Some quick thoughts on my August reads

★★★☆☆ —Is this a game about hurrying to deadlines and dipping your pen in another monk’s ink? Or is it about hanging out with your buds and making some cool pictures at leisurely pace?…

I'm angry. I hate writing when I'm angry. I think it makes me too emotional, too attached to copy and most importantly makes my brain move too fast having ideas pop up and die before I can even get t...

★★★☆☆ — Elizabeth Hargrave’s Sanibel is an enchanting love letter to a place, a relaxing tile-placer, and a clever design that ultimately left me wanting it to be more.

I read nine more books in July and here are my off-the-top thoughts on them.

★★★★☆ — Its tactile runes and interesting economy feel like a riff on Splendor that, while not as tight as that game, make for a unique, accessible experience.

★★★★★ — On each player’s go, there’s a call-and-response of “yes!” and “pffft” and “what?!” that doesn’t get old. The emotional highs of a perf…

My thoughts on fourteen books I read in June! A new Mana Worm feature! A small break from board games!

★★★★☆ — The twin wolves of Greed and Caution loom over your dapper mouse.

★★★☆☆ — Toy Battle is nothing if not honest. Straightforward. This is an efficient war game staged between green molded soldiers, laser-armed robots, and the other denizens of a platonic ideal toy …

★★★☆☆ — This predictability gives the players a fair sense of control and safety; it’s maybe the “cozy” aspect of the game I love the most. I’m not going to be utterly betra…

★★★★☆ — The variety of stuff to do evokes playing a TCG with hundreds of unique game pieces. It’s sort of incredible given the actual scope of this game: a deck you already have in your home …

★★★★☆ — Flamecraft Duals’ board, far from a Go board ready to be carved into districts, is a shared playground. It is not to be divided, only built up with mutual opportunity.