Matthew Smail

Cyclades: Legendary Edition is more than just a reprint — it’s the near flawless remaster of an already exceptional design. Designed by Bruno Cathala and Ludovic Maublanc, this version consolidates the original Cyclades and the best of its…

Ancient Greece has always been fertile ground for video games — gods, monsters, epic battles, and tragic heroes practically beg to be pixelated. But while most titles lean into sweeping narratives or open-world exploration, Achilles:…

Following the misfires that led to the famous managerial series missing a beat for the first time ever in 2024, Football Manager 2026 represents a bold leap forward for the series, introducing a new game engine, the massive inclusion of…

Defenders of the Wild, designed by Henry Audubon and T.L. Simons and published by Outlandish Games, is a cooperative, card-driven game that blends asymmetric player abilities with ecological resistance. Defenders of the Wild shows its…

Faraway, designed by Johannes Goupy and Corentin Lebrat and published by Catch Up Games, is a small-box tableau builder that punches well above its weight. Supplied to us by Hachette UK, Faraway is a small box game that offers a clever…

There and Back Again, designed by Reiner Knizia and published by Office Dog, is a charming and refreshingly straightforward roll-and-write adventure that invites players to journey through Middle-earth one quest at a time. With eight unique…

There’s a quiet confidence about Earthborne Rangers — an inherent sense that it has a lot to say, but it’s not shouting about it. Designed by Andrew Fischer, Brooks Flugaur-Leavitt, Andrew Navaro and both Adam and Brady Sadler, and…

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Tactical Takedown is a visually and mechanically striking reinterpretation of the TMNT formula. Rather than the arcade brawler that we’ve become used to, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Tactical Takedown is much…

As much a satire about house prices, economic boom and bust and even the world's most famous capitalist board game, Magnate seeks to build up and then destroy all you know about city-building. Designed by James Naylor and published by…

Ready or Not on Xbox Series X feels like a deliberate throwback to a more considered era of tactical gameplay. It tasks you to slow down, think, and act with precision — and while it doesn’t always hit the mark, it’s certainly aiming at a…