Mar 10, 2009
Exp: A tropically fruity selection of game-and-similar reviews. Liam concludes that the play's the thing with Shakespeare: The Bard Game, humbug recounts schmoozing and backstabbing around France at a Diplomacy tournament, Shane simpers over his favourite computer game (ehh, tactical combat simulation) Combat Mission: Shock Force and Dave refuses to review his way from sea to shining sea in TransAmerica.
- Twilight Imperium
- Warpcon
- Shakespeare: The Bard Game
- Extend it out.
- Überplay
- Metro
- Firey shaft.
- Diplomacy
- That book
- Hindered the old performance.
- Trying to move into it but you know you'll bounce.
- Backstabs.
- Combat Mission: Shock Force
- Mac
- Windows
- Hot seat.
- Between slots.
- 183something
- Ticket to Ride
- TransAmerica
- Trying to link up.
- TransEuropa
- I'd go higher.
Shakespeare reminded me of a \'European tourism\' game we used to have. I don\'t remember what it was called, but it involved travelling around Europe and answering geography questions, like a Trivial Pursuit/Trans-Europa hybrid. Also there was a roadblock, and you could place it in such a way to make it impossible to visit the British Isles. I think Shakespeare does a good job of combining that \'visit places and answer questions\' aspect of non-gamery board games with the \'spend resources to accumulate points\' gamery aspect.
Also the time limit is a great innovation, and I can think of many games which would benefit from its adoption in place of the race to a certain points threshold.
TransAmerica, a 15? Really? My score would be about an 9. It is more of a geography teaching tool than a great game.
Try playing it with the vexation and it is a much better game. Otherwise it is so simple it is more of an introduction to train games than a great train game in and of itself.
Trans-america does seem to be a bit of a marmite job, you love it or you hate it. At Itzacon I tried gathering up some players and one player said he refused to play \"join the dots\" :D.
For me simplicity of it is one of the major appeals. It\'s not going to be the mainstay of the night of the night but it is certainly great for a quick game for killing some time while waiting on folks to turn up etc.