Wednesday, October 6, 2010

First play: Lords of Vegas...

Four of us settled down with some beers and snacks last night to play the Mayfair Games' new Lords of Vegas, by Mike Selinker and James Ernest of Cheapass Games fame.  I had watched a very positive Dice Tower review so the excitement was there.  And I am happy to say the game was actually as fun as Tom Vasel had said.  It reminded me at first of Acquire in the building and joining of casinos but eventually the game became a pretty wild strategy/luck mish-mash.  While playing it, I actually felt the same way I did the first couple times I played Settlers of Catan due to the crazy interaction, tons of dice-rolling and trading, and just enough tough decisions to make you think you have some control.  What this game seems to have that Settlers missed is some real balancing mechanisms both in the scoring and the play.  On one play I had three actions in a row ruined by bad die rolls.  On the following turn, I flipped a card that gave me control of the largest casino on the board.  Awesome.  Now, wild random swings of fortune are usually something I despise in games but they seemed to benefit all players fairly evenly last night.  And given that this game is about gambling and building casinos it actually seemed quite appropriate and thematic.  But it's hard to say if the luck will balance out every time.  People say that about Settlers and I think they're wrong.  We'll definitely be playing this one a few more times to find out. 


I have one complaint, though.  The graphic design is dated, cluttered, and not up to Mayfair standards, especially for such a winning title.  It doesn't break the game by any stretch but for someone who is colour-blind living a dimly lit condo, there were a few moments of confusion trying to find the red and green transparent chips on the dark sections of the board. 

15 comments:

  1. I too was dazzled by the dice tower review for this - its like they baked the cake and you just iced it. How many did you play with? do you think it fits with 2 players.I would also be interested if you felt the rules were too complex for it too be a family game. I had this in my hand but decided to go with railways of the world the card game instead.

    ReplyDelete
  2. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Played this with 4. It is definitely more American-style family fare than heavy strategy. The luck swings were pretty crazy. I'll have to play a couple more games and then I'll let you know. The one thing I worry is that it may not be the deepest game and after a few games, it may start to seem kinda samey. But the first game was a hit, even with the other mathematician/gamer. Can't wait to try it again... and that's usually a good sign.

    ReplyDelete
  4. How many times have you played this? I 've played it three and quite liked it... (helps that I killed everyone the second and third time) how is it re playability? Does it get old fast?

    ReplyDelete
  5. Such casino themed games are very fun! http://onlinecasinoguide.co.nz/I like to play them when I have free time. It is my favourite type of entertainment

    ReplyDelete
  6. The games which are downloaded and then played often have a faster response than the online real time game because the sound and graphic elements are pre saved on the computer and they need not be streamed every time. no deposit guru

    ReplyDelete
  7. I found that site very usefull and this survey is very cirious, I ' ve never seen a blog that demand a survey for this actions, very curious... Free Slots

    ReplyDelete
  8. Tickets usually sell out fast, therefore make sure you know where to go when booking Vienna opera tickets for 'Die Fledermaus'. .... There are several New Year's Eve parties going on in Vienna every year, among them the Cirque Rouge , Volksgarten and Cafe Leopold parties which are my favourites. magic shows

    ReplyDelete
  9. Michael Kors Handbags Outlet is known for its quality and the price speaks for that kind of quality.
    Look for Michael Kors Bags Outlet which has been operating for quite a period of time and has good feedback and reviews.
    You can also go for Michael Kors Outlet Online shopping.

    ReplyDelete
  10. It is a time consuming process to locate a legitimate, high-quality designer Michael Kors Handbags On Sale at a decent price. One brand name that is sought after is the Michael Kors Bags On Sale. Anywhere you see high demand you will find people out to make a quick buck.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Bolsos Michael Kors Rebajas está por delante del paquete con el nombre de la firma de EE. UU. En la categoría de accesorios de lujo y ropa deportiva.
    Michael Kors Bolsos son premios codiciados, pero están disponibles en varios lugares.
    Bolsos Michael Kors Outlet comprado en su tienda tiene una garantía limitada de un año.
    Michael Kors Väska är identifierbar i både slankhet och elegans.
    Michael Kors Väska Rea betyder ett oerhört öga för smak såväl som stilighet.
    Michael Kors Väska Rea erbjuder den eleganta kvinnan ett utmärkt tillbehör att sticka ut.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Wow, What an Outstanding post. I found this too much informatics. It is what I was seeking for. I would like to recommend you that please keep sharing such type of info.If possible, Thanks. If you want to to know idol's account on isntagram, please go to site webstagram

    ReplyDelete