With my birthday and a work trip, it’s been a relatively quiet month, but I managed to get some great board games in. Let’s take a quick look at the games I played in May and share my thoughts.
Lorcana
First up, I spent quite a bit of time with Lorcana this month. I haven’t had the chance to dive into the Illuminators Quest yet, but it’s sitting there as a nice box of potential. I joined a sealed tournament for the new set, which was a lot of fun, even though I didn’t place very high. The excitement of opening new packs and getting fresh cards was totally worth it. I really love how accessible Lorcana is—it’s easy to pick up and always enjoyable. Adding new cards to my collection has been a highlight, and I’m looking forward to more games. This one definitely remains a favorite in my rotation.
Isle of Cats: Explore and Draw
Then there’s Isle of Cats: Explore and Draw, which has a roll-and-write setup. It keeps the same feel of filling up the boat with cats but is quicker and easier to set up and play. I think I actually prefer this version because of its simplicity and how it captures the essence of the original game in a more streamlined format. It’s perfect for when you want the Isle of Cats experience but don’t have a lot of time. It’s a good game, and I really enjoyed it.
Harmonies
Harmonies is a new game that has gained a lot of popularity recently. It reminds me a bit of Cascadia, which I also love. Harmonies challenges you to put patterns together, and I found that really fun. However, I don’t think it will replace Cascadia for me. Cascadia remains a fun, relaxing game that you can play in about 30 minutes, and Harmonies, while great, has its own unique charm. They can definitely coexist in my collection.
Rats of Wistar
I recently wrote a review on Rats of Wistar, so if you want to check out my full thoughts, you can go to this link. This solo game involves playing against a bot to build up your colony with a mix of worker placement and card play to achieve your goals. I enjoyed it, especially for its strategic depth in solo play. It’s a game that really makes you think about your moves, and I believe it will stay in my collection for now.
Cascadia + Cascadia: Landmarks
I received Cascadia: Landmarks as a birthday gift, so naturally, I had to play some Cascadia with the new expansion. Landmarks adds interesting elements without requiring a complete relearning of the game. It involves strategic decisions about when and how to grab landmarks to score extra points. I’m getting the hang of it now, though I think I need an insert to keep everything in one box. It’s a solid expansion that I highly recommend.
Hadrian’s Wall
I also played Hadrian’s Wall because it’s always fun. It’s a game I can dive into without needing to reread the rules, which is great. I even played it during the Eurovision Song Contest. It remains my favorite roll-and-write game and possibly my favorite Garphill game. I’m experimenting with different strategies now, like focusing on the gladiators, which I usually ignore. Hadrian’s Wall remains a favorite that I always enjoy playing.
Star Wars Outer Rim + Star Wars Outer Rim: Unfinished Business
I bought the Unfinished Business expansion for Star Wars Outer Rim a while ago and finally got it to the table. It’s a fantastic pickup-and-delivery game that’s very thematic, especially if you know the characters. I don’t always win, but I enjoy the experience of playing in the Star Wars universe. It’s about having fun and immersing yourself in that world, even if I don’t always make the most strategic choices.
Freak War
Freak War is a little card game I received from the publisher. At first, I wasn’t sure it was for me, but my husband and I really enjoy it. It’s a fun, quick game that we often play after putting the kids to bed. It’s perfect for a short, enjoyable gaming session, and it always makes us laugh. So yeah, I actually really enjoy this one.
Conclusion
That’s the list of games I played in May. It’s not a huge list, but I played a lot of each game. With my birthday, work, and a business trip, gaming time was limited. However, I’m hoping for more time to play as we head into the summer holiday. Working in education means it will be a quieter time for me, so I’m looking forward to exploring more games in the next few months. Until next time!