Reviewed by Selwyn Ward

BITOKU (Devir, 1 to 4 players, ages 12 and up, 120 minutes; $70)

Devir’s Bitoku was one of hottest games to appear at last year’s Spiel (Essen). You’ll have encountered Japanese spirits, including Yokai and Kodama in several other games, and they make a strong appearance here as the theme of Bitoku involves working with the spirits of the forest in order to achieve transcendence. Don’t worry, you don’t need to understand Japanese folklore or mythology to play this game: the theme is only a thin veneer over what is essentially an abstract euro game where players are seeking to score the most points.