Strain (2011) Board Game – Board Game Guys

Strain is a board game released in 2011, designed by Avrom Tobias and featuring artwork by HungryRobot. It falls under the categories of educational, fighting, and medical games, and incorporates mechanisms such as hand management and tile placement. The game is designed for 3-7 players, with a best player count of 4, and has an average playtime of 60 minutes. Players aged 10 and above can enjoy this game, which offers a unique gameplay experience with its combination of strategic decision-making and thematic elements.

Game Components of Strain

100 Cytoplasm tiles: Free organelles that can be attached to organisms.

80 Petri Dish tiles: Include Organelles, Viruses, and Actions.

40 Organism tiles: The core of the organisms players build.

64 Resistance tokens: Used to track defense and damage.

Simple full-color rules: Easy-to-learn instructions.

How To Setup Strain

To set up Strain, each player starts with a hand of four tiles. The deck is divided into three types: Organism tiles, Cytoplasm tiles, and Petri Dish tiles. Players draw three tiles at the beginning of their turn, which can be any combination of these types. The game board is not explicitly mentioned, but players manage their tiles and organisms in front of them.

Gameplay Mechanics and Game Objective

Objective: Be the first player to score 12 victory points by completing and scoring organisms.

Turn Structure:
– Draw three tiles.
– Build up organisms and/or attack other players.
– Score completed organisms.
– Discard down to four tiles.

Tile Types:

Organism tiles: Require a specific number of attached tiles to score.

Cytoplasm tiles: Free organelles that can be played each turn.

Petri Dish tiles: Include Viruses, Organelles, and Actions, often requiring ATP resources to play.

Resources:

ATP: Used to play Petri Dish tiles.

Toxin: Used to attack and destroy other organisms.

Defense: Tiles attached to organisms provide defense; flipping tiles for resources reduces their defense.

Player Experience

Playing Strain involves a delicate balance of resource management and strategic planning. Players must manage their ATP and Toxin resources carefully to build and defend their organisms while disrupting their opponents. The game introduces an element of unpredictability with Viruses and Actions, allowing for sudden turns in strategy.

Pros

Engaging Theme: Combines bioengineering with fun, humorous illustrations and real science terms.

Simple to Learn: Rules are well-designed and easy to understand.

Interactive: Allows for direct player interaction through attacks and defensive strategies.

Educational Side: Can serve as a family game with an educational aspect.

Cons

Mechanics Issues: Criticized for basic errors in game design, such as unbalanced costs and lack of rubber-band mechanics to help trailing players.

Late Game Problems: The game can end abruptly with a “sneak win” due to the lack of long-term mechanics that build throughout the game.

Replayability Concerns: Once a player falls behind, it can be challenging to recover, leading to a less engaging experience for that player.

Personal Thoughts on Strain

Strain is designed for those who enjoy competitive games with a mix of strategy and resource management. While it has a unique and engaging theme, the game’s mechanics and balance issues might detract from the overall experience. It is best suited for players who are looking for a game that combines science with strategy but may need some house rules or tweaks to fully enjoy. Despite its flaws, Strain can be a great gateway game for those new to board games due to its simple rules and educational content. However, experienced players might find it lacking in depth and balance.

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