Back in the 80s I mostly played RPGs, but a few boardgames were worthy of unforgettable evenings by my group. We did some Pax Britannica, Republic of Rome, and a few other complex games that allowed us to take a fun break from the last campaign.
Dune was originally released in 1979. Yeah that's right, it was not all Risk and Monopoly back then. By the time I played it it was a complete rarity here in Spain around the late 80s, already out of print for years and a cult classic people wishpered about in gaming shops. A friend's friend happened to own it, and I got a chance to play; unfortunately 33 years later I don't remember much of what happened, but some of the game's magic remained in me and never left. Tense negotiations, deceit, betrayal, six entirely different factions with completely different rules, alliances made and broken... way, way more intrincate and satisfying than anything I had seen in Pax Britannica, Machiavelli or RoR.
So, a few months ago the game gets a reprint and revised rules (they stay 99% true to the original). No bullshit modern balance, mind you, mostly rules clarification and stuff like that. I immediately got it, with little hope to ever find five other people crazy and committed enough to become capable players. We're a family of four, and we've been playing many boardgames like Agricola, Puerto Rico and stuff like that over the years, but we were playing less and less lately. My kids are adults already, and take games seriously, but they're busy with their studies so I doubted we could get focused over such an assymetric game with so many tactical layers.
Well, I was wrong. This thing is crazily addictive. We're playing it every weekend since then, and sometimes friends come over to complete the game to the ideal six-player setup. It has always been incredibly fun... even that 15 minutes game in which the Harkonnen took everyone by surprise to win in turn 1.
This is a boardgame like no other, mainly because of the highly thematic content and mechanics, and because of the assymetry. Every faction is completely different, and every special rule in them is a well thought reference from the book and makes you go "wow" and want to try that faction.
A few examples: the Bene Gesserit is the weakest faction, military speaking; but they make a prediction before the game starts on which other player will win, and on what turn. It it comes true, the BG wins instead! Of course, you work towards the prophecy becoming fulfilled, and you need to mislead other players about it. Also there's the traitors. Every player holds one traitorous leader from one of the other factions... except Harkonnen, which hold four, and also get twice the "Treachery" cards during the game, and can capture and use enemy leaders. Every turn there's an auction of Treachery Cards, but the auction is blind! only the Atreides player gets to look at the cards first, and can keep notes on what other players have. And this is just the tip of the iceberg, the game is simply amazing. Each faction is truly unique.
SU&SD Review (I disagree with the "too complex" second part, but still a good roundup of the game)
So that's what I wanted to share. If you're into this kind of game, I wholeheartedly recommend it. But only if you can get a proper group, and the game is supposed to be played by six. It's passable with four, but something is missing.
Website: https://www.gf9games.com/dune/
Dune was originally released in 1979. Yeah that's right, it was not all Risk and Monopoly back then. By the time I played it it was a complete rarity here in Spain around the late 80s, already out of print for years and a cult classic people wishpered about in gaming shops. A friend's friend happened to own it, and I got a chance to play; unfortunately 33 years later I don't remember much of what happened, but some of the game's magic remained in me and never left. Tense negotiations, deceit, betrayal, six entirely different factions with completely different rules, alliances made and broken... way, way more intrincate and satisfying than anything I had seen in Pax Britannica, Machiavelli or RoR.
So, a few months ago the game gets a reprint and revised rules (they stay 99% true to the original). No bullshit modern balance, mind you, mostly rules clarification and stuff like that. I immediately got it, with little hope to ever find five other people crazy and committed enough to become capable players. We're a family of four, and we've been playing many boardgames like Agricola, Puerto Rico and stuff like that over the years, but we were playing less and less lately. My kids are adults already, and take games seriously, but they're busy with their studies so I doubted we could get focused over such an assymetric game with so many tactical layers.
Well, I was wrong. This thing is crazily addictive. We're playing it every weekend since then, and sometimes friends come over to complete the game to the ideal six-player setup. It has always been incredibly fun... even that 15 minutes game in which the Harkonnen took everyone by surprise to win in turn 1.
This is a boardgame like no other, mainly because of the highly thematic content and mechanics, and because of the assymetry. Every faction is completely different, and every special rule in them is a well thought reference from the book and makes you go "wow" and want to try that faction.
A few examples: the Bene Gesserit is the weakest faction, military speaking; but they make a prediction before the game starts on which other player will win, and on what turn. It it comes true, the BG wins instead! Of course, you work towards the prophecy becoming fulfilled, and you need to mislead other players about it. Also there's the traitors. Every player holds one traitorous leader from one of the other factions... except Harkonnen, which hold four, and also get twice the "Treachery" cards during the game, and can capture and use enemy leaders. Every turn there's an auction of Treachery Cards, but the auction is blind! only the Atreides player gets to look at the cards first, and can keep notes on what other players have. And this is just the tip of the iceberg, the game is simply amazing. Each faction is truly unique.
SU&SD Review (I disagree with the "too complex" second part, but still a good roundup of the game)
So that's what I wanted to share. If you're into this kind of game, I wholeheartedly recommend it. But only if you can get a proper group, and the game is supposed to be played by six. It's passable with four, but something is missing.
Website: https://www.gf9games.com/dune/
looking for the opportunity to get it to the table.
