Image Courtesy of <PERSON>
This review continues my series of detailed reviews that attempt to be part review, part resource for anyone not totally familiar with the game. For this reason I expect readers to skip to the sections that are of most interest.
If you liked the review please thumb the top of the article so others have a better chance of seeing it and I know you stopped by. Thanks for reading.
Summary
Game Type – Euro Game
Play Time: 20-30 minutes
Number of Players: 2-4 (Best with 3-4)
Mechanics – Set Collection, Pattern Building, Centralised Drafting
Difficulty – Pick-up & Play (Can be learned in 10 minutes)
Components – Excellent +
Release – 2016
Designer – <PERSON> Title)
Overview and Theme
Welcome to The Sims, the board game edition. Well sort of. In Dream Home the players are aiming to deck out their abode with a fine array of rooms, decor and a quality roof to match. So Dream Home takes on the house personalisation and improvement aspect of the popular video game at the very least.
This is a gateway game, no two ways about it, and it is very likely to appeal heavily to the new sector of the market that is on the fringe of hard core gaming. They are looking for light experiences that are easy to learn and not too taxing on the brain.
So the two obvious questions are...Is the game any good in the first instance, even for that market? And does it have more to offer the seasoned game player?
I should also mention that this game comes from of Poland, who have released games such as , , and to name a few. The partnership, I suspect, is in a distribution role to other markets.
Grab that painting will you...it will look so much better in the study. Oh you haven't been here before? It's up the stairs, third door on the left.
The Components
Everything about this game is super cute, from the young girl looking admiringly at you on the box cover to the artwork and detail on the insert tray. Ten years ago this would have been described as overproduced. These days I think it is becoming more par for the course as companies try to appeal to the new wave of people finding the hobby and to justify what the average person on the street would call 'high prices'...especially for a 'game'.
Player Boards – Shaped in the form of a house, these boards present an idyllic 2-storey house complete with double-basement. 470
Defined colours are used to help differentiate the floors and a space for Roof Cards is made in the stone wall on the bottom left of the house.
Like the rest of the game, these boards really make for an inviting visual.
Image Courtesy of Alice87
Central Market – This rectangular board is not really a market as such but it is the location where the players take cards from, so I have dubbed it thee. This is a nice mix of function and thematic flourish as the board has room for the two draw decks and for the cards that are available with each round. The artwork represents something of an architect’s drawing board to support the theme.
Most notable in terms of the layout is that the cards that can be drawn are laid out in 2 rows. One location however is different, being shaded instead of white like the other spaces. The reason for this will be spelled out later.
Image Courtesy of Alice87
Room Cards – One deck of cards represent the various rooms that can be added to your home. Each card is represented with some gorgeous artwork and it has been illustrated such that rooms of the same type are able to flow from one card to the next.
The actual in-game icons and such are kept to a minimum (which befits the target audience of the game) as each card features the title and the possible point scores for that room. These details are listed at the bottom of the cards for rooms that make up the house proper, whilst rooms that go in the basement have these details printed at the top of the card to help remind players of where they should be built.
The artwork is just delightful and there are numerous small details that can elicit a chuckle. There are a few game related Easter-eggs to discover as well.
The artwork on the backs of these cards is important also as it depicts an empty room that is yet to be finished. In the game a player may be forced (or may choose to) place an Empty Room. To do this they simply place the card face-down to show this image.
Image Courtesy of <PERSON>
Resource Cards – The Resource Cards form the second deck and there are 4 different types. They can be Roof Cards, Worker Cards, Tool Cards and Decor Cards. These also feature great artwork and all but the Roof Cards feature text to outline their ability if taken. 872