Published by RightGames.
Price paid: $20 (used)
Number of Players: 1-6
Time: 45 - 60 minutes.
This is a card game from Russia. I got my hands on the English edition last week and sat down to play a game with the wife the other night. First off, let me just say that the box is pretty. It is designed to look like a potion recipe book when sitting on the shelf and does so well. Open the box and you are greeted with a few pieces of paper, a stack of cards, and some plastic men. I have reorganized and sleeved my copy, but no other changes have been made.
The cards in this game are beautiful. The wife commented multiple times how pretty she though the artwork was. Now, I do not play games for the artwork, but when I have to stare at the cards for an hour or so, it's nice when they're pleasant to look at.
The game has one page, front and back, of rules. Despite that one page, it is still fairly complex. On your turn, you draw a card from the deck, and then play a card from your hand. That's it. Those are the game mechanics. Now, to play a card from your hand you can play it to the "Desk of Elements" (center table) as an element (the big picture lower right on a card, "Crystal of Air" on the above card), or as a formula (anywhere on table) if you have the required ingredients (listed top left on the card). Here's the kicker: You can use any potions, elements, or anything else that is already played onto the table. Even if played by your opponents! So for instance, if the wife were to play "Elixer of Fidelity" and then "Telepathic Potion" (wouldn't that be a mix?), I could then use her potions to play "The Palantirium Talisman" (Card above). The number in the top right of the card is the number of points you get for completing the card.
If that doesn't seem too difficult, there are then several "spell" cards that allow you to do clever things, like keeping a potion and reusing the ingredients, or taking a card from the desk of elements and then playing it as a formula. These add a bit of variety and if used correctly can help you gain a surge in points.
Overall, I'm happy to have gotten my hands on this game. Unfortunately, it seems to be out of print now, and of Russian origin to boot. There are several sellers on Board Game Geek, and I believe it can also be found on Ebay. There are two expansions to this game: "Potion Making: University Course" and "Potion Making: Alchemists Guild". Bother require "Potion Making: Practice" to play, so make sure you don't accidentally get an expansion.
RATINGS:
FUN: 4. I really enjoyed this game. It is not for everyone, but I think it will be a regular for us.
THEME: 4. The theme here really fits with the mechanics of the game.
QUALITY: 3. The cards are reasonable thick, and the plastic pieces are strong. The box feels
a little flimsy because it is thin cardboard.
ART: 5. I have to give the artwork a 5.. It is a beautiful game.
INTERACTIVITY: 3. It is an interactive game, as your opponents moves matter.
COMPLEXITY: 3. Some folks think this is a complex game. There are some moving parts,
but it is not too incredibly difficult to handle.
LUCK: 3. There is some luck involved, but it's manageable.
LUCK: 3. There is some luck involved, but it's manageable.
I would recommend "Potion Making: Practice" to anyone who enjoys a quiet, low intensity thinking game.
No comments:
Post a Comment