HIGHLIGHTS AMONG GAMES
AGRICOLA
Farm Husbandry in the 17th century
Dear Reader! All critics are unanimous in their opinion that „Agricola” is one of the most spruce and richest games published in recent years. How Uwe Rosenberg, the Bohnanza King, managed to achieve this, is up to speculation. Bruno Faidutti supposes on his excellent review site that Rosenberg did miss the core of early economics, farmers and agriculture, in the equally demanding game of „Caylus“ that was published two years earlier.
So, that’s one more reason for taking a look and to enter the limelight with the – in the meantime widely and well known and multiple award-winning – system of farm husbandry. For a source of ideas for the universe of „Occupations“ and „Minor Improvement“ probably some of his many game testers might be responsible, the first edition of the game lists 138 of them by name. This seems to have been the only way how to publish this gaming heavyweight – when you pick up the box you can take this literally – with a time of a few months. Nowadays the farming universe has been expanded by “Farmers of the Moor” and other special cards, with an incredible potential for more. Even an Agricola World Championship has been arranged last November. Where will the limit be? For the uninitiated a visit to the Austrian Games Museum at Leopoldsdorf is recommended, where the ludophilic acres seem to be especially fertile – this needs to be taken with a semi-critic pinch of salt!
The light of my lamp is barely sufficient to adequately light up the mass of farmers, sheep, wild boars, cows, wood, loam, reed, grain and vegetables, nutrition, fences and stables, tiles for fields, wooden huts, loam and stone, boards and the nearly 300 cards for improvements and occupations. And this is only talking about the core game, an agricultural box, filled to brim and weighing two kilos. The rules book is an equal heavyweight, with extensive explanation on the flow of the game and detailed explanations, in miniature script, for every single card both for improvements and occupations. You will have to work hard for this game, by the sweat of your brow, literally. But what you reap for this is a really wonderful harvest of playing fun! Basically, the way to play is easily explained. Over 14 rounds your characters can visit different spots of action: These allow you to head for the aim of the game economically, that is, to build huts and keep them up, bear children, breed animals, set up stables and pastures, plow fields and plant grain and vegetables. A better education and minor and major improvements are there to assist you. And don’t forget, your well looked-after animals will breed, so provide new pastures in time and maybe a stable or two. And at the end of the day all your characters want to eat and so you have to provide sufficient food; begging works, too, but if you will achieve the most prosperous farm in this way is written among the stars. And as to stars, “Agricola” unrestrictedly is to be awarded the highest rating: 5 Stars for game gourmets.
Comments to: hugo.kastner@chello.at
Homepage: www.hugo-kastner.at
EMPFEHLUNG # 73 AGRICOLA
Players: 1-5
Age: 12+
Time: 150+
Designer: Uwe Rosenberg
Art: Klemens Franz
Price: 45 Euro
Year: 2007
Publisher: Lookout Games
Taktik: 6 von 9
Info±: 2 von 9
Glück: 1 von 9
The chance element in „Agricola“ is nearly non-existent and – if at all – only felt when the cards are dealt. But even against this minimal chance element experts have developed a drafting system. Be that as it may, for fans of strategic and tactical economics games with a basic goal of “optimization” will take this chance element in dealing the starting cards as a challenge to make the best of it. Farmers in the 17th century, after all, could not foresee all elements of fate, either.
Hugos EXPERTENTIPP
Try to play the family version for your first game, this is challenging enough. Only after such a first game Occupations and Improvements can yield the full flavor of the early modern farming, because only then you will be able to correctly assess the myriads of possibilities. In a next step I would then add the “Farmers of the Moor” expansion, which will add another level of intensity to the life in the country.
Hugos BLITZLICHT
„Agricola“ is no family game, and „Agricola“ is now shallow game for in-between, Agricola is also not a purely strategic game as is chess – „Agricola“ is a game of optimization with the flavor of a collectible card game, with wonderfully interlocking elements, with depth and an enormous calling for another game. More than one of my acquaintances has become more and more of an “Agricola” junkie from game to game. Compliments to Uwe Rosenberg for his gift to the gaming community!
VORANKÜNDIGUNG
HAMBURGUM
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