Reviews

In this Closet Report, our attention turns to an elegant and soon-to-be classic board game, Qin, an easy-to-play, easy to understand game of matching wits.

Niya, by Blue Orange Games, is a small strategy game that adds a twist and depth to the common game mechanic of lining up patterns. Within a few moments we had the game set up and knew the rules, and gameplay was fast yet thoughtful.

Othello: this easy-to-play, easy to understand game of field control and strategic overturn captures the attention and challenges players in fast-paced decision-making. Let's take a closer look.

Two abstract strategy games by FoxMind, Four in a Square and Six, allow players to best their opponent in a head-on match of strategy. Let's take a closer look at both of these fun casual games.

Diplomacy is a conflict simulation game from Avalon Hill. Its gameplay is elegant and challenging, its ambiance historic and serious. While it is not considered a casual game, The Closet Report covers all types of games for comparison.

We've seen so many bland card games recently that it's easy to lose hope in anything truly fun and unique hitting the market. Fortunately, Actionworks by Lumenaris has swooped in like Luke Skywalker to renew our hope in small card games.

Battle Sheep is a new abstract strategy game by Blue Orange Games. And no, these are not sword-toting samurai warrior sheep. However, when it comes to duking it out for control of Farmer Pat's pastures, these sheep can be rather vicious and conniving.

Dark jungles. Ancient secrets. Ominous encounters. All of these things are fair game in Ancient Terrible Things, a "pulp horror" dice game by Pleasant Company Games. If this piques your interest, read on.

After the second American Civil War, it's every man for himself in the wastelands of the southwest. To get to your destination in one piece, you'll need to hire skilled outriders with souped-up combat vehicles who can out-maneuver or destroy your enemies.

Sometimes the best way to intervene in someone's bad behavior is to bring it out in the open for discussion. Intervention is a new adult party game, now on Kickstarter, that explores all kinds of bad habits and hypothetical situations.