Friends will be Friends...
Last night we broke out "Fiese Freunde, Fette Feten" (aka "Funny Friends" aka "Mean Friends, Hot Parties" aka "Freaky Friends F*&#ing Furiously"), Friedman Friese's game of life. And what a life. I started out as a schoolyard intellectual (chain smoking, discussion current events), then became a drunken pig, all before graduation. I was a workaholic freak, kicked my smoking habit, published my memoirs, and reconverted an out lesbian. (No doubt why my book sold so well).Still, my life couldn't compare to Michaels, who had a happy marriage (after lots of casual sex), then dumped his wife to become a priest and fulfilled all of his life's goals. ("Lord give me chastity and continence, but not yet." -- St. Augustine)
So this isn't the Game of Life you remember.
FFFF is what I call an 'experience' game. As a game, it may or may not work, but as an experience it's pretty good. Usually, experience games are played for the funny combinations of events that occur. So I'll always remember the game of Illuminati where the Moral Minority was controlled by the Church of Satan (Reformed). Or the game of Wiz-War where 5 players were one turn from victory, and then the sixth player (several turns, apparently) won through an amazing combination of mindcontrol and telekenisis.
So, FFFF is funny, and a good experience. I don't think it's a great game, though. The rules are fiddly (I spent some time this morning reading the rules questions on BGG to figure out just how much we got wrong), and it's a touch long. It has it's good points and bad points. Just like life.
We also wheeled and dealed in Chinatown building up our buffets, antique stores, laundry mats, and herbal pharmacies. This was a close game, but not for me. Amy narrowly edged out Michael, the rest of us eking out a comfortable living compared to their obscene wealth.
Finally, the big discovery of the night (for me, anyway) was No Thanks! aka Geschenkt. This cute little game probably takes 5 minute to play ... if you have to stop and explain the rules. A near perfect game when you are waiting for one more or wrapping up the evening.
We'll probably be hosting next friday, so mark your calendars!
posted by Brian @ 1:32 PM
3 comments
3 Comments:
Thanks for hosting again Brian.
Chinatown was interesting. Brian got hosed early with no properties near anyone else. I traded a ton of cash and basically all of my property tiles that weren't going into my huge chains to set up a monster set of a complete 6 a complete 4 and a complete 3, mostly active by the 3rd round and completely active by the fourth round. To be honest, once I set up that huge income stream for the final 3 rounds, I thought it was going be a no brainer victory and went on autopilot. I didn't realise how much of an early lead I had sacrificed by giving away barrels of cash to set that income up. Trading games are great though and it was nice that there were no embargoes ala what happens much of the time in a game like Settlers.
"Funny Friends" was an interesting experience. It has the interactive elements, but at least for me it took enough concentration to keep an eye out on cards that helped me fulfill my own goals, let alone trying to interfere with others plans. I bet with more plays it would be easier to pick up on the interference aspect more easily.
No Thanks was alright as the filler it is. I never really got a feel for when I should gracefully take on a card. Maybe next time I will.
Hmmm... sounds like 3 games I'd like to try asome point.
Being a short-but-sweet-and-strategic game fanatic, I'd like to take No Thanks for a spin. It sounds like it could be my next Coloretto.
And who can resist a game called Flugen Flagen Fruten Freaking Farfernugen.
Man, I want to play FFFF so bad...
Be prepared to give it another spin next Friday!
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