Is it really true that the subject matter in a game can make a difference? Can your enjoyment of a game increase just because a game is based upon something you really like? I guess there is plenty of evidence to suggest it can. How many of us have played a Star Wars game, just because its Star Wars? Would the game have been any worse just because Hans Solo isn’t on your side? Even though I always like to dismiss theme whilst buying games, I also sometimes must buy a game just because I like a particular theme.
In this case, the license was the Ken Follett Novels ‘Pillars of the Earth’ and ‘World without End’. Now I loved the first book and equally through some miracle of miracles ‘Pillars of the Earth’ is one of my favourite games. I like to think it because I enjoy the playing game, and surely the theme, disguised as a worker placement it could have been anything? Guess I’ll never know.
So it was without hesitation that I purchased ‘World without End’, regardless of the buzz, the follow up to the newest released 10 on my list.
Could the world of games be like movies, the second movie is usually never as good, just a rehash of everything that made the first one so great? In this case, I really don’t think so.
The graphics are similar – and why change them, the first one looks stunning. It’s still got wood and stone, but wait, no more worker placement. I have not yet suffered the same saturation as others have with worker placement games, I enjoy most that have came out – oddly enough keeping away from Stone Age, no idea why...
The game is all about getting the most victory points and it’s here the game starts to separate itself from the myriad of other games. There are many different ways to get victory points and none of them jump out as an obvious strategy. There are many bad events in the game and because you only play with half the event cards, you are never quite sure what you are going to get hit with next. For example, you could be saving up lots of wool, changing it to cloth, then bang, an event comes out that stops you selling cloth for the rest of the chapter.
I should explain, the game is set over four chapters, essentially 6 rounds per chapter. During each round you all each have the same 12 cards to choose from. You will, however only play 6 of these cards per chapter. Each time you lay a card you must lay another face down which you will not be able to play until the next chapter. Many times players curse when discarding one of their cards, only to want to play it a few rounds later. Very funny indeed.
As well as messing up any plans you had, the chapter card you draw also requires you to give each play an item, anything from wood, stone, piety to victory points. Decided by how you lay the card on the board. Although it also doubles up to move a counter round another track either 0,1,2 or 3 spaces which will give you an additional benefit. Therefore you sometimes find yourself giving players items you don’t really want to.
By the end of the chapter you are left agonising over whether or not you have collected the required 2 x Piety, 2 x Grain and Money (tax) you pay between 2 – 5 depending on dice roll. Despite other games offering similar end of round penalties I found this one different. Again, without any of us being masters of the game, we found it a good enough strategy to get short on some of the items just so you could do other things during the limited 6 rounds per chapter. If you focus on only collecting the end of chapter items, I suspect you could lose more often than win. Whereas in other games, if you don’t have the required items, it can lead to game over. Even the random roll of the dice was funny since in our last game we only rolled 4s or 5s leading to much joyful moaning from everyone.
After chapter 2 a new focus comes onto the board with the plague, it gives you something else to do during your rounds, like you had enough in the first place. Now you get to use medical knowledge you may have already gathered, with more victory points and bonus items for curing the plague. At least until the event card comes up that cures the plague and bang goes your strategy for collecting lots of medical knowledge.
All the games we have played were extremely tight and made for an enjoyable challenge. Trying to balance everything, never knowing what is round the corner, and slapping your head when you fail, in a good way.
It doesn’t overstay it’s welcome and is played very quickly, the rounds are over before you know it and the four chapters fly by. The variety is great, since some games we have played very few buildings have came out and others when they come out its really makes you change your strategy.
So there you are. A follow up to one of my favourite games, and did I enjoy it because it was Pillars of the Earth or because it was related to the book.? I would say I enjoy it because of the fun we had during the game. I didn’t enjoy the second book as much as the first, for me it was just a rehash of the first book, thankfully this game isn’t. My group enjoys this game more Pillars. I’ll need a few more games before I mark another 10 in my book. Don't want people to think I've joined the cult of the new.
Can’t wait for the next games from Mr Rieneck and Mr Stadler.
Refreshingly Recommended.
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