I'll state it up front-
I'm a big fan of <PERSON> games. They're cinematic- as you play the game, you can imagine your railroads heading off into the Sierra Madre only to be robbed by Bandidos, or visualize yourself as an early hominid, discovering that a bone can be a tool (and a weapon!), or see in your mind's eye your privateer docking in San Juan to schooze with the local Governor.
I love, love, love his games.
Why are they so good?
The reason, simply put, is versimilitude.
(Now, all of you out there saying "How can you use a FIVE syllable word in a 'simple' explanation??" can just shut up and go back to reading your Twitter feeds! We're having a learned discussion here.)
For those of you who are either a product of a public school education, or are too lazy to use Google-
Versimilitude: The quality of appearing to be true or real.
http://www.thefreedictionary.com/verisimilitude
What I like about <PERSON> games is that they are more than just a 'thematic game', whatever that means. They provide an insight into Mr. <PERSON>'s informed opinion about a given subject.
One cannot be impressed not just by the amount of research that obviously goes into an <PERSON> game, but by how that information flows naturally. One doesn't need to be a historian of <PERSON> administration in Mexico, or a Paleologist of ancient Man, or a Rocket scientist to enjoy his games. But after playing, you have a better insight into those fields.
That's a game.
Specifically, I think High Frontier is one of <PERSON>'s better games. The rules are actually quite simple. In a turn, one moves his rocket, and then takes one action. For the first part of the game, those actions are either
-Take a Water Token
-Start an Auction for a new card
-Boost a card into LEO
-Sell a card
What is difficult about the game isn't the rules- its the nature of the decisions that one has to make.
Where am I trying to go? How am I going to get there? What pieces of kit do I need to get a mission there? How much should I build? How do I get more money? How do I get more TIME? ARGH, MY BRAIN!!!!
High Frontier, for a game with such easy rules, is quite the brain burner. But there are other games that are brain burners out there.
This is a brain burner that is about something, in a way seldom seen outside of wargames. Most Euros, and even most 'Ameritrash', are primarily about the GAME, not what the game is about. They'll cheerfully abstract something to the point of unrecognizability, all in the name of 'making a good game'.
Not High Frontier. While there aren't the usual panopoly of special rules that can drive a grown man to drink (or, at least, Memoir '44) like a game like Advance Squad Leader, Mr. <PERSON> manages to keep all the important elements of space travel and 'exoglobalization' in his game. 118
The game, literally, is all about water- and time.
Now, this game isn't for everyone. The Basic Game is only a taste- you're not REALLY playing the game unless your playing the Advanced Game. The game is random- but in a good way. Only the things that are completely out of control of the human players is 'random'- like whether or not there is anything useable on Deimos or not. (prospecting rolls). Everything else that the director of the various space programs could have a say in, is not random. Really, REALLY want the 'Orion Project' reactor, that you KNOW is in the deck? R & D it, baby. Pour money to get the card that you want. Just don't blame me if the ESA beats your ass to Deimos with just a Solar Sail, a light robonaut and some balls.
In other words-
This game is not for wimps. This is not an 'easy' game. This is not a game that you pull out in the holidays and play with your Uncle <PERSON> and <PERSON>. Nor is it a game for people who use the word 'elegant' and 'game' in the same sentence.
The closest type of game that this reminds me of are the old classics like Magic Realm or Republic of Rome- games that were an entire 'world' in a box. Self contained worlds, defined by rules, where the player can do ANYTHING inside. And if you don't watch out, you might learn something. 304