Plans change, and it’s our ability to adapt and make the most of the new situation that makes the difference between success and failure. What’s this got to do with this post? Who knows I thought it might be possible to segway into the fact we had an unplanned games night. But reading it, it doesn’t really work. Let’s get on with this post and forget this bit.

Last night Jonathan and I met up to play The Voyages of Marco Polo (again) and Spiel des Jahres nominee Imhotep.

First to the table was The Voyages of Marco Polo. Jonathan suggested we could use our ids from the previous day but swap them over so we played each other’s. But we went with random selection instead. Funnily enough I drew Jonathan’s id so I could set the dice to whatever value I needed. Jonathan got Polo and his wife, giving him two figures to move around the board.

I was the first player and held that advantage until the fifth and final round. My first move each round was get six camels and buy a black dice. Which shut that option down for Jonathan unless he wanted to pay for it. But he still was able to get camels from other sources. As I also did. 

I reached two cities that were on my hidden route objectives. But I wasn’t really trying to move round the map. My tactic was to score points completing contracts. 

Jonathan was moving around the map using actions on the map that traded goods for moving. He wanted to steal first player but needed me to move first.I wasn’t doing moves, so he’d hold off and hold off and then not have the resources to do the move action.

In the end Jonathan was getting frustrated but still enjoying the game!

You can guess I was victorious. We were playing with part of a mini expansion that added gifts to the game. I can’t really say if they added much to the game because I didn’t get any. Jonathan got two or three, one even gave me money. But they didn’t seem to make a big impact on the game.

Imhotep sold out at the UK Games Expo, won’t be back in stock until the Autumn, had the nomination for a prestigious award. So it definitely qualifies as a hot game of the moment.

It’s a simple game with basically four actions. But there is a surprising amount of depth to the decisions you have to make with those actions. Especially where to move the boat to. 

My downfall was not really appreciating how many points were at stake on one location. The one where you score points based on connected stones of your colour. It not only allowed Jonathan to catch up but take a massive lead, that I did well to close to four points. 

I love the 3D element of the game. It looks lovely.

This is a good, quick game. Ideal for noobs to the hobby and also has enough there for hardened gamers. Which seems to be a new trend, because the same is also being said about the Spiel des Jahres recommended game Animals On Board from Stronghold Games.

A great evenings gaming, thanks for the invite Jonathan,