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    Mad Skills Motocross

    Mad Skills Motocross

    Games and Sports

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    - “If you're in the market for a fast-paced arcade-style racing game it doesn't get much better...

    Hardest Game Ever 2 HD

    Hardest Game Ever 2 HD

    Games and Entertainment

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    Ranked #1 (Overall) in US, UK, Canada, Germany, Australia, ... for HARDEST GAME EVER 1, HARDEST GAME...

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Purple Phoenix Games (2266 KP) rated Port Royal in Tabletop Games

Jun 12, 2019  
Port Royal
Port Royal
2014 | Card Game, Nautical, Pirates
5
5.8 (4 Ratings)
Tabletop Game Rating
Port Royal looks and sounds like a pirate-y game, but be warned – it’s not. It’s more about what gets done behind the scenes, in the port as you prepare to cast off on an adventure! You’ve got to hire a crew and trade with others to gather necesssry supplies. Put your bookkeeping to the test, and SEA if you’ve got what it takes. (See what I did there?)

Port Royal is the central hub for trading and commerce in the kingdom. Ships from distant countries come in to trade, and crew-members-for-hire wander the docks looking for work. Do you have what it takes to make a name for yourself in this bustling port? Put your bargaining skills to the test to find out!

DISCLAIMER: There are several expansions to this game, but we are not reviewing them at this time. Should we review them in the future we will either update this review or post a link to the new material here. -T

Port Royal is a card drafting game of press-your-luck in which players are trying to amass 12 or more Influence Points. Each turn is played in two phases: the Discovery Phase and the Trade and Hire Phase. During the Discovery Phase, the active player draws cards one at a time to create the Harbor for that turn. The cards revealed will either be Characters, Ships, Missions, or Tax cards. The active player can draw as many or as few cards as they would like, with one catch – if you reveal a ship with a flag matching one already in the Harbor, the turn is a bust and all cards are discarded! Think wisely before trying to push your luck when creating the Harbor! If you’re too risky, you could bust, but if you play it too safe, you won’t have many card choices for the next phase. During the Trade and Hire Phase, players interact with cards in the harbor. The number of cards players can take depends on the number of different ships in the Harbor. Players can hire characters by paying their hiring cost in gold, can discard ship cards and collect gold for performing a “trade,” or can complete Mission cards if they have the required symbols on their hired cards. The Discovery Phase is performed by the active player alone, but the Trade and Hire Phase can be performed by each player, in order, after the active player. If you decide to act on another player’s turn, you must pay them one gold coin. The game ends at the end of a round in which one player has amassed 12 or more Influence Points, collected from Character and Mission cards. The player with the most points wins!

One thing that I really like about Port Royal is that it’s a competitive game, but not a confrontational game. Besides paying to act on another player’s turn, there’s not a lot of player interaction, and as someone who can get pretty competitive, I really appreciate that. Yes, we are competing against each other, but with so little interaction, I’m more focused on my own strategy and cards than I am in trying to sabotage my fellow players. Another thing I like about Port Royal is the push-your-luck aspect of the Discovery Phase. I like it more than other push-your-luck games because all decisions are made by the active player – you’re not having to bluff or directly compete with another player when drawing your Harbor cards. It’s still a game of chicken, but against yourself. There’s still the element of push-your-luck, but it feels a little more safe than nerve-wracking.

All that being said, what I don’t like about Port Royal is the actual gameplay. Since there’s so little player interaction and the entire Discovery Phase is performed by one player alone, it feels like there’s a bit of downtime. Unless you’re the active player, you only get to act during half of every turn, so time is spent just sitting and watching other players. It ultimately all comes down to how quickly everyone performs their turns, but there’s just not a ton of engagement in my opinion. Don’t get me wrong – it’s a neat game. It just feels a little boring to play sometimes. It also takes some time to build up momentum to successfully execute a strategy. Everyone starts with 3 gold coins, but most cards cost more, and depending on when you get to act in the Trade and Hire Phase, any cards you could have afforded may already have been taken. So it might take several rounds before you’re able to really begin implementing a solid strategy, with the first few rounds just being a card-grab.

For the most part, I enjoy playing Port Royal. It’s mildly strategic, but the lack of interaction can make it feel a little stale sometimes. It’s not a game I pull out every single game night, but it’s one that I would most likely play if someone suggested it. Purple Phoenix Games gives Port Royal a buccaneer’s 7 / 12.

https://purplephoenixgames.wordpress.com/2019/04/16/port-royal-review/
  
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Jason James (3 KP) rated Founders of Gloomhaven in Tabletop Games

Apr 4, 2019  
Founders of Gloomhaven
Founders of Gloomhaven
2018 | City Building, Economic, Fantasy
8
8.0 (2 Ratings)
Tabletop Game Rating
Founders of Gloomhaven is a 1 to 4 player cooperative/competitive game. In short, players must work to build the city of Gloomhaven. The game provides a two-sided board and depending on which side you choose it slightly changes how the game is played. All players choose a character race and any additional resource cards. This determines which resources the players will automatically own during the game. However, other players will have the opportunity to buy access to resources they do not own. This is vital when building "upgraded" buildings. Each player starts with the same five cards (six cards in a two-player game). Players will have a chance to acquire new card by recruiting advisers, which are upgraded versions of the base cards. Play begins with a player laying down a card they wish to play. They follow the instructions on the top of the card, and then each other player will have a chance to follow the instructions laid out on the bottom of the card. Card actions can always be switched out with a set of basic actions (collect one gold or influence, build a road, or place a worker). If a player chooses (or is forced) to play a "Call to Vote" card, they collect one gold or influence, or build one road for each of the remaining cards in their hand. They reset all of their workers and collect their discard pile. All other players have a chance to collect gold based on the number of resources they own. Then all players vote for which prestige building they want to be built. All players reveal their choice token along with any influence they wish to spend. The player with the most votes gets to place the building anywhere on the map. Points are scored by connecting upgraded buildings to resources you own but is slightly more difficult with the games unique "trickle down" scoring system. This means that some points may have to be shared with players who own base the resources or other upgraded building needed to build the building that was just placed.
Overall this game is for people who enjoy other similar games like Catan or Ticket to Ride. Players must adjust to the fact that roads are public tiles that can connect any players resources to buildings. The game is high statistical and players must be able to make decisions that may result in other players gaining points. I would give the game an 8/10 as it brings a fresh feel to city-building board games! If you have any questions or have any comments on my review please feel free to message me.

Thanks!