.
Comment

Pro
 Allows for multiple strategies in a single game

There are distinct stages in the game (early, middle and end-game), which have different strategies. For example, when the game has just started out, you won't have much other options except rolling the dice to gather more resources. In contrast, the end-game is a lot more alert, because multiple players at a time can be just 1 or 2 points away from victory. The game changes between these stages fluidly, and you have to be present and engaged at all times to stay ahead.
Comment

Pro
 Suitable for 2-6 players

Catan is relatively flexible in terms of the amount of players. It's recommended to be played with at least 3 players, but it is possible to work around that. There are no official rules for a 2 player game, but you can go around that by each playing two colors. The base game has 4 player slots, but people can team up, thereby increasing the number of possible players. There is also an expansion pack available, which allows for two more players to join the game without having to team up.
Comment

Pro
 Easy to learn for beginners

The rules are pretty basic for Carcassonne, with first time players being able to grasp its concepts quite quickly, making Carcassonne a great gateway game. Every turn the player draws one tile from the pile. They then must place the tile adjacent to a tile that has already been placed in a way that the edges match. There are four types of terrain on the tiles – roads, cities, monasteries, and grassland. After the tile is placed the player can choose to put a player figure, a.k.a. a meeple, on the tile to potentially score points. If a meeple is placed on a road, then the player will score one point for every road tile until the road ends in an intersection or a city. If the meeple is placed on a city, the player will receive two points for every city tile until the city is fully walled off. If the player chooses to place the meeple in a monastery, then they will receive one point per tile until the monastery is fully surrounded by tiles. Lastly, if the meeple is placed on grassland, then it’ll only score points at the very end of the game, giving three points for every city in the field. The player with the most points wins.
Comment

Pro
 Near-endless replayability

Carcassonne will pretty much never feel dull, there are so many possibilities and variables in the game not only because of the randomness, but also because of the simplicity and the variation count. Carcassonne is going to be a different game every time because of the tiles you and your opponents draw and where you choose to place them. There are over 70 tiles in the base set, which amounts to a lot of possible combinations. Carcassonne has been around for a while, and this has led to the release of many expansions throughout the years. Each of these provides more tiles, rules, and other variables to the game. Lastly, you can even introduce many variations that’ll change up the game without owning any expansions, for example, instead of drawing one tile and placing it every turn, have the players manage a hand of four tiles.
Comment

Pro
 Detailed with polish

The board game pieces are highly detailed and colorful, be it lush grassland, a fortified medieval castle, or a monastery in the middle of nowhere. The game is themed after southern France in the medieval ages and the actual fortified city of Carcassonne and the landscape around it. There is definitely some forethought put into the polish of this game that makes much of it intuitive and a pleasure to look at. On a more practical note, the back of the tile with which the game starts is in a separate color, so it is easier to find when starting the game.
Comment

Pro
 Simple, but allows for lots of thinking if you want

The game is very accessible to beginners, but it allows for quite a bit of strategic play when you get more familiar with the concept. You can either go for long-term strategies with farms, or for quick point-grabs; you can build your own cities in peace or try to mess with your opponent whenever possible. A lot of tactics come in the form of cutthroat play – trapping other players’ meeples, stealing cities, and getting to share points. Moreover, the last turns of the game can also influence the outcome a lot – players receive some points for unfinished creations as well.
Comment

Pro
 Quick to play

In a regular expansion-less game of Carcassonne it can take 30 – 45 minutes to blast through the approximately 70 tiles.
Comment

Pro
 Accessible

Because of the simple rules Carcassonne is very easy to get back into even after big breaks and it’s great to teach to other people. This means that the people you play with can change without any problems and you can play the game with anyone – children, your parents, your friends, or your partner.
Comment

Con
 Risk of accidental tile moving

If the game is not played on a flat surface or if you accidentally apply more force to the tile when you're placing it adjacent to another, then everything can shift, which can be annoying to fix.
Comment

Con
 May be a little light for hardcore boardgame players

The game itself is not very deep in design or play, which may be a turn off for the more hardcore of boardgame players though can be good for newcomers.
Comment

Pro
 Engaging

The gameplay is dynamic, and everyone’s constantly engaged, managing their meeples and calculating which part of the board is worth fighting over. Even the kids stay engaged since the winner is usually not obvious untile the very end.
Comment

Con
 Small official scoreboard

The official scoreboard that comes with the base game only stacks up to 50 points, but proper games of Carcassonne go way past that mark – a game without any expansions can easily reach over 100 points. If you add expansions to the equation, then the points can stack up even past 400, but some expansions feature scoring tokens that help resolve this issue.
Comment

Con
 Highly random

As is typical for a game with a drawing mechanic, almost every action in the game is influenced by whatever tile is drawn and where a player has chosen to place it, so it’ll benefit him the most. The randomness is enhanced by the fact that the players only draw one tile at a time, so you must take what you get.
Comment

Pro
 PRO

Kids stay engaged as the winner is not obvious until the end usually
Comment

Pro
 Easy to learn

The core mechanics of the game are pretty simple to learn in under 15 minutes. Each player is given a destination ticket with the route they are tasked to build. Each turn they simply decide whether to draw a train card that represents the train cars, claim a section of a route using one of their train cards, or get another destination ticket to begin a new route. Whoever builds the longest route wins.
Comment

Pro
 No direct conflict

Most players will be solely focused on building their own train routes, and as such, there is no direct conflict against opponents. This makes it a good game not only for beginners, but also players who do not like the cutthroat tactics of games like Monopoly. It also makes for a good game for couples to play as there will be no arguments or moves that may slight another player.
Comment

Pro
 Great presentation

The board, train pieces, and cards all come together to create a pleasing and functional experience. The game board is a colorful, thick cardboard map of North America. It's large enough so the game board never feels crowded with game pieces. There are also 225 custom-molded train car game pieces of various solid colors. The game cards themselves are nicely illustrated and feature pictures of trains that take front and center - they contain no text overlay.
Comment

Pro
 A great gateway game

Thanks to its intuitive nature and easy to grasp rules, Ticket to Ride is great for newcomers to the game or those unfamiliar with board games in general, or even kids. It is widely considered to be an excellent gateway game.
Comment

Con
 Very basic

The "North American" Ticket to Ride (original game) is fun but has very low complexity. Regular players will tire quickly from this lack of depth. The variants like Europe or India bring some new maps and more gameplay elements, which is sorely needed after the first few games.
Comment

Pro
 Satisfying to build routes, regardless of winning

Even if you don't win the game, it's often satisfying to watch your train routes slowly get bigger as you connect cities. There are also bonus points you can achieve for connecting especially long or tricky routes, which you gives you additional goals to work towards aside from the main victory.
Comment

Con
 Very luck-based

The original destination ticket and the cards you draw during game play are random. This can make some routes easier or harder to connect, and it boils down to literally just being the luck of the draw.
Comment

Pro
 Tense gameplay each turn

Each turn, you will have to decide whether you want to draw another train card or connect more routes on the board. Since you can only choose one of these options, this is a highly important decision that may have you on the edge of your seat. By drawing more cards, you'll have more trains to place later, but you may be leaving an empty route open up for your opponent to steal.
Comment

Con
 Sometimes blocking routes for opponents hurts you instead

When preventing an opponent from completing their train route, you have to use your own trains to block them. This means less trains to complete your own route. It seems like this design is self-defeating at times.
Comment

Con
 Expensive

The game generally retails for $50, which is quite high for a cardboard board game.
Comment

Pro
 High detail design

Both the game board and playing cards have a very distinct style. The game board has an almost faded background of the landscape featuring mountains, rivers, and forests with the routes intertwining around the map in colorful patterns. This strong contrast really gives the board an intricate appearance. The game cards come in a variety of colors and all feature hand drawn artwork of all sorts of train parts - engines, locomotives, coal carts, storage carts, and more.
Comment

Pro
 Great expansions

Ticket to Ride offers numerous expansion packs that build on the base game in fun new ways. For starters, there's all new maps for places such as Europe, Asia, India, Africa, and more. This means you can play the game you enjoy on an a fresh board with new routes to learn. Each expansion also adds its fair share of new gameplay elements (such as tunnels, boats, and train stations) and has new train cards.
Comment

Pro
 Entire family can learn and play in one sitting

Would make an excellent addition to any family game night. Thanks to the simple rules and casual pace, this is a great game for people of all ages. Even children will be able to understand the game quickly.
Comment

Pro
 Character classes are distinctly unique

Each and every class represented in-game has their own deck of cards. These cards feature skills and abilities that are entirely unique to that specific class. Whether you're attacking, moving, or looting - each class carries out these actions with their own distinct style. Thanks to the sheer amount of variety offered between the classes, no two ever feel alike, and you're guaranteed to get a unique game experience based on the class you select.
Comment

Pro
 Intense card management

Cards in Gloomhaven represent all of your attacks and movements, as well as determine the order these actions will take place. Furthermore, every class in the game has their own unique deck of cards. Most of the cards have unique and complex mechanics, but they all follow a simple rule when brought into play: you must choose whether to play the top action (attack) or the bottom action (movement). Once a card is played, it goes into a discard pile. However, by "resting" a few turns and sitting out of the action, you can put them back in your hand. Managing your cards each round and trying to get a victory in every scenario can be a very intense experience. Knowing when and how to use an card in your hand results in some really tense play where some tough, on-the-fly decisions have to be made. Do you attack or move? Do you save this attack for a tougher enemy later? Is this card worth playing now? Is it worth resting to retrieve cards?, etc.
Comment

Pro
 Exciting enemy encounter variations

There are a whopping 45 different enemies and 12 bosses. Each enemy in the game has their own unique stats along with combat modifiers such as additional damage. As such, each enemy acts and performs differently. Additionally, monsters can be set to various difficulty levels and scale based on how many players are in the encounter. All of this combined allows for a huge amount of variation, and keeps each encounter feeling fresh and exciting throughout numerous game sessions.
Comment

Pro
 Heavy immersion in the world thanks to events

Outside of the dungeon crawling, there are Road Events and City Events that can occur. Road Events take place when traveling to a new location, whereas City Events happen when you visit the city of Gloomhaven. These events present players with unique and interesting situations and choices, such as meeting a traveler, running into monsters, or finding a new quest. The choices you make during events also influence the course of the story and may provide you with a buff (or debuff) for your upcoming dungeon crawl. These additional story elements help the world-building along, as they take place during what would be otherwise mundane things (such as traveling a road, or visiting town) and make it easy to stay connected and feel like you're a part of the game world at all times.
Comment

Pro
 Easy to understand

Although the sheer size of the board, tons of cards, and numerous game pieces/tokens make the game appear intimidating, it is quite easy to understand the basics after a short amount of time spent playing. This is due to its clearly defined rules, detailed cards/iconography, and the clean visual presentation of the game board.
Comment

Pro
 Players can join and leave at will

A game can still run at maximum efficiency, even with a "revolving door" of players. Monsters can be set to scale based on the number of players, so if your friend suddenly has to leave mid-game, it won't be a huge detriment to the group. Players can also drop in or leave the game at any point, as it's easy to add or subtract players to the party between scenarios. It's all the little details like this that make it a great game to play with a group of friends who all have varying amounts of availability.
Comment

Pro
 Can play solo

Even if you can't find anyone to play with, the game is able to be played solo. You can still tackle events and dungeons solo, progress your character, and enjoy the story without the need for a game master or even a group to play with. This makes it a great choice when the the urge to dungeon crawl strikes, but nobody is available for a long play session.
Comment

Con
 Takes a long time to set up

Setting up the board between each scenario is very time consuming as pieces have to be carefully arranged according to diagrams, cards have to be shuffled and placed into multiple piles, and character boards have to be configured. This process tends to take much longer than other similar board games.
Comment

Con
 Cumbersome game box

The game box is huge and all the pieces don't always fit neatly back inside. This could make transporting the game a hassle. It's heavy, large, and has many various parts and pieces.
Comment

Con
 Expensive due to being out of print

This game, while popular, is no longer in print. If you're looking to add it to your collection, you should be able to find it on Amazon or various board game hobby sites, but it normally carries a high price tag.
Comment

Con
 Not good for short gaming sessions

While it's possible to play one scenario at a time, the story and encounters are best appreciated and experienced as a full campaign which will play out over several long sessions. Additionally, the board takes quite a while to set up between scenarios, which isn't great when you only have limited time to play.
Comment

Pro
 Well written storylines lead to very memorable gameplay experiences

Each of the 50 scenarios are unique and have a gripping story that helps pull you into the game. Whether it's demons, monsters, or rituals that need to be completed, each gameplay session will be filled with new stories and new objectives. Thanks to this, each session memorable in its own way as you won't ever be doing the same thing twice.
Comment

Pro
 Exciting tone shift mid-game

In the beginning, players all work together to explore and search the haunted house, but once the betrayers are revealed in the later sections, the game turns you against one another. This complete shift in tone from co-op exploration to frantic survival is often the most exciting part as everyone's goals suddenly change and your friends are trying to kill you.
Comment

Con
 The mechanics aren't the best

The mechanics for things like movement and fighting occasionally break down or don't make sense in certain Haunts. For movement, there are two cases where the mechanics break down. In most cases, it's very obvious where you're supposed to go and it ends up being a simplistic point A to point B course. This takes all the fun or guesswork out of plotting the optimal path. On the other hand, sometimes reaching your goal is impossible because of layouts which makes fulfilling an objective difficult or downright impossible. In both cases, movement feels unexciting. When fighting, some abilities are rather complex, so time is taken out of the game to explain the mechanics to everyone. This ruins immersion for everyone and it can feel like there is more explaining than actual action.
Comment

Con
 Some Haunts are very unbalanced

Due to how the house is gradually discovered in the first phase of the game, it is possible for either the Betrayer or the Investigators to not have access to the tiles they need to win the game at the start of the second phase. Sometimes the Betrayers will be at a disadvantage, and sometimes the Investigators. It's an issue that effects both sides about the same.
Comment

Pro
 Near endless replayability

The "Traitor's Tome" rulebook contains a base of 50 "haunt" scenarios to play through, but you can easily create your own or find more online if you'd like to play more unique or varied games. Even when playing the base game, the sheer amount of variety in nightmarish things (monsters, aliens, ghosts, weird portals) the game throws at you is incredible.
Comment

Pro
 Great for getting your friends into gaming

Overall, this is a great game to help get your friends into board games, even if they are bit reluctant. Each game session usually only lasts about 60 minutes, but manages to pack as much fun in as possible. The suspense of exploration combined with the excitement of the big reveal is an addicting mechanic that works well with many groups. Thanks to this short length and incredible way of drawing people in, this makes it a great game to pick up and play with friends on the spur of the moment.
Comment

Pro
 Not a huge time investment

You can play a whole game from start to finish in about an hour.
Comment

Pro
 Builds anticipation and suspense

Perhaps one person, or even multiple people are forced to switch to Betrayers in the middle of the game. You never know who is going to be affected, what the revealed horror will be, or when it will happen. Additionally, the Betrayers and Investigators often have objectives which are kept secret from one another, so you never know what your opponent's win condition is until it happens. All of this keeps everyone guessing what's going to happen next and how things will play out.
Comment

Pro
 Great expansion that adds to gameplay

The Window's Walk expansion not only adds 50 new haunts, but adds new rooms, cards and opens up the roof for exploration. Overall, it's an excellent addition that expands on the base game and gives you plenty of new content to enjoy.
Comment

Con
 Players may feel disadvantaged at times

There is a huge variety in the horrors revealed, and some work better than others after a large portion of the house has been discovered. Others work best in small, enclosed quarters. For example, a creature suddenly crawling through the walls works best in the small quarters, whereas it wouldn't be so much of a threat in a larger open area. Due to things like this, the scenario can sometimes often feel unfair for one side or the other - either the Betrayer or the Investigators will have a huge disadvantage.
Comment

Con
 Not appropriate for children

Some of the more complicated scenarios can be quite confusing, and the game is relatively slow paced, so it may not be fun for kids. As it's a horror game, some of the themes (monsters, cannibalism, demonic rituals) are not appropriate for young children.
Comment

Con
 Game relies very heavily on the players buying into the theme

This is a game that does best only if the players really buy into the theme of exploring the haunted house. Since cards are read aloud and acted out a bit (creepy voices highly encouraged), events and haunts in particular benefit from this extra bit of immersion. If this seems like a Pro to you, then great, Betrayal is your kind of game, but if not, then it can get stale quickly and its flaws are made even more apparent.
Comment

Pro
 Handicap system

Stronger players can give handicap to weaker opponents for even games
Comment

Pro
 The most complex strategy game, with the most simple elements

Comment

Pro
 Incredible depth&complexity but yet simple rules

Comment

Con
 It may be too complex to enjoy

Comment

Con
 Games can feel very long and drawn out

The sheer amount of things that need to be tracked is fairly high, and continually grows in complexity as the game goes on. Keeping track of cards in play, actions, awards, milestones, map, resources, money, etc. can lead to some intense calculations. Most players will want to carefully ponder their strategy each turn, and the end result is a game that often seems like it comes to a grinding halt.
Comment

Con
 Not suited for large groups

Regardless of how many players you have, getting the oxygen, temperature, and ocean levels to their goal level to satisfy the win condition is the exact same. The more players you add to this equation, the longer the game will take as each person has to contemplate and think their strategy each turn. As such, this game is best played in only very small groups and doesn't lend itself well to larger parties.
Comment

Pro
 Exciting feeling of progression

The constant anticipation and sense that you're working towards a goal is very pronounced. At the start of the game, you'll have limited money and resources, but as the game progresses and these resources accumulate, you can start to do more and more things each turn. Seeing your strategy slowly start to pay off as your corporation grows, and knowing you'll soon have the resources to unleash your big play helps to keep you excited for the next round.
Comment

Pro
 Theme and gameplay gel well

Comment

Pro
 Huge amount of strategy

Juggling your resources, money, and production against your opponent's actions as you try to satisfy the win conditions (getting the oxygen, temperature, and ocean coverage to their desired levels) can be pretty intense. Always having to think several turns ahead will definitely appeal to people who like a game that makes them strategize and prioritize. Choosing which cards to buy each round, what to spend your resources on, and how to terraform the planet without giving too much leeway to your opponents creates plenty of situations to outplay others.
Comment

Pro
 Loads of replayability

There are over 200 unique project cards in the game that represent all of the terraforming projects available such as introducing plant or animal life, greenhouses, new buildings, and more. Since you'll be drawing random cards in a random order each time you play, each and every game session turns into a unique experience. Even if you've seen a card in a previous session, the conditions on the board (oxygen levels, temperature, and ocean coverage) will most likely be different than the last time you saw that particular card, meaning you'll be calculating the cost vs. benefit of playing that card in a brand new way. Additionally, each player-controlled corporation has its own specialties. Some examples are being able to substitute certain resources for money, or perhaps having an increase in production for specific resource. Each one plays dramatically different from the others, so something as simple as choosing a new corporation on your next playthrough will change your strategies.
Comment

Pro
 Great balance in the game systems

The win condition states the oxygen, ocean levels, and temperature must reach a certain level. However, all three of these parameters are interconnected with one another, meaning you'll have to focus on all of them rather than just trying to brute force one. For example, if you want to build a water production facility, you will need at least 2 ocean tiles in play. But in order for those ocean tiles to come into play, the oxygen and temp will first have to be satisfactory. Overall, the game systems are very deep and complex, but the takeaway is that everything has a condition that needs to be met that is reliant upon all three parameters. This results in a very balanced experience where you need to pay heed to everything equally if you want to succeed.
Comment

Pro
 Lots of great expansions

There are several expansion packs which add new moons and planets for you to terraform. The rules and game flow is the same as the vanilla game, but they add new cards and corporations. The most interesting twist is that the board layouts are completely different for each expansion - with heat sources, oceans, etc in vastly different spots. They are an excellent addition that take the fun and excitement of the base game while giving you an all new playing field full of new possibilties.
Comment

Con
 The board is flimsy

The game board itself is very thin cardboard with no linen finish, and tends to dent easily. After enough wear and tear, the game tokens/pieces won't stay in place due to the lumps and pockets that form in the cardboard. The board must be handled carefully at all times due to its low quality or you risk damaging it.
Comment

Con
 Game pieces are cheap and wear down easily

The little game cubes (the tokens/pieces that represent resources) are coated with a metallic finish that chips and wears away easily. This leaves you with some rather ugly game pieces with flaking and peeling paint, especially in the corners.
Comment

Pro
 Every game is unique

The basic rules of the game are background noise. The alien powers, both individually and as they interact with each other, determine the dynamic of each game you play, and each dynamic is radically different. For example, you can try different races and alien powers each time you play, and the way to mix and match them is almost limitless. This makes every game feel different than the one before it.
Comment

Pro
 The social component of the game requires you to strategize with other players

It's almost impossible to win on your own. When attacking or defending, you will get the chance to ask for allies on your turn, or assist others when they are engaged. Allies can help you win the attack or defense, but they will also gain benefits if successful. It is a team-based game, although each player is out for themselves in the end. One of the neatest parts of the game are the negotiate cards - instead of laying down an attack card you can try to negotiate. If you both play negotiate cards, you have 1 minute to come to an agreement which can include creating new colonies, trading cards, or virtually anything. If the players don't come to agreeable terms within a minute, they both suffer a hefty penalty (4 of their ships are sent to the warp).
Comment

Pro
 Potential for very satisfying, creative plays

With so many unique combinations of alien powers and the fact you can form unstable alliances with other players, there's so many ways to get creative. For example, knowing when and where to pick your battles. Perhaps two other players just had an epic battle and now they're down a few ships - it would be the perfect time to swoop in and try to colonize their planets when they're weakened. Perhaps you have a special power that will give you an edge in a certain fight against another player. By paying attention to what's going on around you at all times, skillful tacticians will find all kinds of extremely clever or amusing plays to be possible.
Comment

Con
 Can cause arguments

Due to the nature of the game, which has you working with others and then turning against them in the same breath, it can create some situations where people are going to feel used or mistreated. This can result in a lot of fighting or arguments, especially when playing with easily offended people.
Comment

Con
 Unbalanced

In situations where all players gang up on just one single player.
Comment

Con
 Some alien powers are difficult to parse

Some of the cards have walls of text that look intimidating at first, and may take a slow read and group discussion to really figure out. Thankfully, the alien powers are divided into three sets based on "difficulty" which translates roughly to "difficulty to understand, and how much it disrupts basic gameplay." Green (easy) cards are usually simple enough that a child of 12 or so can understand them.
Comment

Con
 Might be hard to teach

This is one of those games that has to be played to be fully understood. As such, it can be hard to teach someone. It will take new players a few rounds to start understanding.
Comment

Pro
 Great illustrations on the cards

Illustrations on Alien Power cards are beautifully rendered and imaginative. Each one features full color, hand drawn creatures that are distinctly unique and look like something out of a sci-fi movie.
Comment

Pro
 You have some influence over the theme of each game

At the beginning of each game, players are given 3-4 alien powers to choose from, usually taken at random. However, if you were trying to put together a specific theme - for example, a war between certain aliens races, or a battle using only certain powers - you can manually select the set of powers available to each player. This allows you to generate personalized games that have specific story to them or heavily revolve around a particular strategy or resource.
Comment

Pro
 This is an exercise in social dynamics as much as a board game

Working with or against other players, forming unstable alliances, and negotiating with other players creates some situations which will test your real world social skills.
Comment

Pro
 Excellent expansions

There are six expansions which not only add a minimum of 20 new alien races with new powers each, but they also brings unique gameplay mechanics to the table. For example, Cosmic Conflict adds space quake hazards, and Cosmic Alliance adds new rules for teams and expands the game to 7 players.
Comment

Pro
 Not as complicated as it might sound

After you play one or two games, the basic mechanics become trivial to work with. Additionally, you only have to worry about learning as many alien powers as you have players in the game, so your personal knowledge and experience with the powers can grow slowly over time. Most alien powers take a minute or two to really understand, then the fun begins of finding creative or unique ways to develop strategies around them.
Comment

Con
 Very complex

This game is very complex and has a steep learning curve, which makes it difficult for people who are new to board gaming. Even for more advanced gamers, it may take a few hours before you get the hang of everything. This may turn some people off.
Comment

Pro
 Very strategic

Figuring out the best way to manage and balance your resources leads to many important and deep strategic decisions. You'll have to determine which areas of your civilization need to be improved, decide what resources to spend, and ultimately how to grow your civilization stronger and faster than your opponents. Carefully weighing the pros and cons of each decision you make results in a game that allows for many different strategies.
Comment

Con
 Lots of maintenance work each turn

Each round, you will have to manually adjust and change a lot of various stats such as your score, how many points/resources you have in various areas such as science or your military, etc. Having to wait for every players to calculate and shift pieces around the board every turn can quickly turn into a chore. It is a very hands-on game with a lot of moving parts.
Comment

Pro
 A brilliant civilization-building game

Beginning in the age of antiquity, players will spend the next four ages competing with one another to build the best civilization. To accomplish this, you'll be building improvements and wonders, researching and developing technologies, electing leaders, implementing a political system, and forming a powerful military. For each one of those areas of civilization expansion, there are so many different choices and decisions to make, that the possibilities are almost endless. The end result is a game that feels unique, deep, and expansive every time you play.
Comment

Con
 Games tend to last a very long time

Games can take up to two hours, even when playing with only two players. The more players you add to the game, the longer it generally takes. On the high end, playing with four players may take several hours or more. This makes it a very long experience when compared to other similar board games.
Comment

Pro
 Tense thanks to the card row mechanic

During gameplay, there is a row of cards that can be purchased by players for use in building their civilization. Every turn, the cards shift a row and become cheaper to purchase while the newer cards being added are more expensive. Since all players have access to the same cards, deciding whether or not to purchase a card (and keep your opponent from using it) can lead to some pretty tense decision making. Waiting too long might cause your opponent to snatch it, but by buying it early you are paying more for it. Additionally, if a card isn't chosen after a certain number of turns, it can disappear from play permanently. All of this adds up to a very thrilling system that creates anticipation among all players.
Comment

Pro
 Removes the complexity out of resource tracking

Each player has their own game board with cubes that represent their resources/points and where they are allocated. As you play the game, the cubes are moved around into different areas (for example, military strength, science etc), but you'll always be aware of where everything is and how many resources/points you have with a quick glance. The design is great, takes the edge off of learning, and makes keeping track of everything a very intuitive and easy process.
Comment

Pro
 Excellent game design

Like Risk, but with more planned strategy in stead of luck by throwing dice. Tactics are planned out ahead of time (instead of turn by turn in Risk) and then they are laid out turn by turn depending on placement.
Comment

Con
 Takes a long time to learn and play

The gameplay is very deep and interesting, but it involves a lot of mechanics and rules. You only have a certain amount of action tokens, and you can't always use the more powerful actions (you need to be a certain rank on the track), and there's a bunch of other things you need to think about constantly. There are tons of little mechanics you need to learn first before you can actually enjoy the game (and that will probably take a playthrough or 2, which is about 5 hours...especially if you're reading the rulebook).
Comment

Pro
 Nerve-racking

The game is extremely intense. Shouldn't be played on an empty stomach!
Comment

Pro
 Good replayability

Every time it is different, more or less players matters a lot in the gameplay which effects how the game plays each time.
Comment

Con
 Flares can be fustrating

As one of your action tokens, you can use a flare, which interrupts another action token of an opposing player. While useful, they do nothing besides slow down the game (for example, if the Lannisters keep flaring the Greyjoy's ships then they're stuck where they are and the Greyjoys can't do anything about it, essentially rendering them useless).
Comment

Pro
 Classic

It's been an important mode of entertainment and education for more than a thousand years.
Comment

Pro
 Improves decision making ability

Comment

Pro
 Boosts memory

You are constantly forced to come up with new offensive strategies or defencive strategies, based on what your opponent is doing. Since there are practically infinite ways to play any situation, you will have to think several moves ahead and remember various possible scenarios that might play out in any possible strategy.
Comment

Pro
 Chess can be an enjoyable obsession

Comment

Pro
 Widely available

And if you can't find a chess board, pieces, and even another player, you can make your own.
Comment

Con
 Chess serves no real purpose outside itself

Comment

Pro
 Easy to learn

No matter the player's skill level, 7 Wonders makes for an easy to learn and play game.
Comment

Pro
 Player scalable

7 Wonders easily adjusts to support anywhere from 2-7 players, making it great for both small and large groups.
Comment

Pro
 All players play until the end

Points aren't added up until the end of the game, so even if you are losing badly, you won't be ejected from the game or forced to sit out. Everyone can participate for the full duration.
Comment

Pro
 Requires planning and strategy

When choosing your card for play that round, you may pick a card that will benefit you directly (such as one that will give you a building upgrade or money), or you can simply pick a card that you know your opponent wants to prevent them from bringing it into play. Additionally, if you want to play a card that requires resources you don't have, you can "borrow" resources from your opponent. In exchange for using their resources to play your card, you give them valuable currency to use later. You'll have to weigh whether it's worth giving them currency to use their resources knowing it could come back to hurt you later. This constant trade off of helping and hindering creates some interesting situations among players where you have to determine what the best possible long term move will be while also considering the moves of those around you.
Comment

Con
 Most player interaction is limited

Most player interactions can only be conducted with the people directly sitting next to you. This can include passing cards, borrowing resources from your neighbors, etc. These kinds of actions can only be taken with the person to your immediate right or left. As a result, it sometimes feels like some of the players (especially those across the table) have no direct impact on each other, especially in larger games.
Comment

Pro
 Stays exciting thanks to 3 different card decks

Each of the three ages has its own unique deck of cards. Each time you pass into a new age, a brand new set of cards come into play. These new cards build on the progress you made in the previous age. For example, resources earned in the first age can be used to build new buildings in the other ages. This helps gameplay feel exciting and fresh as the game progresses, with lots of new options becoming available for expanding your city.
Comment

Pro
 Highly replayable

There's always an opportunity to try something new every game Each player has their own game board which represents one of the Seven Wonders of the World. These boards clearly lay out the production resource and benefits of each Wonder. You can also choose to play the game using the board's A side or B side. Whichever side you choose drastically changes how that particular Wonder can play certain cards. Additionally, since this a card game with resources and other variables, no two play sessions will ever be alike. Cards will always be dealt and played in a random order, and how you play these cards will vary based on your Wonder and your personal resources/currency situation.
Comment

Pro
 Super quick gaming sessions

This is an excellent choice for a quick gaming session, as most games only take around 30 minutes. This remains true even if there are seven players.
Comment

Con
 Iconography can be tough to learn

There are many different symbols to learn and keep track of, and this is the source of most learning woes for newer players.
Comment

Con
 Mistakes compound over time

In 7 Wonders you can really hurt yourself in the early game. Mistakes tend to be overly punishing and may be difficult to fully recover from. A long term strategy is necessary from turn one onward if you want to succeed.
Comment

Pro
 Great social experience

Even though logic is very useful when determining whose a spy, The Resistance is more about being able to bluff, trick, and sway others. As such, players are always actively engaged in discussions and trying to outplay and outsmart each other. This creates a very social environment which allows the game to thrive.
Comment

Pro
 Unlimited replayability

While there is little variation game-to-game (for example, there will always be two spies when five or six people play the game, and the mission sizes are always based on group size), it's the circumstances, such as which missions are chosen and who participates in them, that change each time. This allows it to be played over and over and over again without losing any excitement.
Comment

Pro
 Creates a boisterous and entertaining atmosphere

Players are often very loud and active during gameplay. When everyone gets into the game and starts trying to figure out who the spies are, things can get really fun with theories and accusations flying everywhere. Overall, The Resistance creates a very exciting and entertaining atmosphere full of suspense and bluffing.
Comment

Pro
 Short game sessions

It's designed to be played in three to five rounds, with the entire session lasting about 30 minutes.
Comment

Pro
 Rules are incredibly easy to understand

There are zero complex rules or systems weighing this game down. It's incredibly easy to pick up and play, and new players will understand it immediately. This makes it an excellent game for everyone.
Comment

Con
 Requires at least five people to play

Due to its design, a bare minimum of five players is required to play. This is especially unfortunate in situations where you have three or four people together who really want to play this.
Comment

Pro
 No one excluded until the end

All players remain active and get to participate until the game ends. This is great since there's no way to mess up or have to sit out and watch your friends play.
Comment

Con
 Not great for shy or quiet gamers

The very nature of The Resistance often sparks loud debates with accusations and bluffs at every turn. If you are the quiet type, you may feel uncomfortable or overwhelmed in this kind of environment.
Comment

Pro
 Perfect for large parties

While The Resistance is flexible and able to be played with as little as five people, the best results are achieved when played with six or more players. Each and every player is engaged and working together to determine who the spies are, which means all members of the group will be able to participate from start to finish. This makes it an excellent game for parties when you want to include everyone.
Comment

Con
 Very long

It may not be the best choice for a quick gaming session, as a single game of Twilight Struggle can take 2-3 hours or more. While learning the rules, it can potentially take even longer since you'll need to keep referencing the rule book.
Comment

Con
 Lots of pieces to keep track of

There are many little cardboard tokens (260 to be exact) used to track all the various game states and scores. This sheer number of game pieces may be rather tedious to deal with for some people. Since they are small and numerous, it's also very easy to lose or misplace them.
Comment

Con
 Steep learning curve

There are a lot of different mechanics in this game, and a lot of various game systems to keep track of. For that reason alone, expect to spend the first few games referencing the rule book quite often. It's definitely not a lightweight party game or something you can pick up and play easily. It takes time and dedication to understand the rules.
Comment

Pro
 An intimate player versus player battle

This game is specifically designed for two players. One assumes control of the USA and the other the USSR as you battle head-to-head for influence and control of countries around the world. Each event card that comes into play has the potential to not only benefit you, but also benefit your opponent, meaning you'll be paying extra attention to what your opponent is doing at all times.
Comment

Pro
 Stays exciting thanks to new events being added over time

There are three event card decks in the game - the early war, mid war, and late war. As the game progresses, the decks will enter into play one by one. This steady drip of new content helps keep things exciting and fresh for the duration, as the situations you'll be dealing are based on chronological historical events.
Comment

Pro
 Has clearly laid out rules and other learning aids

There rule book for Twilight Struggle is well-written, and easy to understand and reference during the game. The game board itself is also very informative with cleanly designed and labelled elements, which is very helpful as you're becoming more familiar with the complex game mechanics and rules.
Comment

Pro
 Very tense gameplay

Twilight Struggle perfectly captures all of the tension of the Cold War through the way that players must play all of their event cards each turn, even ones that would possibly help their opponent. Each card has two values - operation points and and an event. By taking advantage of the points on the card, the event goes into play no matter whether it benefits you or your opponent. The result is a game where both sides feel tense as they try to out maneuver the other player.
Comment

Pro
 Incredibly thematic

The event cards used in the game are all based off actual events that occurred throughout the Cold War which helps the games theme be even more immersive. Real historical situations and people from the era are referenced often, which draws you into game world, and allows you to play through a part of history.
Comment

Con
 Not a fit for group play

If you are looking for a game to play with a group, this isn't a good fit. It's strictly limited to two players only.
Comment

Pro
 Exciting risk-reward system

Sometimes performing an action can be risky. Typically, when moving or attacking you need to roll the 'exposure die' (you could get frostbite, receive a zombie bite, or have nothing happen). This means that it can be risky moving around to different locations. Each location has its own strengths and weaknesses, with some being very rewarding. Deciding whether or not the move is worth the risk makes it a very exciting system where you'll always be weighing the benefits and drawbacks of every single movement.
Comment

Pro
 Lots of tough choices to make on a personal level

All players attempt to survive together, fending off zombies, gathering supplies, and working towards a common goal. However, each player also has their own secret side-objective ranging from saving the most survivors to hoarding certain items and even betraying the group. Playing for the survival of the group while also juggling your own secret goals can result in many tough personal choices. Do you share resources with the group or keep them for yourself? Do you go off and scavenge supplies for personal gains even it means leaving the group weakened? Do you save that survivor or just let them die because it's one more mouth to feed?
Comment

Pro
 Survivalist theme of the game is very well integrated

The survivalist theme shines through in each and every tough decision, gameplay system, and objective the game throws at you. Most of the world is dead, the environment is extremely hostile, there are zombies everywhere, and one wrong move can be the difference between survival and death for you and/or your group. Do you work towards the goal of the group, or do you sabotage them for personal gains? Do you hoard resources or share? There is an endless list of choices that have to be made. Overall, it really feels like a true survival situation that sucks you in.
Comment

Pro
 Random scenarios and decisions add replayability

There are a couple of gameplay mechanics that add a very random and deadly element to the game that really affect how the game plays out. Since they are completely random card draws, each game session will be unique its own way. At the start of each player's turn, another player draws a 'crossroads' card for that player. Each crossroads card has a trigger - sometimes it is triggered by an action that they player could take, where they are located, or which players are in the game. These cards typically offer a choice between two options, and can drastically sway the game for better or worse. Also, each turn a 'crisis card' is flipped, showing the current crisis for that turn. If the players can't work together to overcome the crisis (or the betrayer sabotages it) really bad things happen which put the whole group in immediate danger.
Comment

Pro
 Unpredictable actions help keep things exciting

Most actions (searching, moving, etc) are based on a random dice roll, making it very difficult to plan ahead. Instead of a set number of actions per turn, you get one dice plus one additional dice for each character you control. Based on what you roll on the dice, you will be able to perform various actions. Since you're working within the constraints of each roll, each turn will present new opportunities or setbacks. This helps things stay exciting throughout.
Comment

Con
 It may be long and slow, with unexperienced players

As with many board games, new players may have trouble comprehending all the rules. Additionally, sometimes tough decisions need to be made. Newer players won't be aware of the nuances behind every choice and may need things explained to them.
Comment

Pro
 Great for quick games

Each game lasts about one to two hours, making it a great game for when you want to get involved in deep game that doesn't overstay its welcome.
Comment

Con
 Limited actions, especially towards end game

Some of the rules and effects completely discourage movement, such as an unlucky exposure roll that could cost you the game. Near the end game, zombies may fill up in an area and make it very difficult to clear them out, effectively reducing the map size and your access to resources.
Comment

Con
 Predictable enemies

The zombies are very predictable. You know when and where they will spawn, as well as who they will attack.
Comment

Pro
 Good design

The game includes all kinds of well-designed figures, a various terrain tiles, and a bunch of different terrain accessories that make up the big 3D landscape. The characters are a blend of fantasy, sci-fi, history, mythology and all kinds of other genres. Terrain tiles can range from grass to swamp, to lava, to snow and other types. What’s more, they can be stacked on top of one another to create hills.
Comment

Pro
 Play time decided by the players

The play time highly depends on the scenario chosen and the size of the playing surface, but since the game encourages customization, players are free to choose a scenario that's easy and quick to play through and construct a smaller battlefield to accommodate it, for example, "last team standing " on a small surface.
Comment

Pro
 Can be built to fit any group

Heroscape can make both a decent 1v1 or 2v2 tournament and a massive party attraction. Although the game is best balanced to be a game for 2-4 players, if you have more sets you can create a map that can potentially scale up to any group. Moreover, all ages are welcome, so it can be a great family game as well.
Comment

Pro
 Simple rules

This is one of the games that fits the description of “Easy to learn, hard to master” quite well. The basic gist is quite simple - in their turn the player chooses an army card, moves the pictured figures and attacks with the figures. Movement is done based on the “Move number” on the card and attacking is done by rolling the attack dice based on the “Attack number” on the card. Players alternate turns until the game is over. The win condition is chosen by the players There are a few more detailed mechanics, but they are very easy to understand, because they link to the physical aspect of the game. For example, an enemy is in line of sight if the figure is "able to see it" from its position - if there's a huge dragon figure behind a mountain and its head is poking out, then the soldier further back on the hill has line of sight. Another example - if a figure physically can't fit somewhere, then it can't move to that tile - a dinosaur figurine won't fit under a small bridge over a river, so it can't go there. The basics of the game are not hard at all, the rules are simple enough even for children, it’s suited for ages 8+.
Comment

Pro
 Great customization possibilities

The game offers a lot of customizability both in terms of playing surface and the game itself. Since the playing surface is fully customizable, you can either create it from instructions (found in the game guide or online) or arrange the construction pieces however you want. Because of this every game can be different in some way – you can, for example, relocate a hill, place a river and do much more. Though the game offers a scenario booklet with some basic scenarios, that doesn’t mean you can’t get creative and make up your own objectives, manipulate some of the rules or add house rules.
Comment

Pro
 Well-made materials

The game materials have a relatively high production quality. There’s no need to worry about game components not being able to sustain normal wear and tear or an accidental drop here or there - the hexagonal pieces and the painted character figurines are made out of durable plastic. The character figures are also quite flexible - bending swords, legs and hands of figures doesn't leave a lasting problem. The paint job of the pieces is also well done and paint won't wear off even when rigorously scraped.
Comment

Pro
 Active community

Despite the printing of the game being discontinued in 2010, there’s still a very active community at https://www.heroscapers.com/ that are keeping the game alive. There are forums for custom units, local gaming events, online Heroscape games and more. Since sets and accessories tend to cost a lot of money, some dedicated fans even banded together to create https://www.allthingsheroscape.com/, offering a selection of, as the name suggests, all things related to Heroscape – figures, terrain sets, expansions, etc.
Comment

Pro
 Can be visually impressive

Some fans of the game have even gone out of their way to design huge and beautiful battlefields, spanning many tables. A lot of great creations can be found on the internet - some examples.
Comment

Pro
 Fun to set up

The setting up of the game is another game itself and it makes for a good family / friend activity. It could be compared to LEGO construction – you attach the hexagonal pieces together to create whatever playing surface you want or just follow an instruction. The pieces smoothly link together and don’t accidentally come apart, so there's no need to worry about a small accident ruining your hard work. Since the playfield is quite big, everyone can join in creating the landscape. Some people could even get more excited to play while seeing the battlefield grow and imagining how fun the nearing game could be.
Comment

Con
 Takes up a lot of room

The landscapes tend to get quite big and, unfortunately, there is no convenient way to store the tiles and character figures unless you spend some extra cash on boxes or other forms of storage.
Comment

Con
 Long set up and take down times

Depending on the scenario, the setup might take as long as the scenario itself. A basic setup could take anywhere between 20 and 40 minutes. This is because of how big the playing surface can be and how many pieces and accessories it consists of.
Comment

Con
 Expensive

The sets, expansions and accessories tend to cost a lot of money mostly due to the game being out of print since 2010.
Comment

Con
 Out of print

The game has been out of print since 2010.
Comment

Con
 Inconsistent theme

The terrain is customizable enough to create a running theme, but units are more difficult. Some people might enjoy the idea of heroes from all kinds of genres clashing in one big game, others might be thrown off by historical characters like samurai and cowboys battling alongside werewolves, robots or vampires.
Comment

Pro
 Easy to understand but still allows for good micromanagement/strategy

The concepts are pretty easy to grab a hold of (buy power plants, connect different cities together, buy resources for your power plants, then make money and repeat). Each step has strategy involved with it - when you buy power plants you want to diversify from others as resources more in demand cost more - when connecting cities you are looking at pricing but also blocking other players off - you can buy extra resources to boost the price on other players, or buy the bare minimum for that turn etc etc.
Comment

Pro
 It's hard for 1 player to hold onto the lead

You know those games where one player has a great start, and nobody can even dream of catching up? That doesn't happen in Power Grid. It balances itself out - the player currently winning goes first when buying power plants (they get only the current selection), and they build new cities last (worst selection) and pay the most for raw materials. While the game punishes (at least in a way) the leading player, it helps to balance games and make them more fun overall. In addition, you can strategically not build more cities and hold yourself back if you need the advantage.
Comment

Pro
 Very little randomness

There is almost no randomness involved in the game, making achieving mastery of the game about understanding your opponents' plans and working around them.
Comment

Con
 No room for creativity

Once you fall behind, there aren't many ways to catch up. Virtually everything can be calculated (only power plants are random), meaning there is little surprise. Once you get started, you keep trucking along the same path until somebody wins.
Comment

Pro
 Very high short-term replayability due to the persistent story in the game

With individual plays regularly ending in teasers and cliffhangers players will be eager to play the next round in order to move the story forward and find out what happens next.
Comment

Pro
 A persistent campaign means that your descisions have consequences, both good and bad, in future games

Pandemic Legacy is the latest in the Legacy line of games where things that happen in one game can, and often do, have affects in later games. The characters you use can gain new abilities and or flaws, components can be added and/or destroyed and rules can be added, amended, or removed, all based on the things that you do from game to game. This helps players feel invested in the game and makes their decisions even more meaningful than they already were. This ongoing change also means that your experiences may very well be unique to your group and that other campaigns of the same game will go drastically different, with only main plot points in common.
Comment

Con
 No long-term replayability

After the main campaign is finished (12-24 games) the game is mostly finished. Technically you can play the final mission over and over, but permanent changes made over the course of the playthrough, such as stickers added to the rules, board, and player sheets as well as components that are physically destroyed make the game less fun to replay after the main story concludes.
Comment

Con
 Requires a commited group to play and experience the full extent of the game

Pandemic: Legacy games are meant to be experienced over 12-24 games with the same players so that everyone involved can share in the overarching story of the game. Unfortunately, many gamers may struggle to find 2-4 players that can regularly meet up to play the game, making it difficult to finish the main story.
Comment

Pro
 Active community

Despite being a game released in 1989, it still has a decently active online community both on reddit and on the fan site Ye Olde Inn. The sites feature all the fan content you’d expect – custom creations, stories and pictures of game nights, discussions, and games happening in your area.
Comment

Pro
 Customizable

HeroQuest encourages creativity. The quest book has a blank scenario, so players can design and play their own quests. Moreover, since the miniature figures are single-colored, many people choose to color them, creating some beautiful pieces. On top of that, the 3D furniture in the game doesn’t serve a different purpose other than the aesthetic one, so you can craft your own pieces or use small furniture from different games. If you lack ideas, then the HeroQuest fan site Ye Olde Inn has some great fan-made content – quests, cards, printable furniture, etc.
Comment

Pro
 Great for parties

HeroQuest is a perfect activity for a small gettogether. The game is meant for 2-5 players, a quest takes up to 90 minutes. Not only is it simple to learn and easy to set up, but it requires good teamwork and communication between players. There’s also always room for roleplay, which can lead to some humorous and memorable moments. Moreover, the playing surface is not too big, so there should be plenty of room for snacks and drinks on the table.
Comment

Pro
 Easy to grasp

The game is teachable to players in a matter of minutes due to the simple rules. It’s also simple enough for children, as the game is made for ages 10 and over. After the gamemaster has introduced the players to the scenario and readied the board, the game starts with the player to the left of the gamemaster. During the player’s turn the player can perform two actions – move and either attack, cast a spell, search for traps and secret entrances, or search for treasure. On the gamemaster’s turn the gamemaster can attack the heroes with the currently visible monsters. Movement is done by rolling two regular dice, which show the amount of squares the player can move in their turn. Combat is done by the player and the gamemaster rolling special dice with 3 skull sides, 2 hero shield sides and 1 monster shield side. The number of dice rolled in combat is determined by the statistics of the monster or the hero, specified in the character cards. Each skull is a hit and each shield can block one skull. When “body count” reaches zero, the character is removed from the game.
Comment

Con
 A lot of first-time setup

When you first open the box the amount of work can seem overwhelming. You have to de-peg your pieces and assemble all the furniture, which is quite tedious and inconvenient due to the relatively small size. Furthermore, your first games might take a longer while until the gamemaster gets the hang of the process.
Comment

Pro
 Beautiful visual design

While the game board is not particularly big, it’s quite colorful and aesthetic. The game also manages to catch the eye due to the figurines and the small furniture. The game features a big variety of remarkably detailed miniature figures - orcs, skeletons, zombies, goblins, etc. All the figures are originally single-colored, the heroes are bright red, whereas the various monsters come in white, dark blue, dark green and light blue. The box also packs some beautiful and detailed pieces of colored cardboard furniture that add a lot of aesthetic value to the game by filling up the emptier places on the playing space.
Comment

Con
 Requires a good gamemaster

If the gamemaster doesn’t know what he’s doing then the game will be more frustrating and take much longer than usual, and it’s already a long game. The gamemaster is the only player with access to what the quest is supposed to look like and is solely responsible for creating the dungeon as the game goes on – spawning monsters, revealing objects, etc., so the players need to trust that the gamemaster isn’t cheating.
Comment

Con
 Doesn’t scale well

The game is at its best when played in a full group of 4 heroes and a gamemaster. Otherwise the odds are more on the gamemaster’s side and it’s a lot more difficult to complete the quest. To counter this, it’s recommend for a player to control more than one hero, but that also adds unnecessary difficulty.
Comment

Con
 May be hard to get

It's a somewhat older tabletop RPG, with a decent number of expansions. You may end up paying a high price on ebay or other sites to get yourself a copy. It’s also worth noting that you can’t always be sure about the physical quality of the game. The 3D furniture is made from cardboard and if the copy you’re buying has been used then it’s a bit of a risk.
Comment

Pro
 Extensible

Albeit hard to come by, several additional modules were produced to extend gameplay.
Comment

Pro
 Easy to set up

Since most of the actual dungeon construction is done by the gamemaster as the game progresses and more rooms are revealed, all you need to do before the game can properly start is bring out the board, let the players choose their heroes and introduce the quest.
Comment

Pro
 RPG elements

Character classes, experience, treasure and equipment within an ongoing campaign.
Comment

Con
 Very unaproachable

Arkham Horror has a lot of moving parts, its rules are difficult to follow, and the gameplay itself is pretty difficult. This all adds up to a game that is very unapproachable and will take the most dedicated of players to really understand the whole concept put forth.
Comment

Con
 Huge rules

24+ pages of rules. Though they are well-written, highly illustrated, enriched with small data tables, it is easy to forget small details, especially when some critical rule is applied, e.g., for just one type of bosses.
Comment

Con
 Long

The game is very long (several hours).
Comment

Con
 Playing alone or in small team (2-3) is usually easy and boring

Arkham is best enjoyed when played by teams of 4 and more.
Comment

Con
 Long preparation time

Laying out all the things may eat up to 30 minutes (without extensions).
Comment

Pro
 Lots of expansion boards available

Currently there are 8 licensed expansions on the manufacturer's site. There are also many fan made expansions available online as well thanks to the games large and friendly community. Both the manufacturer's and community expansions add plenty of new content to the game including cards, investigators, board addons, Heralds (mini-bosses), Ancient Ones, spells, and items.
Comment

Pro
 Scales well from solo to large groups

The game supports up to 8 players, which is something of a feat for a game of its size and components. Makes for a great party game due to the size of players it allows. However, at the lower end it can also be enjoyed with one or two players, making it great for intimate gaming session. No matter how few players you have available, you'll be able to enjoy the game.
Comment

Pro
 Great challenge for those that enjoy difficult games

The win conditions of the game are quite slim and require one to know the rules ins and outs, so while not a game for casual players it is a game for the hardcore who enjoy a challenge.
Comment

Pro
 Well-crafted

Big map, lots of items and heroes with their own graphics, player figures on plastic stands; lots of tokens and monster cards made of firm cardboard.
Comment

Pro
 Lots of choices

Each location offers you different opportunities to trade for and to explore. The imaginary hero class (like tank, mage, support, stealth) is up to you and usually not well-tied to hero abilities. Even when apocalypse comes, you still (might) have a chance to defeat the planetary evil.
Comment

Pro
 Great atmosphere of Lovecraft tales

Your weak heroes have to dive into parallel realities, use magic, defeat unknown guests and apply unique artifacts. Each game's location has its own secrets and 'contacts' with various outcomes — good and bad.
Comment

Pro
 Role-oriented

You either choose by yourself or get a random hero, and play with them the whole party (if you were not killed, of course). You and your hero have skills, items, unique qualities and effects, and their story. The game itself encourages role-playing elements to dive into the Lovecraftian environment.
Comment

Pro
 Highly cooperative

Though the rules do highlight "best players of the game" via basic calculations, the game itself is aimed towards collaboration. To win, everyone must commit to the victory, and you often forget about the existence of a "best player". The game allows players to exchange items or help other players via skills, special abilities and magic. In practice, players often compete their tasks in pairs and more, e.g. they close gates in pairs, where one has to clean the entrance from monsters, and the other seals the gates.
Comment

Pro
 Each game is unique

The game starts by choosing a random boss and/or heroes. Each turn begins with the myth phase, whose effects apply from a random card in the deck. These effects include monster movement, game-wide buffs and de-buffs, quests, monster gate breaches, etc. You will never know if you will be able to win the game. Items and skills are usually taken randomly too.
Comment

Con
 Hard to find

It was actually released in 2005 and currently out of stock at official page.
Comment

Pro
 Design encourages replayability

You will never play the same game of Eclipse due to randomness of the tiles you and your opponents draw, the various strategies you can use, and the seven possible player races. The map will be different every time. The gameboard is made of multiple hexagonal tiles and it’s built out as the game progresses when players choose the “explore” action. There are three decks of hexes, the one you draw from depends on the direction you’re exploring in. For example. if you move away from the galaxy center, then you draw from the third-level hex pile, which contains less goodies than the second and first level tiles. The closer you go to the center, the bigger are your chances for loot. If you don’t like the tile you draw, you can discard it, but this’ll still make you lose an action.
Comment

Con
 Luck-based combat

The combat is based on rolling dice and drawing tiles after the combat is over. While the luck element of rolling dice is sort of taken care of because of the customizable battleships, the tile drawing part can be very unfair. Basically, once the battle is finished both parties draw a number of tiles that depends on the amount of destroyed ships. These tiles all have different victory point values, but you can only claim one. What this means is that you can lose a battle and still claim more victory points than your opponent from the single tile you draw.
Comment

Pro
 Amazing blend of Euro and Ameritrash mechanics

Eclipse is a "best of both worlds" mix of two different boardgaming genres. The game has a strong theme, player combat, unique factions, and some elements of luck that define the American style while still having plenty of the European-like resource gathering, individual development, and possibilities of no player conflict.
Comment

Pro
 Allows for many different playstyles

There are many possible ways to get points and win the game. Some players choose to take the militaristic approach and win by defeating the other players in combat, others choose to stray away from trouble and gain points by developing technologies. You can also earn points from exploration, colonization, diplomacy, and more. Players can choose to play a human (Terran) faction or choose one of the six unique alien races. All six Terran factions share traits, but the aliens differ from one another. Race-specific traits give bonuses in specific actions, for example, trading for different rates, more movement flexibility, science or colonization bonuses, etc.
Comment

Pro
 Customizable battleships

Unlike other similar games, Eclipse offers players an innovative battleship customization feature. At the start everyone’s ships are basically the same, they can move, shoot, and have one health point. After you’ve amassed some of the “materials” and “science” resources, you can start upgrading them to different types and adding new components either in empty spaces or by overwriting existing ones. There are many types of components – reactors, weapons, shields, hull, targeting computers, and engines. By mixing these you can create any ship you want, be it a well-balanced one or something completely ridiculous. You can make your ships into flying tanks able to sustain tons of damage and slowly chunk away the enemy, or instant death machines able to one-shot anything.
Comment

Pro
 Surprisingly simple

Eclipse looks a lot harder than it actually is. The structure of the game is quite straightforward, and the combat is easy to understand. The game lasts nine rounds, each round has four phases – action, combat, upkeep, and cleanup. Most of the game is spent in the action phase, where players exchange turns performing one action until they’ve all passed. At the cost of an influence disc you can explore, influence, research, upgrade, build, or move. You can do as many actions as you want, but you’ll have to pay upkeep for every influence disc after the first one in the upkeep phase. The combat phase consists of dice rolling to resolve any battles, be it player vs player or player vs NPC. Combat is initiated if two characters are on the same hex during combat phase. It is done by rolling a six-sided dice. Every 6 is a guaranteed hit, ever 1 is a miss. Whether the rest of the numbers deal damage is influenced by characteristics and equipment of battleships, which can also decide which ship attacks first, how many dice are rolled per ship, and how much victory-point tiles will the participants be able to draw after combat.
Comment

Pro
 Satisfying to see progression

At the start all players are spread out on their own tiles one tile away from the galaxy center. As the game progresses they take actions and discover new tiles around them with planets to colonize that get filled up with the respective player’s colors. Moments later the players are overlooking a big, colorful gameboard filled with colonies and battleships of all sizes.
Comment

Con
 Not very accessible to new players

The game isn’t too difficult, but it’s a long game that requires a lot of explaining and a lot of setup, which can be a huge turn-off for beginners. Running over the rules and the various situations will take around 20 minutes, and you will still need to explain a lot during the game itself because there’s a lot of stuff that requires managing. New players will have a noticeable disadvantage.
Comment

Con
 Art style won’t suit everyone

Eclipse has a sci-fi space theme that features aliens, technologies, spaceships, and everything in between. Since this is a pretty popular theme almost anywhere, be it books, games, or movies, to some people this might appear generic, bland, and kind of uninteresting.
Comment

Con
 Expensive

The cost of a new copy of Eclipse ranges from $80 to $130 dollars.
Comment

Con
 Can easily make a mess

Even the tiniest shuffle of the gameboard will displace the tiny cubes and influence discs used to keep track of resources and actions. This is not only annoying but can also mess up the game because someone might place the cubes back incorrectly and give themselves an advantage.
Comment

Con
 Long setup and takedown times

Eclipse is already a relatively long game, but a lot of extra time is required just to prepare the game and to tidy everything up after you’re done. This is mostly since there is no official way to store the huge number of components. Setting up for the first time can easily take around 30 minutes, and if you don’t have some sort of convenient storage then it can still take 20-30 minutes for the next matches. After you’ve set up and played your game, you still must calculate in approximately 10 minutes just to put everything back in its place.
Comment

Pro
 Simple to learn but utilizes much strategy

Stratego's rules are pretty easy to learn but the beauty is there is so much strategy involved that each game can have wildly different outcomes. Being that there is so much choice in how to strategize every game there is truly a limitless amount of fun to be had.
Comment

Pro
 Creative thinking and playing the other player take a large role

Players can arrange their troops however they like which begins a game of strategy but also a game of playing your opponent. By trying to trick or manipulate the other player the game becomes more in depth as a match of will.
Comment

Con
 Character pictures have to be manually placed

The character pictures have to be manually placed on each individual plastic board piece, which is time consuming and really should have just been done at the factory.
Comment

Pro
 Easy to explain, but very difficult to master

The basic premise in Agricola is simple: players take one of their two starting people and, in turn order, use it to select an action. Once an action is selected, it can not be chosen by other players. After everyone has placed their first worker players place their second, again in turn order, followed by 3rd, 4th, and 5th, if applicable. However, the difficulty in Agricola comes from the relatively limited number of action slots available and the sheer number of things players are trying to accomplish over the 14 rounds of the game.
Comment

Pro
 Has expansions that can add more depth and variety to the game

Players can purchase the expansion, Farmers on the Moor, to add more gameplay options and strategic depth or they can purchase additional card packs to add variety to the minor improvement and occupation decks. This helps keep the game from getting stale and encourages multiple plays to try and experience everything this game has to offer.
Comment

Pro
 High player interaction for this type of game

The very limited number of actions available to take each round, combined with most resources only being available at 1 or 2 spots means that players are regularly interfering with eachother's plans and constantly being forced to reevaluate their strategy after an opponent blocks them. This leads to high amounts of player interaction and keep you very engaged in the game instead of focusing solely on your player board.
Comment

Con
 Can be a very punishing game for new players

Even players who love Agricola regularly joke that its name should be Misery Farm. This is because everything that you fail to do will cost you points, yet it is very difficult to do some of everything. This means that new players have a very low chance of beating someone experienced since they won't fully now what to expect as the game goes on and how to plan for it.
Comment

Pro
 Lots of expansions

There are additional sets available ranging from new survivor cards to different enemy miniatures, more game tiles, etc. There is also a medieval version - Black Plague - which offers an alternate settings and slight rule/weapon changes.
Comment

Pro
 Replayability

Prison Outbreak, Toxic City Mall, and Angry Neighbors are all expansion packs you can add to the base game. Extras such as Dog Companions, Zombie Dogz, and VIP (very infected people) add new figures, figures, and equipment. There is also a new version: Black Plague which takes place in a medieval setting (expansion coming in June)
Comment

Pro
 Quality components

The game comes with a bunch of miniatures, all molded out of plastic and have nice detailing as well as individual looks. The cardboard game cards, etc also have a solid think feel to them as well as colorful and illustrative art printed on them with the cards even being double sided. The amount of pieces and the quality of there craftsmanship definitely give a feeling of robustness that earns the game its high price ($89 retail).
Comment

Pro
 Co-op play

Teamwork is essential to completing your objectives - some players will level up towards ranged combat, while others move about quickly. Not all players will be able to open the required doors, and you level up individually but don't let one player level up much faster than the others - zombies seem to thrive off success.
Comment

Con
 Error filled rulebook

The packaged rulebook is not only filled with errors and typos but is also missing a lot of pertinent information to the gameplay. Luckily there is an updated version as a PDF download on the publishers site that has the extra content the printed version is missing.
Comment

Pro
 Time based strategy

Users have to strategize how much time they can spend on balancing their ships to how much time spent looking at the upcoming rounds cards. This makes for fast paced decision making.
Comment

Pro
 Even doing poorly at the game is fun

Galaxy Trucker has lighthearted humor that can make even loosing at the game fun due to the scenarios that can play out.
Comment

Pro
 Fastest player sets the pace

Some games can be slowed down by a player that is lagging behind but in Galaxy Trucker the gameplay is set by the fastest player, which is refreshing.
Comment

Con
 Beginning of game is more exciting than the last two parts

The game is broken up into three phases with the first being the most exciting. This makes for unbalanced gameplay in that the other two sections feel a bit dull.
Comment

Con
 Steep learning curve

Space Alert is not very beginner friendly, and if you don’t properly understand how the game works when you start it up, then you’ll have visible difficulty keeping up with what’s happening in the frantic 10-minute action phase. You’ll also be dragging down the other players because there really isn’t enough time to explain rules when the game is already in progress. It’s worth reserving an hour to play through the well-designed tutorial book that slowly introduces the complex aspects, so you’ll be ready for the real deal.
Comment

Pro
 Each game is unique

The combination of several CD tracks along with variant card combos and action options ensures that no two games will be the same, making the game widely replayable. If you run out of the official CD tracks, then you can also download the Space Alert Mission Generator to get some random scenarios, or you can browse the internet for custom missions.
Comment

Pro
 Cooperative

Space Alert is a cooperative based game, something that is not always the case for board games and can be a refreshing change.
Comment

Pro
 Varying difficulty

Various options can be selected to alter the difficulty level of the game, such as the power of internal and external common threats and serious threats. This makes, for example, the monsters you encounter much stronger, adding a whole new level of required teamwork.
Comment

Pro
 Strong theme

Space Alert has a sci-fi theme to it, and the game executes it perfectly. From the aesthetic look of the game to the actions you take, there’s plenty of science fiction – aliens, spaceships, robots, etc. The soundtrack playing in the background during the planning phase also adds a lot to the immersion. For those that are into more of a science fiction game, Space Alert could easily fit that bill.
Comment

Pro
 Good humor

While slightly morbid, the humor contained in the game and gameplay is quite amusing. The resolution phase is also full of humorous moments as the players watch their actions unfold or fall apart. For example, the tutorial book states that the captain must remember to do the “C” action that represents pressing the spacebar on the ship’s computer to keep the lights on.
Comment

Pro
 1 - 5 players

Can be played as a single player game, or with up to 4 friends, dividing roles accordingly. If you don’t have a full group of 5 players, then the missing characters are androids, which can be controlled by any player.
Comment

Pro
 Simple rules

The very basics of the game are quite simple. Every player has a role assigned to them – the captain, the communications officer, and the security officer. The players take 12 turns in 10 minutes pre-planning actions while listening to a soundtrack that explains all incoming threats. The action phase is divided into three further parts, each of which has a separate deck of action cards. The soundtrack calls out the threats, the endings of phases, data transfers, and communication disruptions, and you must act accordingly. After the 10-minute soundtrack is over, all the actions the players planned and coordinated are resolved. If the ship is still alive after that, then the game is won.
Comment

Pro
 Fast gameplay

The game takes around 30 minutes to play through, 10 minutes of which is the intense planning phase with the soundtrack blasting in the background.
Comment

Pro
 No analysis paralysis

Turn speed is dictated by the CD, avoiding some players procrastinating on their turns / keeping the gameplay flowing.
Comment

Pro
 Ranked highly on board game geek

With an average score of 7.5 out of 10 and a rank of 155, Space Alert is a positively reviewed board game.
Comment

Pro
 No alpha-gamer issue

Space Alert effectively evades the popular quarterbacking issue of cooperative board games. There’s simply no way to communicate enough useful information to other players in the 10-minute timeframe, so nobody can control absolutely everything. Everyone must efficiently work together and say what they’ll be doing to take care of the looming threats.
Comment

Pro
 Good components

The components of the game should hold up to multiple plays and regular wear and tear. There are a lot of good quality wooden tokens, and the cards are made of durable cardstock. The gameboard and the tracking boards are also quite thick and should endure well.
Comment

Con
 Requires CD player with speakers

Space Alert is only playable with the included audio CD or downloadable MP3's, without them the game is impossible to play.
Comment

Con
 Unforgiving

Every action you take highly impacts what happens to the rest of the crew, and one tiny misstep can make the whole plan fall apart, which can be frustrating to some. Teamwork and good communication is completely necessary to win.
Comment

Con
 A lot of setup

Space Alert has a lot of pieces to sort through, cards and decks to shuffle and place on the gameboard. It’s not so bad if you decide to play more than one game, but the actual games are very quick in comparison to the amount of setup/takedown time.
Comment

Con
 Can’t be stopped once in progress

Once you press “play” on the 10-minute soundtrack, there’s no interrupting it – no pauses, no rewinds, etc. It’s important to stay focused, not engage in casual banter, and make sure there are no distractions in the background, which can be difficult to manage sometimes.
Comment

Pro
 Simple to learn, but plenty of strategy

The basic game flow of choosing Governor roles each round is easy to grasp, but in its simplicity, it offers much depth. Sometimes choosing between a role which will benefit you at the moment versus a role with the bonus money can make you pause and plan ahead. Perhaps you might even consider taking a role that you know your opponent wants, just to prevent them from getting ahead. This constant analyzing allows for plenty of strategy to take hold even if the game play itself is rather simplistic.
Comment

Pro
 Offers exciting possibilties during game play

Building new buildings, trading goods, and taking control of the shipping market can offer some intense gameplay. Deciding what role to take each turn for maximum benefit can be exciting - there is a limited supply of everything. Goods take time to produce and there is only limited ships for use in exporting them. If someone else takes the role you wanted that turn and ruins your shipping or trading plans, you'll have to adjust your strategy on the fly. This can result in some pretty exciting gameplay where you're always thinking of multiple paths to victory.
Comment

Pro
 Each round you'll get to try something new

On each round, players go around the table and choose among seven Governor roles such as builder, captain, trader, and more. Each role has its own special ability and benefit - for example, builders can erect buildings with money and captains can ship goods. At the end of each round, there will always be three or more roles which were not chosen. These roles are given bonus money for the next round in order to encourage players to choose them on the next round. It's a simple mechanic, but being able to try a new role every round ensures you'll have plenty of ways to play out each round. Additionally, there is a Governor token that is passed to a new player every turn. This token allows you to choose all roles on the round you're in possession of the token. This has to the potential to be a very fun and lucrative turn.
Comment

Pro
 Smooth game flow thanks to balance

There are several aspects of balance that make the game play out incredibly smooth. First of all, each role can only be selected by one player per round. No two players can choose Captain on the same round, for example. This means no one player can ever dominate a role since it's likely they won't get to choose that role during the next round. The addition of the tempting bonus money to unused roles from the previous round pretty much means all roles will get used eventually. Secondly, when you go to ship your goods if you choose the trader role, each ship can only hold one type of good. So if you are focusing on sugar exportation, you won't have to worry about your opponent who is farming something else hogging all the ships. Lastly, while players go around the table and roles are executed in order, their benefits do not take place until after the round is over. This means even if someone acted before you that round, he or she will not necessarily have the advantage.
Comment

Pro
 Easy to teach your friends to play

While there are intricacies and strategies that are learned over time, the basic premise and simple rules are very easy to teach. Getting your friends into the game is quick and easy, even if they've never played before.
Comment

Pro
 Tense thanks to a hidden scoring system

Score chips are placed face down on the table and are worth 1 or 5 points. Only you will know your own score. Even if you know how many chips your opponent has, you won't be able to tell their point total since the chips are worth variable points. This keeps things tense from start to finish.
Comment

Pro
 Everyone can participate

Time wise, the game never feels dominated by a single player. Everyone gets to choose a role for their turn and there's never any scenario or situation where a player is left out or forced to sit out a round. This makes it a great game for any group or get together.
Comment

Con
 Takes a long time to set up

It takes longer than the average board game to set up. This is compounded by the fact that each player has their own board. When playing with multiple new players, helping each one set up their board for the first time can be quite a time sink.
Comment

Con
 Not a lot of visual appeal

The board colors are washed out and very bland. Buildings and other resources are simply cards with text. It's definitely not an exciting game to look at, and that may make some people hesitant to want to play.
Comment

Con
 Requires a minimum of three players

You will need a minimum of three people to play, however even with this number, the game might feel slower than intended due to all the unused roles every round. The game is played best with 4-5 players so that more roles are filled and the game can speed along.
Comment

Con
 It's hard to catch up if you fall behind

It's very easy for more experienced players to quickly take the lead with proven strategies. New or inexperienced players that are trailing behind may never be able to catch up. Since everyone can play all the roles, there's not really any random luck that will allow you to take the lead out of nowhere.
Comment

Pro
 A great party game

Balderdash has been around since 1984 and has proven itself to be perfect for all kinds of gettogethers. The game is simple and filled with plenty of socialization, bluffing, ridiculous answers, and laughter. Players receive points from other players, so it’s entirely possible to move forward on the gameboard only because of others applauding what you’ve written. Players can often get some laughs and points out of everyone by making their answers little throwbacks to previous answers. When everyone has chosen an answer, the correct one is revealed. This can lead to plenty of hilarious discussions about how another answer appeared more probable.
Comment

Con
 Highly group dependent

The game requires people to understand it, socialize, be engaged, and have fun with it. If a person isn’t really invested into making creative answers, or just isn’t particularly good at Balderdash, then it can be very easy to spot which answers are incorrect right off the bat, which kind of ruins the experience. Similarly, if a player is just unfamiliar with the game or maybe just learned it, then their experience also won’t be as fun and pleasant as that of an experienced player who knows the ins and outs of the game. For example, the way the correct answers are formulated, common tendencies, etc.
Comment

Pro
 Easy

The game is very easy to teach and accessible because there really isn’t much to it. The basics are straightforward – you take a card, roll dice, and choose the category on the card that matches the rolled number (if a player rolls 6, they can choose the category). Then you say whatever is written under the category to the other players – a word that requires a definition, a movie that needs its plot, etc. While the players are writing their answers, you write down the real one. Once everyone has handed in the answers, you read them aloud. Then the players vote, and you write down which player voted for who. After that points are distributed. If nobody managed to guess the correct answer, then the “dasher” (the person reading the answers) receives three points which translates to three moves on the gameboard. If a player’s written answer was correct or very close, they receive three points and their answer is not read aloud with the others. Otherwise players receive a point for every other player voting for their answer. Two points are given to whoever guesses the correct one. The first person to reach the finish space on the gameboard wins.
Comment

Pro
 Decent replayability

You will never play the same game of Balderdash twice. The box of the game includes 280 cards with 5 categories on each. Even if you manage to draw the same card in a different game, chances are the dice roll will make you read out a different category anyway.
Comment

Con
 Not suitable for younger children

Balderdash might not be the best fit for children under the recommended age of 12. It’s a smart game that requires some higher language comprehension and general knowledge of many things, for example, movie plots and laws, to be able to effectively bluff as you write and formulate your answers.
Comment

Con
 Not fun with two people

The game devolves into a pure guessing game when played by two people. The gameplay consists of one player writing down the false answer and the true answer and making the other person guess which one is correct. While it keeps some of the bluffing elements, it really takes a lot of the laughter and light-heartedness out of Balderdash.
Comment

Pro
 Allows one to be creative

When writing down answers the player gets to be as creative as they like and the game tends to encourage silly as well as ridiculous answers.
Comment

Pro
 Good with larger groups

The description says 2-6 players but it's really fun with a group of 4+, if more than 6 just pair up the players and it will still be a hilarious time.
Comment

Con
 Components included are very sparse

Balderdash, for its price should include more in the box as not even including pencils means the game can not be played without outside equipment.
Comment

Pro
 Easy to learn

Arimaa is a game suitable for both young and old, it was made to be intuitively simple but with a lot of depth. Even the setup follows this premise - you set up the figures in two rows like in chess, but you can place them in any way you like. The rules are simple – in your turn you have four actions. You can either move a figure four times, move four figures one time, or do any combination in between. All figures can move forwards, backwards, and sideways apart from rabbits who can’t go backwards. You can use two actions on a stronger piece to push or pull your opponents’ weaker figures. These stronger figures also “freeze” adjacent weaker pieces, preventing them from moving unless there’s a friendly piece next to them. If a figure happens to walk into one of the four trap squares or get pushed/pulled into one without a friendly piece next to it, then it is removed from the game. The first player to get a rabbit to reach the opposing side wins. The game can also be won by removing or immobilizing all your opponent’s rabbits.
Comment

Con
 Requires constant engagement

Arimaa can get out of hand quickly because there’s pretty much no way of predicting how future turns will play out. This is because it’s significantly harder to pinpoint four actions that your opponent might do as opposed to one action in similar games to Arimaa. Due to this the game requires the players to continually pay close attention to what they’re doing, which isn’t inherently bad, but can be a bit problematic for people with shorter attention spans or for people who don't want to take the game too seriously and just play it for fun and socialize meanwhile.
Comment

Pro
 Active online community

The official site of Arimaa is quite lively and features reviews, downloads, the latest news, an active public forum, and much more. There’s even an online gameroom, so you can play Arimaa against computers or other people in either turn-based or real-time games. There are many people online, so it shouldn’t be a problem to find a game.
Comment

Pro
 Can be played with a chess set

In case you don't want to purchase the gameboard made by Z-Man Games, you can use the components of a regular chess set. It also helps if you have four coins to mark the trap squares. You probably already have the equipment you need.
Comment

Pro
 Fluid gameplay

The 4 moves per turn gives Arimaa's tree of possible moves a very high branching factor. (It was invented for AI programmers as a game more difficult to program for than chess, but easier than Go). You can't think several turns ahead like chess (the space of possibilities is too big), instead you have to think in terms of distances and capabilities, giving Arimaa a very fluid feel.
Comment

Con
 Quite long to play

A game of Arimaa is very unpredictable and can often lead to a very long session. The time can vary between 15 minutes and 2 hours, so it’s not great if you’re looking for something that you can quickly grab and play through.
Comment

Pro
 Great for quick gameplay sessions

A group of experienced players can play a game of Race for the Galaxy in 30-60 minutes easily. There are no complex boards or pieces to manage, and each game usually only lasts about 7-12 turns.
Comment

Con
 Iconography can be difficult to learn

This game relies heavily on a variety of symbols to indicate what each card does. This can make it very difficult for new players that don't yet understand what each symbol means. These symbols range from different colored shapes like circles and diamonds to shapes with various icons inside them. It's not always intuitive what they mean, so expect to consult the rule book quite often while learning.
Comment

Pro
 Each round is different and exciting

At the start of every round, players each choose one action card from among a pool of their seven cards and place it face down on the table. After everyone has chosen, all the cards are flipped over and the round begins. Any action chosen can be completed by all players. For example, if you choose to Explore, then everyone else may also explore on that turn. If your opponent chose to Produce, then you are also free to produce. Since you never know what actions the people around you are going to choose for that turn, it's possible that any or all actions will come into play that round. This keeps things fresh and exciting on a per round basis as you never know (except for your own choice) which actions will be 100% in play.
Comment

Pro
 Many different ways to win

There are seven different actions that can be taken each turn such as Produce, Explore, Develop, etc. Each of these actions will then influence which cards you can play from your hand, and also the points you get from all active cards already in play. There are are an almost unlimited amount of possible scenarios and ways to accumulate the most points. No one strategy will ever overpower another thanks to so many random factors and paths to victory.
Comment

Pro
 Organized rule book makes locating rules convenient

The rules may be complex, but the rule book itself is incredibly well-organized and contains clear instructions, diagrams, and pictures. Each page contains a handy summary section with a quick overview of each rule. There's also a detailed glossary that contains the description for each and every symbol that appears on the game cards. When you inevitably need to look up anything mid-game, the information is at least easy to locate.
Comment

Pro
 High quality, durable cards

All the game cards feature high quality artwork of planets, ships, and various sci-fi technology. They are printed on durable cardboard that doesn't bend or tear easily. When properly used and stored, they should stay in good condition for a long time.
Comment

Pro
 Setup is fast and easy

There are no complex boards or game pieces to deal with. Each player simply chooses a home world and is given seven action cards and dealt some play cards. Then, victory tokens are placed in a pile (12 per player). Thanks to a small amount of pieces and very little preparation, this game can be setup and ready to play in under a minute.
Comment

Con
 Strict, complex rules ruin some of the enjoyment

It can be really hard to enjoy the game when you're more focused on the rules than having fun. Having to consult the rule book several times per turn can get old after a while, and may turn new players off completely.
Comment

Con
 Steep learning curve

This is a difficult game to learn. Not only does each card contain symbols which need to be memorized, it has very complex rules in general. Each turn is defined by a very rigid and detailed ruleset.
Comment

Con
 Not much player interactivity

The cards you play have an influence what your opponent can and cannot do each turn, but it all feels so random and impersonal. There's little to no communication required among the group. Everyone just scrambles to get their points without really worrying too much about what the player sitting next to them is doing. This issue is fixed in the expansions, but those who only own the base game are out of luck.
Comment

Con
 Expansions are nearly mandatory

In order to get the most out of this game, buying the expansions is considered mandatory in the board gaming community. The gameplay itself doesn't quite feel complete without all the additional rules and cards. The base game is fully playable, but most of the focus on player interactivity and balance went into the expansions.
Comment

Con
 Different rules when playing with only 2 players

It is highly recommended to play with 3 or more players, but there is a rule set available for when only 2 players are available. However, this requires learning an entirely modified set of advanced rules. This can be especially complex and frustrating for people who are still struggling with the standard rules.
Comment

Pro
 Deep and strategic

Race for the Galaxy is deep and offers plenty of room for customized strategies, so those who enjoy more advanced games should really enjoy it. For example, you may put together an intelligent play by trying to predict which phase your opponents are going to choose on any given turn. If your opponent controls an area that allows them to trade resources for cards, they might choose the Trade Phase that turn. Since all players can participate in any other player's chosen phase, you may want to counterplay with the Settle Phase so you can join the area and take advantage of the trade too. There are hundreds of scenarios like this. The amount of sheer strategy and paths to victory combined with the random nature of cards can create plenty of interesting and deep gameplay sessions.
Comment

Pro
 Replayable

The game will most definitely lead to more future plays because of the huge number of variables. In the base game there are many characters and equipment cards available, so players will get different combinations and use altered strategies. All scenarios except for the last one can be played in different orders, which influences their difficulty significantly – a scenario that was easy on your first playthrough might be very different the next time around. Because of this every campaign will also play out differently. In addition to that, there are plenty of expansions that add new scenarios, enemies, heroes, and mechanics. There is also the possibility to create custom scenarios or find them online. If you can’t or don’t want to play the campaign, you can also choose to play a separate scenario by quickly creating guilds, choosing the level, and dealing upgrade cards to everyone. The player with the most gold coins wins.
Comment

Pro
 Easy to teach

The game is not difficult at all, since even children can easily play it. On your turn you can either activate one of your three heroes or rest your party. The heroes can move three spaces and attack or do it the other way around. Combat is done by choosing a weapon and rolling the amount of special dice shown on the weapon card. After that the weapon is exhausted and you must rest to use it again. Resting also revives any dead heroes. To finish scenarios players must complete quests. There are both PvE quests that require you to kill monsters or escort characters and PvP quests that make you slay heroes from other guilds. The first player to complete three quests, one of which is a PvP quest, is the winner of the scenario and may choose the next scenario to play. The winners of scenarios receive additional bonuses that come in later in the campaign. After the scenario is complete, players can use the gold coins they’ve earned in the scenario to purchase new gear. All heroes who died during the scenario receive a corresponding amount of death tokens. The player must then draw the same number of cards from the “Death Curse” deck and take the card with the highest value. These cards weaken the hero in the next scenario and are removed after that scenario is finished.
Comment

Con
 Potential runaway leader problem

A player might become too powerful in the campaign by getting the right gear on the right character and get a huge lead on others, which makes them the most likely to win scenarios, get even better equipment, and reinforce their lead. There is no real way of preventing this because there is no catch-up mechanic that doesn’t involve luck. Ganging up on the powerful player isn’t very effective either.
Comment

Con
 Requires dedication to finish

Getting the same group together to finish the campaign can be a struggle sometimes. This is a popular issue with campaign-based board games. The full campaign is going to take a pretty long time – up to six hours.
Comment

Pro
 Light-hearted and funny

The game can’t be taken very seriously because of the art style and the way it plays. This makes Arcadia Quest a good game for all ages and settings – children, adults, families. Arcadia Quest is very cartoony, and the cards are often quite humorous, for example, a possible “Death Curse” players can draw can be a “Severe nosebleed” card. The game is full of memorable and hilarious moments as you and your friends battle through the campaign competing with monsters and each other. The quests you receive will make you hunt down heroes of other guilds or try to somehow block them off, preventing them from completing the monster hunting quests. The rolling mechanic can also lead to some comments - players face off hoping to get lucky with critical hits.
Comment

Pro
 Good component quality

The components should hold up very well to regular wear and tear. The gameboard consists of large and thick cardboard tiles, the cards and player boards are made from durable cardstock, the miniatures are made of good quality soft plastic, and all the small cardboard tokens are also tough.
Comment

Pro
 Great aesthetics

Arcadia Quest has a very nice family-friendly cartoony art-style that suits the light-hearted theme of the game. Both the heroes and the monsters have oversized heads that add to this nature. All the components are very detailed – cards, game tiles, tokens, and especially the plastic figures. Since the figures are all white you can also get creative and paint them.
Comment

Pro
 No gamemaster

Unlike many other dungeon-crawl games, Arcadia Quest doesn’t require a designated player to become a gamemaster, so everyone can join in on the fun. This is because of the monster mechanics. Monsters get to attack players in reaction to their movements and attacks. The player to the right of the active player takes control of the provoked monster – moves, rolls dice, etc.
Comment

Con
 Needs storage space

The box of the game contains a lot of stuff. Chances are, you won’t be able to squeeze it all back once you’re done with the scenario, so, as is common for games with a lot of components, getting separate containers might be a good idea.
Comment

Con
 A lot of setup

Before you can start delving into the abandoned city of Arcadia you need to dig through tiles and set up monsters, doors, walls, portals and the whole scenario while constantly consulting the manual for the correct pattern, so the first ten minutes or so can be a bit frustrating.
Comment

Con
 Not everyone will enjoy combat

The combat in Arcadia Quest requires you to roll special dice that features a critical hit mechanic, which can influence results a lot. You can attack with a ranged attack or a melee attack, and you need to roll the corresponding icon or a crit. A crit is a guaranteed hit and a re-roll. The same idea applies for rolling defensive dice – you need a shield or a crit. Basically, this means that you could theoretically kill someone or escape death by rolling one dice repeatedly if you keep getting crits, which can be very frustrating for others.
Comment

Con
 Quite expensive

The price ranges from $70 to $99, which can be quite the investment.
Comment

Pro
 The limited number of turns lead to very tense and engaging gameplay

Since the game plays out over the course of only 6 years with players receiving only 2 actions per year, actions are very limited over-all. This gives additional weight and meaning to every decision in the game as players try to optimize their estates and balance short-term rewards with long-term goals.
Comment

Pro
 Incredible component quality

For the deluxe edition of this game Eagle-Griffon games hired famous boardgame artist Ian O'Toole to do all new art for both the box and the player boards, resulting in one of the most beautiful games of 2016. They also went above and beyond with the physical components, opting for thick, high-quality cardboard for most of the pieces and chunky wooden bits for everything else.
Comment

Pro
 Two games in one

In addition to the original 2010 edition of the game, the deluxe edition features a new, streamlined and updated, set of rules that help make the game much more accessible to players who are new to heavy euro-style games.
Comment

Con
 High cost might be a problem for some

Although justified by the impressive quality of the components and the game itself, it is still a relatively expensive game and may not fit in everyone's budget.
Comment

Con
 Not well suited for new board gamers

Vinhos is a very heavy euro-style boardgame and as such has many complicated and interacting parts that might be too much for a new boardgamer to handle. Since there is almost no randomness in the game, the winner is usually the player who played best or knows the game best, which means that a single mistake can make it very hard to win.
Comment

Pro
 Accessible and easy to learn game systems

While the actual rule book may not be the most organized manual in the world, the gameplay systems themselves are very simple to grasp, even for new players. Thanks to being both intuitive and easy to follow, anyone can join in on the fun. Descent uses basic dice rolls for most actions, and how many actions you can take per turn are clearly defined based on your hero class. Movement along the board is handled in a grid like fashion with each tile denoting a certain distance. There is never any second guessing of whether or not you're in range to help a friend or attack an enemy. If you can roll dice, follow a tile based board, and understand a few simple rules, you can easily play this game.
Comment

Pro
 Blends competitive and co-operative game play in one game

The premise is pretty unique in that one player takes on the role of an overlord while all other players act as the heroes who attempt to clear the dungeon. The overlord and the heroes play against each other in a turn-based setup. The overlord is the one responsible for controlling the monsters and other pitfalls that the heroes will face. The overlord also has access to many powerful spell cards which can be played during their turn. The heroes work together to clear the dungeon of monsters and work towards the victory condition for their quest. Since the main evil force is player controlled, it creates some really interesting situations not often seen in other boardgames such as monsters being able to play strategically and dealing with spell effects that aren't random.
Comment

Con
 One player will always have to be the "bad guy"

Unless using the mobile app, which may very well ruin immersion for some, there is an evil overlord role that needs to be filled by a player. This is the player that makes decisions and takes actions for all the monsters. As such, this can be the source of many arguments. It can get especially bad when someone feels like they are being constantly targeted or singled out by the overlord.
Comment

Pro
 Engaging and replayable full campaign mode

Each 60 to 90 minute game consists of a single quest, however there is a campaign mode where heroes can take on a series of story quests while also learning new skills along the way. This is a great mode for that true epic adventure feeling. If you find a hero you enjoy, you can grow and develop this character over time similar to a standard RPG game. Additionally, no two campaigns will ever be the same. There are 8 different classes to select from, and you can pick and choose the quests you do, which adds a lot of replayability.
Comment

Pro
 Appealing, clean presentation

Everything is laid out cleanly on the board so it's easy to keep track of the action. Each player has their own cards with all usable actions and skills neatly presented. All heroes and monsters have game pieces that can be moved around the board, so it's easy to be aware of your surroundings and plan your next attack. The health system uses special token pieces that are used to keep track of your health. Being able to see your health physically raise and lower to keep track of your damage taken is a nice touch.
Comment

Pro
 Can play solo with the mobile app

There's a mobile app called "Road to Legend" that lets you play this game solo. The app works by taking over the overlord role. It even has multiple difficulty settings so you can get as much of a challenge as you crave. It's a great way to play when you have no friends available for a gaming session.
Comment

Pro
 Bitesized quests for quick fun

Each short gaming session consists of one quest with its own victory condition and two encounters. They are quick to play when you're looking for something fun to do for an hour or so.
Comment

Pro
 Lots of expansion packs to keep the fun going

The makers of this board game have added over ten expansion packs which feature new monsters, quests, campaigns, heroes, and re-balanced mechanics. Even after you've extensively played the vanilla game, there's plenty of ways to extend the fun and keep playing a game you enjoy.
Comment

Con
 Physical quality isn't the best

The game cards and board are flimsy and wear down rather easily. After only a few games, the wear and tear will be noticeable.
Comment

Con
 Rules can be confusing

While the game systems themselves are rather easy to pick up and learn, some phrasing on the cards and within the rulebook is a bit cryptic, which may result in confusion when first starting out.
Comment

Con
 Disorganized rulebook

It's usually easier to find the information you need with an internet search since the rulebook itself is tough to navigate. It's arranged alphabetically by rule rather than organized in a manner that would align with the game flow.
Comment

Pro
 Had a movie made out of it

There is a Hollywood movie licensed from the game Clue called Clue. It stars Tim Curry and is frankly fantastic. Go and watch it if you have not already.
Comment

Pro
 Worthwhile lessons for kids to learn

Through the playing of the game Clue children can potentially learn that criminals always get caught for cimes commited as well as learn the process of elimination.
Comment

Pro
 Different editions

There are three different editions to choose from, CLUE THE CLASSIC MYSTERY GAME, CLUE GAME 2013 EDITION and CLUE GAME.
Comment

Con
 2013 edition has new rules and is too easy

Stay away from the 2013 edition as the board has been changed to where all rooms can be reached in a single dice roll (way too easy) as well as rules have been tweaked so more of the cards are known from the beginning (again, making the game too easy). Last but not least the character names have been changed to make them more "hip".
Comment

Pro
 Gameplay grows more complex over time

Limited options are available at the beginning of the game. There's only a few pieces in play along with quest cards that give simple, concrete goals. However, gameplay grows more complex as buildings are added and new quests become available. For example, where to move your agents, which opponent to interrupt by playing intrigue cards, and which kind of quests you focus on are goals that will shift and evolve as the game progresses.
Comment

Pro
 Quick gaming sessions

Each game is only eight rounds and can be played in an hour or two.
Comment

Pro
 Dungeons and Dragons in reverse

Based on DnD lore, but you're the one setting quests instead of going on them. It's fun to feel like a powerful Lord ordering your agents around and making them complete quests for your own benefit.
Comment

Pro
 Easy to teach new players how to play

Within a few turns, even new players should be able to understand the basic mechanics. You move your agents around the board, complete quests with them, and get points based on the difficulty of the quest. Whoever is able to gain the most points by the end of the 8th round wins. Thanks to the simple rules and the game's easy-to-understand nature, this makes it very approachable for all skill levels.
Comment

Pro
 Intrigue cards add a huge element of player interaction

The player interaction aspects of Lords of Waterdeep stem from the aptly named Intrigue cards. By moving your agents to a special area of the game board, you are able to bring one of these cards into play. They let you do such things as steal money or resources from other players, force your opponents onto a mandatory quest, sabotage their current quest in progress, or even temporarily bend the rules of the game. Choosing which opponent you're going to sabotage and how you're going to do it can result in plenty of in-game interactions with your fellow players.
Comment

Pro
 Fun to mess with your friends

While completing your own quests, you have the opportunity to sabotage your opponents' quests with disruption cards. This makes it harder for them to complete their quests and even steal their money/resources. There are also mandatory quests that can be forced onto your opponents, which means they must complete that quest before they can take on any new ones. These can lead to many humorous and interesting moments with your friends as you attempt to prevent each other from progressing in devious and devastating ways.
Comment

Pro
 Great presentation

The game board is sturdy and the pieces are colorful. Even the currency comes in the form of cardboard Waterdeep coins which really help sell the D&D theme. The rule book is loaded with pictures and illustrations. Overall, everything is presented very nicely. There's even a handy plastic mold to neatly put everything away when you're finished playing and keep everything in good shape.
Comment

Con
 Not enough winning strategies

The main objective is to gain as many points as possible by having your agents/workers complete quests. There's not much in the way of strategy due to this one win condition. In almost all cases, the game will simply be won by the player who can tackle quests the most efficiently while dealing with anything their opponents throw at them.
Comment

Con
 Might not appeal to veteran gamers

The game systems are rather plain and basic, and it doesn't bring much new to the genre. It may not be appealing to veteran gamers as the gameplay is not very deep when compared to other similar games.
Comment

Con
 Can cause arguments

Having to plead with your friends not to interrupt your quest flow can result in many arguments. Having an opponent play an intrigue card on you, especially the mandatory quest card, can completely ruin your chance at winning. It's easy to get frustrated with other players, especially if you feel like you're being unfairly targeted or teamed up against repeatedly.
Comment

Pro
 Memorable moments

The game can lead to some awesome moments because of the little penguins. Depending on where you hit the penguin, it will move differently. For example, if you flick the head of it, it will make the penguin jump. This can lead to some crazy trick-shots where someone manages to jump over walls. You can also flick them on the side, which will make the penguin spin. By doing this you could spin through multiple rooms and gather a lot of points or catch several penguins on the same turn.
Comment

Con
 Has a learning curve

Ice Cool is quite skill-based and requires practice on flicking the penguin pawns to get them to go where you want to. The rulebook has some tips, but the techniques can only be learned by playing the game. A new player won’t do well against a player who has already played a bit.
Comment

Pro
 Easy to learn

Ice Cool is very straightforward, it all revolves around flicking little penguin pawns. Doorways will have fish pegs attached to them, when you flick a penguin through it, then you’ll receive the fish and get to draw a fish card that gives you victory points. Each round one player will be the hall monitor who will try to catch other penguins and gather their student ID’s by hitting them instead of gathering fish. The round ends either when the hall monitor has gathered all ID’s or when someone has gathered all three fish tokens. The game ends when everyone has been the hall monitor. The player with the most points on their fish cards wins.
Comment

Pro
 High quality components

The components of Ice Cool are very interesting and well-made. The game’s playing surface is made of five 3D boxes that all fit in the game’s box. The player tokens are four penguins made of hard plastic that are weighted in the base so that they keep wobbling when hit. Throughout the game players gather fish tokens, which are nice and small wooden pieces similar to pegs. There are also some cards in the game – ID cards and fish cards, which are all made of durable cardstock.
Comment

Pro
 Beautiful design

Aesthetically Ice Cool looks very impressive. The playing surface is a 3D school consisting of five different rooms that feature many little details all over the walls – maps, fish, basketball hoops, etc. Everything has a blue, cold-looking color scheme, which kind of mimics an igloo. The cards also have some great artwork on them. The ID’s are two-sided for boys and girls. Each colored penguin has a different look and style. The fish cards depict, you guessed it, fish. The bigger the point value, the bigger the meal.
Comment

Pro
 Easy to set up

The gameboard of Ice Cool is big, but it’s quite simple to set up. The playing surface consists of five boxes that all fit in the game’s box. You connect them in the correct places, all of which are marked with colored dots on the edges of the boxes. After that you take the little beige colored fish tokens and place them in the marked spots to keep the gameboard in place, and you’re good to go.
Comment

Con
 Luck-based scoring

Catching penguins and gathering fish to get victory points in Ice Cool requires skill, but the values on the fish cards you get range from 1 to 3, which means that even if you’re good at the game, you can lose because of pure chance. Someone could potentially score the same amount out of one card as you with three cards.
Comment

Con
 Only one layout

The gameboard can only be arranged in one way, so the game can get quite repetitive in this aspect.
Comment

Pro
 Hilarious party interactions due to hidden cylon players

The game is at its core cooperative. However, the fact that there is at least one Cylon in every game, the distrust between players provides interesting party dynamics.
Comment

Pro
 Well reflects the series' atmosphere

If you are in atmosphere while playing a board game - this is the one to go with. The heavy use of the Battlestar franchise gives a sense of depth that is missing from other similar types of games. With the extra expansion available there is even more depth and atmosphere added to the game as well.
Comment

Con
 Needs a few playhthroughs to learn all the rules

With 3 expansions, which add their own rules and mechanics, fully understanding all the game rules can take some time.
Comment

Pro
 The pictures on the cards are very funny

Comment

Pro
 Very social

You can trade and gift
Comment

Pro
 Funny

Comment

Pro
 Fast paced

Comment

Pro
 Simple enough, even for kids, but allowing different strategies

Comment

Pro
 Spectacular combos, endless strategies

The cards and various factions allow for spectacular combos to be put into place.
Comment

Con
 Strictly a two-player game

May not work for groups of friends looking to play the same game. To add more players, you'd need to buy another deck.
Comment

Pro
 Very fast play time allows for either multiple plays in a session or a quick round between longer games

As players continue to build their decks the amount of damage they can do with any given hand scales dramatically so that this game rarely takes more than a half an hour to play one round. This makes it an excellent game to fill small bits of time whether between games at a game night or waiting for food at a restaurant.
Comment

Pro
 Hilarious

The game can lead to some hilarious moments when either guessing the answer or debating to find it. The key is to understand the Spy Master's thought process, but this is a harder task than it might seem at the start. Since the Spy Master can't speak, the team often miscommunicates, which results in laughter for the other team and some frustration for the guessers, more often than not accompanied with a comment about how bad the Spy Master is. The debating process can be quite funny as well - the operatives might argue about who's right and what the Spy Master might've thought, or be completely confident in their guess and still fail. No matter the outcome, when the game ends the Spy Master can finally vent all of his built-up frustration, which can result in some good laughs too.
Comment

Pro
 Players can easily drop in and out of the game

Codenames is a very accessible deduction game, where players guess words based on one clue from the Spy Master. A lot of people have been in the situation where a game is already in progress, but someone shows up and wants to join in - with Codenames this isn't a problem. A player can easily join a team and take part in the debates for the correct guess. There is no plot, no intricate mechanic that needs to be explained to people before they can play. You could even switch the players after every turn, and it wouldn't change the gameplay.
Comment

Pro
 Nearly endless replayability

You will almost never play the exact same game twice. You could play this game for years and you'll still have to stop and think of clues to give your operatives or ways to interpret what's been said to you. Codenames comes with 200 double-sided codename cards, of which you use 25 per game. Moreover, there are 40 key cards showing the layout of the agents that can each be orientated in 4 different ways.
Comment

Pro
 Best for small groups

Scrabble can be played with two to four players making for a good choice of game when only few people are around.
Comment

Con
 Depending on the edition quality can be quite cheap

Many of the cheaper editions of the game have poor quality including uncentered boards as well as cheap wood letter pieces.
Comment

Pro
 Offers different editions

There are many different editions of Scrabble including collectors editions with the whole board made out of wood to sets that have a rotating plastic board.
Comment

Pro
 Great party game

“Sheriff of Nottingham” is a great game for providing some action and laughs at a smaller get-together, which is to be expected from an easy game that revolves around light roleplay, random banter, and lying and bribing your way to victory. While not necessarily a roleplaying game, sometimes players can’t help but change their voice when taking on the role of the sheriff and threatening the merchants. The same principle works the other way around – merchants tend to come up with witty excuses when trying to bribe the sheriff or pass their stock as legitimate. All of this can lead to some hilarious and memorable moments.
Comment

Pro
 Incredibly tense gameplay

Each round in Food Chain Magnate players have the opportunity to compete for various milestones such as first to market a burger, first to hire 3 employees in one turn, or first to cook a pizza. These milestones are only available until the first turn a player completes them, after which point they are removed from the game. However, they provide very powerful bonuses to the players that reach them, leading to very tense rounds as players try to be the only one to unlock their preferred milestones while also completing the milestones that opponents unlock that round.
Comment

Pro
 Food Chain Magnate provides an excellent gaming experience focused around short term tactics and long term startegy

Food Chain Magnate has no randomness from things like dice or random card draws, instead, all of the information in the game is clearly presented on the table at all times for all players to see. This means that players win or lose based on how well they are able to play the game, not based on chance. To succeed, each player will need to find the right mix of tactics and strategy to build their empire.
Comment

Con
 In Food Chain Magnate mistakes tend to compound over time

Because of the heavy strategy emphasis in FCM there aren't many opportunities for players to recover from particularly bad mistakes, leaving them far behind the other players as the game progresses.
Comment

Con
 Expansion

This is not a standalone game. It requires the base cards from the original Dominion or one of the standalone expansions (like Dominion: Intrigue), but the base cards are also available separately.
Comment

Pro
 A game you'll never forget

Playing this game creates memories that will last a lifetime.
Comment

Con
 Complicated gameplay

Comment

Con
 You'll only play once

Playing this game makes you hate your friends. You'll get over it, but you'll never play this game again (or not for a decade or so, at least.).
Comment

Pro
 Tactically rich

Apart from the initial setup, luck plays little to no role in the outcome of this game. You have to try to predict the moves of your opponents while simultaneously thinking about your own moves, in order to win. For example, if you're trying to collect the full set of same-color tiles, you need to be aware if other players are doing the same. There are 20 tiles of each color, and if all players are trying to collect the yellow ones, there might not be enough in rotation for all to succeed. You get points from placing tiles, and various combinations give you more points. You can lose points if you don't think ahead, and you can also take risks where you lose a few points to gain many more.
Comment

Pro
 Aesthetically pleasing

The game itself is very beautiful. Azul was inspired by the tiles at Alhambra. The design is bright, upbeat and colorful.
Comment

Pro
 Variety of strategy and patterns keep the game from becoming repetitive

There are multiple ways to get points. For example- aiming to get all tiles of the same color or getting the most columns. If the preset pattern has become too familiar, you can use the other side of the board to create your own pattern. It's completely blank, so you can come up with multiple possible patterns.
Comment

Con
 Scoring system can be confusing

Scores are counted at the end of each round (when there are no more tiles left in the factory). It's confusing for the following rounds, because you have to count each single tile only once. The scoring system is also confusing in the way that it counts tile combinations. For each adjacent tile, you get an extra point for the row and for the column. It takes a little practice to get use to it.
Comment

Con
 Minor design flaw may cause you to lose a piece right out of the box

When you first open Azul, you'll have to push out the cardboard pieces from a larger sheet of cardboard (as is often the case with many games nowadays), which is not a problem. However, one of the game pieces- the 1st player token- is not easily noticeable at first. Some users have accidentally thrown out this piece in the trash.
Comment

Pro
 Good for beginners or people that just want a quick game to play

Tokaido is a great game for entry level board game players as well as something that can be played fast, for those that don't want to play a game that lasts hours.
Comment

Con
 May be too tame for heavy board game players

While utilizing plenty of interesting mechanics, Tokaido may be a little too simplistic for those looking for a more involved board game.
Comment

Pro
 Can be mixed with Spyfall 1

It will add more locations and make the game harder for experienced spies.
Comment

Pro
 Allows for really big parties (12 players max)

Comment

Pro
 An interesting twist on a Mafia-style game

The spy doesn't try to kill everyone, but to find out where he or she is and to blend with others. This unleashes the player's creativity in asking and answering in that way that only villains will understand it
Comment

Con
 Heavily dependant on the team's playfullness

Not talkative or extremely serious people will definitely make the game an ordinary mafia challenge.
Comment

Con
 Highly trivial if played in 3 or 4

It is very easy to reveal the spy in small teams.
Comment

Pro
 Strategy game

Let's you develop a strategy and forces you to think a few steps ahead playing off the moves of others. Also allows you to develop alliances and enemies which allows for fun banter.
Comment

Con
 Easily snowballs

Leaders in the game generally keep winning and losers in the game generally keep losing. It's difficult to stop the snowballing.
Comment

Pro
 Deep

A lot of aspects, great asymmetric setup with 14 different but reasonably balanced races.
Comment

Con
 Far too abstract to have any value as a fantasy board game. Could be any worker placement game with any theme

Comment

Pro
 Innovative deck builder. One of the first games to use the fun of deck building with a game board and player piece.

Your goal is to create the best card deck to move yourself around the dungeon, collecting treasures while surviving the dragon attacks.
Comment

Pro
 Easily choose the length of game

By allowing the player to choose checkpoint and boards before a game the length is easily set. So for those looking for something either short or long the choice is there.
Comment

Pro
 Program then resolve

You plan your moves before playing them; much like writing code before running it, where you may encounter exceptions you'd not foreseen.
Comment

Con
 Not great for a family with young kids

Boardgames are a social thing that many play with their families, the downside being if the children in the family are young this game may not be the best choice. The recommended age is 12+.
Comment

Pro
 Variety of piece types

There are 3 different ground units, 3 different air units, and 5 different sea units you can build, as well as different support structures. Because each piece is different, the leaning curve can be large...but it forces you to be strategic and think about unit counters, which often ends up having a good blend of units
Comment

Pro
 Many different versions

There are about fifteen different version of Axis & Allies, ranging from 1940-42 with 1st and 2nd editions of each to Pacific and Europe editions.
Comment

Con
 Relies too much on luck

Using dice is always going to depend on luck but many feel that Axis & Allies using too many dice rolls which brings about too much luck for all the players.
Comment

Pro
 No turns

Comment

Con
 Hard to come back

An early lead almost inevitably leads to a win.
Comment

Pro
 Many different editions

There are many different editions of Monopoly available including Junior and Anniversary. There is also a slew of themed Monopoly games such as Disney and Star Wars.
Comment

Con
 Potential for early player elimination

A player may become bankrupt long before the end of the game.
Comment

Con
 Boring and predictable, only one strategy to win

Comment

Pro
 Easy enough to understand for children

Monopoly is easy enough to understand the rules of and follow the gameplay for children above the age of 8.
Comment

Pro
 2 to 6 playes

Monopoly can be played with as little as two players and as many as six. This makes it a very versatile game as it can be played one on one or with small gatherings.
Comment

Con
 Variant rules

Though not a fault of the game itself, most families have their own house rules, often omitting several such as: Auctioning any available property not purchased by the person landing on the square. Only purchasing houses / hotels once the complete set of properties of matching color are owned by the player. Gain money on Free Parking, which makes the game take too long.
Comment

Con
 This attempts to fix core problems in the base game but it all is too long and not enough fun to be worth anything.

Comment

Con
 This edition attempts to fix core problems in the base game, but it's all is too long and not enough fun to be worth playing.

Comment

Con
 Complex

The complexity will deter casual players. You might have difficulty finding anyone to play with.
Comment

Con
 Expansion

It's an expansion requiring an already expensive base game. The base game is merely good. With the expansion, it ranks among the best board games.
Comment
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