Love to see more coverage on this gem. I just got Commodities but haven't gotten it to the table yet. Looking forward to it. I'm especially looking forward to using the new alternate check designs from the Kickstarter.
I had initially written QE off when it first came out, based on Alex's review. It just seemed too chaotic and I couldn't see the strategy possibilities. Your description and review of the game now changes that first impression, and I can see this being a game I'd likely enjoy and could lead to a lot of great moments for the group. If I can find it for closer to $25, or used, I think I'll pick it up. Thanks for another thoughtful and balanced review, Chris!
Big bonus that it's such a small box, too! I've loved a bunch of auction games, although nearly all of them have just been by Reiner Knizia, like High Society and Modern Art (which also came in small boxes). QE's reputation as a game where you can bid ANY amount is radical, and I'd love to try it out! Might fit right alongside the other auction games on my shelf. (:
Yeah, I should have mentioned Commodities fits really nicely into the main box as well. It's full, but not overcrowded. Renée played High Society (although I have not) and she said QE reminded her of it a lot.
I only played it once, but I thought a bigger issue is that the three million bidder could just make his minimum bid always equal how much he has already spent, forcing someone else to bid higher if they want a chance to win, which gets him out of most money spent. Commodities seems to also fix this.
I think that's true. For me, that person has to make those high bids to hope to level the playing field, but we were just like... nahhh... why don't you go ahead and double the range we have to work with and we'll keep bidding just under.
@@RoomandBoardReviews but then everyone just kingmakes whoever is currently winning, as the 3 million bidder will just bid that minimum until game end and the only extra points anyone else will make now are their 0 bids and the whoever has spent the least bonus, so as long as one person thinks they're not winning they have to overbid at some point and become the new "3 million bidder" likely putting the old 3 million bidder in first place forcing the other players to now play the same game against the new "3 million bidder". Base QE is just stagnant and everyone will eventually be playing the same stale meta once they realise. I actually bought the base game in the Commodities Kickstarter just because it looked like Commodities fixed this. Base game is just fundamentally broken once you realise the ultimate meta imo.
Every time I play QE, it ends up with budgets in quadrillions or higher, which soured the game for me. Outbidding the other players by 10x gets you easy points in the first half of the game, and it only takes one other player matching your bids to create a feedback loop of silliness. And with the set collection aspect meaning you really value specific items, it's easier just to outbid by 1000x. Whoever needs the last 2 items ends up holding the bag and losing the game because the minimum bid is in exponential notation.
Love to see more coverage on this gem. I just got Commodities but haven't gotten it to the table yet. Looking forward to it. I'm especially looking forward to using the new alternate check designs from the Kickstarter.
Can you repeat that? I missed out when you were talking about the second highest bidder. I was ... distracted.
I had initially written QE off when it first came out, based on Alex's review. It just seemed too chaotic and I couldn't see the strategy possibilities. Your description and review of the game now changes that first impression, and I can see this being a game I'd likely enjoy and could lead to a lot of great moments for the group. If I can find it for closer to $25, or used, I think I'll pick it up. Thanks for another thoughtful and balanced review, Chris!
I played it for the first time last week and it was a blast! Hilarious game too.
Big bonus that it's such a small box, too! I've loved a bunch of auction games, although nearly all of them have just been by Reiner Knizia, like High Society and Modern Art (which also came in small boxes). QE's reputation as a game where you can bid ANY amount is radical, and I'd love to try it out! Might fit right alongside the other auction games on my shelf. (:
Yeah, I should have mentioned Commodities fits really nicely into the main box as well. It's full, but not overcrowded. Renée played High Society (although I have not) and she said QE reminded her of it a lot.
This sounds fun!
I only played it once, but I thought a bigger issue is that the three million bidder could just make his minimum bid always equal how much he has already spent, forcing someone else to bid higher if they want a chance to win, which gets him out of most money spent. Commodities seems to also fix this.
I think that's true. For me, that person has to make those high bids to hope to level the playing field, but we were just like... nahhh... why don't you go ahead and double the range we have to work with and we'll keep bidding just under.
@@RoomandBoardReviews but then everyone just kingmakes whoever is currently winning, as the 3 million bidder will just bid that minimum until game end and the only extra points anyone else will make now are their 0 bids and the whoever has spent the least bonus, so as long as one person thinks they're not winning they have to overbid at some point and become the new "3 million bidder" likely putting the old 3 million bidder in first place forcing the other players to now play the same game against the new "3 million bidder". Base QE is just stagnant and everyone will eventually be playing the same stale meta once they realise.
I actually bought the base game in the Commodities Kickstarter just because it looked like Commodities fixed this. Base game is just fundamentally broken once you realise the ultimate meta imo.
Love the game, but every one of the markers was dried up when I got the game. Looking forward to playing with the expansion next time I play though
Great game
Every time I play QE, it ends up with budgets in quadrillions or higher, which soured the game for me. Outbidding the other players by 10x gets you easy points in the first half of the game, and it only takes one other player matching your bids to create a feedback loop of silliness. And with the set collection aspect meaning you really value specific items, it's easier just to outbid by 1000x. Whoever needs the last 2 items ends up holding the bag and losing the game because the minimum bid is in exponential notation.
I already own this. I'm only here because I heard that this was an Artie episode.
Q and E.