After I wrote about my first plays of Burgoo, a reader (thanks Rob!) pointed out a rule mistake I had made. On your turn, you don't execute all three action types one by one. You are supposed to pick just one action to execute. Now I have played Burgoo twice more, with the correct rules. Both were 2-player games with my daughter. The game works much better with the correct rules (of course!). I actually have a much more meaningful decision every turn. Lesson learnt - don't assume you can't make rule mistakes with microgames.
Overall the game is still very quick, very short. There is not much manoeuvre space. The best strategy for setting up your starting ingredients column seems to be just having an upper half and a lower half which are exactly the same. Once the game starts, split right in the middle so that you'll then have two columns side-by-side which are exactly the same. If you have played the game, are you of this opinion as well?
Burgoo doesn't really excite me. I think it is because it is both a microgame and an open information game. Imagine playing chess with four pawns on a 4x4 board. There isn't all that much variability. The microgames that I like have some randomness or hidden information, e.g. Love Letter, Templar Intrigue, which I think makes them more interesting. Otherwise they become mathematical puzzles.
Update: I just found out I have made yet another rule mistake. During the starting setup, when arranging your column of ingredients, the order should be completely random, and should not be up to you to decide. This would make things very different.
4 comments:
I'm pretty sure I see another rules mistake. When players lay out their initial batches, the tiles are supposed to be arranged randomly, not intentionally by the players.
That was my understanding of the rules too. The random setup is where the varied play experience comes.
Thanks! I had misinterpreted the rules. I had thought the setup rules meant you could arrange your starting column in any order you like.
:) Just pretend that you are intentionally trying out rule variations!
I have played the game a few times now and find it a pleasant diversion, though it doesn't really get me excited. That said, for a cheap, pocket-sized game, that is totally fine with me, and it's nice to get out for a couple of plays as a filler.
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