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RECENT REVIEW THUMBNAILS

Barry has just played... 

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Small but strong

8/30/2020

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Crime zoom: his last card (2020) review

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Designer: Stéphane Anquetil
Artist: Cetteilart,
Julien Long, Christopher Matt
Publisher: Aurora


1 to 6 players
60 minutes
Age 14 years and over
Language dependency: strong


Written by Guilou


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The game we are going to talk about today is part of directly in line with the games that are currently very popular. Small priced, small boxes that offer an investigation or challenges to be solved in a limited time. Do you know what I'm talking about? Yes that's right, all those games derived from Unlock! and Escape Games in general. Since the (deserved) success of this style of games, each publisher tries to release THEIR success and its series of works which will deviate from the beaten track and impose themselves in the circles of gamers. Among the whole wave of more or less successful Escape Game lookalikes, a new genre has emerged: minimalist investigation games. Minimalist because it is a complete set condensed in a small box with small components. Crime Zoom in which we are going to talk about here, is a perfect example.

In view of the zero replayability of the title and in the concern of not spoiling the game for you, this review will be a little special because in the images and in the text we have posted there is nothing that will reveal anything at all of all the content or the progress of the game's plot. In terms of images, we have chosen famous investigators. It's like that, it's a gift (will you be able to find them all?).
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​Crime Zoom:
The latest investigation card game from Stéphane Anquetil is being published by the small French company Aurora Games. And the game is brought to life with the illustrations of Cetteilart, Julien Long and Christopher Matt.


In the box, you’ll find 55 cards and the rules of the game. Yes that's it. Minimalistic says it all. The challenge is the size: to come up with an interesting investigation with very little materials. Note that already 15 of these cards will be used to illustrate the crime scene. Mission accomplished ?

For the record ... You play as an American investigative team in the 80’s. One evening, you are called to go to the scene of a crime which took place in a small apartment in Brooklyn. For once, you are early, and you arrive before everyone else. The door is locked from the inside. Once you enter, the entire crime scene is in front of you. The body is still there and nothing has been moved. This scene, represented by a series of cards placed end to end to form a large illustration, is the start of your  investigation. Now it's up to you to investigate ... to play.​
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Crime Zoom is above all an investigation / deduction game. No tests, no calculations, no puzzles are on the program. Here, deduction, attention to detail, logic and intuition will be required. Each crime scene card is double-sided. Behind the original illustration is information, potential leads or just zoom-ins on elements of the scenery that you have spotted or not. The detailed illustrations contribute to the general atmosphere of the game. Nothing is left to chance.

Crime Zoom is purely cooperative (although an optional variation exists to turn it into competitive). Your group should complete the survey together. Your mission ? Find the murderer (necessarily) but not only that ... you will also need the motive, the murder weapon and maybe the place where the murderer is to be able to stop him. But beware, here unlike other games of the same genre, it is important to remember everything. No guesswork, you will need the exact locations and number of the cards that led you to your answers. A good investigator must be precise in their answers. It would be a shame to blame the wrong person, right?
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In Crime Zoom, there is no real game turn. You are free to talk among yourselves (it is even extremely recommended) and to decide collectively which card or which road to follow. Once the collegial decision is made, a player turns over the chosen card and reads aloud what is indicated. Sometimes you will have test results, sometimes there are leads to follow, sometimes nothing and sometimes false indications to waste your time. The end of the game comes when you are ready to deliver your verdict. So you can finish the game whenever you want. But be careful in the submission of the final questions which will determine your level in the investigative powers. This level is a means of scoring which will be done according to your answers and your speed in which you solve the mystery. You will earn stars that will give you a ranking. But I might as well tell you right away, the game being a one shot, it would be a shame not to savor it by rushing just to "win". Because in the end the salt of the game is the plot and its resolution and not whether you have two or twelve stars (I don't know if that's possible). You would lose a lot and miss not only the story but essentially the game.
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The game plays roughly for one hour (a little less for us). The rules are short and read very quickly. Once started in the game, there is no need to double check the rules. The immersion is total. Everything is indicated on the cards, no mistakes, typos or errors. No interpretation of the rules. Everything is clear and limpid. On this, the game really plunges you into the investigation and gets to the point. It is very pleasant and enhances the pleasure of the game.

Crime Zoom is not a game that will make a difference in the world of gameplay. As you have seen, it's very simple and not necessarily original. But. Where the game draws its strength is in the investigation and its ability to immerse you in a plot with so little material and in such a short time.

The strength of Crime Zoom lies in its writing and well-constructed script. The investigation is well put together, the clues are logical and everything is well done. It will sometimes make you think of the master of the genre: Sherlock Holmes Consulting Detective less "successful" and faster, nec
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I admit that I was very skeptical about the game, expecting yet another “narrative” card game. But very quickly, we were caught in the plot and in the simplicity of the gameplay which leaves a lot of room for pleasure and immersion. Even if it can be played from 1 to 6 players, in my opinion it is really good for two. In addition, the concern for the readability of the whole may arise. Solo, it is fully playable, even if you inevitably lose the multiple opinion’s voiced by the other players.

Crime Zoom is a game you can enjoy. Do not hesitate to study, look carefully at each card to best resolve the investigation. Sometimes it will take you to other locations, represented by other cards. Places that will also have to be looked at carefully because the clues are sometimes in the details of the illustrations. Once again, these integrate perfectly and provide a significant plus. Hurrying too much will make you miss out on a very enjoyable fun experience. Finally, it’s just that. Crime Zoom: His Last Card is consumed as any good thriller or a good investigative film. The kind of work that gives you the flexibility to follow the investigation and allow you to have your suspicions throughout the story just upto the resolution, maybe with unexpected twists or its final real reveal.​
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​But this first test, despite its many qualities, is not quite perfect. As much to say it right away, these defects are in no way crippling to the game.

The first is inherent in this type of game. It's the one-shot side. Some may criticize and find fault with the mechanical choice. It is true that once resolved, there is no reason to go back to it. But like a good thriller, the game allows you to experience a unique investigation. A playful pleasure enhanced by a low price tag. At this price, you will be immersed in a well-crafted police investigation. And above all nothing prevents you from sharing it with your friends or family once it has been resolved. And all this for the price of a cinema ticket.

The second criticism that we can make (it must be) is the complexity of this first investigation in not that. If you're used to this genre, you'll quickly find what it's all about and it will find it easy to dismiss the wrong leads. From my memory, the demonstration version I played was a little more robust, so we hope that this will be a preferred option for the future.

Crime Zoom is a real good surprise. Small game, small box, small price but great fun. A successful cocktail. Clever, the game has a surprising depth for its category. I rediscovered the pleasure of a Sherlock Holmes scenario for a limited playing time. Open to everyone, gamer or the more family-oriented, Crime Zoom is a game that gives you great freedom in terms of time, but also in terms of choices. All in all, a freedom of intervention, leaving you free to carry out the investigation while reframing yourself so as not to get lost. Ideal so as not to waste too much time and prevent the scenario from getting bogged down. If you love investigative games, it would be a shame to miss this one. Far from being a simple clone, Crime Zoom starts from a simple and relatively well-known concept to make it a clever and easily shared game. Several other scenarios are currently in preparation and I admit that I can not wait to discover them. Aurora is definitely a small publisher to follow because of its choice of range and its production concerns.
Technical score 9/10 
Easily transportable, this game offers you the possibility of solving this mystery anywhere and especially sharing it with your friends or your family. No mistakes, gripping illustrations, with simple and effective rules that immerses you directly in the game.

My BGG score 9/10
Excellent - very much enjoy playing.

A very pleasant surprise and a great pleasure to have played this game. It is easy to get caught up in the game and the investigation can be followed with pleasure. We would have liked a little more challenge but for a first try it is already very well done. The simplicity of the system makes it possible to play it with anyone for a very reasonable time and price.

Combined score 9/10
Now it's your turn ...

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A bomb, a phone ... What can go wrong?

2/16/2020

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Phone bomb (2019) Review

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Authors: David Cicurel
Illustrator: Christopher Matt
Publisher: Aurora


3 to 6 players
15 - 20 minutes
Age: 10+
Language dependence: no


Written by Guilou

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Today we are going to talk about Phone Bomb. Bomb, not Game. No, I'm not going to give you a review of Joel Schumacher's film with Colin Farrell. Here, no phone booth. However, you will need your phone. One is enough for the entire player group. And no, it is not supplied in the box. Here it is ...

David Cicurel, the author of Chronicles of Crime, continues to explore the mix between board game and digital through the use of the telephone. Indeed, to play Phone Bomb, you will need to download an application, in addition of course to the material included in the box. First thing to know, the application is not greedy and can work very well with any smartphone (for example), as long as it has a touch screen (yes the 3310 will not work .. at the same time it's not a smartphone ...).

Without further ado, we will learn together to become a real minesweeper (raising this flag will be useless). But for that, here are some rules to respect, before accepting your mission.

1. You will have to be thoroughly prepared
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Minesweeper movie
Ah! yes.  ... I reassure you, you will not need that much preparation. You can remove all that ... Finally, to play it, come as you are.

So to be able to play Phone Bomb, you will need a table, chairs, a telephone, a copy of the game and ... that's it. Originally, the publisher seemed to have wanted to include real bombs in the box, but the ephemeral side of a part and the final potential cost dissuaded them. It is for this reason that the application takes over. A decision certainly more classic but oh so much more logical.

The game application is easily found. Come on, because I'm nice, I leave you the link to it. You just have to click there. That's it? Okay while it's downloading, I'm going to take this opportunity to present the game to you. Note that once on your phone, the internet connection is no longer mandatory.

On its launch, you’ll arrive in a very classic menu. You then have the choice between the level of difficulty (Discovery or normal), take a look at the options (to adjust language, music, sounds ...), and you can even click on the credits to discover the designers, authors ... But this is for the most curious. Last but not least, you can start a game. Attention, once you click on play, the game and the timer starts directly (there is no loading count as indicated in the rule). Click only when you are ready to play, otherwise you will have to go back.

An ultimately sober application, but one that goes to the essentials. What is most important. No fuss (or Goku), we know immediately what to do and we don't waste time.​
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2. Read the rule beforehand and explain it to everyone
Now that the application is installed and loaded, it's time to move on to the rules explanations. It's actually easier with the app in front of you, even if you can start without it.

The rules of Phone Bomb are very clear and above all very simple. Each player has a hand of four cards. On their turn, when the phone is in front of them, they become the active player and must play two cards and only two cards. Depending on what is played, they will have to interact on the application then pass the phone to the next player.

The possible actions will depend on the icons on the cards. When the active player plays two cards with matching icons, then they can perform that action on the phone. If they do not want to or cannot play cards where the icons do not match, they must then pass. Whatever the players do, they must indicate it by clicking on the right space on the screen and then pass the phone on.

Once these two actions are done, the player draws two new cards. And that's all. Simple, right?
3. You will have to pay attention to the other players
Phone Bomb is a semi-cooperative game. You will have to face crisis situations together: in other words prevent the bomb from exploding before the end of time.

Cooperating is therefore a great way to survive, or rather to deactivate as many bombs as possible before they go off. But there will only be one winner at the end of the game. It will therefore sometimes be necessary to be opportunistic in order to get ahead or leave before it is too late. Pay attention to others. At any time, they may seek to pull the blanket towards them, at the risk of wasting your time. Beware of the most smiling colleagues ... they are sometimes the worst. Opportunism and a sense of timing will sometimes be necessary.
4. You will learn to master time management
At the start of a game, you have one minute to defuse the bomb. Yes, very little time. As much to tell you right away, time will pass at a crazy speed. You will have to watch it because you'd be lost in what you want to do, sometimes forgeting it ... and there is the drama. Phone Bomb, and especially its application, offers a very pleasant timing system. The real-time aspect is something that I really appreciate. This helps build up welcome pressure and sometimes increased stress which can lead to situations of tension or unexpected error. The chronometer is like a sword of Damocles, merciless and continuous.

Of course, depending on the actions chosen, it will be possible to influence the time. For example, it will be possible to add time, but also to waste it. In order to prevent a system which could become too calculating, and therefore less fun, these gains or losses will not always be the same in terms of quantity. This unpredictable side adds a little tension and an uncontrollable variable which enhances the fun of the game.​
5. Add time to breathe
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It is therefore time to see the actions in detail. We will start by adding time.

As I mentioned to you just before, time management is a very important concept in the game. But a minute goes by very quickly. To allow you to breathe and because you are pros, you can add time. For that, it is enough that the active player plays two cards representing a watch. Once done, the player must click on the "watch" icon on the control panel. This will add about thirty seconds to the group.​
6. Think before you act
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The bomb control panel has fifteen wires, five of each color (blue, yellow and red). The object of the game is to cut the three good wires among these fifteen. Of course, you can go head down and cut at random ... at the risk of losing precious seconds. Or think and reduce chance.

To do this, you can play two cards with an eye symbol. Once done, you will need to select an eye from one of the three colors on the application. Just below, once you have clicked, symbols will appear which will guide you in your search. These symbols will correspond to the chosen color and only to this color. Thus, you will be able to learn if among these wires there are any: trapped (skull), defusing (pliers) or neutral (which are useless).

The little welcome subtlety corresponds to updating this info. This information corresponds to the moment when you press the eye. They are only updated when you perform this action.​
7. Wire cutting
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After a while, it is certain that time is running out and that we will have to act. Courageous as you are, you therefore decide to choose a wire to cut. To do this, simply play two cards with the same color.

If I play two blue wires, I can cut one of the five blue wires still available. If I have found a good wire, a green light will come on. If it is a neutral wire, nothing happens. If it is a bad wire, the bomb approaches the explosion and a red light comes on.

Three green lights, the bomb is defused; three red, it explodes.
8. Do not forget to do forward planning
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It is well known, it is thanks to you, and only to you, that the operation is a success. If you play two cards with the microphone symbol, then you will have the opportunity to take the time to think about your future interview in front of the cameras.

These cards played, in this case, remain in front of you. If the operation is a success, the player who has prepared their intervention best will win 1 additional point at the end of the round. Yes, it's as much a part of the job as putting yourself forward. But beware, nothing is free. Indeed, when you take time to think about what you will say, you will actually take time. In other words, the group will lose between 5 to 15 seconds over the final time. Be careful it goes quickly ... You will have to choose the right timing to embark on this type of action.​
9. Courage to run away!
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The life of a bomb disposal technician is a high risk job. Sometimes, time flies too fast and the bomb eventually explodes. If this is the case, nobody wins points (even for the interviews, don't dream either, losers are not worth interviewing ... though).

To overcome this small inconvenience, by taking your courage in both hands and burying it deep within yourself, you can choose to flee. But flee bravely.

Yes fleeing is not glorious, but it can allow you to get out of a difficult situation alive and victorious. When you play two cards with the symbol flee, you exit the round (click of course on the corresponding button). You no longer have an impact on the current round. You have technically left the place of the bomb. Potential interview cards played before no longer count for you. When you choose to flee, this gives some time back to your colleagues still in play.

If the bomb is defused, no luck, you left too early, suddenly nothing for you except bullying and mocking. On the other hand, if the bomb explodes, well done. Not only have you survived, but above all you will gain 1 point (and not those who stayed).​
10. To do nothing sometimes is to do something ...
While the active player chooses to do an action or simply pass, the other players are not outdone.

Phone Bomb wants to be a communication game. For this, during the active player's turn, the others can freely exchange cards with each other. Of course in order to respect the altruistic nature of the game, the cards must be exchanged face down, without being shown beforehand and the agreements relate only to those who believe them (therefore in no way be obligatorily respected).

Even if it is true that during the first games, you do not necessarily think about it, this notion is quite well seen and occupies the players during the rounds. This occupation contributes to the fact of adding a bit of deception but also to distract the players from the current objective. This distraction can waste precious seconds without anyone realizing it. It is important to communicate well and find the right balance.​
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And now you know all there is to know to become a good minesweeper at Phone Bomb. At the end of a round, we count the points. 2 points for those who stayed and who defused the bomb, 1 point for the one who most prepared the best interview and 1 only for those who fled when there was an explosion.

A full game is played over five rounds. At the end, you’ll proceed to the calculation of all the points, whoever has the most wins the game.​
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The game offers a few variations including bonus cards. Very quickly, you will find yourself playing with this to spice up your games. These are simple goals that will allow you to earn an additional point on success. This adds a little more and even more distrust without weighing down the game.​
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Phone Bomb is a success in its genre. The components are simple, but everything is clear and easily readable. The rules are well written, and easily readable. The iconography is well thought out. Once the game started, no more feedback on how to play is required.

The rounds are linked quickly, the game is fluid and there is no time to be bored on the contrary. Without upsetting the codes, Phone Bomb offers a very pleasant experience for short games. The mixture of real time, cooperative pressure with the tension of betrayal that can occur at any time works perfectly.

There is mistrust and bursts of laughter are not long in accompanying the game, especially once the players are chaining blows. The game is very dynamic and there is no real downtime.

The application is simple but relatively well thought out. No superfluous, the symbols of the cards correspond perfectly to those present on the control panel. You don't waste time figuring out what to do. Everything is instinctive and above all it responds well to touch. No latency. Playable on many supports, the application adds a playful side to the defusing touch as in the movies. There are some sensations of video games like Keep Talking Nobody Explodes or Them Bombs! (in less pushed of course). In addition, the publisher has announced that the application will experience future improvements such as the appearance of missions. Interesting thing that deserves to be followed.

Bonus cards offer a little extra and renew interest after several games.

The game is nevertheless not without flaws.

It remains a party game. This means that the more players, the better. Playing it at two (variant included) has no interest, and even if it is appreciated by three, it in no way delivers its potential.

However, the application has certain limits. In terms of pure use, it is a shame to see small things appear which certainly do not prevent the pleasure of play but which slightly increase the handling.

  • This is the case at the end of a round, when the screen appears asking us if we want to leave or not and the "no" really serves no purpose.
  • There is no follow-up of games. For each round, you have to go back to the main menu without any follow-up. A reminder of the scores or the possibility of linking the games could have been a plus. Why not enter your score after each round?
  • Roll on the new game modes.

Again, this doesn't take away from the fun of the game. In the end, these are just small details, but things that can be easily improved to increase the fun and ease of use.

If you play in good company (it is possible to see some playing anti-games by taking more time voluntarily to win), the game is a real nice surprise. An ideal aperitif game, simple, fun and lively. A tasty blend of flavors that works perfectly. Knowing how to juggle between saving the team or putting themselves forward is a relatively tasty thing. Not to be hated by others while trying to get out of the game puts you in a place not so obvious but oh so enjoyable especially that must be added to that the pressure of time. Not only does the game work well, it also offers a really well-thought-out hybrid experience with good quality hardware. Phone Bomb is a game that I can only advise you to play with friends, family, with younger children, between adults, between people you do not know .... in short with anyone, play there! After locating the sympathetic Topiary, waiting for the very good Rescue Polar Bears, Aurora offers us with Phone Bomb a very good aperitif game. It would be a shame to deprive yourself, especially since it is at an explosive price.​
Technical score 9/10
Compared to its category, Phone Bomb is doing really well. Very easily recognizable iconography, clear rules, simple but effective application. The cards are solid and pleasant to handle.
A little further application adjustments would have been a plus.

My BGG score 7/10
The game is very pleasant. The mix of genres works really well. It's always a pleasure to play it. It's dynamic, deceitful, fluid, fun, accessible and fast. Besides this last point makes it possible to prevent repetitivity from settling down. We can't wait to see how the thing can be developed even more thanks to the app to vary the pleasures. A very nice surprise for a game that works really well.

Combined score of 8/10
And now it's your turn to play ...

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One year of Roll & Write

10/19/2019

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Cosmo duck roll & write collection
(2019) First Impressions

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This project is scheduled to run from
October 21 to November 1 2019
only on
 Ulule (a french version of Kickstarter)


​Today's review is a bit special. We are not going to dig into one game like every time, but we will explore four! Yes, I said four! Hold on tight.


Originally, I wanted to create four different reviews, each returning to one of the games and creating a kind of countdown that would lead to the beginning of the campaign. But technical problems and a timing problem allowed other reviewers to do it. So, to avoid repetition, I’m putting all this in one go, there, Bahm! Get ready there is text. But ... what am I talking about?

Phil Vizcarro, whom I have already mentioned to you in the review of Dany, has partnered with Alexis Anne to create a concept, I’m not afraid to say, quite innovative. By this meeting, this is also two publishing houses working hand in hand: Phil represents Cosmo Duck and Alexis is the worthy representative of Aurora Games. Me, I like stories that start well. These two people have joined forces to offer a new fun experience: " One year of Roll & Write ".
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This project is scheduled to run from October 21 to November 1, 2019 only on Ulule.

" One year of Roll & Write " is as its name suggests, the ability to enjoy for one year a Roll & Write being sent directly to you. One per month, 12 games (with potentially surprises including a bonus game on the first shipment) in all. You will receive the necessary equipment to play at the first delivery and each month you will be entitled to your pad of papers with your new game. I cannot hide it, the sounds great.
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or those who do not know, the Roll & Write is a very popular style of games. In France, it would be like "Roll the dice and write the result" (yes it's less glamorous but it immediately puts in the mood). Basically, what characterizes this type of game is most often: a score sheet, dice, things to write or draw, an obligation to note. However, there are many variants.

This style of games is becoming more and more fashionable and we see this system blooming everywhere. One could easily say that the Yahtzee is the most famous representative of this style. But, this system, a priori basic, is in perpetual transformation. Some of the best known include: Roll Through the Ages, Rolling Japan, Very smart, Metro X, the recent On Tour... It is clear that this is a mechanism that is both simple and interesting as it is easily adaptable. Some even chose to remove the dice, which participated in the charm of the whole thing, to replace them with cards as with Welcome To ... and Cartographers: A Roll Player Tale. We can easily say that to try an adventure like this, to offer 12 Roll & Write for a year is a difficult thing, especially now that this style of game is so competitive.

In order to make their idea known and because facts speak better than promises, the two co-creators decided to launch a discovery campaign. Some were fortunate to receive a panel of four of the games, with a few pages of each to better see the beast. I was lucky to be part of this selection, so I'm going to take you on a little tour of the thing.​

 Diggers!

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Designer : Phil Vizcarro
Artist : Amine Mohamed Rahmani


2+ players
15-20 minutes
Ages 10+
Language dependent: no


Written by Guilou

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Diggers! is a little game that immerses you in the heart of the Wild West. Here, no cowboy or indians. You are an outlaw and you have just come across a mine with great potential in terms of wealth. Unfortunately, during an attempt to make small holes with dynamite, it creates a huge explosion and you end up deep in a pit. Fortunately, the light of day is still visible, but for how long?

The goal of the game is to get back to the surface as quickly as possible while collecting the most jewels on your path.

First and foremost, each player must have their own game sheet. You will then blacken three boxes on your sheet, then pass it to your neighbor on the left. You redo this operation and again pass to the left. Continuing until twelve boxes are blackened.

Warning: the boxes must not touch each other and they can not be the entry and exit boxes. The blackened boxes then become impassable areas.

Once done, you’ll mix up these sheets and redistribute them to each player. Here we go.

Each box has one or more numbers on it. All players start on the "Start" box. The active player rolls the four dice and each player chooses one of the four results to move. You can very well choose the same. You move by drawing a line from where you are yo where you want to go. You can very well go back, but impossible to return to the box "Start" or to cross into a black space.

If you can not do anything? Well, that's not good luck. But do not panic, take a deep breath. Oops, did not I tell you? The air becomes less accessible ... When you can not move, you must check off one of your Air boxes. At the sixth, if you are still not out, you suffocate. End of the game for you. And when a player is dead, they can not claim victory points.

When you pass over a jewel, it is validated. But it will only count once, even if you traverse the box a second time. As soon as a player is out, they win the bonus associated with their position. In addition, for each player who escapes, a die is removed from the pool.

The survivor with the most points wins the game.​
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The idea of ​​personalizing your mine with the boxes blacken is a nice touch. Unfortunately, you’ll quickly realize that the variation is quite limited and that after several different choices, the configurations will be similar. But this does not diminish our pleasure, it brings a little replayability.

Of the four I received, Diggers! is perhaps the simplest. It is a race to the exit but with a small dose of risk-taking “stop or go” that is not uninteresting. The lure of gaining gems is sometimes more interesting than trying to escape first. But the risk will also growing.

That can be frustrating and at the same time enjoyable, to find oneself going back and forth gently waiting for death or on the contrary wealth, at the sight of this brilliant stone that is nearby ... so close ... yes. ..

Diggers! is a nice surprise. Finally, quite classic, everything is very clear and allows everyone to have fun without making things too complicated.

Players who absolutely try to finish first without collecting gems, not only will miss the point of the game, but also find too simple and uninteresting.​

Dice Quest: Tower of Illusion

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Designer : Phil Vizcarro,
​Matthieu Delord

Artist : Amine Mohamed Rahmani,
Phil Vizcarro


1+ players
15-20 minutes per level
Ages 10+
Language dependent: no


Written by Guilou

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Yes, of course you have all recognized the tribute or inspiration of this game. No need to discuss it for hours. Anyway, the whole game is based on it and the theme is ... amazingly well done.

Dice Quest: Tower of Illusion puts you in the shoes of an adventurer. At the beginning of the game, you will all choose by mutual agreement the number of levels you want. The number of levels is the number of floors this tower has. Each floor will correspond to a sheet and each sheet to a dungeon floor (it's well done eh!). The more level you choose, the longer the game is, and vice versa. At the end of each level of the dungeon, your group goes up one floor and you’ll redo a game while keeping your statistics and especially your gold.

Once the duration of the game is chosen, you do a little character creation. Yes, you read that right. We will create a character in a Roll & Write. The idea is very simple. You will first choose your race, at the count of four: human, orc, elf and dwarf.

Once done, you will roll four dice. These results will match your stats: health, speed, strength and intelligence. Each player must place the number of the chosen die in the box. Be careful to take into account the bonuses and penalties related to your race before writing the number.

Now, move on to the creation of the dungeon. Your dungeon is separated into four squares of color. Each colored square corresponds to a part of the floor. The principle is simple. Each player rolls one die. According to the diagrams available, you’ll draw the corresponding area. Each player is in the same dungeon but not in the same reality. This small nuance allows everyone to have their own dungeon. Then, turn the sheet 90 ° and start again, four times. You then have a beautiful dungeon with walls, paths and chests.

But what would a dungeon be without monsters? Each level starts with 4 + L (level value) of monsters. Each dungeon starts with the same monsters. You’ll throw a white dice and a red dice. These values ​​define where the monster will appear. If the box is empty, indicate the monster (an M or a nice drawing as you want), if there is already something, the monster does not appear to be home. Once all the monsters are in play, it’s time to play.
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On your turn, you have the choice between several actions.

You can choose to move. For that, according to your speed value, you will draw a line of your path of movement. Of course you can not cross the walls. If a chest is on route, you can choose to stop there. If you cross a living monster, it blocks you and you must stop there.

To open a chest, you will throw two red dice and a white dice. You will add your intelligence to the white dice. If this value is higher than the other two dice, bravo you pick up as much gold as the highest red value. If it's lower, you've failed. Pity. You can then try again, except if the two red dice are identical. In this case, the chest explodes and you lose a life point. What luck …!

Faced with a monster, three choices are available to you.

You can choose to fight. You roll two red dice and a white dice. You add your strength to your white dice. If successful, the monster is dead (it disappears for all players!) And you can tick a cross in the XP box. In case of failure, the monster stays on the spot and inflicts you a point of damage. You will be able to retry your luck the next turn.

The second choice ... is the flight. You roll your three dice, add your speed value to the white. If successful, you can continue to move (be careful the monster is not dead). In case of failure, the monster stops you by hitting you. A point of damage is received and it will retry your luck.

In the worst case, you can also choose to corrupt it. You can corrupt up to five monsters per floor. Each corrupt monster will let you continue your movement ... in exchange for three gold coins. You will need to check a corresponding box for each corruption. Just to say it right away, it's a shame!

At the end of each turn (as soon as everyone has played), dice are rolled to see if there is the appearance of a new monster. The round ends once you exit that floor. The game ends once the desired number of levels have been played. The hero with the most gold wins the game.

But beware, any death is final. You will have to make a new hero with no equipment. When you're dead ...

Finally, between each floor, you can shop in the Grand Bazaar.​
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Dice Quest is clearly Roll & Write the most surprising of the four. Everything perspires of theme and, at the same time, it is still a racing game. First to kill monsters, first to plunder the most treasure, first to go out, do not die first.

Finally, we find the appearance of the traditional Roll & Write, through the addition of monsters. Moreover, it is in this well realized mechanism that your nerves will be put under pressure. Continue to search at the risk of being overtaken by their numbers or running towards freedom by abandoning all these potential wonders? 

The authors managed to make the taste and sensations of a small dungeon crawl with only a sheet of paper and dice. We did find many things that are a homage to HeroQuest, to name just a few games. The game is fluid, the creation of the levels is fun, the movement changes and the concept of risk-taking, "take the money or run" to ensure the thing is really well put together. On the other hand, running with 1 point of movement is a real ordeal! What an idea to equip lead boots.

The addition of the opportunity to equip yourselves better, not spending our precious gold adds to the theme. Dice Quest is a really surprised and we replay it with great pleasure.

It's always nice to see others constantly strive to try to open a chest when you get there the first time. And conversely, when your lamentable failure to take out a small Orc, others will not delay to remind you about it.

One of the flaws however is the number of sheets required to play. Indeed, unlike the other games where a sheet is enough for a game, here, depending on the number of level chosen, you will need much more. It might be wise to think about it when sending this game of the month ...​

Get out, Duglang!

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Designer : 
Amine Mohamed Rahmani,
Phil Vizcarro
Artist :
Amine Mohamed Rahmani,
Phil Vizcarro


1+ players
20 minutes
Ages 10+
Language dependent: no


Written by Guilou

​
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Do you remember Game & Watch? It was electronic games LCD that was all the rage in the 80s. There was something for everyone and for all budgets (the most famous being those of Nintendo). Get out, Dugland! take again the imagery and the mechanisms of these games.
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Dugland is a good guy who comes home after a drunken evening. Without anyone knowing how, the poor man finds himself scantily dressed and strangely locked out of his house. His wife is at the window and begins to throw all his belongings out. Your mission, if you agree, is to help poor Dugland recover as many of his possessions as possible and get the most points. The game system is directly inspired by Game & Watch.

You have four dice available: two white and two red.

After rolling them, you will have to place them. The two white dice will be used to select the row and column where the object will arrive. The two red dice allow you to choose the type of clothing and the space where Dugland will try to catch these things.

Once the dice are chosen, you will draw the object concerned in the selected box. Each box is divided into four mini-boxes. An object occupies a single mini-box.

You then check if Dugland collects something. He can only retrieve objects if he is in the right column of line 6 and there are objects present. Depending on this space, he can recover several items at once. At the beginning of each turn, he returns to the left of the page. When you arrive to retrieve an object, you circle it to indicate that it is saved.

After this phase, Bernard is his first name, definitely has no luck. Indeed, the wind comes to mix things up. The objects will then move on your page according to their own rules. As soon as an object falls out of the screen (no matter if its top, bottom, left or right), you must cross off a box in the lost object table. Lose twelve and the game ends.

At this point, you calculate the points of each according to what we have recovered and if Dugland managed to make bonus points with the combos. (The game can also end if there are no more boxes available on line 6).
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Thematically or rather mechanically, the game fits perfectly in the spirit of Game & Watch. We really feel like we’ve traveled back many years to get annoyed at our little screen in the face of our inability to catch up or save the most people or ... The authors have managed to capture and revive this style of game.

Unfortunately, in terms of a board game, this iteration passes less well. The game is unnecessarily complicated. The management of the movements of the objects or the choice of the dice lacks fluidity for this type of games.

Without being complex, the game is sometimes heavy but especially very risky. Next, the whereabouts of the objects and what they are when they appear, it can often be impossible to do anything before it disappears. You are more likely to wait for them to arrive on line 6 and pray that the dice delivers the right number, rather than really to act.

The idea is not bad, far from it. But the game does not take. Instead of having fun, we are little confused, to think not about the way we play but whether we did everything to play. This is clearly for me, the one less convinced out of the four. And it's a shame, because the sensations are really there compared to its video-play model.​

Kremlin Konstrukt

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Designer : Phil Vizcarro
Artist : Phil Vizcarro


1+ players
15 minutes
Ages 10+
Language dependent: no


Written by Guilou

​
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Comrade! The Kremlin needs a new architecture. Our leaders want higher, more beautiful towers. This is your honor! Be proud ... but above all, be effective!

It is often said that you have to keep the best for last. So here is my little darling.

Kremlin Konstrukt is a game inspired by the game Tetris. Who does not know this game? Look, even beyond the wall we know how it works! 

The principle is simple. You take four dice: two red and two white and throw them. The Active Comrade then chooses one die of each color and the other players will have to do with the other two. Each die symbolizes a predefined Tetris shape. You will need to insert each shape on your diagram. Of course, you will have to follow Tetris rules to the letter.

You can indeed turn the shape in the direction you want, while respecting its original shape. The pieces can not remain alone in the void, but when they touch another piece they are stuck. You can not go through another, but you can make them "slip" if that's possible.

The goal of the game is to make complete lines. The bigger you make (up to four lines at a time), the more points you will earn. Each time a line is closed, you check a location on the scale according to its size. If you reach certain areas, you will also have bonus points.

It's that simple. A real Tetris, pure and hard. The game ends for a player as soon as one of their pieces goes beyond their page. Others can continue to play until the same thing happens to them.

A specific solo version exists. In this version, you only play with two dice. You can also place a die on the “Hold” box of your sheet. It's a way of "saving" a die and being able to reuse it later. But in the meantime, you will only play with one die.​
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Of the four, this is clearly my favorite. Simple, fun, fluid, fast, clever ...

The game offers us the joys of a Tetris in the form of a game of die. We found all the subtleties (apart from the augmenting speed) and the cunning of this mechanism.

Young and old can understand the game quickly and all rapidly take pleasure.

The difficulty comes from the choice made by your opponent and there, we can try to trap the other in this way while trying to save yourself. The satisfaction of linking the four lines while the others accumulate holes is second to none (and also denotes that Tetris is like cycling, it is not forgotten).​
To be honest with you when this idea came up, I was not particularly excited. Perhaps because of the profusion of games of this type lately. Now, my point of view has changed.

Even though I like Roll & Write, there is really something to eat and drink in this style of play. Few are really good to play.

After trying these four demo versions, I must say that I am very pleasantly surprised. Beyond the games themselves, I take my hat off to Phil and his team. Until now, they have been able to offer game experiences that are very different from one copy to another. We have the same game materials but the sensations are totally different. This tell us good for tits future, and we hope that the trend will continue.

It is planned to send 50 sheets for each game. For some, it seems a lot, for others like Dice Quest it can quickly be too little.

In any case, congratulations to both editors for this risk. The four games tried, as you can see, are really nice and pleasant (even if they are not all at the same level). We feel that the passion of the 80s and thematic respect guided the authors. And that, I can only applaud with both hands.

A year of Roll & Write is a fun experience, which if it continues on its way, is likely to make a lot of people talk and want to be part of continuity. Casually, it's gone. The joy of surprise every month, and the pleasure of trying it make you want to abandon yourself. Whether alone or with others, the Roll & Write is always something pleasant. Especially since it is easily transportable (why not a little box as a gift?) And playable everywhere.

Remember, this is happening on Ulule and it's from October 21st to November 1st. In addition, the price announced is far from exorbitant. To watch very closely. If you are a fan of this type of games, it would be a shame to miss out. Nothing but the experience of seeing totally different games with the same material every month at home. In any case, I would not fail to check it out.

​
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Paris was playfull (Festival PeL2018)

6/28/2018

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The sun is shining. 

The heat is comfortable.

​The wind blows genitally. Then a little more forceful, making cards fly off tables and frantic gamers scramble after them. Only to return to the table with a giggle on their lips and the game continues.

Yes, we are outdoors at a weekend festival called Paris est Ludique. ​Not "Gay Paris" but "Playful Paris." Where publishers from all over France come to demo their new game, classic big sellers and games for the future. First time and famous designers show up to to get reactions from their prototypes and maybe their signature on a contract. Also Belgium publishers get in on the act and somewhere, hidden away there is even an English one too. 

But that is not what you see as you walk around the Pelouse De Reuilly. It's all the smiling faces from the thousand guests that are walking around. From the demonstrates, content to retell the story of why their detective is addicted to cigarettes or why it's important to save the animals in the zoo. Even from the security personnel, who are amazed to see some many gentle people having fun together. And these smiles reflect in the environment all around.

This is not the first time that I have been here and felt this ambiance. PeL (Paris est Ludique) is my local big event, where I get to catch up with friends and contacts that I have made over the years. It is the second best event that I attend every year, after Essen (nothing will beat that). And I enjoy every minute of the wondering and babbling that takes place there. It's family friendly exterior entices thousands of parent to sit down and have fun with their kids.
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With it's outdoor events, gaming tournaments, there were also the awards for the editor and authors of games. So much going on but all well organised.  A lager event that is getting larger and large. In fact, this years ticket sales were 7,000 more than the year precede. A total of 20,000...(your gonna need a bigger boat!)

So I played as much as I could, so I could show you what is new and coming to our hobby. And maybe a be of that smiling has been captured on video and rubs off onto you. Roll on PeL 2019... =)

Overviews and interviews from Pel

Luxor
Atalia

Solomon Kane (KS prototype)
Mythic Games
Topiary
Aurora
Raids
Iello
Gravity Superstar (prototype)
Sit Down!
Tokyo Highway
Asmodee
Los Angeles: Vice Division
(KS prototype)
99 Monkeys
Badass Force
Funky Sheep
Arkans
​Yoka by Tsume
Ikan
Morning
Kung Fu Panda: The Board Game
​(KS prototype)
Modiphius
Ganymede
Sorry We Are French
Apocolypes at Caron City Zoo
Poc!
Jeux Opla
Fertility (prototype)
Catch Up Games
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