Top 10 Best Board Game Art of 2018
This is your top 10 best board game art of 2018. Over 200 different games were nominated but only the top 10 most popular could make this list. You voted in your thousands and now here are the results. With interviews with the artists, illustrators and creators, photos and more come and check out the results.
UPDATE: The results for the Top 10 Best Board Game Art of 2019 are now live!
I created this site to help spotlight and share the stories behind board game art. How games look form a huge part of how we connect with them but when it comes to awards recognition we often primarily focus on the game design. To celebrate the hard work of those responsible for making our games look so beautiful I created this vote. In December I asked you to nominate the best board game art of 2018 and you didn’t disappoint.
There were over 200 different games nominated.
From those 200+ games I shortlisted the 10 most popular nominations to create a vote. I wanted to find out which of these games had your favorite OVERALL ARTWORK so in January I opened the site to your opinion once again. I asked that you not judge a game by it’s cover but look beneath the surface and to help you make your choices I included details such as the artists names, publishers, links to the game pages on Board Game Geek and photos of the games too.
I posted the top 10 in January and you voted in your thousands.
I’ve split your vote results into runners up (in alphabetical order) and the top 5, counting down to the number 1 spot. I’ve included links to the game pages on board game geek under (more info) so if you want to know more you can just hit that link. I’ve also included the publishers game descriptions and quotes from those involved in creating the games where I’ve been able to get them.
This list is a reflection of the talent in our industry.
Thank you to the publishers for supplying me with images and the community for helping out where I needed more. I’d like to say a huge thank you to everyone who voted as without your input this vote wouldn’t exist. I’d also like to thank all of those who shared this vote, I run this site on my own and my voice only carries so far, with your help this became much bigger than I could have possibly imagined.
So which board game had the best art of 2018?
This might be a vote for the best but it’s safe to say all the games on this list have incredible artwork and should be considered examples of what can be done in this industry with the right people involved. One last thank you to all of the artists out there, it’s their talent that brightens up our games and is taking this hobby to new and greater heights, and now .. on to the results!
Best Board Game Art 2018 - Runners Up (alphabetical)
Runner Up
Architects of the West Kingdom (more info)
Artist: Mihajlo Dimitrievski
Publisher: Garphill Games
Publisher Description:
Architects of the West Kingdom is set at the end of the Carolingian Empire, circa 850 AD. As royal architects, players compete to impress their King and maintain their noble status by constructing various landmarks throughout his newly appointed domain. Players need to collect raw materials, hire apprentices, and keep a watchful eye on their workforce. These are treacherous times, and rival architects will stop at nothing to slow your progress. Will you remain virtuous, or be found in the company of thieves and black marketeers?
Images taken by More Games Please and supplied by Garphill Games
Runner Up
Coimbra (more info)
Artist: Chris Quilliams
Publisher: Eggert Spiele
Game Description:
In the 15th and 16th century, Portugal is thriving under its leading role during the Age of Discovery. Nestled in the heart of Portugal, the city of Coimbra serves as a cultural center of the country. As the head of one of Coimbra's oldest houses, you seek to earn prestige by deepening relationships with nearby monasteries or funding expeditions of the era. To reach this goal, you must vie for the favors of the city's most influential citizens, even if you must offer a bit of coin or some protective detail.
Game Artist Chris Quilliams:
”I am honored to have Coimbra nominated for 'Best Board Game Art of 2018'. A big thank you to everyone who voted for this wonderful game. It was a privilege to help create the look and feel for this game.
I also want to thank the owner of Plan B Games Sophie Gravel for helping to inspire the whole team at the time including Philippe Guerin, Marie-Eve Joly and Karla Ron. Together guys, we developed one beautiful product.
I knew Coimbra was going to be an amazing project in the early days when I played the prototype and by the time I was able to get to work I was excited. We wanted to do something special with unique qualities using both color palette and art design inspired by the different eras Portugal, not just historical art but also looking at many examples of contemporary Portuguese art as well. In the early stages there was a lot of development, especially for the characters and we could have gone in several different directions. I think when we hit upon the right look we knew we had something, it stood out over everything else. Editing is extremely important for any process and to have the trust and confidence in the people you work with makes all the difference in the world. I might have been the person creating the art but without my team I might have made very different choices and this project might not have been nearly as special. Thank you again, everyone.”
Editors note:
If you’d like to see more of his work I interviewed Chris back in 2017 and you can read that interview here.
Images supplied by Chris Quilliams and Eggert Spiele
Runner Up
Reykholt (more info)
Artists: Klemens Franz, Lukas Siegmon
Publisher: Frosted Games
Publishers Description:
Growing tomatoes, lettuce, or carrots on Iceland? What an absurd idea! But still, whoever had that idea was a genius! Geothermal energy on the island allows you to cultivate the most unexpected fruits and vegetables — an oddity that no tourist would want to miss. You are not the only farmer in Reykholt who is looking to make a fortune out of this, however, so you better be quick! The tourist season in Reykholt is short, and there are more people coming every year. Making use of the right people and having the right vegetables at the right time in Reykholt will give you the advantage you need to win the race!
Game Artist Lukas Siegmon:
”I was amazed and happy to see Reykholt next to all these other beautiful games. Thank you for your great support! I wish you a lot of fun and memorable board game experiences.”
Image 1 early concept art for the game cover. Images supplied by Renegade Game Studios and @LordBalder.
Runner Up
Rising Sun (more info)
Artists: Edgar Skomorowski, Adrian Smith
Publisher: CMON
Publishers Description:
Rising Sun is a board game for 3 to 5 players set in legendary feudal Japan. As the Kami descend from the heavens to reshape the land in their image, it is up to each player to lead their clan to victory. Use politics to further your cause, negotiate to seek the most profitable alliances, worship the Kami to gain their favor, recruit monsters out of legend to bolster your forces, and use your resources wisely to be victorious in battle.
Images from CMON website and taken by More Games Please
Runner Up
The Grimm Forest (more info)
Artists: Noah Adelman, Lina Cossette, David Forest
Publisher: Druid City Games
Publishers Description:
Welcome to the Grimm Forest, where family members of the legendary Three Little Pigs organize an epic home building competition. But this is not an ordinary competition, because all the characters of the most famous Fairy Tales are around & even give a hand sometimes. Who will benefit most from Robin Hood's trickery, the beauty of Snow White, the abundant gifts of the Golden Egg Goose or the dark sorcery of the Queen-Witch?
Using only their intelligence, a handful of sharp steel tools & a few piles of resources harvested at great risk in the fields, quarries, & even the dark & deadly Grimm Forest, each player must compete to be the first to build 3 Houses & earn the title of Royal Builder.
Players are encouraged to use all the sneaky tricks they have read in the many books of Fables found throughout the country. Some will see their plans ransacked by this old villain, the Big Bad Wolf, while others will fill their cart with bricks, straw and wood. Who will brave the dangers, avoid immoral monsters & bring home victory? There's only one way to find out ... get ready to venture into ... The Grimm Forest!
Game Artists David and Lina aka Mr Cuddington:
”We are so happy for The Grimm Forest to be nominated for best art! It was such a wonderful theme to explore and we really enjoyed trying to find novel ways to represent all the already beloved fairy tale characters. We are very happy with the artistic direction and the cohesive look we achieved on Grimm Forest. We remember being very nervous about the Kickstarter campaign since we were due to have our youngest at about the same time. We ended up closing the campaign and meeting our son on the same day. Perfect timing! “
Editors note:
If you’d like to see more of Mr Cuddington’s work, I interviewed them on my site back in 2017 and you can see that interview here.
Images supplied by Druid City Games, photos taken by @BoardGameShot and @Quackalope.
Best Board Game Art 2018 - Top 5
5th Place
1066, Tears to Many Mothers (more info)
Artists: The Creation Studio, Ania Kryczkowska, Arkadiusz Banas, Guillaume Menuel, and Mark Bulahao
Publisher: Hall or Nothing Productions
Publisher Description:
Recreate the infamous Battle of Hastings! A promise has been broken, an evil omen is in the sky, a crown is at stake, and history is about to be made...
1066, Tears to Many Mothers is an asymmetric, competitive, tactical card game in the style of Magic the Gathering, but non-collectable. Each player, as either Normans or Saxons, musters troops and resources to overcome the various obstacles in their way before the two armies clash on the battlefield at Hastings.
Every card in the game is inspired by a real person or event from the time. With a focus on quick, tactical play and a thematic reimagining of the events of the time, there is no deck building required, each player simply grabs their deck and shuffles, then play begins.
Game Designer and Art Director Tristan Hall:
”It was an absolute privilege to coordinate a team of world-class artists in order to explore the real-life history of the period of 1066 and shine a new light on the incredible story of the Battle of Hastings. As a child the legends of King Harold and Duke William had a gigantic impact on me, and historically speaking England was never the same following the seizure of the throne by William. Whilst our artists had free rein to recreate the looks and faces of the real people from the period (as no pictures exist of them), in order to bring as much authenticity and credibility as possible to our game we heavily researched the period, purchasing books such as "Dress in Anglo-Saxon England" to outfit the characters with appropriate clothing, weapons, and armour from the period. With the funding we had it was an insane ambition to include over 150 unique and gorgeous images in the game; but the results speak for themselves and 1066, Tears to Many Mothers stands proudly as one of the most beautiful games I've ever seen.”
Editors note:
If you’d like to learn more about Tristan Hall and his games I interviewed him on my site back in 2017. You can find that interview here.
Images supplied by Hall or Nothing Productions
4th Place
Feudum (more info)
Artist: Justin Schultz
Publisher: Odd Bird Games
Publisher description:
Blimey! You and your blokes have been banished and stripped of everything but a few shillings and table scraps. Undaunted, you journey to a strange land to reinvent yourself and reclaim your honor! Will you farm the earth, fight as knights or finagle your own feudums? Your fate is in your hands. (And for better or worse, the hands of a steely-eyed monarch named, Queen Anne).
Game Designer Mark Swanson:
“I’m thrilled that Feudum fans love the art of Justin Schultz! His distinctive style of populating his art with whimsical characters conjures up memories of children's picture books, albeit slightly skewed. He loves to lure viewers in with 'superficially charming images,' but then reveal something more 'heartbreaking" or “daunting' upon closer inspection. Justin’s art is inspired by everything from 60’s art like Ralph Steadman and Robert Crumb to Anime and Saturday morning cartoons.”
Images supplied by Odd Bird Games and taken by @Playtography, @BoardGameShot and @Dr. Meeple.
3rd Place
Brass Birmingham (more info)
Artists: Lina Cossette, David Forest, Damien Mammoliti
Publisher: Roxley Games
Publisher Description:
Brass: Birmingham is an economic strategy game sequel to Martin Wallace' 2007 masterpiece, Brass. Birmingham tells the story of competing entrepreneurs in Birmingham during the industrial revolution, between the years of 1770-1870.
As in its predecessor, you must develop, build, and establish your industries and network, in an effort to exploit low or high market demands.
Game Artists David and Lina aka Mr Cuddington
”We want to say thank you to the community for nominating Brass for best art. This project was really challenging and refreshing to work on. It was a bit outside of our comfort zone, and Brass already had lots of fans, so we really wanted to do justice to the game and the gritty industrial Victorian era. We are so happy that Roxley Games trusted us to work on this project! We had the chance to work alongside an amazing team of creatives such as Damien Mammoliti, Gavan Brown and Chad Michael. We are very proud of the final product, it is the result of great collaboration!”
Editors note:
If you’d like to see more of Mr Cuddington’s work (including some details about Brass) I interviewed them on my site back in 2017 and you can see that interview here.
Images supplied by Roxley Games
2nd Place
Root (more info)
Artist: Kyle Ferrin
Publisher: Leder Games
Publishers Description:
Root is a game of woodland might and right. Stalk the woods as one of the Vagabonds, seize the initiative with the Eyrie birds of prey, rule over your subjects as the Marquise de Cat, or command the Woodland Alliance to create a new order. With creatures and cunning, you'll rule a fantastic forest kingdom in the ultimate asymmetric game of adventure and war.
Game Artist Kyle Ferrin:
"I'm so grateful to be nominated for this, the response to Root's art has been overwhelming and humbling. It's wild to think that my work has helped so many people enjoy a game I love. I'm honored. I hope I've brought smiles to people's faces with Root, and I hope to continue to do so with future projects. The pressure is on!"
Editors note:
If you’d like to see more of Kyle and his work I interviewed him on my site back in 2018. You can see that interview by clicking here.
Root images taken by More Games Please.
1st Place
Everdell (more info)
Artist: Andrew Bosley
Publisher: Starling Games
Publisher Description:
From Everfrost to Bellsong, many a peaceful year have passed in Everdell — but the time has come for new territories to be settled and new cities to be established. You will be the leader of a group of critters intent on just such a task. There are buildings to construct, lively characters to meet, events to host— you will have a busy year ahead of you! Will the sun shine brightest on your city before the winter moon rises?
Everdell is a streamlined worker placement game that features a detailed world realized through stunning artwork. Utilizing a tableau-building mechanic, players will work to build a city of critters and constructions. Everdell is easy to learn, yet offers satisfying strategic depth and endless replayability.
Game Artist Andy Bosley:
“Hey all! Thanks so much for nominating Everdell for Best Board Game Art of 2018! I'm blown away by everyone's support and encouragement! Most projects I work on, as an illustrator, are just jobs to get done. Everdell was a completely different thing! Being a lifelong fan of the Redwall series and already a draw-er of mice, squirrels, and cute critters, I was drawn to Everdell as soon as it was pitched to me. It fit me perfectly! Starling Games put a lot of trust in me and I was able to make the world my own. I'm really proud of the work I did for Everdell and I'm so excited to see it received well by the gaming community! You guys are awesome!”.
Editors note:
If you’d like to see more of Andy and his work I interviewed him on my site back in 2018. You can see that interview by heading here.
Images supplied by Starling Games and taken by @BoardGameShot.
If you enjoyed this vote then consider sharing it on social media, I run this site on my own and every share makes a huge difference to how many people see my site. If you’ve got any feedback then do leave a comment below, I’m sure the artists would love to hear from you all.
Thank you for making this vote the best yet, I couldn’t have done it without you all. Happy 2019!
Vote - Top 10 Best Board Game Art 2018
Find out which games had the Best Board Game Art of 2018. Vote on the top 10 most popular nominations to see which are considered to be the best of the year.
UPDATE: The results to the vote are now live! You can read them here.
I created this site to help spotlight and share the stories behind board game art. How games look form a huge part of how we connect with them but when it comes to awards recognition we often primarily focus on the game design. To celebrate the hard work of those responsible for making our games look so beautiful I created this vote. In December I asked you to nominate the best board game art of 2018 and you didn’t disappoint.
You nominated over 200 different games. The list below is your top 10.
I’m looking to find out which of these games released in 2018 had the BEST OVERALL ARTWORK and below is your top 10 most popular nominations in alphabetical order. To help guide you in your vote, I’ve included images of each game as well as the artists and publishers attached to each game according to board game geek.
Remember, this is for overall artwork so try not to judge a game solely by it’s cover.
The images were provided by the publishers, or when they didn’t have any, photos taken by myself or kindly shared by the community. Although I’ve tried to get a good variety of images I’d encourage you to seek out more about each game before casting your vote and to help I’ve included a link next to their names (showing as: more info) through to the website Board Game Geek. Here you can find a gallery of images, the game descriptions and any additional information you may need to guide your choice.
You nominated so many incredible games I wish I could have included more and I hope you’ll join me in celebrating not only the talent shown below but that in the industry as a whole. Finally I’d just like to say a huge thank you to everyone that has taken part so far and those of you joining us at this stage. On to the vote!
Best Board Game Art 2018 Nominees
1066 Tears to Many Mothers (more info)
Artists: The Creation Studio, Ania Kryczkowska, Arkadiusz Banas, Guillaume Menuel, and Mark Bulahao
Publisher: Hall or Nothing Productions
Images supplied by Hall or Nothing Productions
Architects of the West Kingdom (more info)
Artist: Mihajlo Dimitrievski
Publisher: Garphill Games
Images taken by More Games Please and supplied by Garphill Games
Brass Birmingham (more info)
Artists: Lina Cossette, David Forest, Damien Mammoliti
Publisher: Roxley Games
Images supplied by Roxley Games
Coimbra (more info)
Artist: Chris Quilliams
Publisher: Eggert Spiele
Images supplied by Chris Quilliams and Eggert Spiele
Everdell (more info)
Artist: Andrew Bosley
Publisher: Starling Games
Images supplied by Starling Games and taken by @BoardGameShot.
Feudum (more info)
Artist: Justin Schultz
Publisher: Odd Bird Games
Images supplied by Odd Bird Games and taken by @Playtography, @BoardGameShot and @Dr. Meeple.
The Grimm Forest (more info)
Artists: Noah Adelman, Lina Cossette, David Forest
Publisher: Druid City Games
Images supplied by Druid City Games, photos taken by @BoardGameShot and @Quackalope.
Reykholt (more info)
Artists: Klemens Franz, Lukas Siegmon
Publisher: Frosted Games
Images supplied by Renegade Game Studios and @LordBalder
Rising Sun (more info)
Artists: Edgar Skomorowski, Adrian Smith
Publisher: CMON
Images from CMON website and taken by More Games Please
Voting Now Closed!
Voting closed on 26/01/19 and the results will be announced 28th January.
If you took part, please consider sharing my site and the results, this was a public vote supported by the community and to spotlight art. Thanks all!
Nominate - Best Board Game Art 2018
Find out which games had the Best Board Game Art of 2018. Nominate your favorite games and vote on the top 10 most popular nominations to see which are considered to be the best of the year.
UPDATE: The results of the nominations and vote are now live! You can check them out on the site over here.
I created this site to help spotlight and share the stories behind board game art. How games look form a huge part of how we connect with them but when it comes to awards recognition we often primarily focus on the game design. To celebrate the hard work of those responsible for making our games look so beautiful I created this vote.
I’m looking to find out which games (expansions included) released this year had the BEST OVERALL ARTWORK. Will it involve work by industry veterans or someone new to the scene? Will it be a gorgeous indie game or a beautiful big release? To find out the answer, I need your help.
Which board game had the best art of 2018? You decide!
Here’s how it works:
Nominate the games you think have the Best Art of 2018.
The top 10 most popular choices will go to a final vote.
Vote for your favorite and then come back to see the results!
Remember, only the top 10 most nominated games will make the final vote.
Need reminding which games released in 2018? Here’s a list on Board Game Geek.
Want to see last years results? Check out Best Board Game Art 2017.
Nominations are now closed!
Come back to vote on the top 10 nominations in January.
If you want to be updated when the vote goes live then please subscribe below.
Best Board Game Art of 2017
I asked for your help to find out which game released in 2017 had the best overall artwork and your response far exceed my expectations. Over eight days you nominated more than 80 different games for the award, illustrated by first time artists all the way to industry favorites. Only the top 10 most nominated could make the final list and once the nominations closed you voted in your hundreds to bring us the results below.
UPDATE: Nominations are now open for Best Board Game Art 2019!
Head here to get nominating!
WHICH BOARD GAME HAD THE BEST ART OF 2017?
I asked for your help to find out which game released in 2017 had the best overall artwork and your response far exceed my expectations. Over eight days you nominated more than 80 different games for the award, illustrated by first time artists all the way to industry favorites. Only the top 10 most nominated could make the final list and once the nominations closed you voted in your hundreds to bring us the results below.
A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE VOTE
I decided to do this on a whim, after waiting for a vote about board game art to take part in but not finding any. I decided to create my own and from this decision to the page going live only a day had passed. I feel like it's important we continue to talk about the art in games and as my website is designed to highlight the artists it felt right that I should use this platform to encourage that conversation. It's filled countless hours over the last few weeks and I hope it inspires you to think back and consider the games and art you've loved. Mainly, I feel honored to have had you along for the ride in this experiment.
A HUGE THANK YOU
I’d like to send out a massive thank you to all who took part, from the people who put in a nomination or vote, to the artists and all of those who made these games happen. This vote is for you.
THE RESULTS
The results start with the runners up (in alphabetical order) moving on to a top 5 (or in this case, top 6), with the winner saved for last. It's safe to say that wherever a game ended up on the list, all here deserve praise for the hard work and talent put into them.
For every nominee I've listed the names of the artists, game and publisher with each of these also doubling up as links to the artist websites, the game listing on Board Game Geek and the publishers websites. These aren't affiliate links, merely to help guide you where appropriate.
Images have come from a number of sources, such as the publishers, game artists, my own photography and generous members of the board game community who helped me scramble them together before these results went live. I've credited the source in each case. The images themselves are here to give you a little idea of the games art. I encourage you to seek the games out in person if you want a better look.
I've thrown in the publishers description of the games to give you some idea what they are all about and finally, as an added bonus the artists themselves (where possible) have been kind enough to say a few words. So without further adieu I give you the results of Best Board Game Art of 2017.
Runner Up
Artist: Josh Emrich
Game: Campy Creatures
Publisher: Keymaster Games
Publisher desciption:
A ghoulish game of bluffing, deduction, and set collection. As mad scientists, each player has been tasked with the goal of capturing Mortals for future experimentation. Players have an army of Campy Creatures to do their bidding with three nights to get the job done. Be warned though—the Mortals won’t go out without a fight.
(Image #1 from Instagrammer @geekygaymerguy and #2-4 from Keymaster Games)
Here's the games artist Josh Emrich with a few words:
"Thank you to everyone who nominated and voted for Campy Creatures. This is the first game that I have ever illustrated, and it’s been exciting to be welcomed into this community. I tend to approach my work like a method actor — I get totally immersed into whatever inspiration I can find. In the case of Campy Creatures, I watched hours of classic horror films and poured over vintage movie posters and pulp novels. And then I talk shop and geek out about the details with the people who can make my work better. The result is a game that I hope feels authentic and honest so that the people who play it will want to immerse themselves in it as well. Thank you to Mattox Shuler and Kyle Key for trusting me with their baby."
Runner Up
Artist: Ryan Goldsberry
Game: Fugitive
Publisher: Fowers Games
Publishers Description:
Fugitive - a tense two player deduction card game, full of close calls and great escapes - all packed into 10 minutes! It's a quick, intense chase between the Fugitive, who is trying to get out of town, and the Marshal, who is trying to catch him before he does.
(Images supplied by More Games Please, also on Instagram)
Here's the games artist Ryan Goldsberry with a few words:
"When Tim Fowers first described Fugitive to me we kept trying to come up with ways to make the game and it’s 40+ cards less art intensive. Maybe we could make a series of cards that repeat? Or maybe the art should be very simple and stylized? Maybe some of the cards would be text? Finally I decided to throw caution to the wind and go for it. I would create unique art for every card and it would tell the story of the entire chase. It was a lot of work...a ton of work. And the game was delayed because of it. But at the end of the day I think it turned out good and I am proud of the finished product. I hope everyone likes it."
If you'd like to hear more about Ryan and his work on Fugitive I interviewed him on this very site back in July - read the interview here.
Runner Up
Artist: Manuel Carvalho, Ramon Martins, Daniel Melim, Rafael Silveira and Sigrid Thaler
Game: Modern Art
Publisher: CMON Limited
Publishers description:
Reiner Knizia’s classic high stakes art auction game, gets a modern makeover. You control a world class museum and hope to make a pretty penny by buying and selling masterpieces of modern art.
Over the course of four rounds, each player will get a chance to auction off paintings. The more popular the artist, the more money you can make on a sale. There are five different types of auctions to compete in, and they all require you to have a different skill set. The winner will be the one who has earned the most money for their museum. Having good taste is only half the battle. You need to approach each sale with a cutthroat attitude if you want to walk away the winner.
(Image #1-2 from Instagrammer @boardgamesetc and #3-4 from CMON.com)
Runner Up
Artist: Ellie Jang, Dmitriy Logunkov, Neil Martin and Steven Preston
Game: Skyward
Publisher: Rule and Make
Publisher description:
After centuries of sparring, four factions have finally put their differences aside and agreed to combine their strengths to build a better tomorrow. As a commitment to this new alliance, they are working together to launch Skyward, the world’s first airborne city, constructed above the point where all four empires meet.
(Images from Rule and Make)
Here's the games artist and art director Steven Preston with a few words:
"Thanks for the nomination of Skyward being in the Best Board Game Art of 2017, it really means a lot that people love the art in the game that much. For me personally, Skyward was a great experience to work on as I was not only one of the artists involved, but it was also my first time being an Art Director on a project. I got to work with other fantastic artists that helped evolve the game from its original design to what it is today. Thank you to all that voted for Skyward and I hope to do more board games in the future, perhaps Skyward 2 maybe.. :)"
Joint 5th Place
Artist: Sabrina Miramon
Game: Photosynthesis
Publisher: Blue Orange Games
Publisher description:
Welcome to the world of Photosynthesis, the green strategy board game! Plant and shape the ever-changing forest as you cultivate your seeds and your strategy.
Take your trees through their life-cycle, from seedling to full bloom to rebirth, and earn points as their leaves collect energy from the revolving sun’s rays. Carefully pick where you sow and when you grow, as trees in the shadows are blocked from light, and from points. This game features realistic gameplay and beautiful graphics.
(Image #1 from Instagrammer @boardgamesetc, #2-3 from Sabrina Miramon and #4 Blue Orange Games)
Here's the games artist Sabrina Miramon with a few words:
"I had a blast illustrating Photosynthesis, I was lucky to work with a publisher that gave me a lot of creative freedom. They had a really specific idea for the cover but for the other elements they gave me the templates and asked me to fill in the blanks (this is a brief explanation, it's a little bit more complex than this).
For the past couple of years I've been asked to illustrate architectural assets, so painting something green and more nature oriented was a nice change. You always get this amazing feeling when you see your work printed, and it's even truer with this game. I love seeing it displayed on a table and I’m overwhelmed by the positive feedback we receive from players all over the world. I feel really lucky!"
Joint 5th Place
Artist: Jérémie Fleury
Game: Yamatai
Publisher: Days of Wonder
Publisher Description:
Queen Himiko has tasked every builder in the kingdom with a prestigious mission: build the capital of Yamataï and make it the jewel of the archipelago.
Your task: surpass your competitors and build the most prestigious city of them all, using resources from the fleets that travel through the kingdom. Prepare your strategy, recruit specialists, and do whatever is necessary to become the best builder and be rewarded by Queen Himiko for your work. In the end, only one name will be remembered as the greatest builder of Yamataï!
(Images supplied by More Games Please, also on Instagram)
Here's the games artist Jérémie Fleury with a few words:
"Hello everyone! Thanks for nominating Yamataï and to those who have voted for the game. I am touched by your support which encourages me to give the best of myself on every project.
Days of Wonder contacted me to work on this game and while I had never really illustrated an Asian universe before it was an opportunity for me to get away from my comfort zone and add some strings to my bow! Before I started making images, I first tested the game in the city where I live with one of its authors who had made the trip for this occasion: Bruno Cathala. Despite the fact that Yamataï was in the prototype stage, I really enjoyed the gaming experience. When I came out of this game night, which was a sort of business meeting, I realized what a challenge it would be to illustrate such a game. There were many characters, architectural elements, fleets, and a gigantic game board. In short, a varied content that would require several months of work. Still today I am very happy with the result. It is the testimony of a beautiful energy and great teamwork.
A funny anecdote: Returning to the hotel after an intensive day at the gaming festival Essen (Germany), I started talking to someone who was walking on the same sidewalk as me, asking him if he was having a good Essen, and over the course of the discussion, when I told him my name, he jumped for joy and said he loved my work. I was very surprised, it was actually Marc Paquien (who designed this with Bruno), who knew that I was going to illustrate his first game!"
4th Place
Artist: Garen Ewing
Game: The Lost Expedition
Publisher: Osprey Games
Publisher description:
Legendary explorer Percy Fawcett marched deep into the Amazon in search of El Dorado. He was never seen again. Your team has gone in search of him, but now you hope to escape the jungle with the greatest treasure of all: your life.
Make the best of your food, your ammunition, and your health in The Lost Expedition as you plunge deep into the jungle. Choose your path carefully to ensure you're ready for the pitfalls that may occur. Play solo or cooperatively to survive the expedition, or play in teams to see which group can escape the jungle first.
(Images supplied by More Games Please, also on Instagram)
Here's the games artist Garen Ewing with a few words:
"I loved working on The Lost Expedition and the subject matter could not be more up my street. The characters that Osprey settled on are fantastic - they are all based on real people and I probably used up far too much of my time on research as they have such a fascinating backstory each, and there's some welcome diversity within the group as well. Illustrating the deck of adventure cards was probably the most daunting part with sixty-five cards in all but it was enormous fun, even if, sometimes, the research involved looking at some rather nasty stuff! A big part of the enjoyment of The Lost Expedition is creating a narrative and telling the story of your explorers' jungle trek as you go along, and I like to think the illustrations play a big part in bringing that aspect to life for the players. I wish I'd done a better job (as ever!), but the reaction to the artwork has genuinely been a very nice surprise. I'm glad it's a part of a fantastic game, and I'm truly grateful to everyone who liked it enough to vote it into the ten."
If you'd like to hear more about Garen and his work on The Lost Expedition I interviewed him on this very site back in June - read the interview here.
3rd Place
Artist/designer: Ryan Laukat
Game: Near and Far
Publisher: Red Raven Games
Publisher description:
Search for a lost city in a strange and wonderful world of ruins; manage and recruit adventurers, each with a unique identity; read from a book of stories, building an amazing and memorable tale each time you play!
(Images supplied by More Games Please, also on Instagram)
Here's the games artist and designer Ryan Laukat with a few words:
"Near and Far was one of the most challenging projects I have worked on, but I'm very happy with the final product. As a follow-up to Above and Below, I knew that it had to have a similar look (because it is set in the same world), but it also needed to feel like the game ventured into new territory. The deep oranges and burnt yellows are a nice contrast to the blue and greens of Above and Below, and helped me express the danger and wildness of the frontier-wasteland in the game. There was quite a lot of trial and error throughout the process as I struggled with the style of a few of the visual elements. I painted almost half of the game's atlas in a thick, painterly style before scrapping it all and starting over with a more "inked map" look. I repainted the cover a few times, and grappled with graphic design and layout elements. There's a subtle Art Deco vibe throughout the graphic design, which was a lot more pronounced before I toned it down for the final release. I like that the game has such a unique look when set up on the table."
2nd Place
Artist: Ian O'Toole
Game: Nemo's War (2nd Ed)
Publisher: Victory Point Games
Publishers description:
Set sail in the amazing electric-powered submarine, the Nautilus, assuming the role and motive of Captain Nemo as you travel across the seas on missions of science, exploration, anti-imperialism, and war!
Jules Verne’s classic novel Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Seas tells the story of Captain Nemo and his astounding ship, the Nautilus. This second edition of Victory Point Games' popular solitaire offering from designer Chris Taylor has been greatly enhanced. With this supercharged second edition of Nemo's War, prepare yourself for the adventure of a lifetime!
(Images from Ian O'Toole and Victory Point Games)
Here's the games artist Ian O'Toole with a few words:
"20,000 Leagues Under the Sea is one of my favourite books, and I loved how the first edition of Nemo’s War captured the character of Nemo while allowing the player to create their own narrative. When I asked Victory Point Games if I could be involved with the second edition I was delighted that they said yes. I’m really proud that this fantastic game is finding a wider audience and garnering the praise it deserves."
1st Place
Artist: Ian O'Toole
Game: Lisboa
Publisher: Eagle-Gryphon Games
Publishers Description:
Lisboa is a game about the reconstruction of the great Portuguese capital city after a series of terrible catastrophes. On November 1, 1755, Lisboa suffered an earthquake of an estimated magnitude of 8.5–9.0, followed by a devastating tsunami and 3 days of raging fires. The city was almost totally destroyed.
Lisboa is thus played, in part, on a representational map of the city. During the planning of the downtown re-building project, the type of businesses permitted in each street was pre-determined. The clockmakers and goldsmiths had their street; as did the bookstores and libraries; the tailors and silk vendors; and the toolmakers as well. This all comes into play on the Lisboa gameboard. Players represent the nobility of Lisboa who will use their influence in the reconstruction and business development of the new city.
But the true reason you are rebuilding the city is not for greatness, or even fame or fortune. As a nobleman or noblewoman of Lisboa, your primary motivation is the acquisition of Wigs--a most important trading commodity of the Era.
(Images #1-6 from Ian O'Toole and #7-8 from BGG user @styren)
Here's the games artist Ian O'Toole with a few words:
"This is my third game for Vital Lacerda and Eagle Gryphon, and by far the biggest of the three as regards art demands. The style of the Azulejos tiles was very satisfying to work in. I felt it had a commitment to the game’s history and theme in a visual sense that matched what Vital had shown through the mechanisms."
You can read more about the process of creating the art for Lisboa on Ian's blog post here.
Thanks for reading and if you've made it this far then feel free to discuss both the results and your favorite releases from 2017 in the comments section below. One simple request, keep it respectful and positive. Happy 2018 all.