It is a visitor put up from Andrea Champagne.
Underwater Cities was an early buy once I was nonetheless within the “must-buy-it-if-it-can-be-played-solo” thought course of. Considering solo-able video games have been a restricted market (WRONG!), I purchased this with out understanding a lot about it. I’ve by no means regretted this buy. Underwater Cities has change into considered one of my most-played video games.
I like thematic ambient sounds within the background once I play. ‘Sunken Treasure’ from Tabletop Audio is my go-to for Underwater Cities. So queue it up for your self and let’s dive in. (Sorry – couldn’t resist, solely water pun. Promise).
Gameplay Overview:
Your purpose is to construct a community of cities and help buildings to create a livable underwater habitat. Underwater Cities is primarily makes use of an engine builder/useful resource and hand administration mechanic. The sport is performed over three Eras. There are 4 rounds within the first Period and three rounds in Eras 2 and three. Every spherical is three turns. Every Period has its personal deck of playing cards. Every flip, you place considered one of your markers on a coloured house on the board. You’re taking the house motion and play a card out of your hand. If the cardboard is similar shade because the house you’ve performed, you play the motion from the cardboard as nicely. Actions will be performed in any order (card first, then house, or house first, then card).
Actions let you construct cities, farms, laboratories, desalination vegetation, or tunnels in your particular person participant board. Some playing cards are performed instantly, others go into your play space to be performed as a later motion, some are held for sport bonuses later, and a few have repeating actions or bonuses.
After every Period is a manufacturing part. Throughout manufacturing, cities and buildings generate credit ($$) and/or assets. You need to feed your cities on the finish of the manufacturing part. Then you definately change decks to the brand new Period and begin once more.
In multiplayer video games, the very best rating wins. There aren’t any rule modifications for solo play, and just one function of the multiplayer sport (authorities contracts) just isn’t utilized in solo.
Within the field, solo mode has win situations: 7 cities and 100 factors. Solo mode performs an automa which occupies one house on the board per flip and advances at first of every spherical. The automa doesn’t accumulate assets or factors. The automa strikes in a predictable sample which will be each good and unhealthy.
Recreation Expertise:
Be aware: This expertise relies on solo play solely.
I actually take pleasure in this sport. The mixture of board motion and card motion creates a ton of prospects. The restricted hand measurement retains decision-making from changing into overwhelming. The tightness of assets means it’s good to plan every motion rigorously, and it’s greatest to suppose forward not less than one or two turns. Because you exchange each card as you play it, you additionally should have the ability (and keen) to vary plans as wanted.
Every sport is thirty turns (ten rounds of three turns every) advert there’s a lot that has to occur in these turns. The flip restrict creates rigidity, and whereas there isn’t a precise ticking clock, it does have a little bit of that really feel. You may’t delay large actions; they should be taken when doable. Sources are tight and keep tight by the sport.
There are two manufacturing phases throughout gameplay, which generate quite a lot of assets without delay. I usually come out of manufacturing feeling fairly flush, solely to seek out myself missing vital assets two turns later. Sources will be gained through the spherical, however normally just some. Letting you select to carry out both card or house motion first means you’ll be able to acquire the assets wanted to carry out an motion in the identical flip you carry out the motion. It’s a nice feeling when that occurs. It’s actually satisfying to activate a card within the play space to supply assets or one other motion, so you might have a giant flip. Conversely, typically you simply don’t have the playing cards you want, so that you carry out a board motion and simply discard a card within the incorrect shade (there isn’t a motion from the cardboard if the colours don’t match). Actions are valuable; shedding them hurts.
This sport has quite a lot of robust selections, however the restricted board spots and three-card hand restrict preserve it shifting. Precise game-play time for me is normally one hour.
The actions and terminology are thematic. The paintings has a futuristic look with colours that remind me of animated motion pictures. This sport can be robust if you’re shade blind, as there aren’t any icons for the colours (purple, inexperienced, and yellow). The textual content will be smallish too. I purchased this second-hand with upgraded items and double-layer participant boards. The usual sport with out upgrades has single-layer boards, and it is a actual disgrace. Your cities are small domes, and the help buildings are plastic disks. A careless attain or floppy sleeve could make a multitude even with double-layer boards. If in case you have pets who prefer to ‘assist’ you play a swishing tail can wipe out a pair rounds value of labor.
There are about ten several types of tokens. Establishing from opening the field to play time takes roughly quarter-hour when the place you need every thing and have your token containers prepared. Re-setting between video games isn’t unhealthy, return the components out of your metropolis and shuffle the decks, lower than quarter-hour.
Closing Ideas:
The solo win situations are exhausting to realize. Seven cities are rather a lot with restricted assets. Factors construct slowly through the sport, though there are large good points through the ultimate scoring. I’ve performed this sport over 30 instances. I’ve by no means gained. However I’m all the time satisfied that I can do higher subsequent time, so I reset it and begin once more. I feel that’s why I like Underwater Cities. It makes me need to preserve enjoying, preserve attempting new methods. I preserve on the lookout for some intelligent play I didn’t get to make final time.
Closing Rating: 4 Stars – Nice Recreation, solidly built-in mechanics with quite a lot of selections and simply the correct amount of luck.
Hits:
• Number of motion mixtures for replayability
• Tight sport play
• Theme is built-in with out overwhelming
Misses:
• Another spherical. Please!
• Automa will get predictable
• Actually wants double-layer participant boards
In regards to the Writer: A relative newcomer to the passion, Andrea is a solo gamer nonetheless exploring the numerous, many boardgaming choices whereas on the lookout for something she doesn’t like. To this point, the one factor she refuses to strive her hand at is 18XX.
