Youll see 7 different Objective cards and keep 3 during the gameplay, but some of them are dependent on getting specific buildings (which may never appear) or specific colored buildings (which this game isnt going to reward that specialization over the course of the entire play). Theres nothing worse than buying a game and have to dig out a bag to put components in. Most of these can be used to host an event, as indicated on the individual tile. Examples are plentiful and its fairly easy to follow. The box is also linen finish portraying a large country manner on its cover. By no coincidence, that is the name of one of the expansions for this game. The cards are also linen finish, the quality of which is excellent. Thank you for checking review #81 by Cardboard Clash. A week ago, fresh off playing the game with my sister, I was ready to herald Obsession as a potential best game of 2018. The Gentry cards have a black and white portrait, which along with thematic flavour text, and their sepia background, adds greatly to the period feel of the game. Host an activity The tiles under your country estate organiser represent rooms or areas within the estate. There is a very nice linen draw-string bag included, which is well made in thick purple material, a colour often used amongst the elite to signify a royal connection. I want to do this, but I really need that, and I cant do anything because I havent got enough valets, but I could use my reputation to get one, but then I couldnt do thisaaargh!. The tile is placed, face up (no rose visible), in the estate organiser, and must not be a duplicate of one already owned. Buy from the builders Market The player can purchase one new tile from the builders market, paying the cost indicated above the tile +/- any modifier as indicated on the tile. Tabletop Games Blog, News, Reviews and more. Kayenta Games have set the bar high with their first publication; quality components, absorbing game-play, and an excellent solo mode. Stuart Dunn reviews a strategy game that will appeal to fans of Downton Abbey and Jane Austen - from a Catholic creator. Enter your email address to follow this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. I got steamrolled in a bad way, and that play showed just how important the right set of circumstances can be to this game. Was it an anomaly? My wife and I also like to give our servants names, so that we can summon them to our activities. Casual and Prestige guests are blind draws off the top of their respective decks (with few exceptions, which may allow you to draw 2 and keep 1) and their benefits can range wildly. To get the most from the game this is a must read, as it gives useful background and strategy tips. Invite guests The tile selected above will indicate the number and type of guests you can invite to take part, providing they meet the following criteria The prestige rating of the guest must be equal to or less than, your current reputation, and the servants required to attend the guest are available (family and the Fairchilds have no rating, and can thus attend any activity). Im sure we can rustle up a little cash through wagers, wot?. An addictive puzzle focusing on improving the right areas; expanding your service, building up a reputation, and persuading the right kind of guests to come visiting; all a lovely bundle of juggling fun! I find what really helps with the theme of this game is the Guest cards, as they give names, pictures, backstories to the people you are inviting over to your activities. As the game progresses your engine becomes more powerful, and concentrating on one thing often leads to the opening up of another Estate cards that grab you lots of guests, should then lead you to think about an activity that invites a lot of them, thus you receive plenty of favours play it right and your back in the game. Personally, I like to be able to glance at set-up instructions and go, yep, shuffle this, put it there, put these there, that over there Keep it simple, make it quick; especially as set-up can be a little fiddly. Its also just as good playing solo as it is with four. Like the Setup Summary above, I am not going to go into a detailed explanation of how the game plays. The game is played over 16 rounds ( 20 rounds extended), the equivalent of four seasons, and four of these rounds are courtship events. Nothing is worse than spending a ton of effort to get those 10 points, or impractically miss them, and then see your opponent getting even more points for collecting servants or hording money. If you find yourself behind in the first couple of courtships, then there are plenty of ways to catch up. It contains a throw away insert, and is large enough to contain the game plus the Wessex expansion. It doesnt take long to realise that, though this is an easy game to play, it has plenty of depth, and to win, you need to work at it. The trials and tribulations of life after 50. 1 VP per 200 remaining on your player board. There is evidence throughout that a lot of homework has been done in creating just the right ambiance. We shall be having a jolly good game of lawn tennis, and I shall require the service of the footman, Jeeves. Players must carefully plan, however, to have the proper staff available to service the event and support guests as needed. The tile chosen dictates the event that can be hosted and the guests to be invited. Put on a kettle of tea, play some 19th century music, and revel in the time period that the game tries successfully to evoke. But lets rewind a little, and Ill tell you a bit about our experiences of the game. You host events in the rooms youre adding to your estate, inviting family and guests to attend. It certainly isnt an issue with the game it is just an example of how we strategised things for the way. To host an activity, take the tile and place it on the activity space of the player board, providing it meets the following criteria Its prestige rating must be equal to or less than, your current reputation; you must be able to provide the service as indicated on the tile (In most cases this means they must be in the available service box of your player board). In the final courtship, if you have the greatest total in all four selected themes, you win the hand of either Charles or Elizabeth. For example One turn sees you hosting a sporting activity, which provides the necessary funds to purchase an estate improvement. (LogOut/ In the event of a tie both players just take a VP card. A Warhammer 40k Genestealer Cult and Adeptus Mechanicus Resource, dave's gaming adventures: faithandsteel.wordpress.com, Required weekly reading for the modern guardsman, Mostly physical culture but also writing, gaming, and other dark procrastinations, Life, Golf, Miniatures, & Other Distractions, Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window), One Year On September 2018 The Solo Meeple, Solo Thoughts A Year of Change The Solo Meeple, Marvel: Crisis Protocol Drax the Destroyer, WarGamer Eric's Hobby and Gaming Emporium, 41 Meeple (4 butlers, 4 housekeepers, 2 underbutlers, 8 valets, 8 ladys maids, 13 footmen, 2 pawns), 89 Gentry cards (17 family, 2 Fairchild, 15 starter guests, 30 casual guests, 25 prestige guests), 80 Improvement tiles (14 essential, 14 service, 14 estate, 13 prestige, 16 sporting, 6 monument, 3 suites expansion), From Gentry cards in your hand and discard pile at the end of the game, Number of servants in your families employ at the end of game. And of course, you could buy something that another player really wanted, causing them to cuss like an old Victorian peddler, but it is only worth doing so if it also benefits you in some way. Age rating, Id say 12+, mainly down to being able to grasp the intricacies. From the computer to the tabletop, this is all about games. Firstly, it is a Euro style game, one that is rooted deep in a thematic setting. The final courtship differs slightly; Players now total up the VPs in all four drawn themes. But all is not lost when you pass not only do you get those cards back in hand, but you get some money or you can wipe the building market. At least then thered be a chance to keep up along the way. There is a first round strategy guide, game play variations, and a breakdown of victory point distribution, what more could you want! Note The social season, or Season, in Victorian times, was an annual period during which, it was customary for the social elite to hold events. Thematically, this is a great mechanism; as your family gains esteem they can invite more prominent guests, and earn greater favour. I always found it handy to host a sporting activity here, bringing in lots of cash, especially if you invite the right guests. Perhaps my biggest gripe with this game, even though it is delightfully thematic in a way, is that the rich get richer in this game. A Euro game with an immersive Victorian theme if you like the sound of that, then this is for you. Miniature painting, wargaming terrain tutorials, reviews, interviews and painting guides, A Blog About Marvel Crisis Protocol - The Tabletop Miniatures Game by Atomic Mass Games, Wargaming with the ability of a dull nine year old, Collecting, modelling, painting and wargaming in 28mm. When it all comes together, each turn leads you perfectly into the next. #catholicmom. pluckin pairs overview game card perfect almost plundering mombasa thing I especially like the feel of the cards, my only criticism is that they could be a little stiffer but, as they arent continually shuffled, this is just a personal and minor gripe. But then, I suppose this is nothing unusual for a Euro style game. The same method is used for the final courtship, where all revealed themes are added together, however, if the AI wins this one, they also get one of the Fairchilds to add to their total. There is also greater scope to use activities that require a greater number of guests, something that can reap major rewards if employed properly. 6 AI opponents for extended play solitaire. I love the process of growing my estate, and the simple decision in the design that encourages players to continue that growth rather than spam the same room or two all game. The coins took a bit of getting used to, but only because Im English and of a certain age! Both the Victory Point and the Theme cards are even smaller, being 30 x 45 mm.
I would rather see, especially in a 2-player game, one player get a VP card and one get the Fairchild until the next courtship along the way. Most of the time, youre treading just above water.
The glossary is superb, full of story and thematic detail. The rest of the tiles on the market are moved to the left to fill the space. The text on all the cards is clear, though I did have to concentrate when reading some of the Gentry names; I found the font used here is a little awkward to read at times. Player. The pawns and reputation markers are also wooden. Im relatively certain itll close once that insert is gone, though. It has a fun solo mode that I need to play a few more times before speaking intelligently about how well that experience goes, but it might provide the best experience out of all the player counts in the box because it gives you several known milestones to overcome from the start and places some pressure on the player to be aggressive in their approach. The game, from the players perspective, is exactly the same as when playing against other people. Such a simple addition, but one that is always welcome by the players. All the components easily fit within the core box, even with the insert still fitted.
This Season was not just a chance to show off your wealth and elegance, but was also considered a time to discuss political matters, and of course, it was also used to place children of marriageable age into society, where, with astroke of luck, they may court a member of the elite. You are aiming to beat the score (the big black number plus VP cards and Fairchild if earned) of the AI. Even when I actively try to avoid taking more than one of those cards, sometimes you just get dealt really crappy objective cards compared to your opponent. Change), You are commenting using your Facebook account. A scoring pad is included, again with sepia tones, and there are plenty of sheets to be going on with. StuartsStudy.blogspot.com. Lets start with the thing that first interested me in Obsession: its theme. Total of all VPs of the your Gentry cards (hand and discard, note some may be negative). Someone can eek ahead because there were 2 green buildings to buy and they happened to get the one that flips to a +3 rather than a +2 and thus get those extra VP and add a Fairchild to their hand for the next quarter. While Im not ready to crown this one yet as the best game of 2018, it definitely stands up there as a legitimate contender for that honor. (LogOut/ It makes those decisions on what to purchase, and when, even more important. I really love the meeples, and they capture their characters personality in such a simple manner that you cant help but smile. I mean the actions are simple in execution, but require some foresight and planning to maximize your turns. The Cabinet of Curiosities is a tile in this game. You will use that money to improve your estate and reputation with the ultimate goal of marrying off your eligible young man or woman to one of the Fairchilds. Each round consists of one turn for each player with a turn looking like the following: CLICK TO TWEETIf you've ever watched 'Downton Abbey,' this game feels like a board-game version of that show. To do this you must entice them to your estate by trying to be the most desirable in a certain improvement area (Service, sporting, prestige, etc.). I dont think Ive finished a game yet with any money, because it is just that tight for spending. Throughout the game, a competitive courtship for the hand of the most eligible young gentleman and lady in the county presents specific renovation and reputation objectives. You can tell from every facet of this game that much time and even more love went into this game. Yes, you can flip this Improvement Tile and use some guests that will net you a generous amount of money and some reputation, but in doing so, youll exhaust some valuable servants which could potentially make your next turn weaker. I havent been able to remove it yet as I havent pulled out my baggies for sorting yet, but I cannot get this box to close properly no matter how I try. The Fairchild siblings have moved to the area, and either one would be an influential addition to the family. The main game area is then set up by seeding the Supply Board and Round Track with extra Servant Meeples (number determined by player count), Objective Cards, Money, Casual Guests, Prestige Guests, many more Improvement Tiles, Theme Cards, and of course, the Fairchild Cards. Reputation VPs, as per the table in the rulebook. Youre definitely doing a little engine building, which is one of my favorite things to do in a game. I would like to present the case that Dan Hallagan is one of our latest Catholic treasures. I state this solely for those who keep their inserts: this box lid does not close with the insert in there. Refresh the Builders market Refresh the market for a cost of 4 reputation. Nov 10, 2020 2:30:00 PM|by Stuart Dunn. You need to make sure one of your servants is there to make sure the event is in order, and some guests require additional support from valets of ladies maids so having a vibrant, diverse staff pays off. LotR LCG Strategy: Where to go After the Core Set? It might even turn some people away from the game. If you havent, then it might take you a play or two, but youll get the hang of it quickly. The objective deck is then placed on its indicated space on the supply board. Yes, were a bit dorky, but who cares? In these actions, you pick one of your Improvement Tiles and execute the action. That means putting some of your Family Member or Guest cards with it, as well as any Servant Meeples that the family and guests require to participate on that tile. If youve ever watched Downton Abbey, it feels like a board-game version of that television show. The tiles flip after use, usually giving more VP and making the usage of that tile less appealing (higher cost or diminished rewards, usually) and so that encourages players to make purchases and use those purchased tiles rather than just repeat the same cycle. The object of the game is to be the player with the most Victory Points (VP) at the end.
Updated each week-end. It still might earn that honor since there is yet to be a standout game for me, but it has a longer road to climb after my last play where there was a 60-point difference in a 2-player game. And lets not even talk about the bonus of gaining a Reputation on every. Each turn, players choose a building tile representing a room or outdoor space in and around their 19th century British country house. As for the rest of the glossary, well, it is probably the most detailed and engrossing one that Ive ever read. For a game that doesnt feel random, it has a relatively high amount of it tucked into the nooks and crannies of this game. THE STUDIO OF SCALE MODEL ARTIST DARREN MCGUINNESS. After several lean decades, family fortunes are looking up! (LogOut/ At the end of each courtship you compare your VPs in that area to that of the AI. Level up your Marvel: Crisis Protocol game with more XP. Final scoring VPs are worked out as follows: The player with the highest amount of VPs is the winner. There are tiles available that allow changes to where the servant may be taken from, and others that cross-train servants! You can only go so long before you run out of people, or worthwhile people, to invite to events. It feels so broken, and it is disheartening when your opponent gets a monument first because that adds to their advantage in several key areas. The player who best meets these objectives while accumulating victory points will win the hand of the wealthy love interest and the game. Not only that, but the game rewards the person who gets the most of those VP cards (because lets be honest, the person with the highest combined VP on the building types needed is almost always going to be the one who was winning most of them along the way) by giving them another 8 VP at the end of the game via one of the Fairchild cards. I thought that the VP and Theme cards would be too small and fiddly, however, this doesnt present a problem in the way that they are used during the game. It would have been easy to have nameless and faceless cards that just give you money or reputation, but it wouldnt have drawn you into the game and just felt mechanical. No new rules are added with this expansion, other than the ability to play solo on the extended track. There are also fewer servants to hire: 4 footmen, two valets, two ladies maids, and one underbutler. Thats far too high of a percentage so far, and lends me to be cautious toward what this game can hold. On the round track board, shuffle the Vp and Theme cards and place in their spaces; place one reminder counter per player on the board, and put the white pawn on the first square. It also extends the play time somewhat. But when you can look back on a single play and see where every lucky break went the same way then it can be discouraging. Favorite Games for Family Game Nights: Istanbul, Obsession: A Strategy Game by a Catholic Creator, Mr. Hallagan provides an excellent video on how to do so, Mr. Hallagan has provided videos for that, Rotating Service Essentially making exhausted servants available for this round of play, Checking the Round Track, Monuments, or Servants Hall, Monuments you have built for reputation increase, Checking Servants Hall (if you built it). Help with service Refresh a servant for the cost of 3 reputation per servant.