Ares Games SRL

Aeterna is a new historical-themed game designed by Martin Wallace and developed by Ergo Ludo, where players take the role of a Roman Gens (family) that will try to increase its prestige through three Eras: The Roman Kingdom, the Roman Republic, and the Roman Empire.

In Aeterna, the players’ goal will be to increase their influence over the city by ruling over the 7 Hills, contributing to the construction of monuments and buildings, and supporting the conquest of the provinces - always being careful to keep the citizens happy, as unrest in the Hills under their direct control could put them in a bad light. Players will try to make their own gens remembered through the centuries using an exciting mix of worker placement, majority control, card drafting, and strategic planning.

The game offers strategic depth and engaging gameplay, and is designed to challenge tactical skills and decision-making prowess. Players draw and draft cards, manage resources, and compete for dominance through different Eras, each offering unique challenges and opportunities.

Altay - Dawn of Civilization is a new game by acclaimed designers Ole Steiness and Paolo Mori, with amazing art by Pauliina Hannuniemi. Deck-building, civilization development, and area expansion elements come together to create an easy-to-play, yet challenging, experience. The game will transport you to a fantasy world at the dawn of time. In a secluded region within a vast continent, four mysterious societies have cultivated distinct cultures over countless years, maintaining a fragile balance. They now face a new challenge: an influx of human settlers with advanced crafts and weapons. As the leader of one of Altay’s Elder Peoples, you will decide how to react to this challenge. 

The game board depicts a region where the four factions clash, each area characterized by diverse terrain types and resources. Players control one of four factions, each represented by a unique starting deck, featuring distinctions in the number of “basic” cards and faction-specific cards.

During each turn, players use their cards to generate resources, erect new settlements, expand across the board, engage in maneuvers against adversaries, or obtain new cards to augment their decks, symbolizing the integration of the Elder Peoples with the newcomers and their crafts.

Balconia is a light, 2-player tactical game where players build an apartment complex, block by block, trying to fulfill the preferences of quirky residents. Some love flowers, others adore cats, while some just want peace. The goal is to score points by arranging blocks to meet the scoring conditions of the balconies facing you.

Each turn, one player selects a building block, while the other decides where to place it in the grid. The first player starts by revealing a building block and choosing which two adjacent sides will be available for scoring. The other player then picks one of those sides and places the block, ensuring it’s adjacent to previously placed blocks. Players take turns choosing and placing blocks, working to strategically align scoring elements on their side of the building while restricting their opponent's options.

The game ends when all 15 blocks are placed. Players tally points for each block on their side of the building. The player with the highest score wins.

Balconia’s blend of spatial strategy, tactical decisions, and the playful theme of apartment life makes it an engaging, quick-to-play game for both casual and experienced gamers. Ares Games publishes the English edition of the game, designed by Paul Schulz and developed by  Red Cat Games.

Embark on an epic journey through the tumultuous era of the fall of the Roman Empire with Barbarian Kingdoms, an asymmetrical and competitive strategy game meticulously crafted by Christophe Lebrun. In the game, 2-6 players seize control of nascent kingdoms, diving into a relentless quest for supremacy over Western Europe as the Hun horde sweeps across the continent. As the Roman Empire crumbles, players are immersed in a chaotic struggle for dominance, striving to lead their burgeoning kingdoms through the transition from Antiquity to the Middle Ages.

Recruiting warriors, collecting taxes, assaulting provinces, maneuvering units, and claiming territories are strategic actions crucial in the race to be the first to control seven or eliminate two rival kings. The game offers balanced asymmetry, ensuring different strategies and high replayability. The game mechanics blend conquest, bluffing, and diplomacy, emphasizing strategic skill over chance.

This innovative game introduces a refreshing economic twist, seamlessly blending recruitment, expansion, and combat actions with crucial strategic economic decisions. Experience the depth of strategic intricacies and economic nuances that define Barbarian Kingdoms as you navigate this pivotal period in European history.

Immerse yourself in a game of creativity, deduction, and teamwork with Perfect Mismatch, a fun party game where 2 to 8 players are challenged to guess words from a card, using unusual associations of attributes as hints. Is there anything that is equally square and non-stop? Or extremely herbal, but not verbal at all?

Designed by Alexander Peshkov, Perfect Mismatch can be played in either competitive or cooperative mode, in about 20 to 30 minutes, sharing plenty of laughs while discussing hilarious attribute combinations and the associations they trigger.

Each turn, one player takes the lead and describes a secret word as precisely as possible by swiping beads toward the attributes on the two sides of a board – romantic or problematic, fingerless or fragile, wearable or helpful, extremely entertaining or not washable, and
so on...

The other players must interpret the leader's clues and hurry to vote for their chosen word. The faster they are, the more points they will get.

In cooperative mode, players unite as a team to achieve the highest combined score, working together to interpret hints and strengthen their collective understanding.

Quartermaster General: South Front is the second title in the Quartermaster General "Front"
series, a fast-paced, two-player strategy game that brings the Mediterranean theater of World War II to life. With quick setup and simple rules, it’s easy to dive into the action. Each player commands a unique deck of cards, representing the equipment, manpower, and strategies of their side.

Set between Summer 1940 and Spring 1944, the game depicts the intense struggle for control over Southern Europe, North Africa, and the Mediterranean. The Axis player controls Germany, Italy, and their allies, while the Allied player leads the United Kingdom, the United States, and Free France. Players vie for geographical objectives across 16 seasonal rounds, earning Victory Points during four key scoring phases. The game can end early if one player achieves a 10-point lead; otherwise, the winner is determined in the final round.

Relive historical events like the Axis campaigns in North Africa and the Balkans, the Allied landings in Sicily, and the hard-fought advance in Italy. Strategic naval dominance and careful resource management are key to victory in this immersive and dynamic addition to the Quartermaster General Front series, Quartermaster General: South Front.

Snails is a dynamic game for 2-4 players ready to command squads of pumped up mollusks in a pitched battle. Each squad is led by a unique leader who grants their soldiers special abilities and enhances their chances to win by eliminating opponents with an assortment of funny weapons.

Each combat takes place on a dozen islands, which get destroyed as the game progresses. Your snail may end up in the water in no time and see for themselves that marine pollution is real! Additionally, by excavating more island levels you may encounter all kinds of surprises – from new gear to lethal traps.

Simple and intuitive rules of Snails are based on action planning. Just secretly choose 5 Action Cards and 2 snails from your squad to perform them, then watch the mayhem that you cause! Of course assuming that your rivals don’t outsmart you and eliminate your troops before they get to act… Add to this Heroes’ special abilities, tens of various Action Cards representing weapons or special attacks and custom dice and you will end up with a great gaming experience.

Snails guarantees great fun with fast, but strategic and competitive gameplay, immersive and funny artwork by “Djib” Reynaud – a world-famous French illustrator, and high replayability thanks to various game modes and battle scenarios.

Viking Route is a cooperative game for 1 to 4 players with an ingenious compass-and-magnets movement mechanic. A group of heroes sails a magical Drakkar to the World's Edge and beyond. Influenced by magical Ravens, sent by Odin to steer your course, and by the winds of Fate, the heroes will face powerful and monstrous creatures out of the Norse Mythos, fulfill challenging quests, and prepare for the final battle to avert Ragnarök.

The game is played on a beautiful three-dimensional Viking ship and a scenario board, where the Drakkar is represented by a compass. Multiple magnets (the Ravens and Wind) manipulated by the players to steer the course of their ship. Players must also manage the resources of the Drakkar and their hand of cards to confront opponents and achieve the goals of their quests.

As valiant Vikings, each with unique abilities, players collaborate to maneuver the Drakkar (tiller, sails, weapons), influence the Ravens and the Wind to move in the right direction, escape and fight the corrupted Valkyries and monstrous creatures in the various worlds of Norse Mythology and ultimately foil Ragnarök in an epic final battle against Loki!

Embark on a grand adventure to Erebor, the Lonely Mountain, and encounter its stalwart ruler, King Dain Ironfoot. Set sail from the Grey Havens, home to the venerable Círdan the Shipwright, the eldest of the Elves. Lead your Easterling legions from Rhûn, or launch an assault on the Shire with the formidable Men of Dunland.

Fire and Swords is the new expansion for War of the Ring – The Card Game, crafted by the ingenious Ian Brody. This expansion broadens the horizons of the game by introducing fresh battlegrounds for the "War in the North," along with new factions and a new location type known as Skirmishes, populated by myriad characters from The Lord of the Rings saga.

Within Fire and Swords, you'll discover a wealth of content including 60 faction cards, 9 additional paths, and 9 new battlegrounds. Furthermore, delve into 13 skirmishes, representing the smaller settlements and fortifications, such as the Fords of Isen and Bree. Three new factions join the fray: the stout-hearted Northmen fighting for the Free Peoples, alongside the formidable Easterlings and cunning Ruffians allied with the Shadow.

This expansion accommodates up to six players, with adaptable scenarios tailored for smaller groups. Additionally, experience the solo/cooperative gameplay with all-new Shadow cards, seamlessly integrated with the already available Against the Shadow expansion for solo adventurers.