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Paperback Adventures
Dec. 22nd, 2022 09:57 amThe original Paperback game is a well-designed Scrabble-type card game that is simple but fun.
The sequel, Hardback, adds layers of complexity with themes, special powers, genres and different points goals. Once we had it, I don't think we ever played Paperback again, even though Hardback can be a bit long.
After months of waiting after helping fund the Kickstarter, my copy of Paperback Adventures turned up in the post this week - and we sat down to get to grips with it last night.
Aaaaand - it's certainly complicated! It took us *ages* to unpack everything, get it all set up and figure out how to play. After two hours, we were only a third of the way through the adventure and had to break off to go to bed.
It has good things about it and not so good things about it. The main thing is that it's much more strategic, and much less about making interesting words - the bells and whistles of the other types of cards are a lot more important than the basic letters. Working out how to combine the various skill levels, items, actions and cards is challenging and fun - but it's way too long and there's too much set-up and resetting to do.
We both decided we'd leave it all set up while we're away over Christmas and finish the game when we get back. But we both acknowledged that we're very unlikely ever to say, of an evening, "Ooh, let's play Paperback Adventures!" over all the other games we have available to us... Plus, as it's only a one or two-player game, we can't take it with us to play with the family - so we'll probably give it away to a friend who like complex solo games.
The sequel, Hardback, adds layers of complexity with themes, special powers, genres and different points goals. Once we had it, I don't think we ever played Paperback again, even though Hardback can be a bit long.
After months of waiting after helping fund the Kickstarter, my copy of Paperback Adventures turned up in the post this week - and we sat down to get to grips with it last night.
Aaaaand - it's certainly complicated! It took us *ages* to unpack everything, get it all set up and figure out how to play. After two hours, we were only a third of the way through the adventure and had to break off to go to bed.
It has good things about it and not so good things about it. The main thing is that it's much more strategic, and much less about making interesting words - the bells and whistles of the other types of cards are a lot more important than the basic letters. Working out how to combine the various skill levels, items, actions and cards is challenging and fun - but it's way too long and there's too much set-up and resetting to do.
We both decided we'd leave it all set up while we're away over Christmas and finish the game when we get back. But we both acknowledged that we're very unlikely ever to say, of an evening, "Ooh, let's play Paperback Adventures!" over all the other games we have available to us... Plus, as it's only a one or two-player game, we can't take it with us to play with the family - so we'll probably give it away to a friend who like complex solo games.
