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by Franz-Benno Delonge
Rating: 6/10 after 2 plays
by Franz-Benno Delonge
art n/a
published 2004 by Hanser / Rio Grande
players: 3-4
duration: 45-60 mins.
type: medium strategy board game
PACE: QUICK. At the beginning everyone chooses one of 3 actions secretly, then reveals it. Then one by one they carry the actions out. Very good pace, almost no downtime.
COMPLEXITY: MEDIUM. The rules sound a bit confusing, but the game itself is fairly simple. Pick one of the following: expand a garden; attempt take over / new supplier; or buy a stock card. Very simple options and easy to grasp. Playing well is a a little tricky.
LUCK: HIGH. As with most blind action games, there is a lot of player chaos, and since all options tend to be good, it is very difficult to predict what other players may do. But the biggest factor is the blind draw for stock cards can easily destroy good planning by a player. One lucky stock draw can turn a game.
TENSION: MEDIUM. Outguessing your opponent and even bluffing certain stock holdings, trying to pull the right stock card, these all provide the game with a decent amount of tension, but it is hard to put together a long-term and even a short-term plan sometimes.
CONFLICT: HIGH. Players are competing in this cramped business world: the stocks are few, and time is short. One stock card can make a huge difference in the game, and that can drive stock price up. Players can also switch out breweries (thus reducing their income), and even reduce the size of the beer gardens' floor spacing.
INTERACTION: MEDIUM. It is a stock game where players have to do some group play to contain leaders and prevent big monopolies, but the game itself is largely a chain of individual decisions, trying to make an action more valuable to you than an opponent.
VISUALS: EXCELLENT. With a beautifully illustrated board depicting pubs with patio seating and old world style breweries, and wooden fences & pawns. The only visual draw back is the unlabeled beer gardens and the rather dull stock cards.
THEME: HIGH. For such a short game, I think the designer packed a lot of theme into such a little game. The luck can be very frustrating, but the mechanics all make sense, and the visuals add to the experience.
GAMER APPEAL: MAYBE. To me, this game is a lot like New England in that it is a one hour game that is still serious and offers some good decisions -- basically a good, short gamer game.
CASUAL GAMER APPEAL: PROBABLY. The theme and visuals are well done, and the rules are very easy to grasp (except for the stock laying rules during take over attempts). The short duration and the theme of the game should win out for casual and family gamers.
PLAYERS SCALING: FAIR. Plays best with 4 players since there is more stock available and more competition for all the businesses. 3 players still works but less stock and almost too many businesses for 3 players to handle effectively makes the 3 player game weaker.
REPLAY: FAIR. Not a bad game, certainly playable, but missing some needed control, since the luck can put one or two players into an insurmountable lead.
RATING: 6/10 after 2 PLAYS
Why this game isn't called Oktoberfest, I'll never know! Players are vying for control of different breweries and beer gardens using the tried and true game mechanic of stock acquisition. With some ideas similar to Union Pacific, players will be trying to expand the businesses that they have large holdings in. Players can attempt to take over the management of the businesses allowing them to expand the beer garden, or even even carry a different brand of beer! This game is missing some control that would have allowed the ganme to become truly good. Now being able to swap breweries unless you manage both the tavern and the brewery makes for a lot of staticity. The game ideas are good here, but could have been executed better.