So, I was strolling into work the other day, daydreaming as I went. I designed a game, from the shapes in my mind it was pretty awesome. It was set in the so-called Golden Age of Magic*. I even got a couple of play-throughs in my head. That lunch time I popped into my LFGS and there sitting on the shelf mocking me was Trickerion: Legends of Illusion by Richard Amann and Viktor Peter.
Serendipity? I couldn’t believe I missed this Kickstarter. A heavily themed game on Magic!*
Now I’m a careful buyer of board games, I listen to reviews, I watch play-throughs and if possible I’ll try before I buy. But this was the first game I purchased purely on theme alone. Well I would do wouldn’t I?
My first impression as the box farted open was ‘blimey’ there’s a LOT going on here. My initial attempt at a play-through was more like a set-up-and-pack-away, but that’s part of the learning of this game. And it does require learning – but behind the busy board and the action and placement it is quite a beautiful mechanic that fits the theme well. But was I blinded with the theme, would my non-magic*** compadres take to it as well?
Yep they did! This game isn’t a case of theme over substance – it is tricky (pun-intended) it is tactical and the theme isn’t tacked on – we had a couple of goes with the basic game to get our heads around it – then boom into the Dark Alley – boy this is a tactical and enjoyable ride. Love the forward planning, love how you can be so mean to your opponents (theatre(and magic****) is such a fickle beast).
This blog post wasn’t going to be a review – but blimey I like this game.
But reading back this isn’t really a review, rather an early morning coffee-fuelled gush about a great game!
*not The Gathering
**not The Gathering
***not The Gathering
****not The Gathering
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Comments by Nik Taylor