

As you play more birds into each of your wildlife rows, they're all 'activated' each time you trigger the row, kicking off a cavalcade of activity like laying eggs (a key resource) or drawing more bird cards to expand your aviary.

The rounds get shorter towards the end, making each decision more meaningful. So much of Wingspan is cleverly and delicately balanced to make it feel like your bird 'engine' is accelerating as you close in on the finish. My favorites are the predators, which can snatch other bird cards out of the deck for you to score points. Beneath that is a modern classic "easy to learn, hard to master" strategy game, with tons of clever interplay between the different types of birds. Wes: Bird facts! Wingspan's theme really is delightful. Definitely one to play with friends who like a laid-back approach to competitive card games. Each card has a bird fact and an illustration that has been wonderfully animated in the digital version. It's an engine-building card game where you play as bird enthusiasts trying to attract birds to your wildlife preserve. Rachel: The most charming board game out there, and that includes both the physical and virtual versions. Even if EVE's complicated controls and steep learning curve turn you away, you should still take every opportunity to read about each new (and bloody) chapter its players are writing. That sense of existing in a living, breathing ecosystem with other players is something that no other MMO has, and your ability to build your own legacy in the ebb and flow of its player-driven empires is, to this day, remarkable. Meanwhile, the rest of the galaxy pulses and thrums to the rhythm of hundreds of smaller conflicts erupting each and every day. Fleet commanders have staged daring rescue attempts, desperate last stands, and cunning ambushes. But what's consistent through its highs and lows is EVE Online's singular ability to spark intergalactic drama in its crucible of player-driven war.Įven now, EVE Online is in the midst of its most destructive conflict of all time as two sides of the galaxy wage war on each other. This also isn't the first time EVE Online has landed in hot water with its players, and it won't be the last. Since its release, EVE Online has struggled to invent systems that both enable its cataclysmically large battles while keeping a level playing field for both sides. Steven: EVE Online has slipped down from last year's position largely because of a series of controversies involving microtransactions and economic rebalancing that players are not happy about.
