Festival at Epinal

On this Saturday, March 9, 2019, your mission, if you accept, will be to go to Epinal to discover the fun festival and come back with game reviews. Confident in our abilities, proud to receive this quest, we set out on a fun adventure. For the first time, I went to the festival Jeux et Cie d'Epinal, in France. Fortunately, to help me and support me in this heavy task, Barry (second time at Epinal) accompanied me and guided me in the pouring rain (as well as play the role of chauffeur).

After several hours of driving, we arrived at the site: the Congress Center. Easily found, rather well located when you come from far away and with plenty of available parking spaces, the mission seemed to be starting on a good track.

This is a free festival, which offers you the chance to discover new or old games in a good atmosphere and for all tastes. That's what the poster promised us. Once inside the room, we actually find ourselves in a family atmosphere, dare I say zen. The stands were quite spaced out, a lot of tables available, people were smiling, even very welcoming. On site, besides the games we found some service in terms of restoration (although I found the thing a bit expensive), games to bring back (wide choice in the local game stores). As for the types of games, the target audience is still family and children even if, here and there we did find games a little more focused on the expert public. The demonstrators and volunteers present were very good, friendly and quick to explain the rules with joy and good humor. A nice surprise for a festival this size. It is regrettable that some publishers did not make the trip or bring protos to test, while others were just  not present. Overall it's really nice. Too bad it is a bit far, (a 3 hour plus car journey) if not with pleasure I would go back (especially in such a charming company). Especially since the festival only lasted for three days! Wow.

As for our original mission ... So we tried no less than thirteen games. Here are these titles with a (very) short summary and opinion. Plus we pick out our top 3 gaming experiences of the event.

​Attention, these opinions are first impressions within the framework of a festival (noise/fighting for a table/rules not explained correctly/fatigue from continuous playing), as always in this type of events. These opinions can change by playing the game in other configurations, like at home or different player counts or after watching a Rodney Smith video =).
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Res Arcana
Sand Castle games

Being a big Splendor fan, this game is the next evolutionary step in this genre. From each player taking their individual roles which will grant them a bonus resource every round to the large array of options for things you can acquire, this game does everything in big steps. You are mages each with your own small deck of cards that you will cycle through and either use to protect yourself against attacks or spend resources to put these items in your persons. Not only are they resources but there is also gold which is hard to get hold of. This makes the game a little bit more interesting in the fact that everyone will find different ways to get to different things. Whether it be monuments, creating items, or becoming the lord of the places of power. There is a lot of choices and decisions to be made in this resource fest. There is also a lot to get your head around and many different combinations of items to collect and build. This is definitely a game that I want to reply now that I have a little bit of knowledge on how everything fits together.

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A game by Thomas Lehmann never goes unnoticed. For the occasion, we had the pleasure of playing with a third person, whose name I unfortunately forgot (sorry). The theme makes you incarnate magi in duels without mercy. This is a point-based points race game based on resource and card purchases. The big originality is that we play with a hand of cards, defined at the beginning of the game and we do not receive others during the game. Simple, fast, little thematic, clever. Clearly the type of games to deepen.

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space gate odyssey
Ludonaute

I’ve already done a first impressions article for Space Gate Odyssey which you can find here. But after a second play, I still want to play this again. And with a larger play count. The game is still a nice brain puzzle of efficiency, where you’re creating a maze for your ants to run around in. And then hopefully give you the points that you need when they arrive on planets. Even playing a slightly altered strategy, I’ve found other things that I want to try afterwards. Although surprisingly light in mechanisms, this game is enjoyable and a little head scratchy as players try to complete actions without giving the other players benefits.

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I finally got my hands on this new game by Cédric Lefebvre (designer that I appreciate a lot, humanly and playfully). This space game invites you to build your station to be able to send your settlers to take possession of untapped planets. A mixture of several mechanisms that work. It's simple, the material is nice (even if the icons are too small). Thematically, I did not feel the basic construction and spatial exploitation side. It stays in a semi-light game world but with some subtleties.

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slide quest
blue orange games

This is a kid friendly game about balancing and sliding. Inside the box is a specially built platform that is held in place by four levers, each of the four edges of the base box. It is these levers that players will be lifting and dropping to make the main board tilt. There are a variety of maps that are put onto this platform which depicts a route, a start and finish space, and some obstacles, which are inserted into holes to give a 3-D effect. From then on, the players place a hero and the starting zone and use the levers to make him roll (he has a ball bearing inside) along the path and complete different objectives. Like push bandit into holes or move dynamite next to a monster. All very simple, just like in Loony Quest. But it did not hold my interest. Possibly because there were no kids playing with us. Definitely a family game, but not one I found myself having fun with.

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I liked ​Loony Quest ... but this new title is clearly for the even younger ones. The materials are interesting, the basic idea is nice but the game is much less. No real challenge, the look is very childish, replayability seems limited. I am disappointed.

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7 ronin
Grey Fox Games

A two player, out thinking, abstract a two player game. Where one player will have seven ronin to protect a village. While another player has a horde of ninjas ready and waiting to attack the village. Players will place their heroes and warriors on locations behind a screen before revealing to see which zones they attack and defend. Each Ronan has their own special power which they will used to try to illuminate the ninjas. Before any unhampered ninjas get to perform special actions depending on the area of the map that they approach the village from. It takes a little while to get use to colours, powers and actions, but it surely worth replaying to get into the theme and strategy layed out in the rules. An elegant to play, back-and-forth abstract game that requires lots of coffee and some ESP to win, but not necessarily to have fun.

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A game of bluffing and tactics in the Japanese feudal world. Very minimalist in its material (and yet really beautiful), the game is very pleasant and offers a good challenge. It will take a good blow of bluffing, but also a lot of luck to prevail in this asymmetrical game that works really well.

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guilou's #2 game of the festival

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mississippi queen
super meeple

Soon to be reprinted by Super Meeple, this is a racing game based on the American Queen Steamboats that were used to transport passengers along the Mississippi. Each player’s boat has an engine which can change up and down gears, which adjust the speed and number of spaces it can move. And each has X amount of coal, that can be used to change the speed a little bit quicker. Mechanically interesting as the random generated river winds left and right, with passengers to collect en route. It felt like a light racing game for the family and is lacking something to make it a bit more intriguing. Hopefully this is something that will be added in the (probably deluxifier) reprint.

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This is the proto of the reissue of Mississippi Queen. Racing motorboat game where you have to juggle speed and use of coal to take passengers and arrive at the destination first. Difficult to issue a final opinion especially that the two-player configuration. A small novelty, not necessarily the most interesting. The game is nice but the advanced tiles will soon be indispensable.

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scarabya
blue orange games

I fell in love with this puzzle game that uses Tetris pieces as it’s core. Player all have the same playing board, which has scarabs depicted on random spaces that when collected give you points. And rocks that block the placement of your Tetris pieces. This is a synchronized puzzle game to see who can best manipulate their pieces to divided their board to get the most points. As one by one each player will take the same piece and lay it to enlarge their camp, leaving the scarabs uncovered in groups of two. With very simple rules (even though I messed them up several times), this was a simple pleasure where the replayability comes from the challenge against the other players. Something my family will love to play but may quickly be forgotten due to it being the same repetitive game.

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barry's #1 game of the festival

A little game by Bruno Cathala and Ludovic Maublanc. We are on a tetris tile set with a handicap. We’ll pass on the theme that is not present, and we end up with a simple and fast game. The goal is to surround scarabs in spaces up to four squares. The scarab still need to visible in this space and will bring you as many points. The tile to be laid is defined by a map. All players play at the same time. It's a solitary game in a group. Family style, replayability can be quite important as long as you adore the concept.

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 nagaraja
hurrican games

Exploring a temple Indiana Jones style is what this game promises. But it doesn’t deliver this experience due to the fact that the main mechanic is an auction. Yes, you’re going to be bidding for tiles to add to your player board. These tiles have paths that you can follow to take you to treasure that is allocated at the edge of your player board. Your cards, which have two functions that include, values of sticks (that are like dice) for the auction and powers that you can use if these stick like dice roll blank. This stick dice is a great idea but a little lost in this game. Again the construction of paths to take you to treasure is a nice idea but is lost entirely in this bidding war that you and another player will have. Some nice ideas, some fantastic artwork, but it didn’t convey the theme I thought the game was implying.

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Another game by Bruno Cathala but this time with Théo Rivière. We recognized immediately the graphics of Vincent Dutrait. A game for two players (again a forgetfully theme). The objective is to be the first to recover 25 victory points with the help of treasures or relics that you will be able to unlock, thanks to tiles in your temple. The material is nice but the game is pretty average. It moves, but it is clearly missing the little slice that makes me want to come back. Yet there are good ideas inside.

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ice team
the flying games

A polar bear race where they will be swimming, running and surfing on floating ice. For something that looks like a young child’s game, Ice Team has a lot of depth and strategy to it. Cleverly eliminating parts of the track may hinder your opponent in this two player, for polar bears per player race can help you. Or it may help your opponent, as swimming can make traversal of large open areas a rapid way to catch up. With a random course set up to the change the layout of icebergs, players will have a handful of replayable experiences. As it’s not about being the first across the line but it is also about how many fish you can pick up. Or steal. With some really nice ideas like freezing fish to stop players stealing them and sliding ice blocks, plus disintegrating ice all add up to a fun experience. Although only for two players.

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barry's #2 game of the festival

I'm not necessarily a fan of this range, which I find a little too young for me. Once again, a game from ... Bruno Cathala (he is everywhere) but this time with Matthew Dunstan. I must say that I was really pleasantly surprised. Besides the really nice look (they have class polar bears), the game has very good ideas (surfing on the ice or frozen fish). Young and old can find this enjoyable. A good game, light but nice. And in addition presented very beautifully with a giant version is very nice! (not retail)

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the Quacks of Quedlinburg
North Star Games

An interesting bag building game and the first of its kind that I have played. Drawing different ingredients at random from your bag to add to your cauldron to create the most powerful potions. With a high push your luck factor, as you do not wish to make your potion explode with the wrong ingredient, but also make it the largest potion possible. This benefits you in points as well as being able to buy better ingredients to add to your bag. Lots of choice and replayability in the ingredients that you can collect and I believe it adapt well to all types of playing styles. I can see how this won the Kennerspiel des Jahres, but I found it a tad repetitive, as I longed for the last round. I want to play it again, but with a shorter playing time and maybe 3D ingredients…!

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The First game I had to read the rule (it was late at night and the demonstrators had gone, but not their games). Well we must say that we could not miss the chance to  play this Kennerspiel. Especially since I had heard a lot of good things about it. You are healers who have to find Potions recipes to sell on a market. But finally what a cold shower. Yes the game works, it moves, but ...  that’s all? It's a mix of bag-building with some original and well-found ideas. A family game at it’s base, to which one has artificially added mechanisms to become more for player. Too much manipulation, a lot of chances, not really smooth when discovering it, little choice, very repetitive, very little interaction, each player plays in their corner without looking at the other cauldrons. A real disappointment (and yet we were in very good company).

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Lindisfarne
runes editions

Many moons ago I played this game as a Prototype. At that time it felt like a roll and write game as it was rolling dice and writing on paper. You’ll allocate at least one of your results to one of three charts to try to get superiority there. This final version has rune tokens and dice, with some exquisite Viking card art. The mechanisms have not changed but there are more ways to gain points in this version of the game as you collect cards. Whether you have had the highest value of saved dice or the highest collection of the same number, these will give you the first choice from a selection of cards in the zone. So, more of a set collection game where you will be collecting cards for the color or their panoramic view that you can complete. As well as individual scores for each card and special powers on some. This is a nice medium white dice rolling set collection game that will have you pondering for a while but never leaving you swimming for options.

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barry's #3 game of the festival

A game that immerses you in the Viking universe. The goal is to plunder Europe and bring back wealth. A collectible game where you will have to try to win on several tracks to recover fresco cards or objectives to fill. Several ways to score, a lot of replayability, a strong interaction, the presence of chance (but can be lessened), fun and deceitful. I really have the desire to play it again. My favorite of the show! (and in addition the large version on the demo table was awesome).

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guilou's #1 game of the festival

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zombie bus
sweet games

Yahtzee​ for kids who are into zombies. That’s all I can say about zombie bus. It is a simple game for a family audience, where on the players turn they reveal a Zombie and roll some dice. The dice have various body parts depicted on them as well as the zombie cards. Having results that are the same as the zombie card means that you can damage that zombie. If you managed to tick all the boxes, that zombie is dead and you score points for them. But also at the same time, in the middle of the table is the bus that the game is talking about. And on it is a group of cheerleaders that everyone has to rescue. The dice also have other results, like the star and joker. Collecting a certain amount of stars on your turn can be used to rescue a cheerleader. Rescue all the cheerleaders will deplete the deck of zombie cards the game will end. Yes this is a cooperative game we are a family can work together to kick some ass before the zombie kick yours. Or eat the cheerleaders.

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I love zombie games and I am generally good bate. But that did not take. Still, the atmosphere is there. Cheerleaders, special zombies, the second degree, the presence of dice ... But we are faced with a game where ultimately the choice is obvious. We did not feel like doing things, we let ourselves walk through the game. The zombies for, the vast majority are almost all the same. There was not really any epic or fun moments. We threw our dice without really thinking. And we watched the time pass. Too bad.

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Honga
Haba ​

Keeping your pet satisfied while doing your errands can be a handful. That’s what Honga is about. A very stunning looking have a game where players will draw cards at random and then play them on to the board at a certain angle that will allow them to one stroke the sabertooth tiger and to collect a resource or perform an action. A simple mechanic that will make younger children very happy and very angry when the sabertooth gets no affection and eats their resources. With plenty of paths to scoring points and some beautiful cartoon art components, this game is sure to please the young family and teach responsibility as well as management skills.

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Hard to do better than Karuba (which I like a lot in style). Honga offers nice material, and the idea of Honga that comes to attack you if you forget it, adds a constant pressure. And yet, the game struggles to convince. The chance of the cards dictates the way you play and the most profitable actions appear on their own. Really not convinced. Children can find their account but for how long? To try again can be …

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That’s pretty clever
Schmidt / Stronghold Games

A basic “roll and write” game, which means that a player will roll some dice and then players can write down the results on their sheet to tick some boxes. As simple as that. Although each color die has its own area to be ticked. Some of these areas just accumulate into points. And some areas create columns, that when once filled will allow you to tick another box somewhere else. I simple idea about taking boxes like playing bingo. But proving you are best at it by either rolling well or checking off the right areas at the right time, is not much of a game. For me it’s a little something and nothing.

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Another game by Wolfgang Warsh. This time we are dealing with a little game dice super clever. The thing is very simple, we have a grid to fill, we throw dice, we choose and next where we check if we can unlock bonuses. The game offers good ideas with different scoring areas. Fast, simple, clever and can be deceitful. The choice of the dice for the first player will determine the choice for the following. A success.

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guilou's #3 game of the festival

And there you have it. All the discoveries we made and fun we had playing. Plus it was a good laugh in our company and those we encountered. Thanks for reading and if you have any questions or comment, write them below.