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Relic
Relic
2013 | Adventure, Exploration, Science Fiction, Space
Intense gameplay (3 more)
Perfect detail
Efficient rules
Beautiful board art
Rules can be complex on first play (0 more)
In the grim future there is only relic...
40k has always been known as the grim future but this game puts you into the middle of the fight against chaos individually and if you dont pay attention you could lose without even realising it. A long game but totally worth it as it is ridiculously fun and perfectly intense.
  
Game of HAM: Adult Set
Game of HAM: Adult Set
2019 | Card Game, Humor, Party Game, Word Game
We recently invested in a really great pork loin and were able to get like three excellent meals out of it (if you want recipes, that’s a different blog). I know pork loin and ham aren’t the same, but I do enjoy them immensely. That’s why when I heard about a Game of HAM I was all set and ready to begin! But what I played wasn’t a game about ham at all, but rather a game of “Hating All Mankind.” What???

Game of HAM is a card and board game similar to Apples to Apples and the dreaded Cards Against Humanity. However, HAM differs from these with the addition of the board and actual game play. Yes, each round still needs a judge player and the others to play cards based on a prompt, but after that the game becomes, well, a game. In fact, this game has a board with spaces to travel and a goal space to race to in order to determine the winner.

DISCLAIMER: We were provided a prototype copy of this game for the purposes of this review. These are preview copy components, and the final components will probably be different from these shown. Also, it is not my intention to detail every rule in the game, as there are just too many. You are invited to back the game through the upcoming Kickstarter campaign, order from your FLGS, or purchase through any retailers stocking it after fulfillment. -T


To setup, lay out the modular board pieces in any fashion you would like. We played on a boring 1×4 orientation because we lack imagination. At least at first. Next choose a color token to represent your progress along the board. Separate the colored cards into stacks and place under the corresponding giant ham tokens. Each player will be dealt 10 pink response cards and whomever is chosen to be the first judge player will draw a gray card to begin.
Game of HAM comes shipped with about a million cards and an equal number of ways to play. For this preview we played typical core games without any special rules (and we even left a “mandatory rule” out – the rulebook said we could). Seriously, the first half of the rulebook is explaining the game, and the second half is allllllllll optional gameplay styles, optional rules, variants, and so forth.

So on a turn, the judge draws a gray (grey?) card, reads it, places it on the table, and the other players will play pink (penk?) cards as responses for the judge to choose a winner. The winning player will then reference the numbers on the bottom of the gray card to determine how many spaces on the board they will travel. As the aim of the game is to get to the goal space, typically the larger number will be chosen. However, in order to win the game a player must land on the goal space exactly, so this is a reason a player may choose the lesser number.

At times players will land on colored spaces on the board. This signifies that they will draw a card of corresponding color to be used on future turns. These cards can be very powerful and affect other players as well. It is these cards along with the actual game board that separates Game of HAM from others in this vein: there is actual game play and decisions to be made aside from choosing cards that create the most lewd scenarios.


Don’t get me wrong – there ARE lots and lots of opportunities to create these scenarios and pick gross things (especially in this Adult Set), but this is not the only goal of the game. In any case, play continues in this fashion – for the vanilla game mode – until a player has reached the goal space on the board exactly. At this point, the group decides which game mode or optional rules they would like to play with next, because this game can be somewhat addicting.
Components. This is a ham-themed game and the components reflect that wonderfully. Like I mentioned earlier, there are at least a zillion cards that come in this box, and they are all great quality. I have only opened one of the several packs of pink cards that come with the game, and I am not at all joking about that. The giant colored ham tokens are awesome, the boards are acceptable, and the rulebook is wonderful. I was also not joking when I said half the rulebook is explaining the game and the other half is describing different modes of play, variants, and optional rules (there are even sections of rules for drinkers and 420-friendly players). All said, the components are great!

Now, I have said this multiple times in my reviews: I HATE Cards Against Humanity. That “game” exists for one purpose: to gross out everyone playing and as an acceptable outlet for people to be as offensive as possible. While Game of HAM is similar in some aspects, I can actually play this game and not want to quit two cards into it. I LIKE that the designers have come up with half a rulebook worth of alternate play modes and optional rules, even some that outright tell you that you can use or not use ANY rule in the book! It’s not the classiest game, of course, but you don’t purchase and play a game called “Game of HAM” for its reflection of your sophistication. You purchase and play this game because you want to have a good time with your friends and family without the need to piss everyone at the table off. I can get behind this.

If you are in the market for a CAH or Apples to Apples replacement, but still want to feel like you can be a social monster for a while, pick up Game of HAM (Adult Set). I don’t know this for fact, but I assume that since this is the “Adult Set” that there will soon also be a “Family Set” or something similar. So Game of HAM may be for you, as long as you are aware of the content within. I recommend Game of HAM for those gamers who know and are comfortable with the content as a great modular card game. I won’t be playing it with my in-laws, but I can certainly play this with my siblings!
  
Monopoly Deal Card Game
Monopoly Deal Card Game
2008 | Card Game, Economic
Yep. You read that correctly. This is a review of Monopoly Deal. Classic Monopoly gets a bad rap from almost all gamers, and I know we are all tired of saying, “No, not like Monopoly” when asked about our gaming hobby. But how does this card version of the game hold up? Is it any better than the original, or is it still destined for the “To Sell” pile?


Monopoly Deal is a game of hand management, set collection, and take that as players are trying to collect 3 complete property sets. Setup is simple – shuffle the deck of cards and deal 5 to each player, put the remaining cards in a draw pile, and determine the starting player. On your turn, you will complete 3 steps: draw 2 cards, play up to 3 cards, and discard your hand down to 7 cards if necessary. Play then continues clockwise to the next player. There are 3 different ways in which you can play your cards. You can play money into your bank, add properties to your collection, or play action cards to the center of the table. Action cards allow you to do things like charge opponents rent or draw additional cards. The game ends once a player has completed 3 complete property sets. Be the first to do so, and you are the winner!
I know you’re dying to get to the point – is this card game any good? I do have to admit that it has its good points. The game is easy to learn and fast to play. One of the worst parts of the board game version is that it feels like it takes an eternity to play. As a card game, the flow is faster and that makes it more engaging for all players the entire time. The rules are simple and clear, and there is no ambiguity as to how different cards work. Don’t want a property? Just don’t play it! There’s no need to send it to auction like in the board game, just discard it when you get a chance. This card game version simplifies the board game in a way that makes it enjoyable.


The biggest downside for me regarding Monopoly Deal is that this game is based mostly on the luck of the draw. It is very difficult to create a strategy because you are at the mercy of your hand of cards. No matter how hard you try, or how adept you are at strategy games, if the deck of cards is working against you, it is very difficult to bounce back. Another part of this game that I do not like is the take that aspect. I’ve said it before, I do not enjoy direct confrontation in games. I can be pretty competitive and I begin to take things personally, which makes the game fun for nobody. This game can get pretty cutthroat, and because of the large luck element, it can feel unbalanced and unfair. Parts of it feel kind of Munchkin-y to me, and it brings down my enjoyment factor.
For such a light and luck-based game, Monopoly Deal really has a little more to it than meets the eye. Is it better than the board game version? In my opinion, yes. I would much rather play the card game than the board game. That being said, I reserve this game more for a filler game or an introductory game for newer gamers – it’s not one that I am dying to pull out at every opportunity. Should you give it a try? That’s ultimately up to you, but I think you might be surprised with this game. Overall, Purple Phoenix Games gives Monopoly Deal a 6 / 12.
  
    Agricola

    Agricola

    Games and Entertainment

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    G Deck available now to play with!! (English and German translations available for this deck at this...