New Games: 7.9.2021

Beyond the Sun does a great job of combining a technology tree on one central board with space exploration on a second central board.  Additionally, there are individual player boards each with five columns of resource cubes, an automation track, a population growth track, and an ore production track.

The tech tree board utilizes a worker placement mechanic. There is a ton of different technologies to grab and use in 4 different levels.  Use the lower level basic technologies and actions to move into the higher level technologies to research for more advance actions and game end points.

The space exploration board utilizes an area control mechanic. Various technology actions lets you place and move your spaceships planet to planet on the space exploration board gaining an increase in resource production. The objective here is to build enough concentration of power on a planet in order to colonize and claim it gaining special abilities and end game points. 

– – 2 to 4 players – – 60 to 120 minutes game play.

Enchanted Plumes is a quick playing card game, creating well plumed peacocks.  Players get to place one or two cards into rows of plumes.  A second row will have one less card than the row above it until the last row has only one card in it.  Then start another set of plumes.  When the deck of cards gets close to exhausted, there is a card to tell the players when, scoring happens.  Each plume in the top tow is counted as negative points.  All other cards are counted as positive points, if the color matches the color of one of the cards in the top row.  This one will be quick at around 30 minutes, and colorful. – – 2 to 6 players – – 20 to 40 minutes game play.

Lost Ruins of Arnak is an archeological exploration game.  Players will use a worker placement mechanic and a little deck building to explore and excavate for resources and points.  This game features great artwork, intense game play with a little point salad to create a dynamic game. – – 1 to 4 players – – 30 to 120 minutes game play.

Uk’otoa is a tactical semi-cooperative game of survival.  A giant sea monster is going to devour your ship and everyone on it.  Your goal is to be the last sailor on the ever shrinking ship.  Each player will be a member of two different color factions which they share – one with the player on their right and one with the players on their left. They will play cards to move their sailors around the ship in order to survive.  In order to win a player has to be the one with only their two factions remaining.  Each turn the sea monster will move and destroy both sailors and part of the ship.  You will want to sacrifice your opponents, and more importantly run. – – 3 to 5 players – – 30 to 45 minutes game play.