BoardDude
gamer level 4
1930 xp
1930 xp
followers
3
3
Use my invite URL to register (this will give me kudos)
https://boardgaming.com/register/?invited_by=boarddude
profile badges
...
...
...
...
recent achievements
I'm a Real Player!
Claim that you have played a game today by clicking the "Played Today!" button on a game page 25 times.
Claim that you have played a game today by clicking the "Played Today!" button on a game page 25 times.
Rated 10 Games
Rate 10 games you have played.
Rate 10 games you have played.
Critic - Level 1
Earn Critic XP to level up by completing Critic Quests!
Earn Critic XP to level up by completing Critic Quests!
Advanced Grader
Grade 100 more reviews or tips by clicking "Yes" or "No" in response to the question "Was this helpful?"
Grade 100 more reviews or tips by clicking "Yes" or "No" in response to the question "Was this helpful?"
BoardDude's Followers (3)
Istanbul
Overview:
You are an ambitious merchant in the bustling bazaar of Istanbul, and you have some competition. Pick up your wheelbarrow, gather your assistants together, and send somebody to find your shady uncle, because you’re going to need some work done on the sly. The challenge is to be the first to gather 5 rubies, and to do that you will need to circumvent the winding streets, leaving assistants to do your bidding; filling your cart with goods at warehouses, paying your devotion for blessings at Mosques, or gambling at the tea house. Whatever it takes to get those rubies in your pouch and win the title of Istanbul’s greatest Merchant.
My Experience with Istanbul:
Picking up the basics of Istanbul was pretty easy, but mastering the multiple paths to victory has proven an entertaining challenge. I played this game with multiple groups of Gamers, and even whipped it out at after a family dinner and strong-armed my relatives into giving it a run. In every instance we were up and running after 10 minutes of explanation and usually done with the first game in around 25 minutes, as myself or my wife quickly crushed their noobish hopes and dreams into the dirt of Istanbul’s dusty streets. Before we could even finish counting Rubies though, they were clamoring for another game. The second round lasted 35 minutes and came down to the wire, they had picked up on some basic strategies and made the game a real race. Now the Bazaar of Istanbul travels and makes appearances at all kinds of gatherings.
My personal Pros:
+Easily adapted to player skill: The tiles representing the various locations in the bazaar can be laid out in 3 different pre-established configurations each one making efficient navigation more difficult, especially as the player count rises
+Components are nice, and the artwork is beautiful.
+quick to teach.
+Mechanics are smooth, polished, and make sense.
My Personal cons:
– They had a very vibrant theme, but failed to carry it through the rule book (I’m a stickler for good rule books)
-When you unbox the game and are pulling out all of the different tiles, there were a couple times that I had to whip out the exacto-knife to cut out some of the Markers, and even then the print wants to peel on them.( nothing a little superglue couldn’t fix, but I shouldn’t have to risk gluing my fingers together to keep my markers from falling apart)
– There were some small plastic bags included to keep pieces separated, but not enough of them- a quick game like this shouldn’t take 15 minutes to set up or put away, and if you let these pieces get all mixed up thats exactly what happens.
Conclusion:
This is a wonderfully FUN game that allows a group to work against each other without risking direct conflict- great for the game night when THAT guy/gal is there- Its a great entry level Euro style Strategy game that can still be enjoyed by advanced gamers. Love it.