We began with recent favourite, The Resistance. Sam was a late arrival so we set off on our quest to topple the evil government with five in the team: me, Chris, Paul, Joe and Adam. We began with a successful two-man mission (me and Joe) and from then on, it was easy street. Stumbling onto two genuine revolutionaries in the first go is a real boon, since it makes the spy's turn much harder (and there'll be a 66% chance the next will be a spy) since they have to fail the second mission or risk having to fail three in a row in order to win a game. In the end, Adam and Chris were thwarted and the revolutionaries won! Victory went to the Free!
Sam arrived and we played again. This time it was a tense affair, made all the more tricky when a four-man mission went off without a hitch with the other two insisting that they weren't spies, honest. It was enough of a smokescreen for the two spies to get selected for the final two missions and scupper them both. Chris and I were well rewarded by our glorious leader for our devilish subterfuge. With Pringles.
Then Joe wanted to try out a new game, City of Horror, which is apparently good with six players. We set it up and early signs were good. The board fits together like a jigsaw, allowing a bit of randomness and it's nicely designed with evocative scenes of post zombie-holocaust streets.
Then Joe read out the rules. They seemed straightforward, but I wasn't sure how I was going to win. Then we started playing and any thoughts of winning were replaced by wanting the game to be over as soon as possible.
They key to success is all about bargaining, and forming alliances. But if you've nothing to bargain with, then there's nothing you can do. It seems to rely heavily on two strokes of luck: getting good cards at the beginning, and having a chance to be starting player. The only bits I liked where when the game focused on a building where I had no characters.
Playing this game is like being at a party where there's an attractive woman who you'd really like to speak to but instead you are cornered by a fat sweaty geek who's determined to explain to you in minute detail where George Romero went wrong. In the end, I came last, which was fine since I don't want to be good at a game that's this bad. Other people weren't as dismissive as me, but their comments seemed to be along the lines of "Well, it wasn't a complete waste of time."
Adam 9
Chris 8
Paul 6
Sam 5
Joe 5
Andrew 2
In the end Joe suggested a final game as a palette cleanser. We chose Incan Gold, the game of luck-defying scavenging. For a while it looked like Sam would win with a decent haul when he was deep in a temple all by himself, but then in the last round Chris, Adam and Joe all left at the same time, leaving Paul in the temple with an artefact and a 15 jewel card all to himself.
Paul 38
Sam 34
Andrew 25
Adam 23
Joe 11
Chris 7
An interesting evening. Nice to see Paul and Chris again, and they got to see Joe's electronic shuffler in action which, by itself, is worth a journey across England. My biggest regret is because we played six-player games, we didn't have the excitement of using Joe's secondary back-up games room. Maybe next time.
| Points | ||||||
| Steve | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 9 |
| Anja | 2 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 10 |
| Sam | 2 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 10 |
| Adam | 4 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 11 |
| Joe | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 15 |
| Hannah | 1 | 1 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 17 |
| Andrew | 3 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 18 |
| Paul | 1 | 3 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 19 |
| Jon | 3 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 23 |
| Chris | 6 | 2 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 23 |
Thanks for writing up Andrew, and well done Chris and Paul for making the trip - I hope the slight misfire on games choice wasn't too much of a disappointment.
ReplyDeleteI was truly disappointed by City of Horror - not least because our experience of it was so at odds with the review (from a trusted source) I'd read that inspired me to get it. I'm always on the look out for games that play with six, and having seen on the geek that this plays "best with six" it felt like a no-brainer (no pun intended). Well if it plays best with six, I dread to think what a four player game would be like...
Let's leave the bargaining and back-stabbing in the boardroom from now on, eh?
I too was a bit underwhelmed by City of Horror. Like another game that aspires to crazed mayhem (Robo-Rally) the result when you peel back the surface was randomized irksomeness. The starting player is heavily weighted, and more so late in the game, and as Andrew noted without anything to haggle with you're pretty much doomed.
ReplyDeleteThat said, it's not so random that Adam couldn't grasp it, however. In mitigation of me shouting "You're f**ked in the hospital, Hillmann!" in his ear, I had assumed he was a clear winner at that point and didn't realise Chris had an outside chance of overhauling him. Adam's performance makes me think there's definitely room for strategy in City of Horror. But I don't know how much enthusiasm I have for finding it.
Nonetheless a fun night and great to see Paul and Chris at the table again!
How did I'm The Boss get in the top 500 Joe?
ReplyDeleteBecause rarely is a game stripped down to its bare essence so cleanly as I'M THE BOSS!!!!
ReplyDeleteYou neglect to mention, Sam, that is is in fact among the top 300 strategy games. And as for family games, we're down to double figures!
I intend to play I'm the Boss this christmas at some point, and will report back – you can trust me to give an honest report if it falls flat, you know that (I'm never a spy).
I believe in it - like David Ike believes in big green lizards.
Hey, thanks everyone for an enjoyable evening, even if City of Horror was a bit under whelming. My problem with new games is that I always work out what I'm supposed to be doing half way through, by which time it is too late. Also I think that once we all had worked it out I enjoyed it more. At first it seemed to be a lot of pointless haggling for no real effect and I wanted it to be over. After the first round it flowed better and it became a game. I agree with the comments about the starting player and the starting positions. I felt like more of the good stuff needed to be adversely weighted in some way. Like the starting player could be contested, or you could obtain cards easier.
ReplyDeleteLiked Resistance, I make a crap spy it seems. Joe had me bang to rights both times but luckily I deflected attention away to Paul just enough for nobody to take notice!
For the record I won the crazy golf :)
The less said about your crazy golf exploits the better, Smith
ReplyDeleteI did have a character that could nab the starting player, which I should have used. And my skater could have used his power to move elsewhere, which I should have used. And my old gimmer could have voted, which I should have used.
ReplyDeleteI started with five dead zombies worth of cards, which I think helped significantly... but I did avoid ending up on the crossroads. Which must be worth something.
ReplyDeleteIt's a game of shifting alliances, which, with our meta-game means I don't think I'd win it again. Me: "would you like to share these things Andrew?" Andrew: "over my dead body you little shit!"
I'd take that as a back handed compliment Adam!
ReplyDelete