Inkwell

On your turn, you either take ink pads and materials from the shared mat, or you turn your page. If you take materials, you use them to fill in the sections of the illustrations on your current page. If you turn your page, you score everything that is complete and your technique cards are set aside, where they will continue to help you for the rest of the game. This way, you gradually build up a set of skills that will help you fill your subsequent pages faster. The player who scores the most points from their codex after the last round wins.

This is a short game with a delightful twist: every page presents a choice between continuing or scoring now. Reviews describe it as light but fast-paced and beautifully executed, with colors that immediately make you want to start playing. It’s not deep, so those looking for an evening-filling Eurogame might want to look elsewhere. As a filler for two or three consecutive plays, it works excellently. It’s also one of the few games where I truly see the theme reflected in what you’re doing.