This review was taken directly from my blog All the Meeples of the Rainbow. I don't regularly post reviews, but for games I am passionate about, I feel the need to spread the word!
OH MY GOD FINALLY!!!! I have been anxiously awaiting this game since, forever, it seems. Well Since last summer 2015 when I first learned of this. It took an hour to get through the rules and then we had to sleep. Fortunately, we got to try this game on Wednesday for the first time.
Wednesday night we got home and had some dinner then I was on this game like it was my prey. This <PERSON> game is much different than his other games. For me this was super heavy and not just in physical weight but mental weight. There is an abundance of options, but you have to be particularly selective and hone in on a certain strategy and go with it. There is no room for trying different options in this game.
If you are interested in this game then you likely know something about it. You have been hearing it compared to Arle and Patchwork. Sure, the huge board (actually tiny in comparison to Arle) with a wide variety of options compares to Arle and the tokens you are using to fill up the negative spaces on your player board and additional boards you acquire reminds you of patchwork.
Sure, it shares those traits with those games but there is so much more to it. As I have only played the one time, I can't really say how it will hold up, even though I am sure it will be amazing in 2 years time as well. After my one and only play I can't say I like it more than Arle or Caverna, however, there might be potential for equal status. Of course I just love this game.
While this game offers a wide variety of options and spaces to gain material goods, it can be quite challenging to acquire the resources you actually need at the time you need it. You really do have to plan ahead of time and think about things wisely. So many times in the game I was 1 dude short of what I actually wanted/ needed to do. Everything matters, and it is best you go in with a game plan.
I think I can safely say that if you enjoy <PERSON> games you will very much enjoy this title. I caution you to play 2 or 3 player games at first and refrain from playing with AP prone players.
<PERSON> and I are very fast players and we were incredibly AP as it took us 2 hours to complete the first game averaging 1 hour per player! That to me is insane, AND it was after the 1 hours rules explanation the day before. Breakdown of the game at the end was a good 15 minutes as well. So many small bits and stuff everywhere. I might need another plano or insert. :P
As for our game play, it seemed to go super fast. 504
The first many rounds flew by as you have fewer workers. Each round you acquire a new worker so the rounds get longer as you go. By mid game we were shocked at how fast the game seemed to be progressing, not necessarily in duration of time, but in that we still has SO MUCH to do and very little covered on our boards.
The boards are really cool, you have to completely surround the resources to get the resource as income. Then you will get a stead income once you do! For future I will make sure to make a rush to do this. I mad a rush to get the early income for $2 which was much needed. You can use money for a number of things or simply $1= 1 point. It can also be used for covering space on your board. Coving the spaces on your board is crucial. It helps gain more income for resources and money. It also covers a TON of negative points. No one wants negative points... I was working hard to cover the main players board all game. I kept looking over at <PERSON> and he was no where near filling his up. He decided to go a different route and pick up a mini board to work off and gain different income. There are 4 of the island boards each with 2 sides. During game play as the round progress the islands will flip over, if not purchased. He picked one of those boards up and I went with the bigger scoring boards.
I was working the breeding route and had ton's of sheep and a few cattle. I had an easier time with the cards I was drawing to work the food aspect and get the small boards covered up and score a bunch of points from them. This worked very well for me. <PERSON> was off raiding and whaling so he was working a different game. I was so immersed in my game I wasn't really paying attention to him at all.
People are worried that there is not much interaction, but this doesn't bother me so much. It is like Arle in that way. 118