[GDS] February 2012 "Love Conquers All" - Critiques

Valentine's day Massacre - Congratulations on winning this month's challenge! I only gave this entry 1 vote, but I think that is more a reflection of how I interpreted the challenge than a reflection of this game's potential. I like the varied goals for each player type, and layering that on top of essentially a simultaneous action worker-placement game. Keeping track of what other players need (since it differs from your own goals) would be the good kind of hard that makes tough choices.

That said, I really didn't think this game fit the bill at all for this contest. The Valentine's Day connection is tenuous and the actual game play with 2 players is pretty much the same as with more.

I'd like to see more of this game, particularly if it emphasizes the different ways each player has to engage the game.

The Legend of St. Valentine - Certainly used the theme and would make a fun 10-minute press your luck card game; especially if the "Risk" cards had special properties to add spiciness. Otherwise, if the cards just have Fame and Risk on them….you might as well just be doing this with dice. (I see : Roll dice, pick one for Fame, trade in others that are greater in value to the one picked, rolling a d10 and hoping it is greater than the one you picked (Fame doubles as Risk, so higher Fame means more Risk which I assume was the intention).

Chocolate Exchange - I liked this one a lot. It felt classy thanks to the theme, and I thought using the Japanese custom was a good take on Valentine's day. Game play is super-casual, and could be played on Valentine's day over cups of cocoa. Also, I thought the adaptation for two players was quick and appropriate.

Pitching Woo - I'm not sure where there are many choices to make in this game, or much excitement. Players basically match numbers, and are randomly assigned bonus Hearts to make their matches easier. It seems obvious that I would want to play my most valuable Actions every turn, starting with ones matching Desires that were left out. In fact, I think play might go in a pattern of one player playing random Allure cards to draw out Desires, hoping to match something. The next few players gobble up the left out Desires, trying to minimize the new Desires dealt out. Once the visible Desires get low, the next unfortunate player MUST get out some new random ones. That feels like being forced into a bad place under no action of your own, which might not sit well with that player.

Love Me True - My own sad entry.