I'm sorry, but I don't see what all the Carcassonne hub-bub is about. I tried the original game with a couple of expansions with family and friends, and no one got into it. Then I read about this version and how many preferred it to the original, so I thought I'd give it another chance. I admit, it does streamline gameplay better, and if I had to play a version, it would be this one. Yet overall, no one I've played has wanted to try again, claiming it feels too dry and bland.


The Game

As with the original Carcassonne, you draw a tile, place it, and have the option to place one of your 7 Meeples on a portion of the placed tile. In this version, it's a market, street, or residential area. When either of the first two options is completed via other placed tiles, then that section is scored and you get your Meeple back to use later in the game. (Scoring is easy, so I won't go into details.) The last option to place a Meeple on (residential area) is scored only at the end, just like farms in the original game. So any Meeple you place on those will remain there for the entire game.



There are 3 phases in the game, marked by how many tiles have been drawn. Upon entering the 2nd phase, city walls start to be placed around the city as are player's towers. With the 3rd phase, wall building goes faster. During the 2nd and 3rd phases, Meeples can also be placed on city walls, which score in accordance to the number of blue buildings and historical building that exist in that row or column.

In general, when placing a Meeple, if another Meeple already exists in 1 of the 3 types of tile spaces, then you cannot place another there. (However, with the addition of other tiles, you can end up with connected Meeples, just like in the base game.) With the placement of Meeples on the city walls, the only limitation is that there cannot be a Meeple directly across from yours if that row/column is unbroken between the two Meeples.


The Cons

Strategy feels somewhat limited given the random drawing of the tile, just like it did in the original, but the strategic options are still definitely there, which comes down to cutting off others or trying to enhance your own connections. In general, I love games that blend strategy and skill, but overall, I want to be entertained. Yet this game still feels bland to me and, so far, everyone who has played with me has felt the same.

By the 2nd phase, players perked up with the addition of the city walls, which is an excellent addition, but by the middle of the 3rd phase, people have still been bored and are ready for it to end. (In fact, I had one person almost fall asleep, who we encouraged to simply leave before we were done.)


The Pros

I admit, with everything being wood, the game looks and feels great, with the completed city at the end really looking sharp, giving a feel of completion and accomplishment. And I really liked that the only limitation for tile placement in this version is that streets must connect, making everything able to connect in a more solid fashion with fewer empty spaces and "tentacles" snaking out from the game. All in all, it's a great production, complete with a wooden box to top it off.



As I mentioned earlier, scoring is very easy in this version. Also, the game is a cinch to teach, even if you have players who've never played any version of Carcassonne, especially since you can limit what to tell them as you enter each of the phases. That way, they shouldn't feel overwhelmed from the start, but can focus on the general mechanics.


Final Thoughts

If you like the original (it must be 80% of BGGers) then you will most certainly like this. For one, because of its appearance. And two, even though it strays from the original formula in scoring and placement, I would say it's an improvement. However, if you don't like Carcassonne (the 10% of BGGers I belong to) then you will most likely not like this game. And if you're on the fence about Carcassonne (the remaining 10%) then this version may very well tip the scale for you in the game's favor, both because of the scoring and it's gorgeous appearance.



Sadly, I may end up selling my copy. I will try it one last time with yet another gaming group while holding my breath. I'm hoping if I can find 1 or 2 people excited by this game then it would be contagious for everyone, including me. Otherwise, to me it's still just Carcassonne with some nice chrome. At this point that doesn't appear to be enough, but I won't count it out quite yet.