Another month, another back of new games!

Android Netrunner

I’d been meaning to try this one for a while - it’s a cyber punk game in which one player controls an evil corporation and the other a hacker trying to break into the company systems. It consistently ranks in the top 10 on Board Game Geek.

I’m intrigued by asymmetric games and this game is completely different depending on your role. The company is busy building firewalls and forwarding their assets and agendas. The hacker is improving their rig to better infiltrate the company. The sides have a completely different feel to them but both are very fun.

The game comes with three different hacker decks and four corporation decks. Each has a different mix of tactics and play very differently. Beyond the 12 default permutations, there are deckbuilding rules so you can remix your own company and hacker decks.

It’s a very fun game and it plays pretty quickly. However, the rules are very complex with tons of edge cases; I highly advise learning from someone who has played before. I’m about three games in and am just getting the hang of it. I think the game will get better and better with experience.

Love Letter

This is a fast paced bluffing / deduction card game. Two to four players are vying for the princesses affections and manipulating others in the palace to deliver a love letter.

I won’t do the game justice to describe it in more detail. Suffice to say it is very fun and pretty quick. It’s also under $7 on Amazon. Just go buy it - it’s a great addition to any game collection.

Hanabi

I’ve been hearing about this innovative co-op game for a while. You and your team are working to throw a fireworks show. Everyone has a hand of different fireworks that you hold such that everyone BUT you can see your cards.

You go around the circle either playing cards or giving hints to other players - though the hints are limited and there are only a few legal moves you can play. In practice, players give a little more information than they’re supposed to in the rules… but that’s okay, the game is hard enough.

It’s a great game and has mechanic unlike I’ve seen elsewhere. I’m not dying to play it again but it’s definitely worth checking out if you have a chance.

Tammany Hall

I’ve also been hearing good things about this game, which simulates the political machine in 1850’s NYC. The theme excited me with the potential for shady deal making and negotiations. Yay corruption!

Unfortunately, the game is a fairly straight forward eurogamer. Don’t get me wrong, it’s a very good eurogamer; it just lacks the wheeling and dealing I was craving. If a group of experts were playing, there’d probably be more room for the crafty social manipulation I love.

Anyhow, worth checking it out if you like eurogames, just don’t do it for the theme / political machinations.

Final Thoughts

I enjoyed all four games and I advise you try all at some point. If you haven’t yet, go buy Love Letter - I know it’ll get heavy rotation at my table.

I also want to give another endorsement to Once Upon a Time. Storytelling is just incredibly fun and it’s easy for anyone (non-gamers included) to jump right in.

Finally - here’s a great talk on the ongoing golden age of board games. It’s a great look at the current board game phenomenon and why it’s just going to get better and better.