November was a great gaming month! I managed to complete 16 plays across 13 different games.

Of these games, 5 were played at VianaCon and aren’t part of my collection (I’ll share more about that event in a separate post). The rest were home plays.

Perseverance: Castaway Chronicles – Episode 1

A really engaging game combining dice placement and area majority mechanics. The premise has you defending your camp against dinosaur attacks. The solo mode features two AI opponents called the Dissidents, making for a challenging adversary. You need to carefully calculate your dice placements to maximize efficiency while anticipating what the Dissidents might do on their turns. Strategic planning is essential. I thoroughly enjoyed this one and will definitely play it again.

Heat: Pedal to the Metal

I finally tried this at VianaCon after wanting to test it for ages. I was hesitant about the solo mode, so it never made it to my collection. I played at 2 players, and the push-your-luck mechanics and risk-taking elements are genuinely fun. Playing cautiously simply doesn’t work—it would drain all the excitement from the game! While I enjoyed it immensely, I suspect this game truly shines at higher player counts.

Other Notable Games

I really enjoyed In the Footsteps of Darwin as an accessible, family-friendly game with straightforward rules. It’s light and entertaining, with beautiful illustrations and a helpful companion book explaining the different species depicted in the game.

Finspan left me slightly disappointed, especially when compared to its predecessor, Wingspan. I didn’t find the same level of enjoyment, though I think it deserves another chance before I form a final opinion.

What About You?

How was your November? Which game did you most enjoy, or least enjoy, playing?