seven7seven

Perhaps my favorite aspect of the game is the resource system, and the fact that you can trade with other players. Resources become valuable, and usually rare, according to map layout, demand, and the players’ desire to haggle.

It’s very exciting, and it gets you planning ahead – and wanting to kick players who keep ‘monopolies’. Most people say it’s just a gateway game, but I think it’s an amazing ‘break-game’: play it once in a while, even with your hardcore-rpg gaming group, and it’ll not get stale.

In SmallWorld, you get to pick your race-power combo (each has its perks), and then proceed to conquering a map full of other slimy creatures (your friends’, of course). You’ll never be out of the game, though, as you can always pick new races, and put races in decline, should you feel you can gain more victory points with them.

The game’s really funny, too – you’ll end up with a group of Heroic Humans battling some Seafaring Ratmen, or Berserk Elves, for reigning over the map. Lots of antagonism too, which will keep the metagame running fine, and keep you engaged.

While controversial, the Dragon expansion is quite enjoyable… if you’re not on the part of the map that hosts the dragon. 😉

I’ve played games where the dragon took out a peasant and two knights of the same player in the same round, I’ve seen 50-points citadels being closed off by 3 players, 30 point cities closed by a singe player, that only placed one tile in that compound etc.

In one word: utter chaos. It’s a lot of fun, but it can ruin friendships. 😀