We picked this up at Origins 2010 on super discount, and have let it sit ever since June. Last night, we peeled off the shrink wrap on this giant box, and here's how it went.
Just examining the box it's hard not to notice how large it is. Unlike so many Euro games, it's not especially thick, but due to its large board size, this puppy is going to take up 12"x17" of your game closet space. The box artwork is absolutely beautiful and already tells me that some thought and care went into the game design. Awesome.
The Unboxing
Here are some shots from the unboxing. As you can see from the top photo, the box comes with full-color glossy instructions (which, by the way, were extremely easy to follow and well-written), large size board, a bag full of plastic "trade houses" in an assortment of 6 rather impressive colors: Yellow, fuschia, orange, black, green, and blue. (It's a shame they didn't pop for wooden pieces instead of plastic, which really could've elevated the game.) The game also comes with 7 plastic figures as shoppers and a thief (beautifully designed!), a deck of assorted gameplay cards, 2 special D6s, play money (nothing fancy, very Monopoly-esque), and two black cloth bags for part storage (score!).
The board and pieces all laid out and ready for play
A silver, bronze, and gold customer pose with the thief
The Game PlayOkay, so the game play is actually very simple. Players claim markets using their little plastic "trade house" pagodas, and then each turn is spent rolling dice and moving the "customer" figures around the board, and aiming them at markets you've claimed so they'll give you money for purchases. And money is king in this game, you need to save up enough bucks to buy "Prestige Cards". Purchasing three Prestige Cards before anyone else will win you the game. During a players turn, after the customers have been moved, players can use their money to buy "investments", which can include upgrades, new markets, and whatnot. Players also have to worry about a thief (the man in black) roaming the board. He, too, is controlled by other players and dice rolls. If he lands on your market, whoever placed him there gets to steal some of your money. Since the thief can't steal from the player with the least amount of money, his function in the game is to really act as the great equalizer.
The board game set up and ready to play. Orange is ready to dominate!
The Review (based on a 2-player game)
The Market of Alturien
by Wolfgang Kramer
Mayfair Games
2007
2-6 players
To start with, this is one beautiful game. The board is artfully created and the customers and robbers really add to the game's prestige points (ha!...ahh, game humor). It's a shame they cheaped out on the Monopoly-type money and the plastic trade houses, since it took a game that could've been really elegant and made it resemble a Milton Bradley offering. The gameplay itself was really simple to catch onto. Let's be clear here: This is not a deep game--this is the type of thing you can pick up and play while watching a movie or chatting with friends. Note I don't necessarily mean this as a criticism, since sometimes we need a break from the deeper strategy gauntlets.
Beginning the game, we start off with the robber not in play and at first the gameplay focuses on just scooting those little shoppers around the board, building up your markets, and buying investments. Cash is free-flowing. On the surface, this may make the game seem too simple, but there is a certain deeper strategy that experienced and stealthy players can employ to make the game a cute combination of Chess and Nuns on the Run. I'm usually not a fan of games that depend on dice rolls too greatly, but the element of chance is minimal since a single roll doesn't impact game strategies too greatly. In other words, you roll those dice often enough that the chance factor takes a back seat to overarching strategies about where to aim the shoppers on the board and when to remove a heavy spender from one of your opponent's markets. Screwing people over has never been so much fun.
But then the robber entered the game--the great equalizer. And that's when the game took a slide. The problem is the robber equalizes too much. Basically, opponents move him around the board and whenever he lands on an opponents market, he steals money from the market and gives it to the player moving him. This happens every. single. turn. since people who move the robber can then proceed to roll the dice again (feasibly even moving the robber a second time). And since the person with the least amount of money gets control of the City Guard Card, which makes you immune to robbery, the person in last place can REALLY clean up.
In a two player game, this is devastating. I, as the orange player, was in a healthy lead with two Prestige Cards already in my figurative pocket (we opted to play to four prestige points), and the husband had none. I also had a stack of dough a mile high...until the robber started to take away $2 here, $4 there, and then all of a sudden I couldn't keep up with his thievery. And I couldn't hit back. That was the worst. There was no consequence to the husband just striking with the robber over and over. So in the end, I essentially just handed the husband all of my money until we were on completely even footing (which is the point when the City Guard Card and its immunity can finally change hands). The game was unjustly close at the end, and the husband pulled out a narrow victory, which even he admitted was completely unfair. I unabashedly submit that I should have won the game. My placement strategy was better, my clever Customer movement was spot-on, and my cash management was effective. I did all I could to fight off the robber, but I never stood a chance. He was too powerful.
So by the time the game was over, I had enjoyed parts of the gameplay, but I was kicking the gravel and muttering to myself about the unbalanced robber play. Perhaps in a 3+ player game this wouldn't be such an issue. But since the husband and I almost exclusively play 2-player games, I think next time we will either remove the City Guard Card (and therefore revoke robber immunity), or remove the robber altogether. With a little tweaking this could be a nice, light game for a weeknight (...or for slower friends). Kids and families could certainly enjoy this game as the turns move quickly, the games don't take too long (about 40 min. in our case), and the game is just overall light and airy. No inappropriate themes here, either.
Overall, I'm grading this game based on how enjoyable it was, how well the game was crafted, and how likely I'll be to play this again. The bottom line is that it will hold a space in my game closet...at least for the time being...and we'll probably play it a handful of times down the road. But this isn't a classic I'll cling to.
C+
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