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May 06, 2003

Games: Amun-Re, Ikarus and Cubus

Played the newest Knizia, Amun-Re, over the weekend at Joe's. As usual with Knizia, the number of elements and scoring methods is very large but they are each pretty straightforward. I made a mistake at the beginning and paid the most for what was one of the less good provinces. Still, I managed to recover and only lost by virtue of having 2 dollars less than the winner in what turned out to be a very close game. I definitely like this one the most of the bunch of new stuff I have played recently (New England, Queen's Necklace, ?) and have decided to give it an initial 8 which is also generally my buy point (and I will order it in the next few days). Hopefully it will not lose its luster on further plays. I'd, as usual, be surprised if my rating ever drifts more than a point.

I also played several other games that were new to me. Ikarus was a competitive puzzle solving game but, like Flickwerk, IMHO just doesn't work as a game. The person best at it basically wins every card and others don't stand a chance unless they start taking random shots or other tricks and those things just aren't any fun to me. After two cards, I realized this one really wasn't for me. Brian crushed everyone with 16 while Joe was 2nd with 5. Ricochet Robot remains for me by far the best of these types of games as it isn't just about simple speed and the minute after a solution is found lets other players still find the solution and enjoy the game even if they don't win the chip.

Cubus, a 1986 Reinhold Wittig game, was utterly unique as a puzzle game of stacking abstract boxes, all of which are viewed from a single angle as composites of 2D pieces representing a box left side, right side and top. Boxes which you can't see but which must be there for the boxes you do see to be held up are assumed to be there and one is trying to increase the number of boxes which either are there or must be there. Sound confusing? It is!!! An extreme brain burner puzzle game of spatial visualization. I just didn't really get it and am not 100% I would after a bunch more games. The components also left a lot to be desired as there were only 3 types of pieces but the design was so poor it was unclear which was which. Still, while I may never play again, a very interesting game and a very good group to play it with, all of us semi-grasping it and to a large degree working together to make the best moves and better grasp the game.

Posted by aarondf at May 6, 2003 03:37 PM

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