Fresco

Fresco: Big Box --IMHO Modules 1 and 3 (portraits and Brown/Pink colors) are essential, even with new players. --add in Module 2 (Bishop's request) with anyone who has played at least once. --For more experienced players ADD Module 6 (Glaziers), Module 9 (Wall Fresco), and the Queenie (Bishop's Favor). ***Played Our copy

Rating based on 1 play. We managed to learn it from the book (i.e. nobody had played it before). A good, fun, game. Replayability is questionable, but with the included expansions there are extra legs.

The epiome of a 'cube pushing' souless euro game with a boring theme. But guess what - it all works

3-14-14: I love games with a good theme and mechanics that work well around it. This one is one of the best in that regard.

8-17-15: Played it again for the first time in nearly a year, and it did not hold up as well as I remembered it. The dummy player for the 2 player version is a bit tedious to keep track of, though not nearly as difficult as many other games. I don't know. I'm sure it plays better as a 3 or 4 player game, but it's been years since I played with more than two. I should drop this to a 6 level, but I'm keeping it at 7 for old time's sake. This may be a candidate for trade later this year.

9-9-15: Traded for Hammer of the Scots in DFW Nerd Night Math Trade.

Very interesting Euro with very interesting mechanics.

Played it wrong the first time through, played correctly it goes much better. I wouldn't say that it offers anything amazing or original, but it is a very pretty game with a lot of choices to be made throughout.

Actually pretty engaging and fun, but people never wanthed to play this one with me... :(

Yet another worker placement game, but this one works well as it has a very well-integrated theme, and several modular expansions that improve overall gameplay.

The goal of the game is to score the most points before the game ends, and there are several ways to do this: 1) the main way is to complete portions of the Cistine chapel, 2) some of the portait cards score small points, 3) every 2$ scores a point at game end, 4) fulfulling the bishop's requests will score one time points and award paint every round at the cost of income earned, 5) completing stained glass windows, 6) gaining the favour of the bishop scores additional points when painting. The game ends when there are 6 or less portions to be painted and/or there are only 2 portraits to complete (it ends in this round).

There are some somewhat original decisions to make, like what time to wake up (wake up early, get the best paints but pay a premium), like whether or not you want happy workers at the expense of generally missing out on turn order and "wasting" an action at the theatre, and whether to jump ahead or stay behind in scoring for turn order (similar to the scoring mechanic in Torres). Each round you plan where your workers will go (secretly) after turn order has been established; you can go to market to purchase paints, the cathedral to paint the cathedral, complete stained glass windows to score points, 3) you can paint side job portaits for money and/or points and special abilities, 4) you can mix paint to create more varied and valuable colours, 5) go to the theatre to improve the mood of your workers and pontentially gain a bonus worker.

There are 3 built-in expansions that come with the game, as well as the Glaziers expansion, which includes 3 other expanions. I can't imagine playing this game without the expansions, it would be far too fluffy. But with the expansions it becomes an accessible gamer's game. The scalability from 2-4 players is quite good, except you have to play with a dummy player in 2player, but the dummy actually works fairly well. Not sure this should have been the DSP winner, but it's a very solid design, despite the fact that it's yet another worker placement game. Very impressive for a first design for these designers as well.

Own the [boardgame=85925]Glaziers[/boardgame], [boardgame=86048]Scrolls[/boardgame], [boardgame=109140]Bishop's favour[/boardgame], [boardgame=148289]Bells[/boardgame] and [boardgame=292012]Modules 12-17[/boardgame] expansions.

I Like the game, but I'm not fond of the dummy player in the 2P game!... Besides that, the randomness of the market drives me nuts!

Visually pleasing, fun theme, and the expansion modules allow for plenty of flexibility