In PARKS, however, we count points, and there’s something satisfying about that. You know you’re right about your strategy. Now, by adding up numbers, you can see who’s good at playing their own game and who lucked out on the draw. It’s a little thing, but it’s what keeps tension alive, were they lucky? Or … Read more

Board games reach their crunch moment late in the game, when there’s a pile of completed paintings before you, a few ribbons clenched in your fist, and gamers staring at you demanding that you crunch some digits. “Oh yeah,” they say, “and make it fast.” Each painting is a masterpiece of layered artwork. Now you … Read more

You don’t realize it… but the game is almost done. It’s close. Are you winning? Is your opponent? In Isle of Skye, points is hidden in plain sight and scored in layers, including immediate round scoring. By the time you think you’re up 3 points going into round six, your opponent has racked up a … Read more

When the Sheriff has a bow out hunting you down, there’s a constant tug-of-war: looting for the poor versus staying alive. That’s at the heart of any Robin Hood campaign. And most gamers is all about the gold. Each pouch found are a win. But at the end of each chapter, it doesn’t matter what … Read more

Eventually, after playing through a few game in 51st State, you hit the end and your head starts splitting between what to do next. Should I spend my fuel? Should I spend my bricks? What’s the score getting towards? Can I afford to take an action? But knowing what to do is not enough; you … Read more

Imperial Settlers has one last round where everything comes down to a nail biter of an ending, often won or lost by a margin so thin it feels like luck. You’ll be sitting there with piles of cards all over the board, glancing back and forth at your opponent’s engine and yours. What matters isn’t … Read more

When you sit down to play a round of My City, you think you’re getting an easygoing city planning sim. Place some nice houses, see the score tick upward. That’s when the bottom drops out: The last number shows that your score has plummeted well below what you anticipated. Why? You missed a rock poking … Read more