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Are you stealthy enough to steal the Emperor's jewel?

That is the question you try to answer in Age of Thieves, a game by designer Sławomir Stępień, and published by Galakta Games.

"Welcome to Hadria, Pride of the North, a hub of fervent activity for rich merchants, diligent burghers, resourceful inventors... and cunning thieves," details the rule book in creating the game's background. "It is a special time for its citizens - Emperor Lucius IV and a retinue of powerful lords and ladies have come to the Sea Palace to oversee their domains. A time of great festivities has begun and there is no ending to all the feasts and joy! However, shady personas controlling the city are not so much interested in Lucius IV himself as in the Emperors' Jewel, the crown jewel and the symbol of power for the ruling dynasty. Anyone who takes possession of this unique treasure will not only gain unthinkable riches, but will also become the most wanted fugitive of the Empire. That is the reason why only the most clever and the boldest of thieves are willing to dare such a burglary. Others will have to settle for shiny trinkets belonging to the Emperor's court."

The theme is good, thieves out to steal the big prize, with it being every rogue for themselves.

The goal of the game is to enter the vault inside the palace and steal the Emperors' Jewel, the symbol of power very important for the ruling house. Whoever manages to do this must escape from the city through one of the gates.

"This is no easy task - the streets are patrolled by vigilant guards and veteran captains who know almost everything about thieves' tricks. Additionally, time is running out very quickly - each turn a new event card is revealed increasing the pace of the game and constantly raising its difficulty," notes the rules.

But how does the game look, and play?

A general observation, everything in this game comes off as a tad undersized. The board is somewhat crowded, and a bit hard to decipher in places as a result. Bigger would have been better.
A bigger board would have allowed for slightly more robust minis.

And the cards are small, so the print is too.

None of the smallness is so extreme it is a game breaker, but the general impression is the game is a bit 'compressed'.

As for game play, it can have an anti-climactic finish, which on a first play, was somewhat underwhelming.

Our first game was going along quite well, when one player threw down a card combo and snatched the victory. For him it was a case of 'ta-da! Look at what I did!"

For the rest of us the win seemed so over the top our collective view of the game dropped in a hurry.

But I don't write a review at the table, so I went home and gave the rules a read again. There are times when what feels like a 'broken win' occurs in an early game we find we missed a rule that would have made the difference. Not so in this case.
But the time allowed me some reflection.

When games rely on card draw sometimes things just fall perfectly for a player.

A case in point, after our Thieves game we pulled out the original Dominion for a couple of games. The cards in the second game were on my side. While the bandit was pulling gold and silver from other players my deck was running lucky. Not only was I not losing treasure, it was actually making me pull better hands. I crushed the game. If that had been a first game experience it would have not been great for the rest of the table.

And recently my son and I grabbed a couple of new Magic: the Gathering constructed decks. We had not played a game in literally years. In two of the first four, or five games, I couldn't pull enough 'mana' cards to do much of anything. Since Magic relies on mana at the core of play I got thumped.

Bad draws and good are part of card game play.

That isn't to say the card draw aspect of Thieves works perfectly. In games such as this, not all cards are created equal, and when you can get the best cards and can play them in combination they tend to taint how players feel after a game, if the cards are not just more bluntly put; game-breaking.

Map of Sewers and Cog Rod are a frightful combo in Thieves. Whoever gets the Emperor's jewel is likely to escape via the sewers. Throw down the map and you are right where they end up, and the road completes the steal.

Speaking of the sewer escape, having that obvious route out of the palace does seem a tad forced in this one.

So Thieves is not perfect. Few games are.

There is however, a lot to like here, once we got past the bad first game finish.

There initially seems to be a lot going on with all the minis, chits, and cards, but a couple of rounds and you realize game play is quite smooth. You have decisions to make within a turn, but when you make them is well-defined with a set pattern of play to follow.

In the end it's easy to recommend this one. There is good replay and overall things work here. It won't make your top-10 list, but you will never shy away from putting it on the table for a session when you are up for a challenge against your friends and the game itself.

Check it out further at www.galakta-games.com

Thanks to fellow gamers Jeff Chasse, Trevor Lyons and Adam Daniels for their help in running through this game for review.

There is a lot of potential surrounding the idea of being part of a team of thieves going after the big prize.

In terms of board games there are varying approaches to the theme from the thief versus thief play of Age of Thieves to the co-operative approach of Burgle Bros.

As noted in the rules Burgle Bros. is a game created "in the tradition of classic heist movies like Ocean's 11 and The Italian Job, you assemble your crew, make a plan, and pull off the impossible."

On that theme alone Burgle Bros. is one with a natural draw.

In general terms co-operative games are still a genre of board gaming that is relatively unexplored for our Meeple Guild.

The best, at least so far, include Pandemic is its varied forms, Shadows of Brimstone and That War of Mine, at least in this guilder's estimation.

But Burgle Bros. is definitely a game with its own charms.

The game from designer Tim Fowers is a cooperative heist board game for one-to-four players and plays in a box estimated 45-90 minutes.

The solo variant is one not yet explored, but that a game has that option does expand its potential in a collection, for those sudden snow-days at home alone.

As a four player game there was certainly lots of opportunities to help and support other players, which of course is the heart of any good co-operative game.

What makes Burgle Bros. stand out initially is that the rule set is rather straight forward.

That the rules are straight forward however, does not mean the game is simply mastered. There are pitfalls aplenty on the modular board to foil the thieves' plans.

The background for the game notes; "The Burgle Bros. are an elite crew that pulls of impossible heists. Get in, get out, and don't get caught. Avoid alarms, sneak past guards, crack all the safes, and get to the roof to escape."

If only it were so simple.

But the fun is in the attempt.

Burgle Bros. does a fine job of creating plenty of in-game tension, while providing the 'feel' of being in a crew of thieves, which ultimately makes this one easy to recommend highly.

Check it out at www.burglebros.com

Thanks to fellow gamers Jeff Chasse, Trevor Lyons and Adam Daniels for their help in running through this game for review.

This game is different from most reviewed here.

Brass Empire is a strategic deck-building card game for one-to-four players (ages 10 and up) and plays in about 30 - 60 minutes. It takes place in a steampunk universe where each player takes on the role of a different corporation hiring the best employees, constructing buildings, and manufacturing steam-powered machines. Players battle and sabotage each other to amass economic wealth and influence to win the game.

It is the theme here that drew me in.

"For centuries, Cobalt has been ruled by corporations seeking to enhance their wealth and influence through Brass. Brass doesn't fuel the economy but literally fuels the technology and transportation of the world through its unique thermodynamic properties. Every day these companies compete and battle to expand their territory and authority. Companies work to optimize their labour force and resources to mine the most Brass in each territory using corporate espionage, technology, security and even sabotage. You work for such a company and have been tasked with expanding into a new region by constructing new corporate buildings, hiring employees and battling other companies in the region. The player who earns the most Brass will lead his company to victory in the region," relates the introduction to the rulebook.
"Each turn, you will play employee cards from your hand to gain resources. These resources will allow you to acquire new employees, buildings and units for your deck. Along the way, you will acquire buildings to enhance your hold on the region and command units to attack other companies or mine for brass. At the end of the game, the player with the most brass is the winner."

So there are three types of cards important to play.

"Employees represent your company's workforce. Their hard work helps you hire new employees or acquire new buildings and units, among other actions and effects. When you play an employee from your hand, you immediately apply the effect listed on the card. At the end of your turn, it goes into your discard pile.

"The Mining Platform is considered a building. If it is destroyed, flip it over; it is not automatically rebuilt at the beginning of your next turn. Instead, the Mining Platform can be rebuilt at any time for one construction.

"Units represent the security forces, soldiers, weapons, vehicles and more that you will acquire throughout the game. When you play a Unit from your hand, you gain any effects listed on the card if they apply. The Units are considered in play and dispatched, but cannot attack or mine on their first turn. On subsequent turns, Units can sabotage and attack other units and buildings, or spend their time mining and acquiring brass.

"Buildings are permanent structures that give your company an advantage in the region. When you play a building from your hand, place it facedown to signify that it is under construction. On your next turn, you construct your buildings by flipping over the cards. You will gain the effects on the card as long as it remains in play face up."

Beyond the core mechanics Brass Empire is a game rich in flavour.

For example the different 'companies' are given unique 'feels'.

"Windcraft Enterprises was originally founded by the royal Tarleton family during the Brass revolution. While the company started off catering to the upper class with luxurious sailcars, it quickly became apparent that the real money would be in catering to the masses, and that more efficient manufacturing techniques would be required for doing so. The Tarleton's were the first to introduce methods for large-scale manufacturing of vehicles with moving assembly lines. While their factories are known for their deplorable working conditions, Windcraft Enterprises is also praised for their quality craftsmanship and superior design. Orville Threepwood deserves much of the credit for current public sentiment of the Windcraft brand. His zeppelin and airship designs are both elegant and deadly," details the rules.

By contrast, "The McGlynn clan has long served the aristoracy and royalty of Cobalt and continue to serve as policeman today. When Brass was discovered, the family was recognized for its long service and given an earldom. Despite their new patent of nobility, the clan used this windfall to provide an alternative by creating the Colbat's first union at a newly created watch manufacturer. That humble watch company has since grown into one of the largest research and staffing firms in the world. McGlynn Clockwerks may be known for its ornate watches and timepieces, but its strength is its people and insight."

This is a game that is a definite 'must-look' for steampunk fans, and it will be a nice fit for those who like the deck-building mechanic, so check it out.

The concept of a co-operative game is interesting among board games in as much as it sets the players in a quest to collectively best the game.

You don't win as an individual, but rather you join your fellow gamers and take on the game itself.

Pandemic is likely the best of the bunch in terms of the mechanic, or at least the most popular, with games such as This War of Mine and Ghost Stories coming to mind.

You can now add Mini DiverCity to that list, a game where you and your fellow gamers are trying to save the reef and its inhabitants.

"The ecosystem of the DiverCity Archipelago is a beautiful and dynamic place, with multitudes of species coexisting in a vibrant tapestry of life," notes the ruleset fluff. "Not everyone can appreciate this place for its beauty alone, however, as multitudes of corporations attempt to exploit the natural resources of the archipelago and its coral reefs. Your team of divers must fight against time to show the DiverCity government that there is a wide enough diversity of species to justify turning the coral reef into a national park before the oil, fishing and tourism industries take over and destroy the island's fragile ecosystem.

"If you succeed, the coral reefs will thrive and grow for decades to come; if you fail, the archipelago will become an over-exploited wasteland, void of life and beauty. Will you be able to identify and collect enough samples of the coral reef's diversity before it's too late?"

So as you might expect with a co-op game all players must work together against the corporations, so you will either win as a team, or lose as a team.

You win if you can save the number of species shown on the difficulty level you have chosen. That there are multiple levels does add to the replay of this game from designer Maxim Tardif.

You lose Mini DiverCity from Sphere Games if the corporations kill the number of species shown on your difficulty level; or if six hotels are built; or if the species cards deck runs out and you cannot take any further actions. As you can see there are fewer ways to win than there are to lose, which is again rather typical of the genre.

What sets this one apart from most is that it is basically a card game, so it comes in a small box that means set up is quick, and games play out rather quickly, both putting this one into a 'filler' game niche.

A neat factor is that you don't look at your hand of cards, but other players can. Like divers, you can't talk to each other, which is harder to do than you might think. Thankfully, there are game mechanics that allow some sharing of information.

A neat little add-on with Mini DiverCity is that the ruleset includes some actual background on the species you are trying to save.

As an example; "Manta Ray: The biggest species of the manta ray can grow up to seven metres (23 ft.) wide. They are filter feeders and feed on zooplankton, so they are not dangerous for humans. The species is considered vulnerable, mostly because of pollution, entanglement in fishing nets, and the fact that they are harvested for use in Chinese medicine."

Or the "Octopus: One of the most intriguing species on Earth, the octopus has held a fascination for mankind throughout the ages. As most people probably already know, they have eight tentacles and are amongst the most intelligent and diverse invertebrates. There are around 300 known species."

A bit of education at the gaming table never hurts.

Mini DiverCity is not the deepest co-op game, but the simple game play keeps it fun.

Check it out at www.spheregames.ca

Thanks to fellow gamers Jeff Chasse, Trevor Lyons and Adam Daniels for their help in running through this game for review.

In my world it's hard to imagine a board game that would interest more than a finger-flicking hockey game.

I have long rated crokinole my favourite game of all I have played, and while most finger-flickers don't achieve such lofty heights, as a mechanic it is much desired. The reason is simply that it makes skill the key to winning, and you can improve a skill if you want to put in some effort.

As for hockey, well I am a Canadian boy born and raised, so I am not sure I need to say more.

So we come to Pichenotte Hockey from designer Victor Rodrigue and publisher Reverso Games.

This is not the first attempt to marry the ideas of finger flicking and hockey together. The simplest form being penny hockey which many crafters may have made as board designs are all over the Internet.

Finger hockey from John Taylor came out in 1979, and did a pretty fair job of combining the two.

But Pichenotte Hockey does it better.

The game is rather simple in terms of play. The players share a group of red checkers. You can play with two per player, three, or four. The more checkers on the board, the more interference in terms of shooting lanes to the goal. So four checkers each will mean a generally longer game with a bit more skill to make key shots.

The red pieces are used to flick toward the blue puck with the ultimate goal of getting the puck in the opponent's goal.

The first player to score three goals wins!

"The idea of Pichenotte Hockey was to make a simple, unifying and accessible game for all. Pichenotte Hockey is a unique product with a sleek design, designed and manufactured in Quebec," details the website at www.reversogames.com
The game is available in three rink formats 1/100, 1/150 and 1/200, scale, although I am not sure why you would opt for a smaller format. The boards are laser cut and engraving offers a nice finish to the curves of the wooden board, so the puck never seems trapped in a location you can't effectively move it.

The rules are simple, you must shoot the puck with a player that is behind it on your side of the puck position. If at any time the puck is behind all playing pieces, the attacking players can simply shoot the puck directly. This rule creates some strategy to keep a player deep in the opponent's end, as a direct shot using the puck is the most dangerous.

It also keeps the game flowing as there is no need to flick a player backwards to get into a shooting position.

Players alternate shooting turns.

So this one is a lot of fun to play, to the point I'd sit down for a game anytime, but I do love finger flicking games.

In terms of the genre this one impressed. It's not crokinole, nor its cousin carrom, but it does rocket to number three among finger flicking games I have played.

Thanks to fellow gamer Adam Daniels for his help in running through this game for review.

It is always fun to get a game in its prototype stage, a sneak peek, into something few have had an opportunity to play.

So I ripped into the package of Volfyirion with a definite air of anticipation.

The games will soon be kickstarted from Tabula Games, and expands upon the world of their earlier game Mysthea.

So let's start with the obvious, the moment the wrapping was shredded and the cellophane cleared away, I flipped through the cards of Volfyirion and was immediately immersed in the excellent art. You could lose yourself in the game for some time just appreciating the art. I wish I could credit the artist but there is no mention on the prototype, but their art on this one is impressive.

So what is Volfyirion? The game is a competitive deck-building card game for two players.

Deck-builders are probably my third favourite genre, so again this one had my attention. While other games of the genre do allow for one-on-one play, games specifically focused on two-players are rare, so I was hoping this one would offer something good.

In terms of flavour, there is a back story that at least gives some context for the game.

"The unspoken rivalry between House Volarees and House Rufus escalated into war once they learned that it was possible to control Volfyirion, that dreadful dragon inhabiting the ruins of Kyradar," detailed the rules print-out, (I had to go online for the latest version as the game was still in final design). "The desire to gain complete dominion over the powerful beast resulted in a conflict between the two forces, who were ready to employ any means necessary to stop the other. Their Cities are now nearly completely besieged while the battles rage on. Everyone tries to do their part: troops are stationed at the high walls, scouts venture to the ruins of Kyradar, civilians build anew what was destroyed, and scholars research forbidden tomes. However, the war is far from being over, because as long as a single enemy City is still standing, neither House will ever surrender.

"In Volfyirion, each player represents one of two ancient Houses of Mysthea. The goal is to conquer the other by destroying all enemy Cities. This is done by gaining points which can be spent to deploy strategic assets and attack."

So if you are familiar with deck-builders each play starts with a small starter deck of cards, 10 in this case which is fairly standard for the genre. You draw five for a hand, with the cards generating; command, battle and knowledge points. It is the points that allow players to do things in game.

Command points allow you to 'buy' cards from the 'asset row', which is like the market in many games.

Battle points are what you use to attack enemy cities.

Knowledge cards have a number of uses, and are the most versatile asset you have.

Many cards will have more than one type of points associated with it, but unlike many games you don't have to choose which to use, as you gain all points depicted.

In earlier rounds you will want to build your deck by grabbing cards out of the asset row, but it helps to have something of a plan. Some cards have specific colours and if you can chain certain combos together you can unlock additional powers for a turn.

Many cards can also be removed from the game for a one-time effect. It is usually a significant bonus, but the sacrifice is the card is out of the game.

Other cards are added to your cities, building providing resources each turn, and soldiers adding defence against an attack.

The goal is to destroy your opponent's cities, so battle cards are important, but there is also the dragon.

Did I not mention the dragon? It resides in its own city, and can be called using knowledge to attack cities, which is a workable approach too. The dragon may be a tad over-powered, but the final version may tweak that.

That is perhaps the best aspect of Volfyirion, you have a lot of choices, both in your approach to winning, and within the game, what you do with your resources at-hand. The more choices, the greater the replay value of a game and this one has a lot to explore.

The game does start out at a slow pace as you build resources then suddenly gets very interactive as attacks are made, or the dragon gets called. In the end games are pretty quick as well.

Ultimately the game feels a tad like Magic: the Gathering and Dominion had a baby, and it is quite a beautiful baby I look forward to watching grow up with a few expansions.

Thanks to fellow gamer Adam Daniels for his help in running through this game for review.

There are a few hundred chess variants out there, and finding the ones that offer the most potential for fun without requiring a computer to figure out the moves is a definite challenge.

P.E. Robinson, creator of Kamikaze Chess has gone about things a bit differently.

There are no complicated new chess pieces here. Instead, Robinson has created what is sort of a new board. It is the same 8X8 grid, but land on a square, flip the card that makes up that spot, and you find what are essentially traps.

The game, which comes in a box about the size of a Reese's Cup if the cups were square and not round, makes it rather easy to travel with.

The idea is to take the 32 cards which have 'traps' and lay them out as the black squares on a board, then playing a regular chess game with the cardboard pieces also provided. That is a fine idea, although knowing every stop on a black square is going to throw a monkey wrench into the game may be too much for many.

Facing the prospect of game changing elements such as 'trade' where you swap the moved chessman with any other on the board, or 'sudden death' the moved piece is lost, is a tad overly chaotic.

Yet in the tradition of Knightmare Chess there is something just fun about the concept that Kamikaze Chess offers.

So are a couple of ideas I have played around with to maintain the 'traps' but reduce the chaos.

Mark half the32 cards, and then randomly lay the pattern. Only the marked cards are traps when found.

Along the same lines, each player takes half the cards, so eight marked and eight not. Lay those out as desired on your home two rows. Only the opponent's piece triggers a card to flip, (assume your army knows where the traps are to avoid them).

This gives players a chance to remember where the traps are to lure in the opponent, or it can be random as well.

However you play with these cards, there is a lot of potential for some random fun, and mayhem in your game.

The game works for checkers too, which is kind of interesting in itself.

The game did have me wondering why Robinson created it.  So off went an email to find out.

"I learned to play chess from my grandfather and father," he replied. "Now I play with my kids, but I was seeing them consistently being deflated because someone playing a true game with more experience always has the upper hand and is always a step ahead. I wanted to come up with a crazy (or fun) way to make games more unpredictable than having the best player just outright smash the other player, as a means to keep spirits high and odds more even."

Robinson said the game came together quite quickly.

"I design very quickly and had a prototype within a month or two that was playable," he said. "After that, game testing was pretty straightforward with multiple age groups and skill levels to try out.

Once we refined the problem areas, we developed more formal, brief rules, which ship inside each game, that help start and guide players to a new kind of chess match every time."

In terms of the best element of the game, Robinson said, "The compact aspect with big gameplay has been a priority since day one. We wanted an extremely small form-factor (2x2- inch square) that can expand to be a full size 16x16-inch game board, multifunctional and fun – all for a lower price than most other games and in one pocket-sized box."

This is certainly a great game option for chess players, especially players who face opponents of different skill levels and want to add so randomness to level the playing field and just have fun.

Check it out at www.kamikazechess.com

Every once in a while you find a game that absolutely has everything you want in a game.

Tak is one of those games for me.

Over on Board Game Geek, (BGG), I created a 'geeklist' for the best abstract strategy games of the current decade, and Tak slots in at number two, right behind Arimaa and in front of Yinsh.

I also have a 'top-100' list at BGG and Tak slots in at number three behind crokinole, and Arimaa.

So yes I love this game.

But what is Tak?

Well Tak is a board game which was originally mentioned in Patrick Rothfuss' bestselling novel, The Wise Man's Fear.

Rothfuss eventually teamed with James Ernest, a games designer with a range of game creation credits, to create the actual game.

The goal of Tak is to build a road, which is a string of pieces that connects opposite sides of the board. . A road does not have to be a straight line. Diagonal spaces do not connect.

In general connection games don't generally excite me, but this one captured my imagination from the outset.

There are only two types of pieces in Tak: stones and capstones, and stones can be played in only two ways: flat or standing, so the basic rules are very simple, like many of the best abstract strategy games are.

Usually, stones are played flat, and it is flat stones can stack. They are also the only time pieces count as part of a road, which of course is the goal.

When you place a stone on end as a standing stone then nothing can be stacked on it, and standing stones don't count as part of your road.

A standing stone is generally a way to slow an opponent, and as a result they are often called walls in the game.

Capstones, a player may have one, or two depending in the size of board being played on, combine the best aspects of standing and flat stones: they do count as part of a road, but they can't have another piece stacked on top.

In addition, a capstone by itself has the power to flatten a standing stone, which can be useful to remodel a wall into a road piece.

Play is very simple. You can place a flat stone, a standing stone, or your capstone in any empty space on the board. (You never play a piece directly on another one. Stacks only form because of movement).

You can move one or more pieces in a stack that you control. A 'stack' of pieces can be any height, including just one piece. Control means that your piece is on top.

To move the stack, take any number of pieces off the top, up to the carry limit, and move them in a straight line, dropping at least one piece off the bottom in each space along the way. So in its simplest form one piece can move atop an adjacent flat single piece, or pile.

Taller stacks can move further, dropping pieces as they go.

There is no limit to the height of a stack, but there is a limit to the number of pieces that you can move. This "carry limit" is equal to the width of the board, so for example in a 5x5 game, you can carry no more than five pieces. That means if you start with a stack of seven, you must leave at least two of those pieces in the starting space.

Tak, which can be played without a board, although having one delineates the play area nicely, is generally played on boards 4x4, up to 8x8, although as a quirk not on 7x7. The larger the board, the greater the challenge is.

A quick game you opt for a small board, longer games with more options for more, and for mistakes, a larger board is used. You also get a second capstone and more pieces on a large board.

The pieces are wood, so that is aesthetically pleasing and a nice size in the two versions I have seen, so Tak is highly tactile as well.

Everything with this game is wonderful from the simple rules, the in-game strategy, the joy of success. A true gem.

Check it out at www/cheapass.com/tak

Some games are not created with the hope of greatness.

Some games are simply created for fun.

I suspect that fun was the focus for creator Brian Niro when he came up with Front Line No Komrades.

No Komrades is what can only be described as a filler card game. There isn't enough here that you would pull this one out for an evening's entertainment, but it is a fine night starter as you await a straggler or two, or as a light wind-up after a couple of hours of a more brain burning game.

A huge plus for No Komrades, published by Anvil Eight Games, is that it plays two to eight players. That is a ton of flexibility if you are having a games gathering.

The art by Kwanchai Moriya is great, especially in the character cards, which are rendered in a comic book caricature style that fits the focus of fun to a 'T'.

So this is a card game, with a pretty simple premise; you and your 'komrades' are on the front line and you are trying to avoid being shot, or gassed, or stepping on a mine. In attempting to avoid the fates of life on the front lines you have come to the conclusion that hiding behind your mates, or maybe pushing them on to a landmine or two, are quite acceptable as ways to stay yourself.

Players have cards in hand that allow them to maneuver their player cards into safer spots on the 'line' or to force others into spots of danger.

The danger each round comes from another stack of cards, fun things like snipers and gas attacks.

The theme is a tad dark, so it might not be for everyone, but it is carried out here with a healthy sense of whimsy that mitigates the darker aspects. There is a lot of tongue-in-cheek humour, and a healthy sense of 'get your buddies' with this one, that makes it a fun filler.

Check it out at www.anvil-eight.com

Thanks to fellow gamers Jeff Chasse, Trevor Lyons and Adam Daniels for their help in running through this game for review.

"Gather your friends and pack your bags for a trip to feudal Japan, where only the fearless will flourish. Samurai, Ronin, and even Emperors lock eyes and dare one another to make a move, knowing only one will stand victorious! Duel each rival that comes your way as you make a name for yourself in a world where even an unknown wanderer can scrap her way to the top against the most capable of samurai."

That is the website lead in for Showdown! The Samurai Card Game! published by New Experience Workshop Games, and is just the sort of teaser that grabs me. Feudal Japan is a favourite game theme with Joraku, and Kanagawa in my top 25-games list, and Kendo and Tokaido making it into the top-50.

Now Showdown by designer Chris Amburn won't be breaking into my top-100 list, but that isn't to say the game doesn't have its merits.

Showdown! The Samurai Card Game is for 2-6 players.

It is basically a reskin of Shootout! The High Noon Card Game, a western-themed game using the same mechanics which allows either to be played as a stand-alone game, or pitted against  for the ultimate duel between cowboys and samurai. The result of shuffling the two games together is that you can get the gang fighting cowboys with katanas against samurais with shotguns.

But I have only played Showdown, and I will start by applauding the art work.

The feel of feudal Japan is rather stunningly captured, with several of the cards being fine enough in terms of art that an 8X10 print on the gaming wall would look great if they were available.

The rules here are pretty straight forward ending up in a card battle not so far removed from the old kid's game of war.

Players look to build up a strong hand, then head into a head-to-head battle with an opponent, hoping you warrior and his weapons are strong enough to win, or that you have other cards that can twist the fate of battle in your favour.

The flavour of samurai's battling comes across well enough, and the art is so strong it helps make the game enjoyable, but ultimately this is a lightweight filler game. There is nothing wrong with that as we always need games to fill down times on gaming night, and this one certainly fills that niche nicely.

Thanks to fellow gamers Jeff Chasse, Trevor Lyons and Adam Daniels for their help in running through this game for review.