Game Complexity Medium

Medium-weight games

Mutagen Preview

mutagen box art

I miss the days when worker-placement games kept things simple and relied on solid core game design to tempt the box off your shelf and onto the table. Mutagen gives me that same feeling again, and I like it all the more for it.

Looot Review

looot box art

Looot does a lot of things well. It combines two separate geometric puzzles - one shared, one personal - and asks you to figure out the best way to take advantage of the opportunities on each.

River Of Gold Review

river of gold box art

The mental gymnastics aren't venturing into Lacerda or Splotter levels here, but there's enough to keep your brain on its toes. Not that brains have toes, but you get the idea.

Mass Effect: The Board Game Review

Mass Effect box art

So Mass Effect: The Board Game isn't a 1:1 recreation of any of the video games. It's also not a sprawling TTRPG full of its relationships and intergalactic power struggles. What is it then?

Cascadero Review

cascadero box art

Cascadero is the sort of game which is an instant hit with me. Two to four players, a super slim box which fits in the gaps on any shelves, a couple of minutes to set up, and all done in under an hour. Ideal.

Windmill Valley Review

windmill valley box art

This is a great example of everything a modern Euro game should be. Clean design, clear rules, bright boards, and just the right amount of mental overhead.

Roll Player Review

roll player box art

A game about making a character for another game. Is that really a game? It turns out that yes, it most definitely is a game, and a fun game at that.

Luthier Preview

luthier box art

The blind bidding clack-clack-clack of the worker disc placement adds a rich, bright counterpoint to the by-the-books Euro format of collecting resources to fulfil goals. A toccata to its fugue, if you like.