Kingsburg...'sokay.

I took a forum member's suggestion and downloaded the AI version of Kingsburg--like I said on the review for Hill 218, I'm a sucker for them.

 After about 10 plays, I'm left saying, "eh, 'sokay."  It's a roll n' get stuff game where you can make buildings using c0mponents Settlers-style, getting benefits in the process.  The buildings are very tech-tree-ish in that you have to build up in each row before you can build the next.

 Kingsburg doesn't quite suffer from the "higher is always better" thing that makes To Court The King such a non-starter, though the tippy top of the advisor tree is pretty much what you want to take if you can get it (the 17 and 18 spots.)  However, it's hard to roll them and the abilities to modify the dice are very, very minimal.  You've got some "+2" tokens, the ability to roll if you score less than 7, and the ability to re-roll if all dice come up the same number (which never happens, what a useless power.)

 Anyway, the game provides an illusion of choice in that you can go for any of the "strategies".  The strategies pretty much boil down to either military or big VP.  The problem with this is that if you don't pursue SOME military, you're going to get wiped out.  So it's like half a strategy where you get some military power and THEN diverge.  Each game I've played where I didn't build up some military strength right away I've just gotten the unholy beatdown from Demons and Dragons and whatever.  So really your "choices" aren't that many, and just after 10 games things are starting to feel very samey.

 It's okay for 10 minutes, but I've read it takes 90 to play the "real deal."  I doubt sincerely it would hold up for that long.  So while I'm all about Euros embracing some randomness, it doesn't work if you're still straightjacketed into a few very scripted "winning paths."

 I'll keep the free version around but unlike Hill 218, I won't be rushing out to buy this one any time soon.