Thursday 10 February 2011

Gaming Reviews

Pirate Fluxx
Looney Labs
Card Game

Available Soon - £TBC
Review by Blake Harmer

Avast! Fluxx, the card game with the ever-changing rules is back, and now even more piratey. However, does this iteration of the game do much to change the overall feel of Fluxx, or does it merely go “yaargh!” every now and then?

For those readers who have never experienced the world of Fluxx, here is a brief run down of the rules. Play starts off with all players having three cards each and the basic rule of play of draw one card, play one card being in effect. Players can then lay down different cards that affect the game as you play. These can be new rules which range from drawing or playing more cards to hand limits or keeper limits. They can also play keepers, objects you must have in play to win the game, creepers, cards that stop you winning by certain conditions, goal (the objective to winning the game), or surprises.

As you may have guessed, these allow you to change the winning conditions and rules on the fly and can become quite hectic as players try to lay out strategies to winning, or scuppering someone else’s chance by removing the goal they wanted or forcing them to discard a keeper. However, it is this strategic element that makes Pirate Flux quite enjoyable at times, and forces you to think a few moves ahead to securing victory. I also thought the piratey theme did add to the enjoyment of the game, especially in the form of the goals, surprises and keepers, which all made sense thematically, unlike the original Fluxx with its random keepers and goals.

However, despite feeling more enjoyable here, the main problems of the original Fluxx are still present with nothing being done to rectify them. Most crucially, the games lifespan is still the worst thing about Fluxx, with games ranging from a quick five minute blast, to an almost neverending experience which quickly dissolves into tedium. At one time, I was quite tempted to let another player win just so I could move on to something else more entertaining. Seeing as this is a game made to remove boredom, it can sometimes increase it if it goes on too long.

So, yes this is just Fluxx in pirate clothes, but despite the rather large flaw I have just mentioned, Fluxx has always been targeted at people who would rather play Happy Families than Arkham Horror. And with the new themed games being more family orientated, Fluxx can provide some family fun. Just make sure you set some time aside before you play it. 5/10


PARADOX SOLDIERS

The fate of World War II depends on four warriors from the future...

Four disparate men are enjoying a WWII reenactment weekend when fantasy becomes a reality and they find themselves accidentally caught up in a time vortex that throws them back to the real wartime. Trying to avoid capture by Nazi troops, the four must put aside their differences to find another portal that will return them to 2011. They accidentally become embroiled in one of history's most notorious, bloody and pivotal battles and soon realise that if they fail in their mission, their future lives may never exist.

Thanks to our friends at Metrodome, we've got three copies of Paradox Soldiers to give away! For your chance of winning, send your name and full postal address to emotionally14@hotmail.co.uk before midday on Thursday 17th February, making sure to put "Paradox Soldiers" as the subject. The first three entries out of the electronic hat after the competition closes will receive a free copy each!

Don't forget to put "Paradox Soldiers" in the subject line. Incorrectly labelled or blank entries will be discarded.

Paradox Soldiers is available on DVD and Blu-ray from Monday 21st Febraury, priced £15.99.

Entries limited to one per household. Offer open only to postal addresses in the UK and Ireland.

No comments:

Post a Comment