I don't hate to be wrong, but I really hate to be wrong like this. I broke my own rules, which was stupid in and of itself, and I deserve the outrage that I will be receiving from people who I told were wrong. So, here goes: Reiner Knizia can make an Ameritrashy adventure game. There. I said it. I'm even prepared to say that as highly improbable as it is, the game he made is not only not atrophy your testicles from boredom, it in fact is brilliant fun. I still can't believe it myself, but it's true. Star Trek: Expeditions (ST:E) is a really, truly fun, thematic co-op adventure game that not only adheres to its theme, but does so well.

Well, this is the last of the Nate reviews; if you recall, Nate, a F:AT user sent me some games to review as a tribute to a dear friend of his that he lost. I thought it fitting to save the best, or at least the most in-depth, for last, notwithstanding the fact that he was most interested in hearing how I felt about this game, particularly as a two player game. Sorry it took so long, Nate; to get through the tutorials and then play three games using the scenario generator is a tremendous amount of time investment. Earth Reborn, quite simply, is the single most realistic tabletop skirmish game that I have ever set my paws on. It has more chrome than a full-dresser Road King being ridden by the Silver Surfer. In fact, I'm not entirely sure that there's NOT a rule for virtually anything you could conceive of. Don't take that as a criticism, though, because this game is perfect for those who want to play with cool little toys in a mission-based miniatures skirmish, but also want the depth of options normally found in a RPG or PC simulation game.

Note For The F:ATties: The Circus now has an index page (lower left link at the Circus) that has all my reviews and articles listed by score. In case you care.

So, for the second installment of the Nate Review series, we'll be looking at Olympos, a medium complexity Euro civilization builder based in the world of the Greek Gods. At first glance, one might even think it's similar to Cyclades, a vastly superior game, but in reality, this game could almost be described as an analogue Small World, but with an economic engine, no dice, and a negligible amount of entertainment. It's incomprehensibly dry, which made this hard to play three times, and this game is the single most divisive game that the Circus has ever played. Truly, it is either loved or hated, but there's no middle ground. Here's a preview of the ending for those who like spoilers: I vehemently dislike this game.

Say Anything - Bob Eubanks And Whoopie References Not Included