EDITORIAL – WINTER 2022 – VOL. 2 NO. 81

TWENTY + 2 + 2 + 4U

 

Let’s face it: the last year – actually the last TWO years – have been awful (to say the least)! The worldwide pandemic has created a tidal wave of disruption and, with Omicron being the latest current variation on this Covid-19 theme, 2022 is not off to a great start. 22? It’s just too too much!

Since the Covid-19 outbreak, work schedules have been shattered, supply chains crippled and, most significantly, people have become ill, hospitalized and died! To protect people, drastic steps have been and continue to be taken. The Grammys, scheduled to be held in Los Angeles in January, has been postponed to April and moved to Las Vegas! Billy Joel, a fixture at New York City’s Madison Square Garden has postponed his January concert to August! From a gaming perspective, both the Nuremberg and the New York Toy Fairs have been cancelled! These are major disruptions in the cycle of bringing games to market. Not good. Not good at all! One of the byproducts of all of this is that people have been restricted in their comings and goings – and that means, in many cases, spending more time at home.

When you have all this time on your hands, you have to fill it in some way. You have choices but… some ways can be a bit mind-numbing. I mean how much television can you watch? Better to fill the time meaningfully, using your mind in a challenging, creative way. For many of us, filling that time meant – and still means – bringing more and more games to the table.

Out of all this darkness of the last few years, the shining light is seeing lots of games being published. The spirit may be willing but not all of them have been good. Fortunately, many have shown the quality that makes them worthy of your attention with many of those being featured in the pages of Gamers Alliance Report. As we launch the new year with our Winter issue, that’s exactly what we are going to continue to do! 

We are hopeful that 2022 will bring good things to all of us. It’s been too too much with so many Covid-19 cases. But you can never have too too much when it comes to quality games. And you can never have too too much when it comes to the fun and pleasure of being able to play quality games and being able to write about them. 

With this issue, TWENTY, TWO TWO is here. And Gamers Alliance Report will once again bring the best of gaming FOR YOU! 

In this issue, we industrialize, collect beautiful artwork, dominate space and draw a blank! Robert Marti travels to Venice while James Davis joins the Brotherhood there! Kevin Whitmore takes the tram in Lisbon and Chris Wray revisits Carcassonne and Greg J. Schloesser plays golf!. Andrea “Liga” Ligabue conjures with cauldrons while Chris Kovac just builds and builds and  And, of course, much more!

Until next time, Good Gaming!

Herb Levy, President


Have feedback? We’d love to hear from you.

 

Other Winter 2022 GA Report articles

 

20 YEARS OF CARCASSONNE: THE 20TH ANNIVERSARY EDITION by Chris Wray Few games achieve the commercial and critical acclaim of Carcassonne. Following its 2001 Spiel des Jahres win, Carcassonne and ...
Read More
Reviewed by Herb Levy ANNO 1800 (Kosmos, 2 to 4 players, ages 12 and up, 120 minutes; $69.95) The Industrial Age was an age of transformation as societies moved from ...
Read More
Reviewed by Herb Levy ART DECKO (Rio Grande Games, 2 to 4 players, ages 14 and up, 30-60 minutes; $44.95) The art world has often ben the subject of games, ...
Read More
Reviewed by James Davis ASSASSIN'S CREED: BROTHERHOOD OF VENICE (Triton Noir, 1 to 4 players, ages 12 and up, 30-90 minutes; $239) If you are a major geek like myself, ...
Read More
Reviewed by Herb Levy BLANK SLATE (USAopoly, 3 to 8 players, ages 8 and up, 20-35 minutes; $24.99) What do you do when you have more than the customary four ...
Read More
Reviewed by Chris Kovac THE BUILDERS: MIDDLE AGES & THE BUILDERS: ANTIGUITY (Asmodee, 2 to 4 players, ages 10 and up, 30-45 minutes; $17.99 each) The Builders: Middle Ages and ...
Read More
TWENTY + 2 + 2 + 4U Let's face it: the last year - actually the last TWO years - have been awful (to say the least)! The worldwide pandemic ...
Read More
[In this issue, we feature the latest design from Glenn Drover: Lizard Wizard. This game revisits the land of Astoria, replacing finance with fantasy in a semi-sequel to Drover's previous ...
Read More
Reviewed by Kevin Whitmore LISBON TRAM 28 (MEBO Games, 2 to 4 players, ages 8 and up, 45-60 minutes; €29.95) Lisbon Tram 28 is a 2021 game released by MEBO ...
Read More
Reviewed by Herb Levy LIZARD WIZARD (Forbidden Games, 1 to 5 players, ages 10 and up, 90 minutes; $49.99) Welcome to Astoria, a land of magic! But all is not ...
Read More
Reviewed by Greg J. Schloesser MINI GOLF DESIGNER (Thematic Games, 1 to 5 players, ages 12 and up, 90-120 minutes; $50) I have always been enamored by mini-golf.  I have ...
Read More
Reviewed by Herb Levy MOONRAKERS (IV Games, 1 to 5 players, ages 14 and up, 60-120 minutes; $65) In the future, space will be populated by mercenaries competing for dominance ...
Read More
Reviewed by Herb Levy MYSTIC PATHS (R&R Games, 2 to 6 players ages 12 and up, 20-45 minutes; $39.99) Have you ever wanted to be an apprentice in a school ...
Read More
Reviewed by Herb Levy TIGER STRIPES: THE CARD GAME (Flying Meeple, 2 to 4 players ages 7 and up, 15 minutes; $15) The transition between child and adult can be ...
Read More
Reviewed by Robert Marti VENICE (Braincrack Games, 1 to 5 players, ages 12 and up, 30-90 minutes; £55) Are you up for an adventure?  Then come with me and explore ...
Read More
Reviewed by Andrea "Liga" Ligabue WITCHSTONE (R&R Games/HUCH!, 2 to 4 players, ages 12 and up, 60-90 minutes; $49.99) Martino Chiacchiera is probably best known in the World of Games ...
Read More

 

Facebook Feed

2 weeks ago

Gamers Alliance
With great sadness, we regret to inform you that our founder, Herbert Levy, passed away this morningHerb was an incredible leader of the gaming community, founding Gamers Alliance in 1986, and even winning a Bradley-Parker award in 2011 - this is a shattering loss to his family, friends, and loved ones. We apologize to the Gamers Alliance community members, as all current orders have been canceled - thank you for your understanding and condolences ... See MoreSee Less
View on Facebook

3 weeks ago

Gamers Alliance
Dungeons & Dragons created a whole genre of gaming and I love the bits of history that relate to it. www.chaosium.com/blogfrom-the-qa-did-chaosium-founder-greg-stafford-own-the-firstever-copy-of-dd-... ... See MoreSee Less
View on Facebook

4 weeks ago

Gamers Alliance
The joy of gaming (as defined by the inimitable Gahan Wilson)! (Click on it to see the entire caption!) ... See MoreSee Less
View on Facebook

4 weeks ago

Gamers Alliance
For those who LOVE a challenge! ... See MoreSee Less
View on Facebook

4 weeks ago

Gamers Alliance
Once again, there are over 180 (!) Gamers Alliance auctions on eBay right now, featuring lots of games – from 7 Wonders to Zombicide – and more including lots of Cthulhu items, Lord of the Rings items, Magic, the Gathering items, Spellfire and other CCGs, Endless Quest books and more! Anybody can bid but if you join Gamers Alliance – full details on site – you get $$$ to spend on your winning bids!!!Enjoy your visit!www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?item=132900256458&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2562&_ssn=gamersalliance ... See MoreSee Less
View on Facebook