Klaw94

In Jane Austen’s Matchmaker 3 to 6 players will take the roles of matchmakers in Victorian England. Their customers: the characters of six novels of Jane Austen.
The dynamic is easy. Everyone starts with a heroine and three cards in their hands (possible custumers) and in their turn they can make one out of five actions: look for new custumers (draw a card), place a lady in society so other players can propose to them, make a proposition with one of the male characters you have in your hand, push one of your ladies in someoen else society (so it is their problem now and not yours) or make a ball. Every character has different qualities (wealth, range, charm and virtue) and although the game consists of collecting virtue points, you have to consider all of them, because marrrying poor women with rich men or commoners rejecting aristocrats may result in a good reputation to your business, more customers and therefore more matchmaking power.
So that is all. It might sounds confusing, but it is not. You will get the rules easily in a game or two.
Now, is it worth it? Well, I would say it is. It is fun, fast and really strategic. You have to take into account a lot of factors. Marrying in 19th century is not only a matter of love, but almost a social war.
The theme is funny too. It is not usual having a game about marrying people and that gets us all laughing about how little virtous a wooer is but how charmingly irresistible. As a friend once said, “who makes a game of marrying Pride and Prejudice characters and does it well??”.
But, don’t you say all that because you are a crazy fan of Jane Austen? Well, I am, but my friends are not at all and we all enjoyed. I have played it with avid and casual gamers and they have all liked it, as it is refreshing.
Furthermore, another, more materialistic reason why you should not reject this gaming proposal is that it is really cheap (10 £ on Amazon!!).
So, to sum up, fun fast card game for light evenings. Easy to learn and suitable for all. The meeting point for unromantic anti-Darcy friends to fanciful admirers.