Board Game News #3

Christmas is approaching fast and board game publishers are churning out new releases to earn a spot under your tree. We’ve picked out a few titles that you shouldn't miss.

Khôra: Rise of an Empire

Khôra is the latest addition to the civilization-building genre. You take charge of an ancient Greek city-state, developing its trade, culture, or military. It’s a relatively fast-paced Eurogame with a dash of dice-rolling. You can jump right into the action as soon as you learn the rules—which are simple enough to explain in just a few minutes.

Every state has its own unique strategy. It’s up to you to decide which path to take. In this game, you don't need to worry too much about other players, as interaction is minimal. This allows you to plan your turns ahead and keeps the game flowing quickly. Khôra is beautifully crafted and will definitely look great on your table. Thanks to its accessibility, we can recommend it even to less experienced players.

Ark Nova

Ever wanted to open your own zoo? Building pavilions, collecting rare animals, launching research projects, or just shoveling manure in the enclosures? In Ark Nova, you get your chance. Your task is to build the most successful zoo while balancing business interests with nature conservation.

Ark Nova offers a lot. With over 230 cards featuring animals, projects, and sponsors, each card has a special effect. Making it all work together is a challenge even for intermediate players. A huge plus is that the authors aimed for maximum realism (within reason), so you might even learn something along the way. We definitely approve!

Everdell

Deep in the heart of an ancient forest stands a tree. But not just any tree! It’s Everdell—a sacred spirit hiding the secrets of creation. Only the most devoted druid earns the privilege of climbing its canopy to gain infinite wisdom. As you’ve probably guessed, you’ll be stepping into the roles of such druids in this board game.

As elders of druidic orders, you’ll build temples, gather magical herbs, brew potions, and summon mythical creatures. The solstice celebrations are fast approaching, and only those best prepared will receive the blessing of the tree. Everdell is a beautifully designed worker-placement game. While the sheer number of symbols and effects might seem daunting at first, it doesn't have enough complex mechanics to scare off less experienced players.

Twilight Inscription

The original space strategy Twilight Imperium is a legend among gamers. It’s reasonably complex, massive, and truly (and we mean truly!) long. Spending 12 hours on a single game is no problem at all. From my own experience, I know it’s time well spent, with hardly any dull moments. If someone talks about an epic board game, they’re probably thinking of Twilight…

Twilight Inscription is a game of a similar nature. Once again, you’ll play as a unique race conquering space, researching technologies, gathering resources, and trying to wipe out your neighbors in the process. However, the space map, miniatures, and most components are replaced by dry-erase boards and markers to track your progress. Think it sounds too simple? Think again! You’ll still enjoy hours of highly complex strategy. This is definitely a title we’re looking forward to.

Expansion: Canvas: Reflections

The original board game Canvas remains a unique experience. As a painter at a prestigious art festival, you use transparent cards to create the best possible masterpiece. You earn points based on how you layer the cards. It’s not complicated, tactical, or complex—it’s just beautiful, fresh, and abstract. Sometimes it’s nice to just relax and create.

The Canvas: Reflections expansion brings a new set of themes and elements, plus unique mirror cards that open up new possibilities. It keeps the game feeling fresh. And it’s a sight to behold! Canvas is an ideal, easy-going party game for all ages that is truly a joy to look at.

Pre-order - The Crew: Mission Deep Sea

The first The Crew was a small revelation. A classic trick-taking card game dressed in a sci-fi theme that thoroughly tested every player's tactical skills. Simple rules, lightning-fast rounds, and a real challenge were the recipe for its well-deserved success. That’s why the game won the prestigious Kennerspiel des Jahres 2020 award.

In the sequel, The Crew: Mission Deep Sea, the authors stick to the proven formula. Why change something that works so well? Instead of space, we’re heading under the sea, where you’ll find not only an ancient civilization to discover but also 96 new challenging missions. The Crew is a devious game. You’ll tell yourself you’ll just play one or two rounds, and suddenly it’s morning outside! And that’s the sign of a truly great game.

author Karel Krajča