Reviews

Review – Tiny Epic Western

I don’t own this one so replay of this one maybe a bit tough but I was able to get one good play in and got a good feel for it.  This isn’t the first Tiny Epic game that I have played which I feel is good to preface.  I have only played Tiny Epic Galaxies which was very good.  Let’s dive into a first play review of Tiny Epic Western.


 

Overview


 

Tiny Epic Western is set in the Wild West as the name would imply.  In this one players will be acquiring buildings and commodities like railroads, wagons, and mines.  These commodities will reward the player with the most in each commodity with victory points.  Whoever has the most victory points at the end of the game wins.


 

Components

tiny epic western2


 

The components for this one are very functional and impressive for the size of the game.  The game is modular board with locations that you can place your workers on.  Each location has purchasable buildings under them and poker cards in between each location.  This in essence will create a wagon wheel look which really pulls the theme in on an unconscious level.  The artwork on each card has a cool aesthetic which I can describe as cartoonish.  By far my favorite component is the battle die that is rolled when you place a worker on a location with another player.  These are six sided dice that are shaped like bullets.  It’s definitely a highlight in an already deeply themed game.


 

Gameplay

tiny epic western


 

During gameplay players will be going through phases that all seem very different.  Players begin by taking two poker cards and keeping one.  This precedes the worker placement round which players will put their workers on the location cards. Most of these locations will have immediate effects that the player can benefit if placed there or a more powerful effect that will trigger if there worker makes it to the next round.  If another player has placed their worker in a location with another player then they have a duel.  Each player rolls the bullet die with victory going to the highest roll.  Players have the option to add to their roll by spending their resources or by revealing their poker cards value.  The losing player is wounded and will miss out on the more powerful locations abilities.  The next two rounds will grant players the ability to buy buildings at the locations that workers were placed with the resources they acquired. These buildings will have commodities associated that will provide victory points.

This gameplay is very dense.  There is a lot going on that on the first round can be missed.  I’m really impressed with the size of the game versus the level of complexity that they were able to attain.  The balancing act of acquiring resources and spending them on the buildings and fighting can be quite profound.  I also really like the poker hands that come into play when deciding who wins each locations bonus effect.  My only complaint is that the gameplay can be difficult to manage on your first play as turn order fluctuates in each round depending on different game factors.  It gets slightly confusing.


 

Final Thoughts


 

Overall I would say this game is a great little game to add to your collection.  It’s small and dense which will really be appreciated by any heavy gamer with a desire to have a big collection.  Some of the components seem novel which will really add to your overall gaming experience.  I will say it should belong in a seasoned game group’s collection.  You won’t be disappointed.

Game Night 3

Month in Review – September 2016

Summer is finally at a close and fall is setting in here in Traverse City.  The start time of game night will definitely be moving up as the days will be getting shorter.  We had a busy month at the table which also included a little bit of traveling.  We went to our “local” board game convention in Grand Rapids, Michigan named Grand Con.  Lots of new games were played, enjoyed, and even purchased.  October is not without it’s excitement either.  We will be starting our horror themed game month which we have several new games to bring to the table and enjoy. Continue reading

Game Night

Grand Con 2016 – Day 1

 

We were able to attend this years Grand Con in Grand Rapids, Michigan.  This year was highly anticipated as last year was the first convention I had ever attended so I had some experience under my belt.  This year I would be ready for the madness that is a gaming convention.

In this write up I’ll be diving into our experiences and first impressions of the games that we had played over the course of the weekend.  I’ll also be covering some of my thoughts and general feelings about Grand Con.  Here we go!

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Game Night

Month in Review – August 2016

We now bring our summer to a close but that doesn’t mean that the fun is slowing down for the T.C.B.G. group.  The end of summer means the leaves are changing and the temperature is getting colder.  It is time to get some games in.  We also have our state gaming convention coming up in mid September.  Excited would be an understatement.  Let’s now take a look at what happened in the month of August at game night.

The stats have been adjusted just a bit to reflect some feedback that I have been given on previous months.  Hope this new format is to the benefit of the group and to anyone looking at creating their own group.  Enjoy!
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Reviews

Quick Looks Review – Animals on Board

I have yet again cheated on this format of writing these quick look review with a first play perspective.  I immediately played the game the following day after playing the first time.  This may be a common occurrence so I will write these with the idea that these reviews will be within the first five game play sessions.  I think this will maintain the fresh look perspective that I was looking for here and not the in depth look that the full reviews will be.  Let’s now look at Animals on Board with these new lenses.   Continue reading

Game Night 2

Month in Review – July 2016

Summer is in full swing here in Traverse City, Michigan.  This means festivals, beaches, boats, and less indoor activities.  This includes things like board games.  I can’t really blame anyone as if you live in Michigan then your aware of how short the summer months can feel.  I have also found myself catching some sun instead of playing games.  Enough about not gaming and lets talk about what happened in July.

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Reviews

Quick Looks Review – Ticket to Ride : India

This is a special quick looks review as I’m writing this after my second play instead of my first.  I don’t think my second play really adjusted my opinion of the game but it did give me some perspective on the four player experience.  I’m also only reviewing the India map and not the Switzerland map.  They do vary in rules so Ill be doing these separately. I’m also writing this with the assumption that the reader has played the original Ticket to Ride. Let’s get to it. Continue reading

Game Night 2

Month in Review – June 2016

Our month was one to remember.  Not just at the table but also in all of our lives.  We have two members that are expecting new additions to their family.  Lots of new friends were introduced to the group.  I’m really excited to see what the remaining months of summer have in store for the game group.  I’m hoping that this will include bonfires, beaches, hikes, drinks, and meeples.  Let us dive right into the meat and potatoes of the data collected.   Continue reading

Reviews

Quick Looks Review – Nippon

My first play of this was of the two player variety this time which is becoming less frequent.  I find more players are willing to venture down the rabbit hole of a new board game now that the confidence has been established.  I have taught almost my entire collection and I am not the only expert of the group anymore.  This play was accompanied by my fellow heavy gamer Ramon and we dove into the heavy euro that is Nippon. Continue reading