Antarctica

GaGarfieldstar8.0

#54 Play tested 3-player. Area control game. Maybe the area scoring could be a little bit unbalanced because the first player get all the points from other meeples + buildings + 1. So it could be that the first player gets 15 points and the second player with 1 meeple less gets 5 points... [c] Theme: :star::star::nostar::nostar::nostar: <!-- size 7]Very little --> Gameplay: :star::star::star::nostar::nostar: <!-- size 7]Good --> Interaction: :star::star::star::star::nostar: <!-- size 7]Fighting for majorities --> Artwork: :star::star::star::nostar::nostar: <!-- size 7]Ok --> Luck: :star::nostar::nostar::nostar::nostar: <!-- size 7]I can't see where --> Strategy: :star::star::star::star::nostar: <!-- size 7]Very strategic --> Components: :star::star::star::nostar::nostar: <!-- size 7]Wooden player material, buildings are cardboard --> Play duration: <!-- size 7]play tested only --> Easy to teach: :star::star::star::star::nostar: <!-- size 7]It's not that complicated --> Rules quality: :star::star::star::star::nostar: <!-- size 7]More examples desirable, but very good --> Setup time: :star::star::star::nostar::nostar: <!-- size 7]Ok --> No downtime: :star::star::star::nostar::nostar: <!-- size 7]Depends where you placed your action tokens --> Replay value: :star::star::nostar::nostar::nostar: <!-- size 7]I think every play will be a little bit the same? --> [/c]

EvEvanstar5.9

This is a really interesting game where the whole board is a giant roundel. Each turn the sun marker moves one space, and the player who has their boat first in line of up to three boats, moves it to an open space anywhere on the roundel and then resolves an action in that space. The most common action is to build a building, which allows the player to place a meeple in the area for endgame majority scoring. The value of each region increases for each thing in that region. The effects of buildings also get amplified for you depending on how many of your own guys are in the region. One of the hurdles people have with this game is the downtime. If you place your boats into regions third in line, you might have to wait awhile a few cycles of the sun before you get a turn again. Often times players will also line up their boats in such a way as to get multiple turns in a row. This doesn't bother me, because it's a strategy decision to take actions in those crowded zones. The other hurdle people have with this game is the scoring. When you do majority scoring, the players with the most meeples in a region get one point for every meeple and building in the area plus one. Players in second place only get points equal to the number of meeples the highest scoring player has in the region. This means first place might have three guys, second place has two, and there are five buildings in the area. In this case, first player would score 11, and second place would only score 3. Every game, no matter how much I emphasize this in the rules explanation, it results in hurt feelings. The intense frustration that they feel over not being able for whatever reason to get a third meeple into that region, they are giving another player 4 points for all of their work, and getting very little benefit for themselves. I admit this kind of scoring feels wonky. I liked the process of the game enough that I forgave it for 2 plays. On my third, and for the third time, having my group just feel frustration with the game, I have decided that I can't champion it anymore. :star: Art, Iconography and components functional :star: Clever or interesting mechanisms :star: Reasonably low downtime between turns with mildly AP players :star: Multiple plays stay interesting :star: Low or mitigatable luck elements :star::star::nostar::nostar::nostar: Raw enjoyment

Benjamín Amorínstar5.0

Original Area Control Worker Placement Board Game. It's pretty fast to play and with easy rules. The original mechanics are cool but the game it's a bit cold and boring as it progresses.