Last modified September 23, 2025 by Krushpin

Civolution (one part)

We've pulled out a sure thing. My friend Pierre finally seems to have put the pieces of the puzzle together for this game, which can seem intimidating at first. At least that's what he tells me, and, listening only to my courage in both hands, we make it our main course that afternoon. I'll never tire of this game, so rich and teeming with tactical opportunities and strategies to explore ever further. Even after about twenty games, it still smells like laundry coming out of the washing machine, fresh as a spring breeze.

Even though they're not in the same league in terms of heaviness, Bruges and Civolution are Feld's two great masterpieces, in my opinion. Initially, when it came out, it was a game I had put a little off my radar because this author had made a few missteps in recent years. In addition, a game of this magnitude didn't really fit his usual style, so I was afraid it would be a flop. Big mistake! Following a video of a game played live, I saw the unsuspected potential that this big box could contain. I managed to get a copy despite my lateness and I don't regret it at all!

Oranienburger Kanal (part)

In our country, the Rosenbergs are a sure bet. Oranienburger Kanal is no exception. Despite its chronic jaundice, it offers heartbreaking choices in every game. Through its extremely simple (even minimalist) mechanics, it's the rapid sequence of actions and the order in which they are executed that elevates it to a high level. It's a dazzling duel that can be played in less than 60 minutes, which gives it a welcome niche in my collection.

It took a short sequence of a few games of "resource roller games" (besides Oranienburger Kanal: Glass Road and Black Forest) for Martine to finally get hooked on this type of mechanic. When the click happened, it delighted me because I am a fan of this category of games. I will have to get another Black Forest eventually...

Ezra & Nehemiah (part one)

A game that finally sees the light of day again after more than 6 months without release. I thought it was a fairly intuitive game and that I could explain it "cold" after a few months, but I had to change my mind... Like any good game in this series, there is more meat than what might seem at first glance. I needed to check several small rules points along the way (thanks to Martine and Frédéric for their patience), but once started, the game runs smoothly.

Despite a bumpy start to the game, I was able to appreciate the richness it offers as we progressed towards the end. It's the sum of several small decisions with staggered effects, turn after turn, that gives it its complex and well-developed flavor. It's the kind of game that needs to see regular table time in order to truly own it. I intend to do so!

Isle of Skye (part)

Few of my gaming friends hadn't tried Isle of Skye. It was Maxime's turn to be evangelized by the game's two greatest preachers: Pierre and me. It's no small task to hit a home run with this game during a first playthrough. It's one that, like many classics, gets better with each new playthrough. It needs to be played by players of the same caliber to reveal its full potential. Although Maxime was a newcomer to Isle of Skye, his extensive gaming background propelled him to the rank of a clever fox, and he immediately grasped the most subtle concepts.

I hope I get the chance to play it again soon - I can't get enough!

Troyes (part)

I was spoiled that day by introducing my friend Maxime to two of my timeless favorites: Troyes and Isle of Skye. It was another wonderful discovery for him.

I'll have to, one day or another, resolve to try to take more advantage of the rampart trail around the castle to unlock the actions of the Dames de Troyes expansion. I install this module every game, but it seems that I always have better things to do with my dice on the central board than to spend them advancing on the ramparts. I promise myself to abandon my well-dug ruts during the next game and launch myself blindly towards other strategic avenues. After all these years enjoying the rustic charms of Troyes, it's time to get off the beaten track!

Salton Sea (part)

A discovery game for me. As is most of the time, I'm trying out the solo mode to really internalize the rules before teaching it.

I like "industrial" style games where you have to produce resources, transform them and use them to get the most out of them. In the same range, I really like Pipeline and Algae Inc. These are often games with slow development but which culminate in big, smoking blows during the last turns. This is indeed what I detected in Salton Sea and it is very promising. It contains several proven mechanics that I appreciate: worker placement, card drafting for deck building (in a way), achieving objectives, etc. This will be the next game I plan to show to my friends. I know that not everyone likes more nagging games, with progressive development that lasts 2 hours or more, but I am confident that it can appeal to a little...

Hamburg (part)

I mentioned this before, but I've been scalded in recent years by Feld's game releases. Among those that put me off was the big city series, which are nothing more or less than "reskins" of older games, but which sell at a price that's in keeping with today's trends. Ahem. Being a big fan of Bruges (you're starting to know that, I imagine), I couldn't see myself "betraying" it by trying its botoxed lookalike. When my friend Frédéric offered me a game exchange that would allow me to try Hamburg (Bruges 2.0), I didn't have much to lose, other than my dignity. I was especially eager to try the single-player version of Hamburg, which the original Bruges didn't have. That's what I did.

I'm trying to be as neutral as possible in my analysis and not let myself be fooled by my childhood sweetheart, but it's not easy. Hamburg is definitely Bruges, but with a few subtle twists that don't justify owning both versions. And the changes it offers don't all seem like improvements over the original game. (I will write an article soon on the major differences between the two versions, when I have played more than one game and especially when I have tried multiplayer.)

In short, for a first playthrough, it was enjoyable. It is Bruges, after all! That said, I was left wanting more. The game boasts six expansion modules that can be added to the base game, but most are minor variations of existing Bruges expansions. My playthrough didn't quite satisfy me, even though I was hungry for some refined Bruges.

Review of

7 parts including:

• 2 heavy: Salton Sea and Civolution
• 3 medium: Ezra & Nehemiah, Hamburg and Troyes
• 2 light: Isle of Skye and Oranienburger Kanal
• 0 filler

2 new arrivals: Salton Sea and Hamburg

With:

• Pierre
• Martine
• Maxime
• Frederic
• various solo dummies