I came across Dominion online while browsing for a different game. Instead of buying "The Settlers of Catan" like I intended, I picked up a copy of Dominion instead. Here's what happened next.
1) I anxiously paced while waiting for my game to be delivered. 2) The doorbell rang and I scrambled to pick up the package and unveil its contents 3) I fixed my gaze on the stunning game that is Dominion (insert gaping mouth here, as well, if I'm being completely honest...and much more excitement that necessary)
Inside the box:
500 Dominion cards. Yes, 500, and all with beautiful art on them. It also came with a plastic insert to sort the cards for storage. I'm forgetting to mention that it also comes with 2 manuals. I'm not really sure why they weren't combined into one big manual, that may have made it less confusing for me to sort through the rules and get started on playing the game sooner.
*Sidenote: I know how to play Dominion and have played many times since the first time, so looking back on the manuals, I can say they are very clear and concise.*
The game is broken down into 5 card categories:
1) Treasure cards (copper, silver, gold)
2) Victory cards (estate, duchy, province)
3) Action cards (village, council room, smithy, mine, etc.)
4) Reaction cards (moat)
5) Curse cards (curse = -1 victory point)
You start out the game by giving every player 7 copper cards and 3 estate cards. The cards are then shuffled and it's time to start the game. The first player will draw 5 cards. (example: 4 coppers, 1 estate) Since no action cards are present to be played, first player can only buy a card.
First player buys a card worth up to 4 points and it goes in the discard pile along with all the cards in-hand and the ones that were played that turn. Make sense? Then player two does the same, but depending on how many coppers they have in hand, they can buy a card costing more or less. I'll post a blog with more in-depth gameplay very soon.
The whole point is to have the most victory points at the end of the game. The game ends when either all of the province victory cards are bought, or when 3 different card piles in the supply are empty. To win, you must construct a deck (your Dominion) that will enable you to buy the most victory cards. Whether you decide to just keep buying treasure cards to afford the most expensive victory cards, or buy actions that will enable you to hinder your opponents or unleash huge combos, you can never be sure of victory. I have played several games where my opponents thought I was the clear winner before the game was even over, just to find that another player was in the lead by more than 10 victory points.
This game is all about choices and living with them. If you decide halfway through the game that you played the wrong strategy, it may be too late to acquire the cards you need before the game ends to make a difference. It takes a few play-throughs to get the gist of the game, but it's worth it. So worth it, in fact, that I had to buy 4 game expansions the next day. I bought Seaside, Prosperity, Intrigue (which is a standalone game, as well as an expansion), and Hinterlands. I'll post my thoughts and reviews on those games, too.
Because it never plays the same way twice, Dominion is in the running for my favorite game; look out Arkham Horror, you've got some serious competition.
No comments:
Post a Comment