February 22, 2021 Twenty Sided

Spotlight February 2021 | Games We Love

Written by Johnni Medina

February is coming to a close and Meeple March is just around the corner. As an homage to the month of love, we want to answer one of the questions we are asked every single day at Twenty Sided Store: which games do we love?

We are a small team, and we try to learn and play as many games as possible. Our tastes are all very different and the coveted position of our “favorite game” is constantly changing! So I asked everyone on the Twenty Sided Team “what game do you love, right here and now?”

These... are those games!

Lauren | Pandemic Legacy Season Zero

Pandemic Legacy Season Zero is the prologue to all Pandemic Legacy games. Every pandemic game pits you and the other players against a fast-spreading disease and though you each take on different roles, you must all work together to keep the planet safe and healthy. The legacy games are campaign style, and each time you play you will reprise your role, continue where you left off, and make permanent changes to the game and board.

Lauren just finished Season Zero and her reviews are glowing.

“If you are a fan of suspense and political intrigue, you will love this game! In Pandemic Season 0, you and your party play as CIA agents in 1962 trying to save the world. While undercover you must work together to succeed in neutralizing the threat. You will be given passports with aliases and a budget to work with.

Our group worked really well together, it was super intense, and I looked forward to playing each week to find out what was going to happen next! I’d love to find out from others what they scored and I am excited to figure out house rules for set up to continue playing on our now totally customized Pandemic board!”

Parsley Featuring Action Castle and Other Adventures

Luis | Parsely

Some games capture a sense of nostalgia in exciting and memorable ways, and Parsely is one such game! Parsely is a storytelling game inspired by computer text adventures and is a great, easy to learn game for all levels of players!

“This is a locally created game by Jared Sorenson that rules! Parsely is a throwback to old school text based computer role playing games, i.e. 'inspect chest,' 'go north,' 'exit west.' I've played with widely varying numbers of people: 60 other people at a convention, two players, and just about everything else in between.

One person plays as "the computer" - they are the gamemaster and keep track of game. Everyone else playing controls one player who is exploring the scenario. You inspect items, explore magical areas and travel around to solve the mystery of the adventure. You can also save the game if you are worried about character death! The book has tons of different adventures. It's such a simple but cool little game. Bonus: in these pandemic times, you can easily play it remotely!”

Johnni | Skull

Deduction and bluffing games are an ever growing genre, and each brings something new or unique. Skull may be one of the most aesthetically pleasing deception games - and one of the most deceptively challenging.

“During my first ever Twenty Sided staff meeting, I played Skull and fell in love. I tend to like bluffing games as it is but Skull is especially well crafted.

Every player goes one by one secretly placing a tile in front of them. Then everyone bids on how many tiles they think they can turn over without hitting a skull. Each player can increase the bet but the winner of the betting round must first start with their own tiles, so bluff too much and you'll be exposed. It sounds simple - but simple doesn't mean easy!

I find that the game often moves deliberately as each player begins to manipulate the bids to throw off the other players. You’ll find yourself questioning everyone and every moment! Skull simple in concept is sophisticated in practice. I’ve never had a harder time scoring a measly two points - and I love every minute of it. "

Morgan | Adventure Zone Bureau of Balance

Morgan is the newest member of the Twenty Sided Team but she has thrown herself into the process of trying out new games like a pro! A Dungeon Master and fan of The Adventure Zone podcast, Morgan was the first of us to play The Adventure Zone Bureau of Balance and got all of us on the hype train! Read on to hear in her words what makes this game so unique!

"I absolutely love The Adventure Zone: Bureau of Balance. This hilarious, cooperative storytelling game by Twogether Studios is set in the world of The Adventure Zone podcast, with a ton of fan-favorite locales, villains and magic items from the show. You don’t need to already be a fan to enjoy this game though. It’s for anyone who wants to tell an amazing story with their friends in a fantastic world setting.

During the game, players can gain bonuses to help them complete challenges by elaborating on the story, which can be awesome and encouraging for those who are new to role playing games and delightful for those who are old pros. It will make your cheeks hurt from laughing so much, and it can easily be played virtually for, you know, whatever Zoom void we all live in nowadays."

Our passion is bringing people together and helping you find your next favorite game! Hopefully, some of our favorites will help you find a new game to love.

Filed in: Board Games, Game Talk, Role Playing Games, Staff Picks

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