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Diamond In The Ruff (Wiggle Butt Manor #1)
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Charlie Calderbank always dreamed of being a cop, but a medical issue forces her out of the academy...
Cozy Mystery
Purple Phoenix Games (2266 KP) rated Corsairs of Valeria in Tabletop Games
Apr 2, 2021
If you look at my current Top 10 List (at date of publication), you will see that my #1 game is Valeria Card Kingdoms. I just love the lore, mechanics, artwork, and gameplay so much that it easily rose to my #1 spot after just 1 play! So I am definitely a sucker for all things Valeria. Quests of Valeria, Villagers of Valeria – you name it, I’ve got it. So when the latest VCK expansion was on Kickstarter, with the option to add a new little Valeria-verse themed dice game, I knew I was all in. Does Corsairs of Valeria live up to the hype of its predecessors?
Corsairs of Valeria is a dice rolling game in which players are racing to sail the Valerian islands and collect 6 treasure chests before any of the other pirate captains do. The first person to do so will claim the position of Commodore, and its associated status and power! To setup the game, each player receives a Ship board and ship meeple in their chosen color, 2 silver, and is randomly given a Captain card for the game. Each Captain card gives players a different special power to be used throughout the game. Ship boards have 2 dials to track Treasures and Grog. Set up the Start Island, shuffle and select 3 island Tracks to be placed above the Start, and finally end the lineup with Skull Island. Place 2 silver on Skull Island, and the game is ready to begin!
Each turn has four phases: Roll, Re-roll, Actions, End turn. First, gather all 5 dice and roll them. In the Re-roll phase, players may pay 1 Grog to re-roll any or all of their dice. You may re-roll as many times as you wish per turn, as long as you have Grog to spend. Once you are satisfied with your die rolls, you perform the actions shown on each die. Cursed dice must be executed first – for any dice that have a Skull on them, you must pay 1 silver to Skull Island per skull face shown. After Skulls are resolved, the rest of the die faces may be executed in any order you wish, as long as you resolve all the same symbols at the same time. The Grog symbol allows you to gain 1 Grog, the Silver symbol allows you to gain 1 silver, and the Map symbols allows you to move your ship meeple 1 space on the island track. Certain islands on the track provide additional resources once they are passed, so collect those as applicable. A Cannon symbol allows you to attack – either an opponent or a Merchant ship. To attack an opponent, you must roll at least 3 cannon symbols, and the chosen opponent then must give you all of their silver. To attack a Merchant ship, you must be sharing a space on the track with a Merchant ship, and you collect the resources printed on the ship for the number of cannons you spend to attack. After you have executed all of your dice actions, pass the dice to the next player and your turn is over.
At any point during the game, when you acquire 5 silver, you immediately trade them in for 1 treasure. Treasure is tracked on your ship board. The first player to reach 6 treasures wins the game! If, during the game, a player reaches Skull Island before 6 treasures have been claimed, a few things happen. First, that player receives all of the silver on Skull Island. Next, all ships are moved back to the Start Island, the 3 island Tracks are flipped to their opposite sides, and 2 silver are once again placed on Skull Island. The game continues in turn order, just now with new Tracks in play. If any player reaches Skull Island for a second time during the game, then the game ends once that player finishes their turn. In that case, if 6 treasures still have not been claimed, the player with the most Treasure wins.
I’m just going to start this off by saying that I love Corsairs of Valeria. Just like the other members of the Valeria family, this one checks off all the boxes that I love: great artwork, solid mechanics, and enjoyable immersion in the universe of Valeria. Let’s talk about gameplay first. At its core, Corsairs of Valeria is a dice rolling game, which is a luck-based mechanic. However, this game does provide options to employ strategies through the Captain powers and re-roll phase that give the player a little bit more control over what they can do each turn. Maybe you’re bad at rolling dice, but having the option to pay 1 Grog to re-roll any/all dice can get you out of a bad jam. Or maybe you have a powerful Captain ability that can really dictate your strategy and offer a path to success. It’s not just about the dice rolls, but about what you do to use those rolls to your benefit. So overall that just makes the game feel more engaging and enjoyable to me because I as a player have the ability to strategize each turn, I am not just at the mercy of the dice.
Another thing that I love about Corsairs of Valeria is that it is so simple, quick, and light to play. The rules seem a little involved at first, but ultimately here’s how a turn plays out: roll dice, re-roll if desired, perform actions/collect resources, end turn. The symbology is straight-forward, the turn phases are logical and concise, and there really is no down-time between turns. It requires strategy but still feels light enough to be a good palate cleanser or introductory game for newer gamers. And an awesome thing with quick games is that it is so easy to play several games in a row. I play at least 3 games of Corsairs before I decide to move on to the next game in my queue.
The consistency and continuity between all of the Valeria games is a huge plus for me. I love the artwork and appreciate that Daily Magic Games keeps bring back the same artist to create a cohesive universe! All of the Valeria games stand alone from each other, but the style and artwork make them all feel like a united entity.
Maybe I am a bit biased because VCK is my #1 game right now, but I think that Corsairs of Valeria is great. It is easily in my Top 20 games, and could continue moving up the list with more plays. It’s fast and light, yet strategic and engaging enough that it keeps me excited and energized throughout. There’s not a down moment when playing this game because ultimately, it’s a race! Keep an eye on the opponents, decide which strategy is best with your given die roll, and get a move on to get those treasures and best your rival captains. Purple Phoenix Games gives Corsairs of Valeria a sea-worthy 10 / 12.
Corsairs of Valeria is a dice rolling game in which players are racing to sail the Valerian islands and collect 6 treasure chests before any of the other pirate captains do. The first person to do so will claim the position of Commodore, and its associated status and power! To setup the game, each player receives a Ship board and ship meeple in their chosen color, 2 silver, and is randomly given a Captain card for the game. Each Captain card gives players a different special power to be used throughout the game. Ship boards have 2 dials to track Treasures and Grog. Set up the Start Island, shuffle and select 3 island Tracks to be placed above the Start, and finally end the lineup with Skull Island. Place 2 silver on Skull Island, and the game is ready to begin!
Each turn has four phases: Roll, Re-roll, Actions, End turn. First, gather all 5 dice and roll them. In the Re-roll phase, players may pay 1 Grog to re-roll any or all of their dice. You may re-roll as many times as you wish per turn, as long as you have Grog to spend. Once you are satisfied with your die rolls, you perform the actions shown on each die. Cursed dice must be executed first – for any dice that have a Skull on them, you must pay 1 silver to Skull Island per skull face shown. After Skulls are resolved, the rest of the die faces may be executed in any order you wish, as long as you resolve all the same symbols at the same time. The Grog symbol allows you to gain 1 Grog, the Silver symbol allows you to gain 1 silver, and the Map symbols allows you to move your ship meeple 1 space on the island track. Certain islands on the track provide additional resources once they are passed, so collect those as applicable. A Cannon symbol allows you to attack – either an opponent or a Merchant ship. To attack an opponent, you must roll at least 3 cannon symbols, and the chosen opponent then must give you all of their silver. To attack a Merchant ship, you must be sharing a space on the track with a Merchant ship, and you collect the resources printed on the ship for the number of cannons you spend to attack. After you have executed all of your dice actions, pass the dice to the next player and your turn is over.
At any point during the game, when you acquire 5 silver, you immediately trade them in for 1 treasure. Treasure is tracked on your ship board. The first player to reach 6 treasures wins the game! If, during the game, a player reaches Skull Island before 6 treasures have been claimed, a few things happen. First, that player receives all of the silver on Skull Island. Next, all ships are moved back to the Start Island, the 3 island Tracks are flipped to their opposite sides, and 2 silver are once again placed on Skull Island. The game continues in turn order, just now with new Tracks in play. If any player reaches Skull Island for a second time during the game, then the game ends once that player finishes their turn. In that case, if 6 treasures still have not been claimed, the player with the most Treasure wins.
I’m just going to start this off by saying that I love Corsairs of Valeria. Just like the other members of the Valeria family, this one checks off all the boxes that I love: great artwork, solid mechanics, and enjoyable immersion in the universe of Valeria. Let’s talk about gameplay first. At its core, Corsairs of Valeria is a dice rolling game, which is a luck-based mechanic. However, this game does provide options to employ strategies through the Captain powers and re-roll phase that give the player a little bit more control over what they can do each turn. Maybe you’re bad at rolling dice, but having the option to pay 1 Grog to re-roll any/all dice can get you out of a bad jam. Or maybe you have a powerful Captain ability that can really dictate your strategy and offer a path to success. It’s not just about the dice rolls, but about what you do to use those rolls to your benefit. So overall that just makes the game feel more engaging and enjoyable to me because I as a player have the ability to strategize each turn, I am not just at the mercy of the dice.
Another thing that I love about Corsairs of Valeria is that it is so simple, quick, and light to play. The rules seem a little involved at first, but ultimately here’s how a turn plays out: roll dice, re-roll if desired, perform actions/collect resources, end turn. The symbology is straight-forward, the turn phases are logical and concise, and there really is no down-time between turns. It requires strategy but still feels light enough to be a good palate cleanser or introductory game for newer gamers. And an awesome thing with quick games is that it is so easy to play several games in a row. I play at least 3 games of Corsairs before I decide to move on to the next game in my queue.
The consistency and continuity between all of the Valeria games is a huge plus for me. I love the artwork and appreciate that Daily Magic Games keeps bring back the same artist to create a cohesive universe! All of the Valeria games stand alone from each other, but the style and artwork make them all feel like a united entity.
Maybe I am a bit biased because VCK is my #1 game right now, but I think that Corsairs of Valeria is great. It is easily in my Top 20 games, and could continue moving up the list with more plays. It’s fast and light, yet strategic and engaging enough that it keeps me excited and energized throughout. There’s not a down moment when playing this game because ultimately, it’s a race! Keep an eye on the opponents, decide which strategy is best with your given die roll, and get a move on to get those treasures and best your rival captains. Purple Phoenix Games gives Corsairs of Valeria a sea-worthy 10 / 12.
Chris Hooker (419 KP) rated Storm Warriors in Books
Jan 12, 2018
[Storm Warriors] by [Elisa Carbone] has been on my reading 'pile' for sometime. As a middle school teacher I love to add books to my library. This one is definitely a gem.
The story is about the Pea Island Life Saving Station. These stations were what was to become the Coast Guard. What makes this station's story unique is it was fully manned by African Americans at a time when Jim Crow was rearing his ugly head.
I would love to read this one with my seventh graders.
The story is about the Pea Island Life Saving Station. These stations were what was to become the Coast Guard. What makes this station's story unique is it was fully manned by African Americans at a time when Jim Crow was rearing his ugly head.
I would love to read this one with my seventh graders.
Narrative (3 more)
Soundtrack
Concept
Design
Excellent game
This game is incredibly fun. The basic concept is something like a cross between the movie Frequency and Stranger Things with a fun synth score. A group of teens end up on a haunted island in a series of time loops and have to use radios to communicate with the ghosts and break free. It's an easy way to lose a few hours, and then play all over again with a few surprises. This is among my top IOS games for sure.
Ande Thomas (69 KP) rated Godzilla: King of the Monsters (2019) in Movies
Jun 9, 2019
Characters (3 more)
Dialogue
Plot direction
Fight scenes
Sigh. I was so excited for this movie. Following both the 2014 Godzilla reboot and Kong: Skull Island, I thought for sure we were in for a truly great franchise that gets the source material. The first attempt wasn't perfect by any means, but I thought for sure that they could learn from it and tighten up the screws. They tightened all the wrong ones.
Dialogue was awful, fights were incoherent, and an emphasis on hero humans was mind numbing.
I wanted so much more. Do better.
Dialogue was awful, fights were incoherent, and an emphasis on hero humans was mind numbing.
I wanted so much more. Do better.
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2346 KP) rated Shark Island (Wiki Coffin Mysteries #2) in Books
Mar 9, 2018
This is the second book set aboard the US Exploration Expedition of 1838. This time Wiki Coffin is part of a small group set to check the water ahead for pirates. They don't find pirates, but they do find a boat in trouble. Before they can start with the repairs, the captain is murdered. The plotting was a bit uneven at times, but I really enjoy the characters and the unique setting.
Read my full review at <a href="http://carstairsconsiders.blogspot.com/2013/05/book-review-shark-island-by-joan.html">Carstairs Considers</a>.
Read my full review at <a href="http://carstairsconsiders.blogspot.com/2013/05/book-review-shark-island-by-joan.html">Carstairs Considers</a>.
Andy K (10823 KP) rated Battle Royale (2000) in Movies
Mar 24, 2018
Fun piece of cinema
I had heard about this film from other and the internet, so I spent some Best Buy reward Bucks and gave it a shot.
Certainly interesting and fun storytelling with a lot of Hunger Games thrown in. Nothing like a bunch of teenagers trying to kill each other on a deserted island to keep me entertained for two hours.
Not too much of a point, but if you are just looking for amusing entertainment, you can certainly do a lot worse than this.
Certainly interesting and fun storytelling with a lot of Hunger Games thrown in. Nothing like a bunch of teenagers trying to kill each other on a deserted island to keep me entertained for two hours.
Not too much of a point, but if you are just looking for amusing entertainment, you can certainly do a lot worse than this.
Ross (3284 KP) rated Escape from Atlantis in Tabletop Games
Apr 4, 2018
My life as a 12 year old
This game was everything for one short summer at the age of 12. Once you have finally set up the pieces (upteen mountains in the middle, forest round the edge and beach after that) you have to spin the wheel to try and get a boat or a dolphin to take your people to safety before the island sinks (which happens one piece at a time) but being careful to avoid the kraken and sea monsters who will sink your boat/eat your people. Endless fun.
Dork_knight74 (881 KP) rated Cold Skin (2017) in Movies
Aug 12, 2019
Different
Contains spoilers, click to show
This was a strange one. The acting was decent and the cinematography was good. The effects of the creatures was pretty cool, too. The story was just weird. Couple of guys on an island in 1940 running a lighthouse and fighting off what seem to be "mer-people". It was definitely unique. Plenty of action but not super fast paced or anything. The ending was ok but left a lot of unanswered questions. Overall this one is interesting enough to keep your attention. Not too scary for kids or anything, either. Worth a watch.
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