A month of board games - January 2025

by pultrak

Monthly statistic

Total plays: 55
Total different games played: 30
New games played: 3
H-Index: 28 (+1)



:d6-1: Imperium Classic

I keep exploring the different civilizations included in this game and Imperium: Legends. There is really tons of material to play hand have fun with. Once you get it, the setup is not so bad but I still need to find a good way to count the points and to speed up the tear down. The other item is that rules are not too difficult but it is easy to mess up with them as there are many small things, sometimes specific for a civ.

In any case, this is a top solo game for me.

:d6-2: Anachrony

Asymmetrical characters are fantastic as they add tons of variety to the game. In Anachrony, you can have really fun in trying the different characters and their setup so that the game always offers something to discover.

I expected Anachrony to be much heavier but in the end, I can play it even after work, although winning against the Chronobot is still a chimera for me.

:d6-3: [BGCOLOR=#99FFFF] 7.5 [/BGCOLOR]  The White Castle x8 (19 all-time)

I had decided to sell the game because I was not convinced by its solo mode. So I wanted to exploit the game till its departure and I realized that I like it. The search of combos in a board that changes every setup together with the unofficial Gingkogawa Clan solo variant that gives you chances to compete with the AI, make the game very interesting.
Furthermore, the short playtime allows to play the game quite often.

Given a damage to the game, I cannot sell it anymore but I have changed my mind and actually I am now considering to purchase the expansion The White Castle: Matcha.

:d6-4: [BGCOLOR=#9999FF] 6.5 [/BGCOLOR]  Pixies x2 (3 all-time)

I played Pixies a lot on BGA but also had the chance do challenge my girlfriend at home. Pixies is a very simple game with a pleasant artwork. For two players, I wrote my opinions here.

I also tried the solo variant Breeze, winner of the 2024 Solo Mode Design Contest category Light Game. It works well, although I keep Pixies as a 2P option mainly on BGA.

:d6-5: [BGCOLOR=#99FFFF] 7 [/BGCOLOR]  Grand Austria Hotel x3 (22 all-time)

Interestingly I sold GAH some time ago but after the sale, I missed the simplicity of the game and its automa as a solo option when back from work.

So, the game and its expansion came back as a gift for my birthday. I tried Leopold, one of the two official solo BOT included in Grand Austria Hotel: Let's Waltz!: It is very similar to the Mautoma but it has improved the race to the politic cards, which is fairer now.

Game of the month

My game of the month is [thing=342070][/thing]:
We had a play with the kids and it was a blast. Kids really enjoyed the chaos and how mean the game can be. One of them was super happy to kick me out and then, to win the game. They immediately asked for playing again. Great family game.