kem2070

Tuscany (I am talking about the Essential Edition) is actually three expansions: extended board, special workers, and structures. There is a lot more to think about when compared to the base game. It isn’t hard to learn, but it will take a little bit to get used to the new strategic thinking you need to go through on your turn.

From videos I have seen and reviews I have read, I would also recommended doing the expansions separately until you learn how they work, then add them all together.

According to box, two people can play. Yes. That being said, the game moves way too quickly with just two players and a lot of the pirate intrigue (stealing/killing) leaves little to imagination (you will be stealing/killing the other player). I would play again, but only if I have more than two people.

The rules are fairly straight-forward, but as with many games which have characters with special abilities, you will have to figure it out the best you can. The instructions do not give any clarifications on the characters’ special abilities. It isn’t that big of a deal, but it would have been nice to have a wiki or website (like Loony Labs does).

The Big Geeky Box is just that. It has foam inserts and dividers to help sort out all your expansions into one box. Problem: That is all it does. There is one faction inside, so you can not play this as a game (hence the low replay value score, but the faction included is fun when played with another set). The components are sturdy and will last a while, but this is either overkill, or the company is planning on a lot more expansions. As of 9/12/15, I have all the expansions (faction cards, base cards, rules, victory points) in the box and am using maybe a third of the box.

The game is fun, but the Big Geeky Box is just a storage container for your game. You cannot play this without other games.