Troyes, published in the U.S. by Z-Man Games, puts players in the position of medieval French nobility over a stretch of four centuries as they attempt to complete their cathedral, despite numerous interruptions by marauders and other outside forces. By exerting influence over the military, clergy, and peasants, players try to accumulate the most fame for their family while seeking the admiration of several important characters. READ MORE
Yspahan is a great example of a solid game with a completely uninteresting theme — unless you happen to be into merchant expansion of the Persian empire at the turn of the 17th century. Sébastien Pauchon’s 2006 design (published in the US by Rio Grande/Ystari) uses dice rolling and a wide variety of choices to ensure that skill overcomes simple luck. READ MORE
Ascension: Return of the Fallen is the first expansion to my Unplugged Game of the Year for 2010, Ascension: Chronicle of the Godslayer. Unlike most other game expansions, however, Return is also playable as a stand-alone game for two players right out of the box. It includes two sets of ten-card starter decks as well as an assortment of Mystics, Heavy Infantry, and a Cultist plus honor stones. In addition to making this expansion stand on its own, this also allows games of Ascension for up to six players. Rules for solitaire play are also included for those interested. READ MORE
2007’s Kingsburg, designed by Andrea Chiarvesio and Luca Iennaco and published in America by Fantasy Flight Games, is similar to the subject of the last Gaming Unplugged, Alien Frontiers, in that both use dice as “workers” in a worker-placement mechanic. The similarities essentially end there, however, as Kingsburg uses those dice in different ways and for different purposes. READ MORE
Worker-placement is a common mechanic in modern boardgaming, but Tory Niemann’s Alien Frontiers (published in the US by Clever Mojo Games following a successful Kickstarter campaign) adds a seldom-seen twist in that the “workers” you place are rolled dice. Normally I’m not a fan of any game where dice can interfere with my strategy, but Alien Frontiers has a few other features that keep the randomness from detracting from the fun.
