Mousquetaires du Roy - One for All, All for More!

Mousquetaires du Roy (King's Muskateers) is a board game interpretation of the famous Alexander Dumas novel The Three Musketeers. Designed by François Combe and Gilles Lehmann, Mousquetaires was released at Essen 2010 by Ystari Games and brought to the states by Rio Grande Games shortly after. Meant for 1-5 players ages 12+, a play typically lasts around 90 minutes. Critical Gamers would like to extend a special thanks to Rio Grande Games for providing the review copy.

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Fight the Dark Forces of Mordor with Lord of the Rings Living Card Game

Fantasy Flight Games has made a lot of fans happy yesterday with their release of Lord of the Rings: The Card Game. Lord of the Ring fans, card game fans, and cooperative fans can all rejoice at this latest offering and considering that I fall into all three of those categories, I am beyond stoked. Meant for 1-2 players (up to 4 with two core sets), the Lord of the Rings is being dubbed as the first cooperative living card game on the market. Players build their decks with characters easily recognized from J.R.R. Tolkien's fiction and based off four different spheres of influence (tactics, lore, spirit, and leadership) and must work together to stop the forces of Sauron. Boasting 226 cards that can be separated into multiple decks, the core set will include 3 perilous quests that use different combinations of monsters and settings that will give the players a different experience each time they play. The Lord of the Rings is being marketed as a living card game, so expect monthly adventure packs to continue to expand and enthrall players. The Shadows of Mirkwood cycle has been announced with three different adventure packs to be available soon: The Hunt for Gollum, Conflict at the Carrock, and A Journey to Rhosgobel. Pre-orders for The Hunt for Gollum can be placed at Funagain Games and stay tuned to Critical Gamers for all your adventure pack info.

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Magestorm's First Expansion Announced

Italian publisher Nexus Games International (Letters from Whitechapel, Dakota), has announced Fallen Shadow, the first expansion for the hit fantasy wargame Magestorm. Fallen Shadow brings two new mages, the Water Mage and the Dark Mage, new terrain tiles, and new scenarios to the table. The Water Mage will utilize the life-sustaining property of water for healing purposes while the Dark Mage will harness the powers of frost and shadow. Fallen Shadow will also contain the first nighttime scenario and the new mechanic of condition cards which will modify a battle as terrain does but it effects the whole battlefield. Visit the Nexus Games announcement page for additional information on the upcoming expansion!

At Fallen Shadow

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Game of Life - A Review of a Family Classic

Coming from a fairly large family of seven, board gaming was an integral part of our growing up and the Game of Life is one of those classic games I played and loved as a child. Whenever the games were brought out, it was always on the top of my list. The cars and distinct people pegs, that unmistakable sound of the spinner turning, and all of the cool spaces to land on were just a few of the draws that I latched on to. Can that wonder hold up against an older, less forgiving critic?

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Fight for Control of the Tribe with Cherokee

White Goblin Games (Rattus, Inca Empire) has announced their second release of the year, a card game called Cherokee from Saboteur designer Fréderic Moyersoen. The great, wise Yonaguska has just died and the Cherokee tribe needs a new leader. The player must elevate members of their clan as high as possible in the pyramid while keeping their clan color a secret as players battle each for feathers to be selected as the new leader of the tribe. Look for Cherokee to be released in May 2011!

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Ventura - A Game about 14th Century Nobility Coming Q3 '11

Amongst the tragedy of the black plague, the Hundred Year's War, and the beginning of the Renaissance, the upcoming release of Ventura by Fantasy Flight Games features warring noble families as they battle for power and prestige. Your family will fight to gain territories and increase their house's prosperity through the military might of a hired army and keen management of the family's wealth.

Ventura requires 2-4 players, ages 13+, and each game takes approximately 90 minutes to play. The game contains 120 plastic pieces, 40 Territory tiles, 4 Family Boards, a scoring board, over 100 cards, and 80 themed tokens. The release of Ventura is expected to be in Q3 of 2011. For more information, visit the Ventura website.

At Ventura

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Days of Wonder Offers Cargo Noir Replacement Token Bags

If you own Cargo Noir and your Token Bag has shredded or torn, Days of Wonder has offered to replace your bag with a stronger, reinforced bag at no cost. If this is you, then head over to Days of Wonder Contact Page and request your replacement.

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A Blood-Red Banner: The Alamo Now Released

Victory Point Games announced today their latest release in the Battlesson solitaire line, A Blood-Red Banner: The Alamo. This historically inspired title, designed by Richard Trevino, pits the player against the Mexican Director, General Santa Anna in the famous Battle of the Alamo. The player controls a ragtag band of besieged Texians defenders fighting for their new republic against five converging Mexican attack columns. Remember the Alamo, withstand the onslaught, and raise your Blood-Red Banner!

At A Blood-Red Banner: The Alamo

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Play Cosmic Encounter Online for Free!

Cosmic Encounter has been around since 1977 and has existed in many incarnations from many different publishers, Fantasy Flight Games being the most recent. What is interesting is that it also exists in an online format and while this may not be news, I don't believe that it is widely known. Launched by one of the original designers, Peter Olotka, the site uses a free-to-play model where you can play the game for free in a limited capacity as long as you would like, but must pay in order to access the additional content. I think this is a fantastic business model for the online game as it allows players to try, as much as they want, before buying and they can choose what level of buying they wish. Also, if you have never played Cosmic Encounter before, don't fret, there is an excellent tutorial that will teach you the basics. So if you love Cosmic Encounter, enjoy free online games, or have always wanted to play, check out the Cosmic Encounter Online website and give it a play!

At Cosmic Encounter Online

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Kickstarter Projects Worth Backing! Pt. Deux

Go figure, as soon as I post about some great Kickstarter projects, three more pop up that have many people excited. I can't say that I am surprised, really, as the amount of unbelievably creative people in our industry is nearly unrivaled. So if you enjoy being the first one on the block to have the latest products, I highly suggest that you check out the following projects.

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