What? (2007) Board Game – Board Game Guys

What?’ is a humor party game released in 2007 by Outset Media. It is designed for 5-17 players, with the best experience recommended for 6-10 players. The game involves paper-and-pencil mechanics and voting, making it a fun and interactive experience for players aged 14 and up.

Game Components of Agricola

Game board

2 player boards

364 resource cards

15 occupation cards

10 minor improvement cards

5 staining fences

3 stables

4 rooms

1 scoring pad

Tokens for resources (food, wood, bricks, stones, reed, boar, cattle, sheep)

Tokens for family members and actions

Dice for determining player order

How To Setup Agricola

Setting up Agricola involves placing the game board in the middle of the table, distributing the player boards, and shuffling the resource cards and occupation cards. Each player chooses a set of occupation and minor improvement cards based on the number of players. Players start with a set of basic resources and two family members.

Gameplay Mechanics and Game Objective

Worker Placement: Players place their family members on various actions to collect resources, build rooms, or take other actions.

Resource Management: Managing resources such as food, wood, bricks, stones, and animals to sustain the family and build the farm.

Expansion: Building rooms and stables to expand the farm.

Animal Husbandry: Raising cattle, sheep, and boars to score points.

Objective: The goal is to build the most efficient farm, scoring points for the number of rooms, stables, animals, and resources at the end of the game.

Player Experience

Agricola offers a deeply immersive and strategic experience, appealing to players who enjoy planning and managing resources. The game requires careful planning to balance immediate needs with long-term goals. The worker placement mechanic adds a layer of complexity and interactivity, as players must optimize their moves based on the actions available.

Pros

Deep Strategy: Offers a rich and complex gameplay experience.

High Replayability: Different occupation and minor improvement cards ensure each game is unique.

Resource Management: Engaging mechanics that challenge players to manage resources effectively.

Theme Integration: The farming theme is well-integrated into the gameplay mechanics.

Cons

Steep Learning Curve: Can be overwhelming for new players due to the numerous rules and components.

Long Playtime: Games can take several hours to complete.

Complex Setup: Setting up the game can be time-consuming.

Personal Thoughts on Agricola

Agricola is ideal for players who enjoy strategic games with deep mechanics and resource management. It is particularly suited for experienced board game enthusiasts who appreciate complex gameplay and high replayability. However, it may not be the best choice for casual players or those new to board games due to its steep learning curve and lengthy playtime.

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