GamesReviews written by Gary Sax
This is a gonzo version of the later, more manageable (and maybe better) Forbidden Stars. The order system creates all kinds of good moments and strategy, but I don't know that it's quite... thematic?
Far better than the first expansion for this game, though, you really do have to play this game as a random thing to do between to people in an evening type thing. Not the most strategic game of all time.
Stands just below the best Pax game (imo, of course), Renaissance, but is still an incredible experience. The alliance and negotiation elements are one of the bigger departures from the other Pax games, as well as the openness of the map and such. The production on this game is incredible, probably the best looking game in my entire collection. There is so much packed into these small, short packages in this series. They're real gems.
I think this game was better than it gets credit for, especially once the more interesting sets with more variety than just giving you +1s to your sword or whatever came out.
Good solid civ game that eschews the type of "I take your stuff" military conflict of Clash of Cultures. Most of the base game cards are pretty basic, but the wonders at least have some real interest and game-breaking effects. I, personally, quite like the abstraction of the war track. Your civilization boils down to a euro tableau builder which is a good fit and a lighter rip-off of Through the Ages.
Others love this thing, and I respect that, the core Berg engine is pretty good. But this is way too spare and devoid of chrome for me, even moreso than the CC:A iteration.
Big improvement over LOTR: LCG. Much more dynamic, with a lot more agency given to the player to do anything other than react. The ally meatshield element and war of attrition enemy is still here, however, and still slightly annoying.
This is like the euroized successor to Twilight Struggle. It extracted some of the key parts that made Twilight so great---in particular the brinksmanship and tense uncertainty. It traded these elements for a game that really focuses on card, tile, and board combos. Imperial Struggle wants you to chain together bonuses and combos in the most efficient way possible, and the possibility space for that in Imperial Struggle is quite large. I can't say for sure yet after five plays or so, but in the process, I'm afraid Imperial took some of the above the board play of Twilight and replaced it with a drier efficiency puzzle. The quality of the efficiency puzzle is yet to be determined.
Quite easy, baby's first deck builder, but overall a smooth and simple experience you can play with friends and family without a case of board game insanity. Stay away from the expansion, absolute trash.