First Impressions – Sundered Realm

First Impression: Underwater Cities

Underwater Cities box cover art — Underwater Cities

Underwater Cities is not a new game as it came out in 2018. I purchased the version that came with the special bio-dome promo (and fancy green dome) as part of a holiday sale in December of 2019 and put it on my shelf. There it sat. When I was creating my 20×5 gaming goals for this year I decided it was time to get it off the shelf and see if it was as good as advertised.

Short answer: Yes. Read on for my first impression after two plays. Continue reading “First Impression: Underwater Cities”

First Impression: Sovereign Skies

Sovereign Skies Cover Art — Sovereign Skies Box Cover

Space. The Final Frontier. No, wait, not that…

A long time ago in a…Nope, not that either.

So say we all? The spice must flow? Game over man? Okay, that’s enough.

There are lots of space franchise properties. There are even more games based on those properties. This is not one of those games, and that’s just fine with me. Note: I will be talking about only the base game. There are two card-deck expansions and one additional mini-expansion that allows you to add player-specific unique abilities that I won’t talk about here. Continue reading “First Impression: Sovereign Skies”

First Impression: Whistle Stop

The golden age of railroads has begun! Whistle Stop takes us back to when the Golden Spike was used to signify the joining of the East Coast with the West Coast, a time of amazing technological innovation. In this game players are railroad owners attempting to leverage the new coast-to-coast market. We pick up supplies, and drop them off either at towns or destinations on the West Coast. Trains are fueled by coal, and carry timber, cotton, gravel (common resources) as well as cattle, whiskey and steel (rare resources). Special stations (like the General Store or Coal Mine) help us along the way.

This game has been on my “Shelf of Opportunity” for over a year. Not too long ago that finally changed. How did the game go? Was it fun? Would I play it again? Continue reading “First Impression: Whistle Stop”

First Impression: Calico

“A puzzly tile-laying game of quilts and cats!”

…and with that introduction we meet Calico, one of the newest (and recent favorite) games in my collection. I happened upon this game completely by accident, and I am very happy that I did! I was going through the pledge manager process (part of a Kickstarter program) for a new Tetris-style (aka polyomino) game called Planet Unknown. As I was completing the final payment, this super-cute game box popped up. It had a cat on the cover along with other beautiful colors. It got my attention! I watched a short “how to play” video. Then I bought the game. Do I like it? Yes! I think it broke the record for most plays within the first week of acquiring the game. Continue reading “First Impression: Calico”

First Impression: Defenders of the Realm

Our Liege is in desperate hour! From what grievous cause have these accursed races arisen? Orcs, Dragons, Demons and the Dead make haste towards Monarch City. The King and Countryside of Monarch City is in need of valiant Heroes!

Will you answer the King’s call?

Defenders of the Realm is a 1-4 player game that definitely feels like it was inspired by Pandemic. Cooperative game? Check. Collecting card sets of the same color? Check. Special / unique player abilities? Check. Escalating threat levels as the game progresses? Check. Multiple ways to lose, with only one way to win? Check.

Dragons? No, dragons are not in Pandemic, and of course they are super-way cool. 😎

Side note: I wanted to write this entire post using the Comic Sans font, but WordPress would not let me. Something about the ’90s called and took their font back… Continue reading “First Impression: Defenders of the Realm”

First Impression: Azul Crystal Mosaic

I have written about Azul before. Today a fresh delivery made it through quarantine and onto my doorstep! I’m talking about Azul Crystal Mosaic. Here’s my first impression. Continue reading

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First Impression: Dragon Island

I am a dragon nerd. If there is something with a dragon on it, I’m definitely interested. If a board game has a dragon on the cover plus dragon meeples inside? It’s a no-brainer purchase. Add to the fact that I found my copy at a local resale shop (all components present and accounted for) and it’s a triple win. But how does the game actually play? Is it fun and not just fun to look at?

In this post I’ll provide my first impressions of Dragon Island based on only one play. I’ll have a more in-depth review coming after I’ve had a chance to play it more. Continue reading “First Impression: Dragon Island”

First Impression: Terraforming Mars

Terraforming Mars Box — Terraforming Mars

Some games have a theme with a very small scope. (I’m looking at you, “Patchwork.”) Some games have a grand tapestry of material to draw from. (Welcome to the table “X-Wing.”) And then there is Terraforming Mars — a game that spans multiple generations as players attempt to convert the planet Mars into an area suitable for human habitation. What a cool concept!

I first heard about this game because, well, everyone on Board Game Geek was talking about it. It’s still in the top 20 of “The Hotness” side banner as I write this. Being a science nerd as well as a game geek it felt like a good fit. I bought it, and then bought expansions, then watched some “How It’s Played” videos…then put the game back on the shelf.

Where was the fun in that? Continue reading “First Impression: Terraforming Mars”

First Impression: Patchwork

My wife loves to quilt. That’s not normally the way I would introduce a board game post, but in this case it’s relevant. There are styles of games my wife likes to play, and styles of games she is less comfortable / interested in. If I can find something that she likes, the odds of being able to play it go up! It also helps if it’s short. Patchwork fits all of those criteria. Continue reading

First Impression: Sagrada

Tonight we pulled out Sagrada — a game that we picked up after our pleasant experience with Azul. Sagrada is a similar game in that you are picking (drafting) things and placing them on a grid. Both games are also based on historical elements: Azul is based on Portuguese wall tiles, and Sagrada is inspired by famous stained glass windows in Spain from the church of the same name.

Sagrada is different (more complex) in that the items you’re drafting are dice with different colors and numbers. How does it look? How does it play? After two games I’m now ready to at least write up my first impressions. A first impression post is written after only a few plays. A full-fledged review will come after longer experience with the game. Continue reading “First Impression: Sagrada”