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GAME
REVIEWS |
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Game Reviews |
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| Board
Game Reviews |
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Nautilus
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Game
Information Overview: "Since ancient times, people have dreamed of exploring the depths of the sea in search of unknown treasures. Now you can make this dream come true with this game! First, you must build an underwater city, which will serve as the starting point for your exploration. Then, you can set out to explore the bottom of the sea! The player who collects the most points by research and recovery of ancient ruins wins the game." Playability: This game is a serious resource management game because everything
you do, or do not do, helps score you points. The way the game is
set up most every player is really close to winning at the end of
the game. The player with the most well rounded strategy (working
on all areas of point production) will usually come out ahead in
the end. The only frustrating part is that it is difficult to strategically
leave your opponent's in the dust. You must constantly re-evaluate
where you stand for those last few rounds. |
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Elfenland |
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Game
Information Overview: "In Elfenland, young elves have to pass a very special test before they are accepted as grown-ups. All elf girls and elf boys receive a map of Elfenland, and they have to visit as many famous towns in Elfenland as possible, using the common types of transportation: dragons, unicorns, giant pigs, elfcycles, troll wagons, magic clouds, ferries and rafts. These types of transportation, however, are available in limited numbers and can only be used in specific regions. Thus, an exciting race starts among the elves to find out who will make the best use of the available transportation. The one to visit the most towns wins the game." Playability: Most games, by nature, wear out. A player finds a design flaw and exploits it or the overall construction of the game is so ridged once a winning strategy is found, it is a race to see which player administers it first. Not so with Elfenland. I am constantly drawn back to this game because no two games are ever the same and no weaknesses in the game can be exploited. There is enough strategy in this game to make it fun with enough chance in the game to keep it from becoming overly methodical. Objectionable
Material: While the game is set in a fantasy world, the "magic"
said to be used is not even noticed. It is in name only. |
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Through
the Desert |
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Game
Information Overview: Five Bedouin tribes are hoping to claim a territory in an empty expanse of desert. To accomplish this goal, they must build caravans and use them to occupy water holes, control oases, and enclose areas of the desert, thus gaining points.
Objectionable
Material: None. |
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| Tikal Playability Rating:   Objectionable Material Rating: Family Rating Gaming Group Rating Youth Group Rating |
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Game Information: Overview: "Each player is the director of an expedition intent on exploring Tikal in search of the secret paths that lead to the temples and precious treasures that have remained hidden for over 1000 years. A player receives points during four scoring rounds for each recovered treasure and for each temple that he controls. But, both temples and treasures can change hands. The expedition that earns the most points exploring Tikal wins the game. Playability: This game really typifies the German style of game. It is a game of exploration where you use a given allotment of points to spend however you wish each turn. You may purchase workers, move workers and establish new camps. This is the first game of a trilogy (Tikal, Java, Mexica) by famed German game designer Wolfgang Kramer.
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| Java Playability Rating: Objectionable Material Rating: Family Rating Gaming Group Rating Youth Group Rating
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Game Information: Overview: "Java is a fascinating island with great potential for development. Of specific interest is the undeveloped area of central Java with its fertile soil and rich natural resources. These riches are much desired by the rulers of the regions that surround central Java. Each player is one of the Javanese rulers, who wants to claim and develop the region for himself. Each player wants to bring his culture and control to these undeveloped areas. The players irrigate the land and cultivate new rice fields. They found villages, build palaces to create cities from the villages, and arrange festivals in the palaces. Each player desires to be teh dominant force in the development of this new area. Players earn fame points for building and enlarging palaces, for creating irrigation systems, and for arranging palace festivals. They record these points on the scoring track. The most points are earned in the final scoring. The player with the most fame points after the final scoring, is the winner." Playability: Java is a fascinating game that is very strategic! The great component I love about this game is it's 3-dimensional construction. You not only have to consider your options building over the board but upward as well! This leads to an always changing landscape that you must continually re-evaluate. The various ways of gaining fame points is wonderfully balanced and keeps players juggling different strategies as they manage there action points. This is the second game of a trilogy (Tikal, Java, Mexica) by famed German game designer Wolfgang Kramer. Objectionable
Material: Apart from the somewhat scary looking cover, none. |
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| Mexica Playability Rating: Objectionable Material Rating: Family Rating: Gaming Group Rating: Youth Group Rating: |
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Game Information Playability: Mexica is solid game of strategy and adventure! Players utilize action points to build canals and cities to gain points. The way the game is laid out it is very hard for a player to lose badly. That said, it is thus difficult for a player to take a sizable lead. Placing canals keeps the game always changing so the layout is never the same twice. This is the third game of a trilogy (Tikal, Java, Mexica) by famed German game designer Wolfgang Kramer. Objectionable
Material: None. |
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| El
Grande Playability Rating: Objectionable Material Rating: Family Rating: Gaming Group Rating: Youth Group Rating: |
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Game Information Overview: The players are the Grandes (think large land owners) in old Spain. Each wants to increase his influence at the court and in the regions. Each turn, the players choose from 5 actions, different on each turn. But first choice goes to the player who plays the highest priority card and you have only 13 for the game. Choose your actions and priorities wisely to become the most powerful Grande and win the game! Playability: Designed by award winning game designer Wolgang Kramer, El Grande delivers in both strategy and originality. There is very little luck in this game as it comes down to who best uses the resources given them. Originality and diversity of strategy make this a great game. Objectionable
Material: None. |
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| Dragonland Playability Rating: Objectionable Material Rating: Family Rating: Gaming Group Rating: Youth Group Rating: |
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Game Information Overview: Adventure in Dragonland! The dragons hide their treasure in the numerous volcanoes, but their treasure is in danger-the volcanoes will soon erupt! To save the treasure, the dragons have asked the dwarves, elves, humans, and magicians for help. Each group competes with the others to be the most successful at gathering treasure for the dragons. Using strategy and cunning, each player moves his group of companions from volcano to volcano collecting treasure. All their movements are under the control of the tower of destiny, which sometimes arranges for a companion to reach his destination a bit too late... Playability: Dragonland is a "get there before everyone else and take everything" sort of game. I enjoyed several components of this game, one being that if the player were at a volcano with matching dragon and a four is rolled the player may have the dragon fly him anywhere on the board the player wished. I also enjoyed the various tokens that let players do some rather complex strategizing. While there is some strategy to it, you really are at the mercy of the movement dice. If you don't get the rolls you can't get to the volcanoes. Because of this I would recommend this as a good family game only. Objectionable
Material: Being a typical fantasy game you can expect to find
elves, dwarves, dragons and magicians in the mix. It is essential
to stress that they are present in the game in name only. There
is no divination or casting of spells. If you don't have a problem
with fantasy terms (elves, dragons, etc.) , there is no objectionable
material in the game. |
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| Lord
of the Rings Playability Rating: Objectionable Material Rating: Family Rating: Gaming Group Rating: Youth Group Rating: |
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Game Information Overview: Your task is to stop the Dark Lord Sauron from winning back a magic ring, which Frodo Baggins has inherited, and which Sauron will use to forever enslave the land. Journey through Middle Earth, taking on the challenges of four of the most hazardous regions of the land - Moria, Helm's Deep, Shelob's Lair and Morder - to destroy the ring in the volcanic fires of Mount Doom. Join Frodo and the Fellowship on their perilous adventure across Middle Earth, and use your skill and fortune to guide you. Playability: I refer to this game as a board game that fights back. Few adventure board games truly pit the game against the group of players. Mr. Knizia manages to pull it off in this game. If you are not careful in managing your resources, the game will destroy you. After several times playing through this game, you get the idea of how to defeat it and the game can become, well, predictable. That is why there are currently several additional expansions you may add to it, making the game fresh and new. Objectionable
Material: Some of the images are scary. |
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| Settlers
of Catan Playability Rating: Objectionable Material Rating: Family Rating Gaming Group Rating Youth Group Rating
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with 5 –6 player expansion) |
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Game Information Overview: In the Settlers of Catan you control a group of settlers trying to tame the wilds on the remote but rich island of Catan. Start by revealing the island's many port sites and regions: plains, meadows, mountains, hills, forests, and desert. The random mix creates a different board for virtually ever game. Then embark on a quest to settle the island. Guide your settlers to victory by clever trading and cunning development. Instead of money, you use combinations of resources-grain, wool, ore, brick, and timber-to purchase development cards or build roads, settlements, and cities. Acquire your resources through trades or the luck of the dice. But beware! Someone might cut off your road or buy a monopoly! And you never know when the robber will appear and steal away with your precious gains! Playability: This is the best board game I have ever played. With it's inner-changeable tiles and moveable production numbers the game is different every time you play. The trading that goes on in the game keeps all the players occupied throughout the game so no one gets bored. Game mechanics, once learned, are simple to understand. When a player starts to take the lead, players are able to help stifle that lead, keeping everyone in the game till the end. A variety of ways to gain victory points keeps players modifying their strategies depending on what resources are coming in. The only down side is that it works best with 3 - 4 players. If you want to play it two player, I recommend you start with 3 settlements instead of two. That should help immensely. I cannot say enough good about this game. Add the Seafarers of Catan expansion to this game and you will have one of (if not the best) games on the market. Objectionable
Material: There is a thief component of the game that lets
you steal (take a card) from another player. |
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| Seafarers
of Catan (expansion of Settlers of Catan) Playability Rating: Objectionable Material Rating: Family Rating: Gaming Group Rating: Youth Group Rating:
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with 5 –6 player expansion) |
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Game Information Overview:
Standing on the coast you look out across the boundless sea. Having
tamed the wilds of your homeland, your heart yearns for greater
adventures, greater conquests. Your people are ready to follow you,
even into unexpected dangers of the unknown. Nearby, seasoned dock
workers are putting the finishing touches on your first great sea-worthy
ship. Soon you will leave settlements behind to join the ranks of
explorers and conquerors. Soon you will become one of the Seafarers
of Catan! Objectionable
Material: There is a pirate that lets you "steal"
(take a card) from a player who has ships on the sea. |
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| Starfarers
of Catan Playability Rating: Objectionable Material Rating: Family Rating: Gaming Group Rating: Youth Group Rating
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with 5 –6 player expansion) |
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Game Information Overview: The Starfarers of Catan is an exciting, fast moving, science fiction strategy game. (This is NOT an expansion to Settlers of Catan. It is a stand-alone game.) You play one of four Starfarers, who have been commissioned to explore the galaxy, build new colonies, and expand commercial ties with the various races of the Galactic Council. This is no easy task. You must build great spaceships to conquer the distances, carry colonists and cargos, combat hostile pirates, and negotiate and trade with aliens. Careful diplomacy, clever trade, a firm stance against pirates, and the bold colonization of distant solar systems will win you the support of humanity and the other races of the galaxy and make you the Ambassador of the Galactic Council. Playability: If you love Settlers of Catan you will love this! The game has the same feel as Settlers of Catan but with a bold new twist! The game components are simply out of this world with molded plastic space stations, ships and rockets! The game play is new and exciting! Many new twists such as establishing trade with aliens and situation cards that have you fighting off space pirates and saving ships being attacked make this a really fun game. It is well worth the price. Objectionable
Material: None. |
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| Lost
Cities Playability Rating: Objectionable Material Rating: Family Rating: N/A Gaming Group Rating: Youth Group Rating: N/A |
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Game Information Overview: "For the daring and adventurous, there are many lost cities to explore. They are in the Himalayas, the ever-shifting sands of the desert, the Brazilian rain forest, ancient volcanoes and in Neptune's Realm. With limited resources the players must choose which expeditions to begin. Those with high confidence may want to up the stakes: increasing the rewards for success, but risking more should the expedition fail. The player who finds the right balance will find victory!" Playability: This is a fun two player game that takes some strategy and some luck to win! A great game to have in your collection if you love gaming and there is only one other gamer in your household! Objectionable
Material: None. |
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| Empire
Builder Playability Rating: Objectionable Material Rating: Family Rating: Gaming Group Rating Youth Group Rating: |
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Game Information Overview: Rediscover a modern American classic that celebrates one of America's greatest loves: railroads. Use your initial investment to build track, pick up commodities where they are grown, mined, or manufactured and deliver them where there's a demand. When you complete a delivery, you make the money you need to buy larger, faster trains and expand your railroad empire. Win the game by building the most effective railroad empire!
Objectionable
Material: None, other than you are trying to be a railroad
tycoon. |
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| Risk Playability Rating: Objectionable Material Rating: Family Rating: Gaming Group Rating Youth Group Rating: |
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Game Information Overview: The standard game of global domination. Playability: A solid classic sold at a price that makes this a must in every game collection. A classic battle and conquer game that is a great place to start all up and coming gamers. Objectionable
Material: You are "killing" armies as you conquer
them and the goal of the game is to take over the world. |
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| Risk
2210 Playability Rating: Objectionable Material Rating: Family Rating: Gaming Group Rating: Youth Group Rating: |
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Game Information Overview: Who will be the new world leader? The world is at war. As the leader of one of the warring factions, you control the destiny of your people. On and above earth you must marshal your forces, send forth your troops, hire the right commanders and crush your enemies. Build alliances if you dare, but also be wary of those who you call friend. Spend your energy wisely. Enlist the right commanders with the right commands and you can gain the power you need to conquer the world and beyond. Playability: This is the best risk version on the market bar none. Risk2210 builds on the standard risk game, adding underwater cities (adding additional passages to fight on various continents) and the moon and can be conquered and fortified. Buy far the most fun part of the game are the event cards that can be purchased. You get all sorts of missiles, nuclear weapons and re-enforcement cards that really help turn the tide of the war in your direction! Commanders give your troops bonuses when they go into battle, letting you roll a D8 (eight-sided die) instead of a D6 (six-sided die) for offense and defense! The only thing I do not like about the game is the five turn rule, ending the game after five turns. This, however, can be modified by all the players before you begin. This is a must have for all risk players. Objectionable
Material: Risk2210 is the least offensive of the risk series
in that you are fighting with mech warriors (machines). When you
drop a nuclear bomb on a specific area you are destroying machines,
not humans. The goal of the game, however, is still to take over
the world. |
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| Lord
of the Rings Risk Playability Rating: Objectionable Material Rating: Family Rating: Gaming Group Rating: Youth Group Rating: |
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Game Information Overview: In this special edition of Risk you decide the fate of Middle-Earth. Choose to command a Good or an Evil force and bring them to victory. Unite your armies and battle your rivals in a bid to control the land! Playability: Awesome. I really enjoy this variation of the classic Risk game. The components are beautifully made, the board is spectacular and the cards are nicely designed. The designers took everything they learned from risk, castle risk, and risk 2210 and put it into this game. You have fortresses that give you better defense, leaders that give you better offense and (are you ready for a shock?) you must obey the geography of the map. Meaning, you can't just cross over the mountains, you must go through the passes and you must use bridges to cross the rivers. I like the way the game ends, when the ringbearer, who is following a path through the board, reaches the end of the map, the game is over. This makes the game around 15 - 20 turns, which is very reasonable (and you don't have to wait for someone to defeat everyone (standard risk) to get a winner. This game was meant to have an expansion, as the board is only half complete. However, Hasbro decided to re-release the game as "The Lord of the Rings Trilogy" edition with a complete board, instead of printing the lower half only. Objectionable
Material: While I enjoy this variation of Risk better than
standard risk, if you are playing more than 2 players, one or more
players must play the evil minions. However, it still remains in
an abstract form, meaning, you really don't notice you are the bad
guys except for your playing pieces being orcs instead of elves.
There is no real goal in the game to defeat the good because the
object is for each player to occupy as many regions as possible
before the ring bearer moves off the board. So, the bad guys attack
the weakest regions (like standard risk) regardless of if they are
"good guys" or "bad guys". So, elves fight elves
and orcs fight orcs on occasion. This abstraction, I feel, makes
it acceptable for Christians to play. |
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| War!
Age of Imperialism Playability Rating: Objectionable Material Rating: Family Rating: Gaming Group Rating: Youth Group Rating: |
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Game Information Overview: Playability: If you ever play risk and think, I really hate these type of world conquering games, this game is not for you. However, if you play Risk and think, man, why can't I sail my troops across the oceans and invade the coasts? Why can't I go into unexplored lands and convince the natives to fight for me? Why can't I build factories to increase my industrial might to build a bigger and better fighting machine. Well, if this is you, this game is for you. It is great that the rulebook comes with three sets of rules (basic, standard, and advanced) to meet you wherever you are. One warning though. This game will take 3 - 5 hours to play. Objectionable
Material: You are out to conquer the world. |
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| War
of the Roses Playability Rating: Objectionable Material Rating: Family Rating: N/A Gaming Group Rating: Youth Group Rating: N/A |
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Game Information Overview: The players assume roles of the royal houses of Lancaster and York, who fought the War of the Roses between 1455 and 1485 for control of the throne of England. Each will try to bring the largest areas under their control. Playability: This is a really fun two player strategy game and easily a favorite of mine. It has simple rules but with a moderate amount of strategy. Games also play rather quickly with just enough strategy to tease the brain. I also love the components. German game makers know how to get it done! Objectionable
Material: None. |
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| Puerto
Rico Playability Rating: Objectionable Material Rating: Family Rating: Gaming Group Rating: Youth Group Rating: |
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Game Information Overview: "Prospector, captain, mayor, trader, settler, craftsman, or builder? Which roles will you play in the new world? Will you own the most prosperous plantations? Will you build the most valuable buildings? You have but one goal: achieve the greatest prosperity and highest respect! This is shown by the player who earns the most victory points. He will win the game!" Playability: This game has terrific balance. There is absolutely NO CHANCE in this game. With it's almost unlimited variables it is easy to see why this game is a big hit with serious gamers. It is set to win just about every award out there. If you hate games of chance, you will love this game. If you enjoy what chance (dice rolls, random cards drawn, etc.) has to bring to a game, this game might not be for you. Objectionable
Material: None. |
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| Ghost
Chase Playability Rating: Objectionable Material Rating: Family Rating: Gaming Group Rating: Youth Group Rating: |
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Game Information Playability: 8 and up? Are you kidding? Sure, an 8 year old can move their character around aimlessly through the rooms but the ghost will never be found. Well, then again, we played with some very smart ghosts. One player plays the ghost while the others play the ghost chasers. So, this is a tough game if you are playing against a smart ghost. Fortunately the rules give you some flexibility to grant either help to the players or to the ghost, whoever appears to be stronger. What makes this fun is that the ghost only shows up on the board every 4 or 5 turns! Chasers are allowed in every room all the time but must obey the physical laws, (i.e. you can't go through walls!) The ghost may go up and down, through walls, etc, but can only be in each room once per game. So, the chasers have to work together to figure out where the ghost could have gone. Objectionable
Material: You are chasing ghosts. |
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| Carcassonne
(with River Expansion included) Playability Rating: Objectionable Material Rating: Family Rating: Gaming Group Rating: Youth Group Rating: |
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Game Information Playability: Tile laying games have to be my favorite type of game because layout of each game is always changing. This is the case with Carcassonne. Based on simple rules but a variety of strategy make this game a must have in every game library. While this game plays well by itself, I would highly recommend both expansions which give more depth to the game. Objectionable
Material: Players are to place "thieves" on the road
to score points, yet there is no actual stealing. To make this more
Christian friendly, simply change the name from "thief"
to "traveler" and you now have an A+ game. |
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| Inns
and Cathedrals (1st Carcassonne Expansion) Playability Rating: Objectionable Material Rating: Family Rating: Gaming Group Rating: Youth Group Rating: |
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Game Information Overview: "The expansion offers all fans of Carcassonne new challenges. The Cathedral triples the value of a city, and the Inn doubles the value of a road, but only when they are completed. Players may use the new larger follower to double their chances of controlling a city, road, or field. Also included is all necessary material to allow a sixth player to join in the fun. Finally, there are 6 point tiles to make scoring easier when players score more than 50 points." Playability: With new tiles that have various new city pieces make this a great addition to the game. The new larger follower also helps out when you are investing in those really big cities! The additional pieces for a sixth player are also much appreciated and well worth the money. Objectionable
Material: (See Carcassonne: Objectionable Material for rating.) |
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| Traders
and Builders (2nd Carcassonne Expansion) Playability Rating: Objectionable Material Rating: Family Rating: Gaming Group Rating: Youth Group Rating: |
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Game Information Overview: "This 2nd expansion takes Carcassonne to new dimensions of fun and excitement. Traders can earn players extra points and builders enable players to place extra tiles, allowing the cities and roads to grow faster. A pig, properly placed, can enrich the value of a farm. Also included is a small cloth bag for the tiles, making it easier to shuffle and draw them during the game." Playability: The new ability of being able to taken another turn is a lot of fun. I also really enjoy the new trading ability of the cities, again added much depth to a very simple yet clever game. Just the shuffle bag alone is well worth the money. Played with the Inns and Cathedrals expansion the game will take about 60 mins. Can this game possibly get any better? Objectionable
Material: (See Carcassonne: Objectionable Material for rating.) |
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| Carcassonne:
Hunters and Gatherers Playability Rating: Objectionable Material Rating: Family Rating: | |