inconsequential ruminations

A couple of weeks ago, I went to Crawley to visit Michael and his friends for a day’s gaming. I had as good a time as ever, although I took an even bigger thrashing than usual. It has been so busy at work and home that this is the first time I have had the energy to write it up.

Antike
This one was on a loser for me from the start. Classical Greece is a powerful theme, but it has been done to death in eurogames. As usual, I totally agree with Rick Heli’s review

Empire-building game for up to six that wants to recreate the classic Civilization as a two-hour affair—you know, for those who don’t want to marry a game, but just have a quick fling. Time-wise the folk at Eggert-Spiele have done it, but oh what was lost on the road to this particular Damascus.

Civilization in two hours is the alchemist’s gold of modern gaming, I don’t believe it can be done while satisfying everyone. Antike is not a bad game at all; it just lacks the spark of fun that keeps me in gaming.
3/10 (remember that my average rating is around 5.5)

Caylus
I enjoyed this. I disagree that it’s The One, but I liked it a lot. My main problem with Caylus is the length – it took us three and a half hours not including the rules explanation. How can it say 2 hours at the Geek? This was too long for me. By the halfway mark, I was well out of it and that gets very dispiriting after 90 minutes. The more I play these games, the more I am convinced that multiplayer games should be two to three hours duration at most. Two player games can go on longer, as it is easier to stop when it is obvious who will win.
7/10 but will probably climb.

Lost Valley
I was a little disappointed in this, but I still think it has something going for it. It is short, simple, easy-going, good-looking and very well themed. What I did not like was how the game encourages people to wait around and parasite from other people’s work. I am sure that it could change with more playing, but I eventually got tired of waiting to shake off another player who was waiting around for me to build a mine and I just went ahead and did it. He got more out of it than me and got the win.
6/10 but I am unsure.

Parthenon: Rise of the Aegean
It was strange to play two Classical Greece themed games in one session. Whereas Antike feels a little like the building and fighting part of Mare Nostrum (I have never played Civilisation), Parthenon plays like the trading phase of Mare Nostrum.
Unfortunately this also outstayed its welcome a little. It took three hours, and should have been two and a quarter.
It certainly is an attractive game. The cards are beautiful. Did the same artist as the Mayfair version of Settlers of Catan paint them?
6/10