Essen games
Christopher Dearlove
interest.
I'm not a long report writer, so I'm going to limit myself to a
paragraph
each on purchases and ones that got away (i.e. I played but did not
buy).
I'm going to do this in alphabetical order and not give numerical
ratings.
I've probably forgotten some games I played and rejected, but I think
time
to push this out.
Alexandros
One I had to play, as has it been a different game my brother would have
received a copy (Alexander and his Successors being of particular
interest). However it's a pure abstract with what I wouldn't even call a
thin veneer on its subject. I think it's got prospects, so now have a
copy.
Basically "Alexander" wanders around laying a track, which acts as a
wall, behind him, dividing up the board into provinces (which may get
subdivided later). Players have some control over this, and a limited
number of "governors" with which they can control provinces (but can
be ejected). Control used cards, and several mechanisms have nice
tradeoffs (cards versus your two actions in a turn, large provinces
versus
small). We didn't finish our game however. Plays up to 4.
Alhambra
Didn't play, bought. (I have played its ancestor Al Capone.) Not really
much more to say here. Note that Queen do produce full colour English
rules for this.
Anno 1503
It's from Klaus Teuber and although the word doesn't appear, yes it's a
Siedler/Settlers variant. Probably the driest yet, it's been referred to
as
"The Settlers of PuertoDecker". It has PR style separate board for
development. It has a small central board to sail your ships on and
find islands for development. It has S card game buildings with
abilities.
It has commodity cards and luck reduction (everyone will get the same
number of cards, only their types will vary - and you can do something
about that). What it doesn't have is trading between players. In fact
what it doesn't have is player interaction beyond that through buying
limited availability buildings or taking limited islands before others.
Definitely not for all, but I have a copy.
Attika
I think enough's been said I won't give a rules rundown. Dry, but worth
it.
Could use some extra components to allow you to mark on your place
mat which pieces you've already placed. Our game was won by a
connection, but I think that was partly a first game failure to defend
against (I know I didn't and just played on an otherwise good position).
A copy is near me as I type.
China Moon
Simple little game, reminiscent of Elefantenparade, but better I think.
Well
it would be. When I got my copy home I opened it up and what did I see
- a black blank board. Oops, someone forgot to finish mine. Eurogames
will be getting a missive from me. (Of course since the Post Office are
on
strike even when they send me a new board - I'm an optimist here, but
experience in the games industry favours optimism - it'll be stuck in
limbo.)
Edel, Stein & Reich
I like Basari (my triumph a couple of years ago was to find an as new
copy
of the game - I was on the hunt for it, prepared to pay 40 DM, I thought
the
requested 10 DM was the bargain of the event) so another buy before try,
a
practice I keep telling myself is a bad idea, but I don't listen.
Feurio
This is what you go to Essen for, games you'd never notice otherwise,
which you can play, decide you like and buy. The theme is a spreading
forest fire and you are firefighters. You want you men fighting the fire
best, on the high value tiles, but you also need a chain back to the
edge of the forest and a good water source (a group is divided by the
smallest number on the edge of the forest in it - no edge, no score).
Fires spread where hottest - but you can, at a cost, place a fire break
(zero reverse tile side) to deflect it. Should play in the half hour it
claims.
Finstere Flure
Yes, it's Friedemann Friese's latest 2F game. There are no prizes for
guessing what colour the box is. The Hollywood-style pitch is "Robo
Rally meets Midnight Party" and as those are both late night convention
staples I see a future for this there. It's worth playing earlier as
well.
Basically you all start your three (four with fewer players) people in
one corner of the board and try running to the opposite corner, going
round the table three (or four) times. Friedemann makes a virtue of
the mechanism for indicating which pieces have moved: turn it over
where the colour is different - and so is the movement rate. You
thus have pieces like a 1/6, 5/2 and 3/4 (and 4/3). So where's the
catch. That would be the obstacles, and (more importantly) the
monster, which moves much faster than you and according to a
simple hunt and kill algorithm. Where's the programming? you ask
given my Robo Rally analogy. Well actually where you leave you
pieces programs the monster, and there are various cunning tricks
to lure a monster so that it makes mincemeat of your adversaries.
I'll mention only one. the monster heads for the nearest piece in
one of the three obvious directions (monsters don't look back).
But if confused by equally close pieces it goes straight on - even
if there's no one ahead. With assemble your own cardboard monsters
(two not recommended - but I know gamers, there'll be double monster
games soon if not already) it's a good cross of the fun and the
calculating.
And you only need one copy. (See last year's Essen reports if you
don't understand that comment.)
Flaschenteufel
A trick taking card game, given an interesting twist based on the
Robert Louis Stephenson short story - which is included in English
and German. And yes - it's not just a trivial veneer and the story
does tell you something about the game. (Nothing anyone here
will need telling, but interesting nevertheless.) I haven't played yet,
but will be doing so. There's a nice wooden bottle too.
Fugger
Cheap Adlung card game with good press. However I kept my
buying impulses under control here and only bought this one
(I have too many unplayed Adlung games). Tried the magic and
motor racing themed games and don't regret not buying either.
Hossa!
Another small game (in a tin). Think of the song that matches that theme
and sing it. I bought one for someone else - then discovered that
although
the cards are dual language, I don't have English rules in my copy. I
dare
say it's a soluble problem. I don't see this being played by a group of
stone cold sober gamers. (They do exist - in fact I've been in Essen
restaurants with three other people, one of whom had four free drinks
if he wanted them as no one else drank.)
Industria
Not going to describe this one in detail as I think it's been done
elsewhere.
It's an auction game, and a good one based on the two stages we played
(enough to mark buy and move on). It has a balance of multiple reasons
for wanting to buy, and a system where the auctioneer gets money until
he takes something free then passes it on. Yes, a full game is needed
to check if there are end game problems, and a poor player to your
right is an asset, but so far so good.
Logistica
Didn't work for us, but (unlike Santiago) although that meant I didn't
buy it,
I haven't written this one off. Jury definitely out on this one.
Ludoviel
Not so much a game as a set of cards and various game ideas.
Strictly only for die hard gamers, the cards are such as "A starting
player token/card is included", "The height is important" and "It
was not on the list 'Spiel des Jahres'". Yes if you are a real gamer,
this is the game you can demonstrate this with. If you are looking
to introduce your family or friends to gaming don't even let them
know this game exists. Late night convention play only I think, but
it had to be bought.
Magna Grecia
Didn't play, took a punt and bought. Time will tell.
Maka Bana
Awful. Do not buy. If you really want to know why ask Richard Dewsbery
who lost three of his first four turns to blind luck clashes.
Maya
I haven't seen much reporting of this. This appears, on one play, to be
a
solid game with mostly well known mechanisms that is in some ways
very reminiscent of games of a few years ago. (Bidding using face down
cards for cubes and abilities, use the cubes to build on pyramids, score
points according to presence in pyramids.) The interesting twist is
erosion - when you score you lose cubes, and scoring is very liberal
- if two players tie for first they both score and the next player(s)
score
for second. So even though only first and second score this could be
all players. You also need support - if you lose your last cube on the
second layer for example, all your higher cubes go. The cube placement
also has some interesting features. Normally one cube at a time, you
can play two - at a cost of three. However this is often done to get the
free cube when finishing a level in undisputed first place. This goes on
the next level - even when not yet open for normal placement, which can
be critical. But this needs trading off with the critical timing - one
of
the special abilities is a free pass once, and although that may not
sound
much, it can be. It's not Puerto Rico (what is?) and I doubt those of us
who buy too many games will be playing it much in five years, but here
and now worth a look.
Princes of the Renaissance
Just go out and buy this one. Top of my list at Essen, even with the
minor
typos (it's a Warfrog game). It's an auction game. (There's a reason why
auction games often do well - auctions are a good mechanism for fair
distribution of assets, in games at least.) However unless you can get
the double Merchant strategy working, don't ignore wars, letting a
couple
of militarists do all the fighting just gives them the game. The game is
actually all about the tiles - some bought, most auctioned - the board
is
just a couple of tracks and some holding boxes. Multiple reviews will no
doubt be appearing soon near you.
Railroad Dice
This was this year's fast choice to make: buy unplayed or don't buy
at all. Anyone who's read this far will have guessed which I did. It
does have 84 dice as well as other bits. We shall see.
Santiago
I've discussed elsewhere how I'm in the minority over this one. It's
flawed. Eventually we'll persuade you all of this.
Shangri La
(Actually this isn't where the game strictly belongs, because its full
name
is Die Bruecken von Shangrila - actually there's an umlaut but I used an
e instead. Everyone is going to use the short version, in the large
print,
however.) When I was told this had the same designer as Clans I was
not surprised. I think however it's a better game. The theme is thin,
and
actually it feels in many ways more like a game in which things build up
and then explode, not what happens in ideal lands. Basically in each
town you can "build" teachers, then students on teachers, of various
types. When you chose too, all the students can leave down the road
to an adjacent town. There they can set up as teachers if either there
is
no teacher, or if the student comes from a more populous (more
enlightened?) town. However if a player moves a student all students
go, regardless of owner. Various nasty practices are thus possible.
Students however are a rowdy bunch and tear down bridges behind them.
Thus like Clans towns get isolated and the game ends when most are.
Solid design. Potential analysis paralysis, but if your group can't
manage
this play something else. 3 or 4 players only unfortunately.
--
Christopher Dearlove
bruno faidutti
it. I have no extra boards myself, but I can email you the pdf of the
board I got for proof reading, if it can be of any help. Just tell me to
what email adress, since the one atop your post bounces.
Bruno
--
Bruno Faidutti
Games and Unicorns
9 bis rue Alphonse Daudet
30133 LES ANGLES - FRANCE
http://faidutti.free.fr
faid...@free.fr
Richard Dewsbery
> it. I have no extra boards myself, but I can email you the pdf of the
> board I got for proof reading, if it can be of any help. Just tell me to
> what email adress, since the one atop your post bounces.
I confess to having no undersdtanding of German consumer law, but if
Eurogames had sold Chris a blank board in the UK, he'd be entitled in law to
a new board or his money back. They've sold him faulty goods.
I would hope that simple good sense and customer relations would see
Eurogames posting Chris a replacement board PDQ.
If not, it would cause me to seriously question whether *I* ought to buy
from them again. It's not like asking for replacement components that I've
lost or damaged (most companies will send these out for a small fee), but
that they have sold faulty goods and refuse to rectify the problem.
As a comparison, my copy of Railroad Dice had no rules with it. Not only
have the publishers sent me an updated PDF rulebook (which I can only print
out in B&W here), but they're posting a real rulebook to me - and they had
answered my email to them in under 30 minutes!
Anyway, fingers crossed that we're being unduly pessimistic and that
Eurogames will fix the problem.
Richard
Derek Carver
>From: "Richard Dewsbery" ric...@dewsbery.freeserve.co.uk
>Date: 02/11/03 09:30 GMT Standard Time
>Message-id: <bo2ish$6f7$1...@sparta.btinternet.com>
>
>> I hope Eurogames will send you a China Moon board, but I'm not sure of
>> it. I have no extra boards myself, but I can email you the pdf of the
>> board I got for proof reading, if it can be of any help. Just tell me to
>> what email adress, since the one atop your post bounces.
>
>I confess to having no undersdtanding of German consumer law, but if
>Eurogames had sold Chris a blank board in the UK, he'd be entitled in law to
>a new board or his money back. They've sold him faulty goods.
>
>I would hope that simple good sense and customer relations would see
>Eurogames posting Chris a replacement board PDQ.
>
>If not, it would cause me to seriously question whether *I* ought to buy
>from them again. It's not like asking for replacement components that I've
>lost or damaged (most companies will send these out for a small fee), but
>that they have sold faulty goods and refuse to rectify the problem.
>
>Anyway, fingers crossed that we're being unduly pessimistic and that
>Eurogames will fix the problem.
>
It's no good talking about legislation, Richard. Here we are talking more
importantly about the French! And I'm in no way knocking the French whom I
love dearly and spend as much of my time as I can over there.
But Bruno was right in having certain doubts as to whether Eurogames will
reply.
I have always had the impression that whenever a French firm receives a letter
it is placed in a box with all of the other correspondence received in the
previous months. Then on specific quarter days, the staff assemble and have
the traditional 'letter picking ceremony' whereby a few letters out of the box,
which receive a belated reply. The rest go out with the garbage.
It has always been so and I've not had evidence of a great deal of change.
Many hotels have certainly not improved. It's as though the postal service
together with 60 watt electric light bulbs have yet to arrive in much of
France - God bless 'em.
The only answer, I find, is to phone!
But - here's hoping, anyway.
Derek
Menno Smit
My German language copy of "Mare Nostrum" lacks 8 purple fortress pieces
(essentially wooden tokens). I have mailed Eurogames a week ago and
have yet to receive a reply. I very much doubt if I will ever get one
though...
Hope they send you the board! (and myself the missing pieces of MN, what
a fun game btw)
Menno
Doonemd
reply and recieved the missing pieces here in the US relatively quickly!
Christopher Dearlove
<doo...@aol.com> writes
>Regarding Eurogames, my Mare Nostrum was issing green pieces I had a quick
>reply and recieved the missing pieces here in the US relatively quickly!
Was that from France or from their US distributor? (If the former, who
did
you contact?)
--
Christopher Dearlove
Doonemd
>did
>you contact?)
It was the US branch I believe, (this was last year when I got the game new)
and as I recall I just used the email address listed on the rules sheet which I
think was an AOL adress.
Andy Daglish
>
>Yes, it's Friedemann Friese's latest 2F game.
apparently he's working on the Ozzy Osbourne TV tie-in...
Andy Daglish
afor...@aol.com
Discount German Games
http://www.snurl.com/dggames
http://thrill.to/seek
Matt Ruff
> Regarding Eurogames, my Mare Nostrum was issing green pieces
That's not the only thing that's issing...
-- M. Ruff
Christopher Dearlove
<faid...@wanadoo.fr> writes
>I hope Eurogames will send you a China Moon board, but I'm not sure of
>it. I have no extra boards myself, but I can email you the pdf of the
>board I got for proof reading, if it can be of any help. Just tell me to
>what email adress, since the one atop your post bounces.
Bruno sent me the PDF, and also a contact name at Eurogames.
And, all the scepticism to the contrary, I not only had a prompt
reply promising me a new board, but I actually have the new board
(actually sent by Ludo Fact). Given also the UK Post Office strikes
which did affect this area this is pretty close to miraculous.
So my thanks to Bruno, Eurogames, Ludo Fact and whichever
postal services worked to bring it to me.
--
Christopher Dearlove