Great review! I have loved Kane Klenko's games so far and this one looks really good one. As much as I LOVE the spy genre, I'll have to put off getting this one as it wouldn't fit my immediate circle of friends. Soon as I get new friends, I'll get this.
Thanks for the review. Really been looking forward to this one! Initially fell in love with the gorgeous box art and then got more excited when I found it was a new favorite designer (Dead Men Tell No Tales, Fuse). Great to hear that it plays well with 2 players!
After seeing this in the recent best covers live show, got curious about this game. Very interesting, and think it's one I would really enjoy. Have to add it to my wishlist. Hopefully it's still in publication.
I don't care for worker placement as a mechanism, so this game is probably not for me. But I love John Le Carre, and I'd love to see more thematic espionage games. When I asked on BGG about the subject, I was refered to really less thematic games like Spyfall and Codenames (good games, but not what I'm looking for). The only espionage-themed game that I've played that ever gave me the feeling of being a spy was an old SPI board game called "Spies". It was an old game when I discovered it at a small convention, and I had to own the game. It may be more nostalgia than reality, but I remember it being a great game, and my friends and I had a lot of fun playing it. I'd love to see another game like it some day, maybe even a reissue, keeping all of the classic spy jargon (like sanctions and'cousins' and drops and honey traps and so on). I even considered designing one myself but never got beyond the outline phase. For me, worker placement seems like it can be an abstraction that gets in the way of imagining actually doing something yourself in a game world.
I've been VERY interested in this game since it was announced. I was expecting a dice placement game similar to Marco Polo, but with spies. Somehow this implementation of it doesn't feel as satisfying :( . I think I'll wait for a gameplay video before deciding on this game.
sorry, but i have to laugh - that is so typically american, they are so bad with geography outside of northern america :) cnn is famous in rest of the word for their messed up maps. i saw only part of the map in close up, but already can definitely say it has bratislava somewhere in belgrade :)
It's kind of obvious that the graphic designers had to consult a real map, it's also obvious that they simply took some artistic liberties with the locations in the map to help with the presentation of the game (labels, routes, etc) while still using some important/well known cities.
That is a beautiful box cover. Great job by the artist!
Great review! I have loved Kane Klenko's games so far and this one looks really good one. As much as I LOVE the spy genre, I'll have to put off getting this one as it wouldn't fit my immediate circle of friends. Soon as I get new friends, I'll get this.
Thanks for the review. Really been looking forward to this one! Initially fell in love with the gorgeous box art and then got more excited when I found it was a new favorite designer (Dead Men Tell No Tales, Fuse).
Great to hear that it plays well with 2 players!
After seeing this in the recent best covers live show, got curious about this game.
Very interesting, and think it's one I would really enjoy. Have to add it to my wishlist. Hopefully it's still in publication.
Just picked this up in a maths trade so very keen to give this a try!
I don't care for worker placement as a mechanism, so this game is probably not for me. But I love John Le Carre, and I'd love to see more thematic espionage games. When I asked on BGG about the subject, I was refered to really less thematic games like Spyfall and Codenames (good games, but not what I'm looking for).
The only espionage-themed game that I've played that ever gave me the feeling of being a spy was an old SPI board game called "Spies". It was an old game when I discovered it at a small convention, and I had to own the game. It may be more nostalgia than reality, but I remember it being a great game, and my friends and I had a lot of fun playing it. I'd love to see another game like it some day, maybe even a reissue, keeping all of the classic spy jargon (like sanctions and'cousins' and drops and honey traps and so on). I even considered designing one myself but never got beyond the outline phase. For me, worker placement seems like it can be an abstraction that gets in the way of imagining actually doing something yourself in a game world.
What about a game called Redacted?
I haven't heard of that one. I'll take a look. Thanks!
sure, i am looking to get rid of my copy so maybe we can trade :)
Which year is depicted in this game?
Let's just say the components remind me of "Dead Men Tell No Tales", another game by Klenko... This looks very good to me!
Well presented and interesting review!
I've been VERY interested in this game since it was announced. I was expecting a dice placement game similar to Marco Polo, but with spies. Somehow this implementation of it doesn't feel as satisfying :( . I think I'll wait for a gameplay video before deciding on this game.
This game lookin' too cool
The map has the wrong place for the Bulgarian capital - Sofia.
bratislava and budapest on each other actual location..
sorry, but i have to laugh - that is so typically american, they are so bad with geography outside of northern america :) cnn is famous in rest of the word for their messed up maps.
i saw only part of the map in close up, but already can definitely say it has bratislava somewhere in belgrade :)
It's kind of obvious that the graphic designers had to consult a real map, it's also obvious that they simply took some artistic liberties with the locations in the map to help with the presentation of the game (labels, routes, etc) while still using some important/well known cities.
really doubt that, since bratislava is nowhere near there, they could have put some closer town in there if they wanted
benediktcz Northern America is not the same as North America, Mr. geography buff.
Matthew White solid burn