Tabletop Game Review: Flamecraft

Published on May 5, 2025March 24, 2025 by KyraLeave a comment

In Flamecraft, players take on the role of Flamekeepers, gathering items, placing dragons, and casting enchantments to enhance the town’s shops. Dragons specialize in bread, meat, iron, crystals, plants, and potions, and the Flamekeepers know which shops are the best for each dragon type. Can you build the most reputation and become the Master of Flamecraft?

Hey, hey! Kyra Kyle here. The tabletop game we’re reviewing today has plenty of cute dragons and fantasy puns galore. Flamecraft took home some awards in the past two years, including 2022 Origins Awards Fan Favorite, and was nominated for several more. A world of dragons awaits, but before we explore further, let’s look at Flamecraft’s details.

The Fiddly Bits

Designer: Manny Vega
Publisher: Cardboard Alchemy and Lucky Duck Games
Date Released: 2022
Number of Players: 1-5
Age Range: 8 and up
Setup Time: 10-15 minutes
Play Time: About 60 minutes

Game Mechanisms

Contracts
Hand Management
Modular Board
Set Collection
Solo/Solitaire Game
Worker Placement

Game Setup

Flamecraft’s rulebook has a well-written Game Setup section. It features large, well-marked pictures that help set up the game. All one needs to do is follow the directions, step by step. I began to re-write what was written in the rulebook but thought a “Too Long, Didn’t Read” version was more appropriate here. If you’re interested in the full rulebook, here’s a link.

Roll out the Town mat so that it’s in the middle of the table.

Place the Starter Shops (with a bugle symbol on them) faceup on any 6 Shop spaces in Town and do the same with the Starter Artisan Dragons, which have the same symbol.

Place the Goods tokens in a spot (or spots) where all players have access to them and then place the Coin tokens on the fountain.

You’ll have to sort the various shop types into piles based on the icons in the top left corner. Make a pile for each of the 6 Goods icons and a seventh pile for all other icons. Flip all 7 piles facedown and separately shuffle them. Take 1 card from each of the Goods Shops and 4 from the 7^th pile to make the Shop deck and then shuffle the Shop deck and place it to the side of the Town mat.

The Artisan Dragon deck has special rules for 2 and 3-player games. Follow those guidelines if you’re playing with fewer than 4 players to make the Artisan Deck. Don’t do anything with a larger player-count game. Shuffle the deck and place it on its designated spot on the Town mat. Reveal the top 5 cards and place them faceup in the Park.

Shuffle the Fancy Dragon cards and place them on the marked space next to the Fountain.

Shuffle the Enchantment deck (use the purple one for new players) and place it on the marked space inside the Reputation track. Reveal the top 5 cards and place them in a faceup row next to the deck.

Give each player a player token (dragon), a Reputation marker (heart), and a player aid card in a matching color. Place all Reputation markers near the start of the Reputation track.

Deal each player 3 Artisan Dragons and 2 Fancy Dragons. Each player chooses 1 Fancy Dragon to keep and returns the Fancy Dragon they didn’t choose to the bottom of the deck.

Game Flow

Flamecraft’s rulebook also does a good job of explaining the game’s flow. I’ll try to be as brief as possible here. Again, you can check out the full rulebook with the link above.

Goal

You want to become the most successful Flamekeeper in town by having the highest Reputation. Visit Shops, place Artisan Dragons, cast Enchantments, and satisfy the goals of your secret Fancy Dragons. The player who is furthest ahead on the Reputation track wins.

Taking a Turn

On your turn, you must visit a Shop. Then choose to either Gather or Enchant there. At the end of your turn, you must check if you need to expand the Town (more on that later), discard down to your Dragons (cards) and Goods (resource) limit, and refresh the faceup Enchantments and Artisan Dragons.

Visiting a Shop

Move your player token onto a Shop card. You must choose a different Shop than the one you visited on your last turn. If another player (or players) are visiting the shop you move to, you must give each player at that shop 1 Good of your choice or 1 Coin from your supply. If you don’t have enough Goods to give 1 to each player, you must choose a different shop to visit.

First Option after Visiting: Gathering from a Shop

If you choose to Gather from the Shop, follow these steps in order:

1) Gather Goods, Coins, and Dragons printed on the shop and from each Artisan Dragon and Enchantment there.
2) (Optional) Place a Dragon: You may place 1 Dragon from your hand into a Dragon slot with a matching icon and then gain the rewards on that slot.
3) (Optional) Fire up a Dragon: You may use the Fire ability of any 1 Artisan Dragon at the Shop.
4) (Optional) Use Shop Ability: You may use the Shop’s ability if it has one.

Second Option after Visiting: Enchanting a Shop

If you decide to Enchant the Shop you visit, follow these steps in order:

1) Cast Enchantment: Choose an Enchantment card from the faceup row that matches the Shop’s icon. Pay its Goods cost to tuck it behind the Shop and gain the rewards printed on the Enchantment.
2) (Optional) Fire Up All Dragons: You may use the Fire abilities of any number of Artisan Dragons at the Shop.

End of Turn

After Gathering or Enchanting, take the following steps to clean up for the next player’s turn:

1) Expand Town: Flip any new Shops you drew during your turn faceup. (Note: If you filled the final spot for an Artisan Dragon on your turn, draw a new Shop.)
2) Dragons & Goods: Return Dragons and Goods until you have no more than 6 Artisan Dragons and 7 Goods of each type. (Note: Fancy Dragons do not have a limit.)
3) Refresh Park & Enchantments: Draw new faceup Artisan Dragons and Enchantments until there are 5 of each.

End of the Game

When the last card in either the Artisan deck or Enchantment deck is drawn or revealed, this triggers the end of the game. Each player gets 1 final turn, including the player who triggered the game’s end.

Once all players have had a final turn, gain end-game Reputation as follows:

1) Leftover Coins: Each player gains one Reputation for each Coin.
2) Fancy Dragons: Each player reveals each Fancy Dragon with a Moon icon whose goals they’ve fulfilled and scores the indicated amount of Reputation.

Whoever has the highest Reputation wins.

Review

As you might tell from the game setup and flow, Flamecraft has a lot going on, but it isn’t too much for younger players and players unfamiliar with tabletop games to understand. The Board Game Geek community lists Flamecraft’s suggested age as 8 and up, while the game box lists the age as 10 and up. I usually side with BGG. This gap doesn’t seem like much, but it depends on how well-versed a child is with tabletop games. Kids familiar with tabletop games can play Flamecraft at 8; I’d go with a year or two older if the child isn’t as familiar with tabletop games. Why do I place so much emphasis on this? Flamecraft is what the tabletop game community calls a gateway game. Gateway games bridge the gap between new and seasoned board game players. In this regard, Flamecraft is fantastic.

Would I pick Flamecraft above all other games of its ilk (middle-weight games that feature worker placement, set collection, hand management, and others)? Maybe. Maybe not. But there aren’t many games of this type that can be classified as middle-weight. A large divide has formed with modern board games. They either skew heavier and more complex for a hardcore audience or go the opposite direction and streamline into simpler games for a mainstream audience. Flamecraft is one of the few recent board games in the middle. Games like Flamecraft are necessary for the hobby.

I also like how Flamecraft’s various game mechanisms work together. You can find these game mechanisms in other games and in similar combinations to Flamecraft, but Flamecraft has found the right balance to introduce a player to these concepts. My favorite twist on an older mechanism is that Flamecraft uses worker placement, but it eliminates action blocking. You can go to a space with other players, but you’ll need to pay a fee. This can lead to an action being functionally blocked, but there isn’t a hard rule of action blocking.

Flamecraft also uses a newer type of game mechanism, and I like the direction that tabletop games are headed. The board is a shared space. Anything you do to improve the game state can help your opponent. This leads to interesting choices. Will this upgrade help me more than my opponent? If so, I’ll do it. If not, I may choose another option. This combination of a kinder version of older game mechanisms (worker placement) and the introduction of a rising game mechanism (the board as a shared space) makes Flamecraft a fabulous example of where board games have been and a glimpse of what could be their future.

I can’t believe it’s taken me this long to get to the art, but the art is phenomenal. Sandara Tang did a great job of making Flamecraft feel as cozy as the cozier options for older game mechanisms. I like the Neoprene mat more than I would’ve expected. Does it curl at the edges? Sure. Does it struggle to lay flat? Indubitably. However, the mat’s unruliness doesn’t detract from the game and works for its aesthetic; the soft feel of the mat matches the game’s color palette. The mat also makes the game easier to store. And the dragons. Who doesn’t love cute dragons? If you’re a dragon fan, you owe it to yourself to give Flamecraft a try.

Too Long Didn’t Read

Flamecraft occupies a shrinking spot in the tabletop gaming space: middle-weight game. It combines old and new gaming elements with a fun and approachable theme. My favorite elements are the lack of “action blocking” with worker placement (which works well for a younger player demographic) and the idea that the board is a shared space. Any action you choose could help your opponent. This leads to interesting choices.

Tabletop Game Review: Draft & Write Records

Published on April 26, 2025March 24, 2025 by Kyra1 Comment

Geekly has played quite a few roll-or-draft and write games (we’ve picked up a couple of great ones over the holidays), and we’ve yet to cover one. In Draft & Write Records players assume the role of a rock band manager. You’ll scout performers, crew, and producers to outperform your competition.

Hey, hey! Kyra Kyle here. We reviewed a new board game for this month (I don’t count expansions, no matter how awesome), so we’re back with another board game review. Draft & Write Records’ name derives from the mechanisms it uses. Players draft and pass cards (which represent band members and important events) and then they write down what the card they drafted said on a massive score sheet (like Yahtzee only way more dynamic). The player with the most points at the end of the game wins.

Before we get any further, we’ll take a quick break from the road and discuss Draft & Write Records’ fine print.

The Fiddly Bits

Designer: Bruno Maciel
Publisher: Inside Up Games
Date Released: 2024
Number of Players: 1-6
Age Range: 12 and up
Setup Time: 5-10 minutes
Play Time: 30-60 minutes

Game Mechanisms

Automatic Resource Growth
Chaining
Closed Drafting
Grid Coverage
Hidden Victory Points
Paper-and-Pencil
Pattern Building
Set Collection
Simultaneous Action Selection

Game Setup

1) Each player takes a Band (Score) Sheet and one pencil (with regular lead).

2) Place the colored pencils within reach of all players.

3) Choose and Record your Band Name. This is optional but fun. I like having players state what they named their bands before play begins.

4) Each player selects a starting color at random and fills in the circle to the left of their band name with one of the colored pencils. Multiple players can choose the same color.

5) Set up the “Play Stack” by looking at each Play Card (gold-backed cards). You’ll find a number in the bottom right-hand corner of the card’s front. This number (if there is one) will let you know how many players are needed to use that card in the game. In a 3-player game, return the cards with 4+, 5+, and 6 indicators to the box.

6) Shuffle the remaining Play Cards to form the “Play Stack.”

7) Shuffle all the Goal Cards (blue-backed cards) and place them in the middle of the table to create the “Goal Stack.”

8) From the Goal Stack, draw and place the top four cards faceup to the right of the Goal Stack to create a line of publicly available Goals.

9) Then, deal two cards from the Goal Stack to each player. Each player selects one card to keep as their personal goal, placing it facedown near their Band Sheet, and the remaining cards are shuffled back into the Goal Stack.

10) Get ready to ROCK!

Game Flow

Each round of Draft and Write Records is divided into two phases: the Week Phase and the Weekend Phase.

Week Phase

During the Week Phase, players draft cards to take actions on their Band Sheet. At the beginning of this phase, deal each player five cards from the Play Stack (the gold-backed cards). Players will select one of these cards and pass the remaining cards to the next player. Each round, the direction players pass their cards changes (to the left, then to the right, and so forth).

During the “Week,” each player will draft four cards in total and discard the last remaining card to their personal discard pile next to their Band Sheet.

1) Players will denote which card they selected by placing the card they chose facedown next to their Band Sheet.

2) Once all players have placed a card facedown, those cards are revealed. Each player takes the action corresponding to the card they chose and records it on their Band Sheet.

We won’t go into detail about all the actions a player can take (there are a lot), but these actions will be indicated by an icon and color on the top left-hand side of each card. These symbols will match symbols found on a player’s Band Sheet.

3) Once all players have taken their action (or chain of actions if they have any), they pass the remaining cards from their hand to the next player.

4) Players repeat this process until they only have two cards remaining. They then choose one of those two cards and discard the other one.

Weekend Phase

During the weekend, players can claim publicly available Goals. If anyone can claim the Goal, they do so, marking the points on their Band Sheet and taking any additional bonuses (like Money). Multiple players can claim a publicly available Goal during a round, but as soon as even one player claims a Goal, it gets scored (by all players who accomplished it), discarded, and a new goal from the Goal Stack takes its place.

Once this is done, and if no one has triggered the end game, another Week begins.

End Game

Play continues until at least one of three end-game triggers occurs.

1) A player claims their sixth Goal.

2) A player checks their fifth Fail. (While there are Fail cards in the Play Stack, a Fail can occur if a player doesn’t or can’t play one of the cards they drafted.)

3) A player fills all 12 of their Crew posts.

After this happens, end-game scoring occurs. We won’t go into detail what these sections are. There are six sections where you can score points and then you subtract the points indicated in your Fail section. Draft and Write Records does a good job of indicating where these sections are and what they mean. The scoring section uses the same icons as the rest of the Band Sheet.

Whoever has the most points at the end of the game wins.

Review

There are many ways to score in Draft and Write Records, so many that I didn’t bother to list the ways. And while it’s easy to tell where to fill in actions on your Band Sheet as you play cards, the sheer number of ways to score can be overwhelming. You won’t have more than five cards in your hand and that helps, but early hands in a round can overload players with too many choices. Draft and Write Records is a game you’ll need to play a few times to get comfortable. Conversely, it’s this same number of scoring means that gives Draft and Write Records ample replayability.

Draft and Write Records is a joy. Its rounds don’t take long. You can expect that with closed drafting games. End of the round scoring (checking to see if someone finished a Goal) doesn’t take long either. I don’t check what other players have filled into their Band Sheets. I could see some players doing that and then feeding the players to their right or left (depending on the round) cards they cannot use. But the Play Cards do that to you anyway. Draft and Write Records forces players to make the best choices they can with the information given. Outside of the time it takes to learn the rules and then the game’s nuances, the game’s biggest issue can be the inability of players to recover from a bad strategy. You may commit to a plan early that will not work and then you’re stuck with that plan.

Fortunately, Draft and Write Records doesn’t take that long to play. The box reads that the game can take up to 60 minutes, but I’ve played it at max player counts and it took about an hour with rules explanation. The fewer players, the less time it will take to play. Lower player count games take closer to thirty minutes. I could see someone take a wrong turn and redeem themselves in round two. There’s a good chance of a round two.

Draft and Write Records’ use of colored pencils is a nice touch. The harmony game mechanism tied to the colored pencils proves crucial. The game didn’t add colored pencils for the sake of adding them. It matters if colors match, creating harmonies, and leading to more chain effects. And chain effects reign supreme. If you like making one good play that sets up another, Draft and Write Records has you covered. I’ve lost count of how many times I’d create a harmony, take the bonus, and that bonus (like producing a record or single) would lead to another bonus and another. Lather, rinse, repeat. And it’s this combotastic gameplay that makes Draft and Write Records shine.

Not going to lie. Draft and Write Records is one of those games where I’ll talk to myself while filling in a long play, and I relish the time it takes for me to go from one bonus to the next, and everyone must watch me fill in blanks until I’m done. The longer it takes for me to fill in my play, the more potential points I just earned. In short, this draft and write game has many combos, and those combos are satisfying.

Verdict

While it may take a couple of playthroughs to understand the rules enough to exploit its numerous ways to score, Draft and Write Records takes little time to play, even at higher player counts. Its harmony game mechanism shines and headlines a series of chain reaction scoring. Draft and Write Records is combotastic.

Daredevil: Born Again, “Isle of Joy”

Published on April 11, 2025April 11, 2025 by KyraLeave a comment

Daredevil: Born Again ended this week’s episode, “Isle of Joy,” with a bang. Hey, hey! Kyra Kyle here. Daredevil: Born Again’s first season draws closer to its end, and “Isle of Joy” tied up numerous story threads in satisfying ways and reintroduced a fan favorite character. I do have one major gripe, but let’s start with the several positives.

Kingpin and Vanessa’s story continues to drive Daredevil: Born Again. Matt Murdock/Daredevil’s story highlights stem from Kingpin and Vanessa in some form. The power couple resolves their differences and creates a unified front. By the end of “Isle of Joy,” Kingpin and Vanessa are equal partners in the criminal underworld and politics. This story thread is organic. I don’t want to spoil the big reveal toward the end of this episode, and I don’t want to beat this drum any further. Kingpin and Vanessa scenes are a must-watch.

The same can be said of Kingpin’s rise as mayor. Guevara’s Sheila Rivera and Gandolfini’s Daniel Blake are welcome additions. Blake’s character introduced reporter BB Urich (portrayed by Genneya Walton). I like the nod to Ben Urich, BB’s uncle, who was murdered during Daredevil season 3. This builds tension between the media (working under the table), the police who don’t see eye to eye with Fisk (like Commissioner Gallo), and Mayor Kingpin. Daredevil: Born Again has done a great job constructing this power dynamic and struggle.

Furthermore, Fisk’s vigilante task force shows the city’s pulse and the government’s corruption. We get little airtime for Rivera, Blake, Urich, Gallo, and Officer Powell, but the scant moments “Isle of Joy” spares for these characters pack a punch. I really like Officer Powell in this episode. He gets two minutes but does more work in those minutes than some scenes do in fifteen or twenty. Daredevil: Born Again illustrates that it can be character-driven while progressing a plot. I’m fighting the urge to drop the one gripe I have. Must. Continue with one final positive.

Wilson Bethel returns as Dex (Bullseye). Yes! He’s worth the wait. Every scene with Bullseye is electric. Pure adrenaline. This includes the final scene that we’ll discuss in a minute. “Isle of Joy” has a shocking ending. I’ve waited long enough. I must include the one negative. I don’t believe Matt Murdock and Heather Glenn’s story.

I know. I mentioned how awful the Murdock-Glenn story is in a previous episode, but “Isle of Joy” hammers home this point. Murdock wants Glenn to admit that Fisk is one of her patients. He’s a lawyer. He should know the law, and that Glenn can’t confirm that Fisk is her patient. Any time Murdock pressed this issue–which was often–he came off as a teenager who didn’t understand how things work. Glenn wasn’t much better regarding Murdock. He’s clearly upset that she’s accepting an invitation from Mayor Fisk for a black and white ball. Adult Teenager Murdock storms off, and Glenn gets butt hurt when he shows up late to the event. What did she expect? This makes me question if she’s good at her job as a therapist.

During the event, Glenn complains to Vanessa that she doesn’t even know Matt anymore. First, we’ve seen these two on one date the entire series. I don’t believe she knows him at all. Second, why is she confiding personal issues with her client? Again, this smells like she isn’t good at her job. You know what? No. Heather Glenn isn’t a good therapist. During this scene, she lost all credibility.

We end with the showstopper. Major spoilers for anyone who hasn’t yet seen “Isle of Joy.” You’ve been warned. Matt discovers that Vanessa ordered the hit on Foggy and confronts her. When Murdock hears a gun cock, he knows its Bullseye aiming for Fisk. Matt jumps in front of Fisk and takes the bullet, and “Isle of Joy” ends with Murdock bleeding out on the dance floor. This sequence had an amazing pace. I don’t know if I quite buy Murdock taking a bullet for Mayor Fisk. We know Murdock won’t die. The show’s named after his alter ego. But I’m interested to see how Daredevil: Born Again season one continues after this chaotic scene.

What do you think about Daredevil: Born Again, Geekly Gang? Let us know in the comments. Thank you for reading, and wherever you are, I hope you’re having a great day.

Marvel United Return Of The Sinister Six Review

Tabletop Game Review: Marvel United, Return of the Sinister Six

Published on April 7, 2025March 24, 2025 by KyraLeave a comment

We’re back with another Marvel United expansion review. Marvel United is a CMON Games Kickstarter using the Marvel intellectual property. We’ll have plenty of chances to cover more expansions like today’s focus, Return of the Sinister Six. Geekly won’t be covering every Marvel United expansion, but we will review the ones worth your time or the ones we believe people will most likely purchase. So, you could consider the Marvel United expansions we cover as essential.

Hey, hey! Kyra Kyle here. In Marvel United, players act as iconic Marvel heroes who work together to stop the master plan of a powerful villain controlled by the game. Each villain has a unique master plan, cards that trigger various effects, and threats that make clearing locations difficult. Heroes clear missions, making the villain vulnerable, and finally take on the big bad villain before they complete their dastardly plan. Can you save the day in time? Return of the Sinister Six pits players against more than one villain at a time. With this expansion, you have the option to take on the iconic villain team The Sinister Six.

Before we get any further, we’ll take a side quest and discuss Return of the Sinister Six’s dastardly details.

The Fiddly Bits

Designer: Andrea Chiarvesio and Eric M. Lang
Publisher: CMON Global Limited and Spin Master Ltd.
Date Released: 2021
Number of Players: 1-4
Age Range: 8 and up
Setup Time: 5-10 minutes
Play Time: 30-40 minutes

Game Mechanisms

Cooperative Play
Hand Management
Modular Board
Solo / Solitaire Game
Variable Player Powers

Game Setup

We already covered the Game Setup and Game Flow in our Marvel United review (here’s a link to that review), so we’ll go over the basics in the following two sections. Let’s cover an abbreviated review of the game setup and rules.

Marvel United’s setup can change depending on which Villain and Heroes you choose to play. Each game consists of six locations. Typically, core sets have eight locations. Since Enter the Spider-Verse is an expansion, it only has six. You may choose your locations or shuffle them and choose six at random. Each Location card has spaces at the top for civilians and thugs and a rectangle with a block of text that will state “End of Turn” at the top of the box.

Place civilian/thug tokens on their matching spaces. Shuffle the Villain’s Threat deck and deal out each Threat face-up so that it covers the rectangle at the bottom of each location. You must clear this threat before gaining the “End of Turn” effect printed on a Location. Place health tokens where signified on threat cards and on the Villain dashboard. Place the three mission cards (Defeat Thugs, Rescue Civilians, and Clear Threats) face up under the villain dashboard where the text reads “Unlocked.”

Each player shuffles their hero decks and then draws three cards to form their hands. Shuffle the Villain’s Master Plan deck. Leave the Master Plan deck face down. This will be the villain’s draw pile.

Players place their miniatures on one of the six location cards, usually the centralmost location for each player (easy access). Then, they place the villain on the location card opposing the heroes.

Game Flow

The villain(s) play first. Draw the top card of their master plan deck. The villain moves the number of spaces indicated. Resolve any BAM! Effects and these effects will be printed on a space within the villain’s dashboard. Then, place the civilian/thug tokens (if any) indicated at the bottom of the card. After all these effects are resolved, the heroes get their turn.

Heroes pick who goes first, and hero turns will continue around the table clockwise. At the beginning of each game, Heroes will get three turns before the villain receives another turn. During their turn, heroes play one card from their hand.

Resolve actions and the symbols printed at the bottom of the hero’s card in any order. The symbols at the bottom of a hero’s card will be shared with the next player, but any printed action will not be shared. Heroes will use these actions to complete missions. The game begins with three missions in play: Defeat Thugs, Rescue Civilians, and Clear Threats. Each mission card will have spaces for the tokens they require to complete. As soon as these spaces are filled, the card is discarded, and the mission is considered complete. Mission cards can be completed in any order.

After the heroes complete the first mission, the villain panics and will act (play a card) every two hero cards instead of every three hero cards. After the heroes complete the second mission, the villain becomes vulnerable to damage. The heroes can complete the third mission, but it isn’t necessary. If the heroes do complete the third mission, each hero immediately draws 1 card, increasing each player’s hand size by one.

Play continues back and forth until either the villain wins (by completing their unique master plan or anyone, heroes or villains, runs out of cards) or the heroes win by dealing enough damage to the villain after the villain becomes vulnerable to damage.

Review

Return of the Sinister Six has no heroes, locations, or challenge cards. Instead, Return of the Sinister Six doubles down with villains. You can play each villain one at a time like normal or you could face the Sinister Six as a team. Taking on the entire team at once is not for the faint of heart.

Let’s begin with the villains as individuals before we discuss the Sinister Six as a team. Vulture may be the most difficult Marvel United villain within the game’s initial run. He takes crisis tokens (Spoils) from Locations (each Location begins with 3) and wins the game if he reaches a certain number of Spoils (based on the number of Heroes). Early Marvel United characters had precious few ways of discarding crisis tokens. That’s changed a bit with the X-Men and Multiverse releases, but characters who specialize in crisis token mitigation are rare. Vulture’s abilities suggest that players must rush him. Finish the missions quickly and then bombard him with damage. This is easier said than done. Vulture has several ways of stealing crisis tokens, avoiding damage, dealing damage to heroes, and moving to the opposite side of the board. If you want a challenge, Vulture is your villain.

Return of the Sinister Six introduces a lot of interesting game mechanism twists with its villains. Eric Lang and company stretch the limits of the Marvel United core rules with this expansion. Doc Ock is no different. He wins if he destroys 4 or more Locations. While this can be difficult for him to accomplish, the fact that the board shrinks is a lot of fun. His Threat cards lean heavily on henchmen, so you’ll see many members of the Sinister Six. Mysterio as a henchman proves particularly difficult. Doc Ock can deal damage in a hurry and the shrinking board—if the players allow the board to shrink—can make Doc Ock formidable. I like Doc Ock’s change of play and the new challenge.

Speaking of change of play and a new challenge, Mysterio is up next. He’s the only villain in the original release that places Threat cards face down on Locations. Players must flip over Mysterio’s Threat cards (by spending any single action) and clear at least two Threats before Mysterio can be damaged. Mysterio doesn’t have a special win condition like Vulture (stealing enough Spoils) or Doc Ock (destroying 4 Locations); he makes up for this by delaying the heroes and speeding up his deck. Mysterio is the first Marvel United villain to use a speeding deck as a mechanism. He’s perfect for players who have grown accustomed to the game’s flow and timing. Mysterio can cause the game to end suddenly. I love Return of the Sinister Six’s gameplay variety.

Enter Kraven the Hunter. As his name suggests, Kraven actively hunts the heroes. He wins if he KOs the heroes at the same time. This sounds difficult, but Kraven’s deck works perfectly to achieve this end. While players may be thinking of the game clock ending too soon with Mysterio or the game’s board shrinking with Doc Ock, Kraven gets the heroes thinking about self-preservation. This is a very different mindset than most other villains in the original Marvel United’s run. Kraven can even deal extra damage if a Location lacks Civilian and Thug tokens. Up to this point, players are encouraged to keep Civilian/Thug spaces empty. Kraven turns this idea on its head.

That gets us to Sandman who may have the most irritating ability from the Return of the Sinister Six expansion. He gains health through various means and wins if his health ever reaches 20. Thankfully, Sandman mostly focuses on soaking up damage, so players are encouraged to pick heroes who can deal buckets of damage. Even with a stellar team, defeating Sandman is easier said than done. I don’t know if I was able to defeat any villain inside the Return of the Sinister Six expansion on my first try. This leads to some excellent replayability.

Electro may seem like the easiest villain to defeat, but he can fool you. He wins if all Locations in play have a crisis token. He has limited means with which to place crisis tokens, but Electro’s overflow ability is one of those ways, and he places a lot of Civilian and Thug tokens. It’s easy for Electro to cause an overflow. He can also deal a lot of damage. In fact, Electro has some of the highest potential damage output in Marvel United’s original run, and if Electro KOs a hero, he places yet another crisis token. Electro may sound like a lot of other Marvel United villains, but he stands out. Electro doesn’t deal damage to heroes at his Location. He deals damage to heroes in the Location opposite to his Location. This change-up gets me every time.

We’ve come to the Sinister Six as a villain team. They’re brutal. As of this write-up, I have yet to beat the Sinister Six. Typically, I write a guide for a Marvel United villain after I’ve defeated them (quick shout out to our Marvel United guides, check them out here with this link). I have yet to post a guide to the Sinister Six team. Hopefully, that will change soon.

The individual team members of the Sinister Six may have scaled-down powers, fewer hit points, and a streamlined means of defeating each one, but they play similarly to their solo villain counterparts. I got ahead of myself, let’s talk about weakening each of these villains so you can deal damage to them. Each one has a Weak Spot card, which functions similarly to a Threat Card. All the heroes must do is match the symbols on the corresponding Weak Spot card, travel to the same Location as the villain, and then deal damage.

It both is and isn’t that simple. The Sinister Six will trigger their effects, or at least the top two members listed on the Sinister Six card will. And if you think the Sinister Six members’ abilities were difficult one at a time, they’re worse all at once. Or at least two at a time. You’ll need to defeat the Sinister Six in a specific order. This is getting into guide territory. I know the order, even if I haven’t yet defeated the Sinister Six. I’ve gotten so close multiple times. Ugh!

Knowing the best order to defeat the Sinister Six doesn’t guarantee a victory. I can see the Return of the Sinister Six expansion providing me with a worthy challenge for years. If you own any of the Marvel United core boxes, I recommend picking up the Return of the Sinister Six because of its gameplay variations and increased challenge. If you’re a Spider-Man fan and own any of the Marvel United core boxes, I can’t imagine you not picking up the Return of the Sinister Six expansion. It’s a must-buy.

Verdict

Return of the Sinister Six is a must-buy Marvel United expansion, especially if you’re a Spider-Man fan. The included villains have some of the most unique game mechanisms from the original Marvel United run. The villain team provides a challenge that will shake up Marvel United for years.

And you don’t need to take my word for it. Board Game Geek (where great games and their expansions receive average scores of 6 or 7 out of 10) gives this expansion an 8.6 (as of writing this post).

Tabletop Game Review: On Tour

Published on March 31, 2025March 31, 2025 by Kyra1 Comment

On Tour puts you in a rock band. You’re living the dream. You must schedule the band’s stops over your 100-day tour, visiting as many states (or countries depending on the map you choose) as possible. Roll the dice and chart a course with the most concerts.

Hey, hey! Kyra Kyle here. Today’s tabletop game review is the roll-and-write game by All Play (BoardGameTables.com at the time of its original print) On Tour. We’ll set off on our tour soon, but first, let’s handle some of On Tour’s behind-the-scenes details.

The Fiddly Bits

Designer: Chad DeShon
Publisher: BoardGameTables.com
Date Released: 2019
Number of Players: 1-8
Age Range: 8 and up
Setup Time: Less than a minute
Play Time: 20 minutes

Game Mechanisms

Bingo
Dice Rolling
Line Drawing
Network and Route Building
Push Your Luck
Simultaneous Action Selection
Solo/Solitaire Game

Game Setup

1) Give each player their own player board and a dry-erase marker.

2) Shuffle the cards and place them in the center of the table.

3) Roll the dice (2 large 10-sided dice). For setup only, re-roll doubles.

4) Combine the results to form two different 2-digit numbers (i.e. 1 & 4 combine to form 14 & 41).

5) One player draws a card. All players write the lower dice combination on that state.

6) Draw another card and all players write the higher dice combination on that state.

7) Each player circles both numbers.

8) Repeat steps 3-7.

9) Remove the four cards from the game.

Choose a player to begin the game by rolling the dice first.

Game Flow

With each turn, the rolling player draws 3 cards and reveals the cards for all players. If the deck ever empties, reshuffle the deck to form a new deck.

The rolling player rolls both dice. Combine the results to form two different 2-digit numbers (i.3. 5 & 6 combine to form 56 & 65). All players simultaneously write each of those numbers in two empty states (or countries) on their board.

When writing numbers, players choose two of the three cards. The numbers must be written in one of the regions on the displayed cards (like North and Central). If you write a number on the same state displayed on the card, circle it. When writing numbers, a different card must be used for each number.

If all three cards display the same region OR if doubles are rolled, each player draws one star in any one empty state on their board instead of writing numbers. The state must be in the same region as shown on the card. You may still circle the star if you use an exact state from a card.

When all players have written their two numbers, discard the revealed cards and pass the dice to the next person clockwise.

When only one or two empty states remain, do not flip cards, instead roll dice. Players may freely write numbers in any remaining states, following the usual rules.

When all states are filled, the game ends. Beginning in any state, draw a continuous route for your tour. The line must continue to any adjacent state with a number equal to or greater than the previous state you started in. Stars are wild and count as any number.

You can never return to a state that you have already visited. You can never go to a state with a lower number.

Score one point for each state you visit and an additional point for each circled star or number on your route. The highest score is the winner.

Review

First, I didn’t change much from the rulebook in the game setup and game flow sections. I always use a game’s rulebook as a point of reference when writing these sections. Typically, I need to reword or condense multiple passages in a board game’s rulebook to make it easier to read or to get the gist of how a game is played. On Tour’s rulebook, like many other All Play (formerly boardgametables.com) rulebooks, is easy to read. The company has a mission of making board games accessible to more people. Their well-written rulebooks go a long way toward that end.

I like On Tour’s twist on the roll-and-write or flip-and-write mechanism. Note: roll-and-writes have Yahtzee as a basis, where players roll dice and then fill in the results on their player boards, while flip-and-writes typically replace dice with cards. On Tour combines both mechanisms flawlessly and that leads to each game playing differently. I’ve played plenty of On Tour, mostly solo, and each game presents a different challenge. I may get the card I need, but not the right numbers or I may get the numbers I need, but not the right card. Some combination of this will happen in every game but each game feels fresh.

I enjoy On Tour’s solo mode, but the game plays better with multiple players. Like most roll-and-writes, players fill in their maps at the same time and this accommodates larger player counts. Playing with a full complement of eight players may only add ten or so gameplay minutes. Knowing the map helps make decisions easier. I don’t take long to fill in my map, but a new player would take a hot second to make their decision. But I wouldn’t say that knowing a map gives a player an unfair advantage. It’s an advantage but not a huge one. I’ve lost plenty of times to noobs. That may say more about my inability to play On Tour well.

The player boards are two-sided. One side depicts the United States, while the other is a map of Europe. New players should start with the United States. The regions are easier to spot (North, South, East, West, and Central). The straight boundaries of Colorado, Wyoming, and other mid-western and western states help.

I add a rules variant and allow players to chart their route as they fill in states (countries). You can always erase a route if you choose to go in a different direction. The end game (of figuring out which route you’ll take) can take almost as long as the game itself. Filling in a tentative route as you go shortens the time you need for final scoring. It also leads to table talk where someone undoubtedly says, “Well, I guess I’m cut off from Washington (or some other state).” Since you’re using a dry-erase marker, these tentative routes can be altered.

I often bring On Tour while on vacation. While On Tour is one of All Play’s standard box-size games, these boxes are still roughly 7 x 11 inches, making it easy to pack in a suitcase. And its price of $40 is nice. All Play games skew toward wider appeal (code for lighter games), but one can’t question the company’s quality of games and its commitment to cheaper price points.

Too Long, Didn’t Read

On Tour blends roll-and-write and flip-and-write mechanisms for a fresh take on both game mechanisms. While knowing one of the maps can help with making faster decisions, veteran players don’t gain too much of an advantage over newer players. The game plays well as a solo game but sings at large player counts. On Tour continues All Play games’ mission of making board games accessible to a wider audience.

Daredevil: Born Again, “Excessive Force” Review

Published on March 28, 2025March 27, 2025 by KyraLeave a comment

Daredevil: Born Again’s second episode this week, “Excessive Force,” ties several loose ends, and Daredevil makes his triumphant return in costume. Hey, hey! Kyra Kyle here. I apologize for the delay this week. Everything ran smoothly with the family issue on Wednesday, so we’re back with more Daredevil: Born Again.

This week’s tandem of episodes had a similar feel to Daredevil: Born Again’s debut. If Disney+ had only released “With Interest,” fans may have been miffed (the first episode didn’t go far with the main storyline), but the streaming service dropped two episodes this week with “Excessive Force,” and I can see fans happier with the second offering. I enjoyed “Excessive Force.” As I said in the intro, it ties up several loose ends. That’s always appreciated. Wilson Fisk and Matt Murdock’s journey to find their true selves, their inner Kingpin and Daredevil, mirrors each other’s journey.

The inevitable fight sequence at the end has choreography that harkens to the original Daredevil Netflix series. Kingpin unleashes his baser instincts on Adam, the man with whom Fisk’s wife, Vanessa, cheated on him, while Daredevil rescues Angela Del Toro, Hector Ayala’s (White Tiger’s) niece, from Muse. Both scenes are earned. Earlier in “Excessive Force,” Vanessa and Wilson have an exchange that suggests Kingpin has Vanessa’s okay to revert to his mob boss ways, while Del Toro approached Murdock for help, letting him know where her uncle thinks a serial killer (Muse) is hiding, and Murdock has the idea to “f*** it” and rescue Del Toro himself as Daredevil. Since the police killed her uncle, Del Toro doesn’t trust the police.

I liked that Daredevil: Born Again brought back Angela Del Toro. In the comics, Del Toro dons her uncle’s White Tiger costume, and there’s a chance that Camila Rodriguez (who portrays Del Toro) could do the same. Del Toro does a good job of giving Murdock the kick he needs in the hindside. Running parallel to Del Toro’s mistrust of the police is that Fisk runs the police, and he’s formed a task force of dirty cops to find Muse. As I said, plenty of loose ends. Hamish Allan-Headley’s Officer Powell joins the newly formed task force. Powell has been one of the better side characters introduced in Daredevil: Born Again, but that’s because he’s had a handful of pivotal scenes. And that’s where Daredevil: Born Again has had issues.

Matt’s love interest (Heather Glenn) asks him if he knows any vigilantes he could introduce her to for a book she plans to write about vigilantes. While this could’ve worked, it came out of nowhere. We’ve met Heather Glenn more often than Officer Powell, and this is the first we’ve heard of this intention. Officer Powell’s motives are better developed. Angela Del Toro approaching Matt Murdock to help stop Muse makes sense (her character is well developed despite this episode being her second appearance), but Cherry (Matt’s ex-cop friend/employee) serves little more than a plot device when he warns Murdock against fighting Muse as Daredevil. We know next to nothing about Cherry. Even though he’s physically been in the series three times as much as Del Toro, I forgot he existed.

I mentioned the vlogger vignettes in a previous review. The shaky-cam on the street works better in a Spider-Man property. It’s out of place in Daredevil: Born Again, but further than that, it doesn’t do enough to show New York’s citizens. I don’t know if the audience should know who the vlogger is and follows them as another character (perhaps a friend of Murdock’s) or if the vlogger could attempt to interview Mayor Fisk, which could serve double-duty as a scene transition, or omit those scenes and show Murdock serve more citizens (than the one Fiddle Faddle thief) as a lawyer. Personally, I’d choose the latter. Showing Murdock trying to fix NYC’s issues as a lawyer, but needing to do more, would further the idea that the city needs Daredevil.

Those couple of sticky points aside, Daredevil: Born Again is a great Marvel show. “Excessive Force” saw the return of Tony Dalton’s Jack Duquesne/Swordsman. He’s an underused superhero (last seen in 2021’s Hawkeye as Kate Bishop’s wealthy stepfather), and I’m glad he gets another chance to shine. Thank you, MetalAusten (on BlueSky), for straightening out Geekly’s misunderstanding of Daredevil: Born Again’s schedule. The show WILL return next week, and we can’t wait. Thank you for reading, and wherever you are, I hope you’re having a great day.

Daredevil: Born Again, “With Interest” Review

Published on March 26, 2025March 26, 2025 by KyraLeave a comment

Brief schedule alert: Geekly will cover the first of the Daredevil: Born Again two-episode finale today and the second episode on Friday. Kyra, who covers Daredevil: Born Again, has a family issue on Wednesday morning and will need another day or two to cover the second episode. With that said, let’s discuss the first of Daredevil: Born Again’s finale, “With Interest.”

Hey, hey! Kyra Kyle here. Daredevil: Born Again nears the close of its first season break. I’m still unsure how the program plans to continue after this. The last I heard, Daredevil: Born Again will have another four or six episodes next year, hopefully near the beginning of next year. Will this be the second half of season one? Since there’s a year gap in release, wouldn’t that make those next four or six episodes season two? Anyway, “With Interest” serves as a divergence if you’re charitable. It’s a filler episode if you’re less charitable. I lean more towards the former, but I was left wanting. “With Interest” shows Matt Murdock continuing down the crime-fighter path, and weaves his story into the greater MCU, and it’s the weaving of Daredevil: Born Again into the greater MCU that chafes.

Yusuf Khan, Kamala Khan’s (Ms. Marvel’s) father, makes a guest appearance in “With Interest.” This episode’s story revolves around Khan and the bank where he works. Bank robbers begin a heist immediately after Khan denies Murdock a loan for Murdock & McDuffie (Matt’s new law firm). Convenient. Before then, Khan talks about his daughter Kamala, Jersey City, and Jersey City’s own superhero Ms. Marvel. He spills the tea about what Kamala is up to (visiting friends in California, which could be Kamala recruiting Kate Bishop in San Francisco), and I half-expected him to brag that his daughter and Ms. Marvel were one and the same when he dug out his Ms. Marvel Funko Pop.

Matt chuckles at Khan’s antics. He gives him an annoyed chuckle that mirrors my own. Don’t get me wrong. I like Mohan Japur’s portrayal of Yusuf. He does a good job of conveying a doting father. My issue is with Khan’s inclusion. It felt forced. While a solidly written, acted, and directed episode, “With Interest” isn’t needed. One could’ve omitted “With Interest,” and season one of Daredevil: Born Again would’ve remained the same. It felt like a bottle episode that didn’t need to happen. I felt the showrunner marking time for the final episode.

The only two things I can say that “With Interest” adds to this season’s story are that Murdock’s law firm matches his (eventual) crimefighting, and Daredevil: Born Again exists within the MCU. Thank you for making it abundantly clear that Daredevil: Born Again exists within the MCU. Other nods occurred earlier this season to suggest that, but perhaps some viewers in the back row needed to be force-fed that information. As Yusuf says in this episode, Murdock takes on a lot of cases that don’t make enough money to sustain his business. That reinforces the idea that Matt does things because they’re the right things to do, kind of like his crimefighting. From a storytelling standpoint, the latter has more merit.

But I could’ve seen this played out in a smaller or different scene. I know it sounds like I didn’t care for “With Interest.” The opposite is true. Taken by itself, “With Interest” is a fun romp. Matt Murdock thwarts a group of bank robbers and saves the hostages within the bank. There may be something I didn’t catch with the bank robbers themselves. The one who orchestrated the heist gets away. I hope she plays a bigger role later. My opinion of “With Interest” could change slightly if that’s the case. But until that happens, I’m viewing “With Interest” as a fun diversion before the main meal.

That main meal will have to wait. I won’t be reviewing the second episode of Daredevil: Born Again’s finale until Friday, March 28th. Until then, feed me some fake or real spoilers for the final episode. Thank you for reading, and wherever you are, I hope you’re having a great day.

Daredevil: Born Again, “Sic Semper Systema” Review

Published on March 19, 2025March 19, 2025 by KyraLeave a comment

Daredevil: Born Again released another episode last night, “Sic Semper Systema,” and Geekly’s here to share their thoughts. Hey, hey! Kyra Kyle here. Daredevil: Born Again approaches its season finale (or at least the cliffhanger before its break for the second half of the season), and the show manages to turn up the heat.

With four episodes in, Daredevil: Born Again proves it can build off the previous show’s success. The new series works best when it centers on Murdock and Fisk. With a few exceptions, the best moments are rooted in characters who originate from the original Netflix series. Wilson and Vanessa scenes have me hooked. I feared for Vanessa’s well-being whenever she and Wilson discussed her infidelity. That mistrust is rewarded in “Sic Semper Systema’s” closing. I won’t spoil it here, but there’s a great payoff.

Is it me or does Matt Murdock’s love interest Heather Glenn work better as the Fisk’s therapist than she does Daredevil’s lover? I love Margarita Levieva’s performance with the Fisks. I don’t know if Daredevil: Born Again has done enough to establish her as Murdock’s significant other. And I think that’s an issue with the new series. Again, four episodes in, and patterns emerge. Daredevil: Born Again had to rid itself of Karen Page and Foggy Nelson because they knew Murdock’s secret identity and would eventually support his vigilante work. Heck. Karen suggests that Matt don the cowl in the first episode. The new series wanted Murdock to fight returning as Daredevil. But it hasn’t done enough to build the new recurring characters in Murdock’s life. There are some exceptions.

As I said, I do like Heather as the Wilson’s therapist. Mayor Fisk’s advisors Daniel and Sheila are fantastic. “Sic Semper Systema” shows Kingpin’s former “business” peeking through his day-to-day as mayor. You know how the old Fisk would’ve handled Daniel’s mistake. Daredevil: Born Again does a great job of building this tension. And then throwing in a dark comedic moment. After Mayor Fisk says he won’t fire Daniel for his incompetence and Daniel insists that he’ll never be able to make amends, Sheila tells Daniel, that’s nice, now shut up. She put her job on the line for him and I saw in Sheila’s reaction to Fisk and Daniel’s “talk” that she feared for her and Daniel’s lives. Zabryna Guevara (Sheila) and Michael Gandolfini (Daniel) give great performances.

I also enjoyed one of “Sic Semper Systema’s” one-off characters. Charlie Hudson III’s Leroy Bradford works to show Murdock as a lawyer and the corruption of the legal system. Hudson is only on-screen for around ten minutes, but these moments are powerful.

Hamish Allan-Headley’s Officer Powell has been a standout for this young series. The scenes that include Officer Powell illustrate NYPD’s corruption. Powell serves as a great foil. He doesn’t factor into White Tiger’s murder (that we know of), but someone with connections to the NYPD is behind White Tiger’s death. Evidently, The Punisher has fans within the NYPD. The scene where Matt finds the casing from the bullet used to murder White Tiger is pitch-perfect. I don’t want to spoil it here, but moments like this hint at Murdock’s return as Daredevil. Sure, we physically see Murdock practice martial arts toward the end of “Sic Semper Systema,” but his investigative skills impressed.

Daredevil: Born Again handled The Punisher’s inclusion well. As I suspected, he wasn’t behind White Tiger’s murder. I’m glad he doesn’t steal too much screen time, and Frank Castle pushes Murdock’s buttons. Again, I’ll try not to spoil the scene, but The Punisher gives Murdock the push he needs to dust off his Daredevil attire. Jon Bernthal is a fan favorite for good reason. He embodies The Punisher. Daredevil: Born Again does a great job of hinting that The Punisher continues to fight the good fight. I can’t wait to see him in a future series.

And that brings us to this season’s main villain Muse. Our featured image above is one of Muse’s murals. You can see his name at the bottom right. I may be heading into mild spoiler territory here. Beware. We don’t see much of Muse. Daredevil: Born Again is holding him back for the final two episodes before it goes on break, and that’s a good choice.

In the comics, Muse is active while Wilson Fisk is mayor (Daredevil comics, circa 2016). He paints his murals with human blood, so the red “paint” above (and in this week’s featured image) derives from the blood of his victims. Also in the comics, Muse had superpowers like heightened strength and increased reflexes. He’s an inhuman and also targeted other inhumans. This could be a way to tie Muse (and Daredevil) into the greater MCU and potentially reintroduce the Inhumans. I wouldn’t be surprised if Muse was a standard-issue human, but I’d be a little disappointed if he didn’t have the last and most significant of his superpowers: imperceptibility.

People don’t notice Muse is around because his body is a sensory void. This ability also works on Daredevil. Daredevil: Born Again mentions Spider-Man repeatedly and one of Spidey’s greatest enemies is Venom. Low key, Venom’s best ability is that he doesn’t trigger Peter Parker’s spider-sense. Muse plays a similar role to Daredevil, and the series (specifically the scene when Matt does detective work) is building up to a reveal that no one can sense Muse.

“Sic Semper Systema” generates a lot of speculation. That’s a great thing for Daredevil: Born Again. The series had a rocky start, but there’s hope for a strong cliffhanger next week. Thank you for reading, and wherever you are, I hope you’re having a great day.

Daredevil: Born Again, “The Hollow of His Hand” Review

Published on March 12, 2025March 12, 2025 by KyraLeave a comment

Daredevil: Born Again continues this week with a single episode, “The Hollow of His Hand.” The show focuses on the courtroom drama surrounding the White Tiger. While I think this is a good choice, the pacing for a storyline like this would play out better for a full 13-episode season (like the previous Daredevil series) instead of the 9-episode season, split in two, that Daredevil: Born Again has scheduled. Daredevil: Born Again is fated for getting rushed.

Hey, hey! Kyra Kyle here. I’ve had more time to digest Daredevil: Born Again’s first two episodes from last week, and they leave me wanting. Everything felt rushed. And while I understand that Daredevil: Born Again wants to get Matt Murdock into his Daredevil suit as soon as possible because the show only has three episodes remaining before it goes on hiatus, I can’t help but think that the original show would’ve taken its time and not rush through White Tiger’s trial. The showrunners must not be used to shorter seasons.

What remains does a good job of pitting Matt Murdock against Kingpin from an ideological standpoint. The sparing between Murdock proving vigilantes as necessary (even helping police) and Kingpin’s decree to the media that vigilantes operate outside and above the law works. The lack of scenes with White Tiger doesn’t work as well. Through witnessing on the stand, the life of White Tiger is told. We don’t see White Tiger in action. We don’t even see how his magical amulet works. I’m reminded of the writing adage: show don’t tell. Daredevil: Born Again does a lot of telling because they don’t have time or money.

Daredevil: Born Again marks the first Disney+ Marvel series when the production attempts to cut costs. I hope that scenes with White Tiger weren’t cut for time or budget. Puerto Rican actor Kamar de los Reyes who portrays White Tiger passed away from cancer on Christmas Eve 2023. He delivers a fantastic performance.

We get into spoiler territory here. You’ve been warned. After a short trial sequence, White Tiger gets gunned down days later by someone who may be The Punisher. I don’t know if the could be Punisher works for Fisk. The sequence where White Tiger dies occurs during a voiceover with Wilson Fisk, explaining how vigilantes should not exist. In the comics, the Punisher began as a mercenary for hire. It would make sense if he was behind White Tiger’s death, but Fisk has been distancing himself from crime as much as Murdock distances himself from crimefighting. The Punisher could also be exacting vigilante revenge against a vigilante for (accidentally) killing a crooked cop. That’d be an interesting twist.

End of spoilers.

Despite the swiftness of these events, Daredevil: Born Again does a great job of honoring White Tiger’s death. Like Foggy’s death in episode one, White Tiger’s death is sudden. But the twist of who may have killed him leaves the episode on a cliffhanger, and “The Hollow of His Hand” ends with a quiet moment. The only sound the audience hears is the coquis (a small frog native to Puerto Rico) whistling against the surf.

White Tiger had shared with Murdock that he only felt at peace when he sat on a bench by the ocean and could hear the coquis. This moment was well done. It’s a wonderful tribute to Kamar de los Reyes.

I want more moments like this one. The previous series would sprinkle in heart-felt beats in between the action. I have hope for the remainder of Daredevil: Born Again’s initial six episodes, but I’ve heard that Muse could become a main antagonist. How does Daredevil: Born Again hope to juggle the introduction of the Punisher, Muse, and the inevitable Kingpin showdown? Muse could’ve disguised themselves while they killed White Tiger. We’ll have to see. Thank you for reading, and wherever you are, I hope you’re having a great day.

Tabletop Game Review: Marvel United, Enter the Spider-Verse

Published on March 8, 2025March 23, 2025 by KyraLeave a comment

Marvel United has copious amounts of expansions. It’s a CMON Games Kickstarter using the Marvel intellectual property. That’s bound to happen. Geekly won’t be covering every Marvel United expansion, but we will review the ones worth your time or the ones we believe people will most likely purchase. So, you could consider the Marvel United expansions we cover as ones you may want on your radar.

Hey, hey! Kyra Kyle here. In Marvel United, players act as iconic Marvel heroes who work together to stop the master plan of a powerful villain controlled by the game. Each villain has a unique master plan, cards that trigger various effects, and threats that make clearing locations difficult. Heroes clear missions, making the villain vulnerable, and finally take on the big bad villain before they complete their dastardly plan. Can you save the day in time? Enter the Spider-Verse puts players in the spandex of famous characters of the Spider-Man universe.

Before we get any further, we’ll take a side quest and discuss Enter the Spider-Verse’s less heroic details.

The Fiddly Bits

Game Mechanisms

Cooperative Play
Hand Management
Modular Board
Solo / Solitaire Game
Variable Player Powers

Game Setup

Players place their miniatures on one of the six location cards, usually the centralmost location for each player (easy access). Then, they place the villain on the location card opposing the heroes.

Game Flow

Review

Enter the Spider-Verse features a lot of fan-favorite characters (Spider-Man, Green Goblin, and Miles Morales). Since that’s the case, it’ll be one of the first expansions players will purchase. And it’s a great choice.

Let’s begin with the heroes. Spider-Man has a lot of potential token gain. I don’t know how many times I saved the day by playing Spider-Man. Seriously, I may have completed most of the games in my guides (here’s a link to Geekly’s Marvel United guides) with Spider-Man. Frankly, he’s a broken character. Broken in the best possible way. I’ve easily played Spider-Man more than any other character in Marvel United. He’s Spider-Man. It’s great that Marvel United made him a character you can return to again and again.

Ghost-Spider and Miles Morales may have more niche abilities, but given the right circumstances, they can be deadly. Ghost-Spider can swap in-play Threat cards (which could be nice for an ongoing ability), and she can defeat all Thugs in her location. Miles Morales’ strongest ability “Web” allows him to delay the Villain Turn by one card. “Web” is a more universal use. Miles may be my second-most played character. Then, there’s Spider-Ham. He’s a Kickstarter Exclusive and that’s okay. He stinks. Good news though. It’s okay if you purchase the retail version over the Kickstarter version. Spider-Ham’s inclusion is the only difference between the two versions, and you’re not missing much with Spider-Ham. Unless you’re a completist or you like Spider-Ham, buy the retail version of Enter the Spider-Verse.

Enter the Spider-Verse’s sole villain Green Goblin is notoriously difficult to beat. I’ve only ever beaten Green Goblin by playing heroes and locations from the Enter the Spider-Verse expansion. Green Goblin has a special setup than the one above. Players don’t begin the game with threat cards in play on locations. Green Goblin will add them as he goes along, and he wins if each location has a threat card. This can lead to players clearing a particularly nasty threat card, like “Electro” or “Using Civilians as Shield,” and Green Goblin putting those cards back in play.

Even though Green Goblin wants to flood the field with threats, he’s just as comfortable throwing obstacles in the way to wait out the clock. “Using Civilians as Shield’s” ability is that Green Goblin will not take any damage as long as there are any Civilians at its location. “Corporate Thugs” make thugs more difficult to defeat. Green Goblin is a classic case of a villain who has multiple ways to defeat his enemies. The best way to stop Green Goblin is to load up on tokens, manipulate the villain deck, and delay the villain’s turn if you can. Fortunately, there are two heroes, and one location included in Enter the Spider-Verse expansion that do just that. Green Goblin earns his reputation as one of the initial Marvel United’s most difficult villains.

The new locations are classic Marvel New York ones. Brooklyn Bridge, Queens, the Daily Bugle, Oscorp Tower. These locations focus on extra tokens. This can be crucial in defeating certain Marvel United villains. Enter the Spider-Verse’s Green Goblin is one of these villains. The other three locations have healing (always appreciated), potentially rescuing a Civilian for free (always good for completing mission cards), and manipulating the villain deck. Couple these abilities with the heroes included in Enter the Spider-Verse, and you can see why this expansion tilts the playing field toward the heroes.

Each expansion adds a challenge card. Challenge cards add an extra layer of complexity to the game. Challenge cards may be small additions, but they can keep the game fresh with an extra rule or two added to the base game. Enter the Spider-Verse introduces the “Secret Identity Challenge.” This is a classic challenge to add to any Marvel United game. Players must balance their crime-fighting life with their lives spent outside of spandex. This challenge is thematic, easy to understand, and adds just enough additional difficulty.

Verdict

Even though I wouldn’t bother with finding the Kickstarter version unless you’re a completionist or a Spider-Ham fan, Enter the Spider-Verse is worth including in your Marvel United collection. The heroes and villain are some of the most powerful. The locations are iconic and pack a punch. And the Challenge Card adds a much-needed twist.