The Opinionated Gamers

After that we gone to our appointment at Giochi Uniti’s booth to try Rhein River Trade, a game from Zhanguo’s designers, announced years ago and close to be released. If you remember I told you to avoid sessions with the designers but I discovered there is something really worse: have a session with the designer commenting the game with one of the most verbose and chatty Italian’s blogger. Me and Caterina were stunned! I don’t know if it was the pleasure to have a all Italian speaking table or just the desire to make us really understand how the game is but it took endless time just to take few turns. Nicoletta and his housband were great in explaining us all the details and it was for me a surprise to discover how long has been the development time of this game. Talking with designers about design is something I love (you can read my series of interview here) but Caterina’s is just 14 and she need to move and play! The game looks interesting and I hope to see it soon published. You have to fulfill contracts bringing your goods along the Rhein using your trucks or common transports including airplanes, boats and trains. Public transports are quicker but you have to pay: for each kind of transport you have 3 different companies (colors) from the more expensive (but really quick) to the cheaper and slower one. The idea is to organize your cargo movement and costs at best, according to the contracts you took, since, in the end, money are victory points. It looks fine (I think it needs just some small fixing in the graphics and materials but the rules are OK) and it seems to offer different strategies.

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