Okay, I'm going to find it hard to be objective about this, we bought it on the way home, started playing about three hours ago and just finished, smiling like idiots. You know that feeling, when you've found a special game? It's more than just loving playing it, you get all warm inside just knowing that it's in your collection.

Anyway, what's so good?

Good thing number 1
The basic rules are DEAD SIMPLE. I'm talking Yahtzee simple. Not sure it's worth going into them much more than you start with a hand of five cards, you play some, you can then buy more, and then you discard all the cards you had in your hand, plus any new ones you've gained in your turn, and get a new hand of five for the next go. And at the end of the day you're after combinations of cards that enable you to purchase victory point cards.

Good thing number 2
This game doesn't take long to play, like 30 mins max for a two player game (we found). Which means there is plenty of time for another go, which brings me to...

Good thing number 3
This game is so much fun you want to play it again and again and again. In fact, it's so much fun that I reckon nearly anyone would like this, which brings me to...

Good thing number 4
It's very very very wife/girlfriend/partner friendly. Very. My girlfriend likes games, but she is nowhere near as hooked as I am on this hobby. She'll play here and there, but every now and again, and only for one game at a time. This evening she drove the three hour session with 'Just one more go pleeeeeease' requests one after another after another. What makes it so partner friendly? All of the above - simple to learn, fast to play, and lots and lots of fun. Another reason is...

Good thing number 5
This game is not at all confrontational. For me that's a good thing worth it's own 'good thing' heading, because if you can be evil to your opponent by choice, I guarantee that it'll get one playing in my house and then it'll be banished to the game graveyard. It's adversarial in so far as you are competing to win, and every now and again you can do something to your opponent, but it's mild and they can easily do it back to you.

Good thing number 6
This game is REALLY CLEVER. For example, there's the card management. You start with a few cards, just money. Then you buy more cards and slowly build a deck, which you shuffle and then use to draw cards from for your next go, when you'll get other new cards which go into a discard pile which eventually you'll shuffle to form a draw pile from which you draw cards to form your hand which you use to get new cards which then go into your discard pile which eventually you'll shuffle to form your new draw pile from which you draw cards to form your hand... Get the idea? Very very clever.

Good thing number 7
This game not only has super-high replayability for fun factor and addictive gameplay, but also from the vast variety of cards on offer and the different combinations you can make to form the cards available for your game. Money is a constant as cards, but you choose 10 types of action card for each game, all of which can be used together for various effects, and these 10 types can be selected from 25 types in total. And that's now, I understand that expansions are on the way. That reminds me of another clever thing - the designers included an extra card of each type just so you can form a pile of one of each type of action card to shuffle and then from which you can randomly draw the ten types you'll use in your next match. Great attention to detail.

There are many other good things - high quality cards, great artwork, well-written rules, nice in-tray. It's pricey, £30 in the UK. I wobbled a bit in the shop when I read it, but having heard such good stuff (and having had a rough day at work) I thought I'd treat myself. And what a treat, this is EASILY worth the cash. It may be a card game, but it's RoboRally variable, Agricola smart and Galaxy Trucker fun.

It has been an instantaneous winner in our home (with that 'I seeeeeee' moment about 5 mins into game one, followed rapidly by that 'cooooooooooool' moment 6 minutes into that).

I think this is a game for all but the most hard-hearted gamers out there, honestly. If you are a light gamer, this can be your heavier game, and if you're a hardcore strategist then it can be your light filler.

Finally, please please please stop comparing this to Race for the Galaxy. They aren't similar enough to be mentioned together (apart from the fact that they are card based). This game has more in common with Kingsburg or To Court the King than RFTG.

We hate RFTG. We love Dominion. If RFTG is the know-it-all at work who everyone hates and avoids, Dominion is the gorgeous guy or girl everyone wants to go away with for the weekend.