Yes, I am the type of person who would argue that both Terra and Gaia have one of the highest levels of player interaction in the hobby - every single thing you do influences the other players in one way or another, but it might not be as clear for newer players. Terraforming Mars and Roll for the Galaxy).ĭespite having no random at all it is still an incredibly variable game, with countless setup combinations, 15 distinct end-game scoring “goals” and a lot of player interaction. And I am also a bit wary of games where card draws or dice rolls give you options, though I have to admit that there are excellent games in each category with “good” random (e.g. I simply refuse to play a game where an outcome of some action can change depending on the roll of a dice or a draw of a card. I am a competitive player with an esports background who has a major distaste for anything involving post-factual randomness. One could argue that the order in which you pick factions can create a bit of an imbalance, but this is a problem easily solved with a start-game auction, once players are familiar with the game. Nothing in this game will make a worse player win or a better player lose. I am not going to outline the whole rulebook trying to help people understand how to play the game, instead I will concentrate on the experiences I have while playing it, highlighting some of the brilliant things this game does. TM box was a lot more functional and spacious, having more spaces for player-added things like small token plates and organizers.Īll of this, however, doesn’t matter one bit, because these pieces are merely a gateway to a magical world of incredible puzzles that simply never get old. And I’m not talking about the art, which is subjective. I feel like when it comes to the cardboard bits, Terra Mystica was a little better produced, since it is still in a near-perfect condition after all these years and countless plays.Īlso: Terra Mystica has a better box. My player boards also used to curl up for some reason, but after a couple of days under some of my heavier books, they’ve straightened up and stopped doing it. 31 games in, there are already small, but clear signs of wear on two of the player boards and one of the sectors. That said, some of the components did feel a little on the “cheap” side. I don’t know whether this level of detail could be achieved with wooden pieces, but for me the miniatures are a definite improvement. Plastic: all buildings in this game feel great in your hand, have appropriate amount of detail and the bigger ones, Academies especially, are downright gorgeous. I also don’t fully understand the debate between Wood vs. Looking at the board filled with miniature buildings, you get a sense of awe, while still being able to understand what is happening and see the potential moves at a glance. That said, the game is still an eye candy, especially in a 4-player game. It is functional, solid, but is not something that will keep your eyes glued to it. But it is still high quality with 14 unique and recognizable faction representatives, which convey the general idea behind their play styles reasonably well. Some of the art in this game might feel out of place and it will never blow your socks off. The art direction is also back and personally I feel that is unfortunate, given how the theme has changed drastically. Everything is clear, concise, has a place and makes a ton of sense. The amazingly designed player boards are back and I couldn’t be happier. Terra Mystica was perfect for me from the beginning and well, Gaia Project is something you get when you start with something perfect and despite the obvious contradictions, make it better. Vlaada wasn’t mentioned in vain in this opening: as much as I love TTA, the transition from version to version was a work on mistakes and balance issues, along with quality of life improvements. In a world filled with shallow, bloated Kickstarter products, I feel like them and Vlaada are the only beacons of hope that push the medium further, innovating, refining but not overcomplicating one of my favorite hobbies. I am a board game geek who loves this game and has a bit of a personal agenda: I want this game to sell well so that Jens and Helge will never have to work ever again, get incredibly rich, have all the free time in the world and make a new gem in five years, once again amazing us with intricate systems. Obviously this review is going to be biased I am not a professional reviewer and don’t claim to be one. I will be honest upfront: this is my personal favorite game of all time and a third “perfect 10” on BGG, alongside Terra Mystica and Through the Ages: a New Story of Civilization. After playing every faction at least twice, finally scoring 200+ points in a game and gathering all my thoughts I feel like I am finally ready to review this gem of a game.
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