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Azul by Michael Kiesling is Game of the Year 2018!
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In the tactical tile placing game Azul (distributed by Pegasus Spiele) Portuguese King Manuel I. commissions artisans to decorate the walls of his palace with beautiful mosaics. Doing so, they cannot use just any ceramic tiles but only the so-called Azulejos. The tile-laying artists enter into a competition to see who is able to acquire the most beautiful tiles at the right time. Their mission is to buy exactly one type of tiles from each manufacturer – that the step-by-step mode. Depending on the position within the pattern artisans need more or less tiles of a certain type to expand their work. Those who miscalculate and take to many tiles of one kind lose points. However, those who are able to lay complete patterns score additional points.
Statement of the jury
The abstract game “Azul” easily combines alleged opposites: The pure functionality of the board is a stunning contrast to the wonderful beauty of the evolving mosaics. The haptic of the tiles underlines the impression of high value. The material alone is a real delight. What is more, designer Michael Kiesling has successfully managed to give a simple choosing mechanism so much depth that you will definitely want to play this game over and over again. |
Also nominated:
Die Quacksalber von Quedlinburg by Wolfgang Warsch is Sophisticated Game of the Year 2018!
| Mandrake, ghosts breath and fly agaric. Quacks use various unusual ingredients to brew their potions. The cooking does not follow a recipe, but rather a chance principle: Players draw random ingredients from their own supply bags. Most ingredients provide positive special effects. But watch out if you draw a common snowberry, as these may cause a kettle explosion if you add too many. Use the earnings from the elixirs to buy new ingredients and brew stronger potions. Those who are able to evaluate the risk of kettle explosions correctly and benefit from tactical opportunities will win this competition of quacks.
Statement of the jury
Cooking with randomly drawn ingredients makes “Die Quacksalber von Quedlinburg” an explosion of tastes and a firework of emotions. Malicious joy, exultation and lamentation alternate quickly. A game of luck? Not really. Designer Wolfgang Warsch has left ample room for tactical thinking in his exquisite basic recipe. So the packet – or rather bag soup – becomes a tasty dish for game gourmets. |
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Also nominated:
"Pandemic Legacy - Season 2" by Matt Leacock and Rob Daviau receives the Special Award 2018
| The cooperative “Pandemic Legacy – Season 2” continues the story of the great Season 1 in the same quality. 71 years after the apocalyptic outbreak of the plague we live on the seas and provide supplies to the last survivors on the mainland. But what lies beyond the coastal cities? Each decision affects all the following 24 games. Our characters learn their lessons or suffer from losses. New cities expand the scope of the known world. Stickers are attached to the board, rules are expanded, fields are scratched off, and new materials enter the game while others get destroyed. Legacy cards push on the story. The concept is similar to Season 1, but the congenial Pandemic mechanism now serves to provide for the survivors and not to spread the plague. Will we be able to save the world?
Statement of the jury
Ten years after the first release of the original game the “Pandemic” family continues to grow. And in what a way! Even with Season 1 Matt Leacock and Rob Daviau opened up the door to a fascinating world of games. With their perfect sequel they now outdo themselves. “Pandemic Legacy - Season 2” the best Pandemic game to date, sets new standards for all future Legacy games. The jury acknowledges the outstanding performance of the designers and presents them with the Special Award 2018! |
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