Well, ok, not entirely a surprise - I did some digging and turned up a fantastic little gimme. The surprise was that it actually showed up today - I didn't really think this was going to work.

Let me take a step back for a second. Regular readers will probably know that I'm a fairly hardcore gamer - board games, that is, and not your momma's board games either. But I cut my teeth on stuff you've probably played, stuff like Risk. My buddies and I used to sink hours and hours of time into Risk, and for a long time I thought it was a fantastic game - that is, until I discovered more complex fare. Risk hasn't been in regular rotation around here for quite some time.

That may be about to change - I got my hands on a preview copy of the new version of Risk that's coming out this summer. The preview version is called Black Ops, and it's seriously one of the most beautifully designed games I've ever seen. The whole board is done in black and gray, with just enough color to make all of the territories really pop. The graphic design on the cards and box is fantastic. It's simply stunning. And the gameplay has been completely revamped as well; it now centers on completing objectives, such as conquering a certain amount of territories or a particular continent. It looks quite promising, and it's been garnering its share of good reviews thus far as well. I can't wait to get this one on the table.

But the best part is this (from the card that came attached to the box):

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