Scythe, by Jamey Stegmaier

A masterstroke in game design

I've struggled for more than a week to write this review. I'm still struggling. Usually when I enjoy a game enough to want to review it the words flow from my fingertips, pointed and descriptive. Scythe is so good as to almost defy description.

Let me explain. Scythe is a 4x game (kind of, more on that later) about gaining wealth in an alternate-universe, post-Great War Eastern Europe shattered by previous events. Players take on the role of faction leaders, competing to earn wealth, popularity, and a mandate to lead in this world. It's a hex-based area control and resource management game that makes use of restricted action selection and the threat of combat to maintain a constant pressure for you to be efficient, careful, and vigilant.

That's an accurate description of Scythe that places it somewhere between Kemet, Memoir '44, and Agricola, games I like, love, and detest (respectfully), and yet the sum of its parts provide something unique in my experience. Scythe feels a little like puzzle-solving, provides a little of the quasi-negotiation you get from a good game of Kemet, and a lot of the pressure to keep up that you feel in Terra Mystica.

See what I mean? In describing it, I've referenced four of the most popular games in our hobby without scratching the surface of what Scythe really is. That's the mark of something new - even in my most ambitious comparisons, I can only approximate its qualities. Read on, and I'll convince you to play it as quickly as you can.

(Full disclosure: I was provided a review copy of Scythe by Jamey Stegmaier, owner of Stonemaier Games. Scythe is live on Kickstarter now.)

Help Us Help Children Fighting Cancer

The Nerds' Table has been selected as one of nine content creators to participate in Jamey Stegmaier's Charity Auction on Board Game Geek.

From Jamey's post:

Welcome to our 2014 charity auction! Just like last year, when we raised over $2,200 for 13 different charities, we're celebrating the upcoming second printing of Euphoria (in English, German, French, and Czech) by featuring 9 new bloggers and podcasters to participate in this year's auction.

Here's how it works:

This Geeklist is comprised of 9 separate auctions, each for a copy of Euphoria Ultra Supreme. Each auction is attributed to one of our favorite podcasters or bloggers. The auctions will start on October 1 and end on Wednesday, October 8 at noon (CST). Payments will be submitted to us via PayPal (stonemaiergames@gmail.com) after the auctions close, and the games will be shipped within a few days.

We're supporting www.jessie.org, a charity whose mission is "To help every kid fighting cancer to Never Give Up". I was made aware of www.jessie.org after writing my goodbye to Mathias, a friend I made through our gaming nights at the Ronald McDonald House in Fort Worth. Mathias recently lost his battle with leukemia. The Nerds' Table's participation in this auction is in honor of him.

More details below!