Tash-Kalar

So, I had never heard of Tash-Kalar until recently when it randomly popped up on my radar. After reading some reviews, I'm on the fence about picking it up (or at least trying to trade for it).

Any thoughts or reviews from those who have played? I would be playing it mostly 2 player if that makes a difference.

Sorry, I meant to post this in the general boardgames forum, but I guess my phone glitched.

It's fine, it works here too.

I actually reviewed Tash-Kalar when I was still actively reviewing games, back when it first came out. I bounced off of it hard, and wrote one of my few truly negative reviews. I think the biggest issue was that it demanded a kind of planning that absolutely did not work with my brain. You really need to think about how to utilize the cards you have, along with the different goals on the board and everything else. It required a lot of planning that was just not comfortable for me at all. I do know some people who were into it, but it was absolutely not for me.

A friend invited me to play on BGA last month, and I figured I'd take another stab at it. I was kind of playing in a fog of not really remembering it well and the same cognitive struggle to execute anything, and I bounced off of it just as hard upon revisiting it.

If you think it looks like something you'd like, go for it. I know it really does work for people, especially people who can see how placement rules will affect something four turns from now. But I am not one of those people; I think it might cross into one of those games that I actively hate.

That said, there is something compelling about a game that is so willing to be the thing that it is, that it's okay antagonizing and excluding some players. Tash-Kalar definitely does that.

I've played hundreds of games of Tash-Kalar on BGA, nearly all against the same friend. I don't typically like abstract games, and I'm not great at spatial games, but I love a lot of Vlaada's designs. So, on paper, I shouldn't like this game, but I really love it.

Tash-Kalar absolutely rewards multiple plays. If you play against someone familiar with the game, they will likely crush you. However, if you get to explore it together and/or of the same skillset, it can be a lot of fun.

The flare cards mitigate some of the other-person-running-away-with-it aspect of the game, but there will absolutely be games where it doesn't matter and you will just lose because the other person has snowballed so much. This can be really frustrating.

If you're curious about the game, I would suggest playing on BGA (happy to do a game with you if you want; my username is ecargo). I think that will give you a good enough feel for if it's right for you.

ecargo wrote: If you're curious about the game, I would suggest playing on BGA (happy to do a game with you if you want; my username is ecargo). I think that will give you a good enough feel for if it's right for you.

I will send you a friend request (once I remember how to use BGA).

I'm really glad someone who likes the game replied. Hopefully you're able to get a good feel for it from your plays on BGA.