Oh My Goods! (2015) Board Game

Oh My Goods! is a card game designed by Alexander Pfister and released in 2015 by Lookout Games. The game is set in a medieval setting where players take on the role of artisans producing goods to trade and sell in order to earn the most victory points.

Game Components of Oh My Goods!

110 cards

2 rule books (bilingual or single-language depending on the edition)

Charburner and worker tokens.

How To Setup Oh My Goods!

To set up the game, each player starts with a charburner and a worker. The charburner is initialized with seven cards, which can represent either money or coal. Players also begin with a handful of cards that can be used for various purposes such as constructing buildings or producing goods. The setup involves distributing these cards and preparing the player’s starting tableau.

Gameplay Mechanics and Game Objective

Mechanics:

Action / Movement Programming: Players assign their worker to different buildings to manage production.

Hand Management: Managing cards that represent resources, buildings, and goods.

Press Your Luck: Betting on the availability of resources from an uncertain deck.

Set Collection: Collecting and using sets of cards to build and produce efficiently.

Game Objective:

The objective is to build buildings that benefit from each other, manage production chains effectively, and accumulate the most victory points by the end of the game. Players must balance resource management, production, and-risk taking to become the master craftsman.

Player Experience

In Oh My Goods!, players take on the roles of European craftsmen during the Middle Ages, producing a variety of goods such as tools, barrels, and glass windows. The game is characterized by its short duration and high volatility, requiring players to make strategic decisions quickly. The core mechanic involves assigning workers to buildings and deciding the level of effort, which can lead to significant variability in outcomes. This volatility creates a dynamic where players must adapt and gamble on the resources they will draw, making each game unique and challenging.

Pros

Engaging Gameplay: The game combines multiple mechanics to create a highly engaging and absorbing experience.

Strategic Depth: Despite its short duration, Oh My Goods offers considerable strategic depth, especially in managing production chains.

Replayability: The random distribution of cards ensures high replayability.

Cons

Limited Time for Engine-Building: The game ends after the eighth building is constructed, often leaving players without enough time to fully utilize their production chains.

Resource Availability Uncertainty: The unpredictability of resource availability can sometimes undermine careful planning.

Personal Thoughts on Oh My Goods!

Oh My Goods is ideal for players who enjoy tableau-building games with a high level of unpredictability and strategic depth. It is particularly suited for those familiar with games like Port Royal, as it refines and enhances many of the same mechanics. However, players seeking games with more time to build and optimize their production engines might find Oh My Goods somewhat limiting. Despite this, the game’s short playtime and high replayability make it a great addition to any board game collection.

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