POCKET IMPERIUM: SPACE, SHIPS, FIGHTING
Confession time.
For all of my girly pink and turquoise on this site and my unabashed love of Jane Austen, I'm not much of a girly girl.
I like some pretty things. Who doesn't?
But I also like really nerdy subjects. Like dark matter and pretty much anything related to particle physics. (I'm a total layman, though. I know nothing. Really.)
I also like space. My sisters were away at camp the second time Star Wars Episode III made its way to theaters. My dad decided to take me to a movie — a rare treat in our house — and gave me the choice between Jesus Christ: Superstar and Star Wars.
I guiltily opted for Star Wars. (I've since seen Jesus Christ: Superstar. I think I made the right choice, especially since I was 7.) My little nerd self was hooked, and I've been peripherally interested in space ever since.
So I like space games. But I rarely have four hours at a stretch to play any game. (I have two preschoolers.) Pocket Imperium is an intriguing answer to the epic space game.
Although it won't fit in any but the very largest of pockets. Purse Imperium doesn't have the same ring, though. Check out my review here:
Or if you'd prefer the bland (or just print version), check out my review at News for Shoppers.
OTHER REVIEWERS' OPINIONS:
Starlit Citadel mentioned that because the board is tight, there will be lots of exterminating going on. True. They also say Tri-Prime is too strong in a two-player game. I agree.
Tom Vasel said the game is not really fun. I disagree. A lot.
Sammy Wolf of Invalid Games describes it is "a taster" of a larger 4X game. I think that's an apt description. He praised the production values. I didn't mention them in the video, but I agree. The components are top-notch.
All the reviews I saw described the game as an abstract game. That's a game like Chess, Mancala, or Go. I think that's a fair description, and it's nice that four can play. I also think the theme helps with the fun of the game.
KID-FRIENDLY?
Absolutely. That's one of the cool things about Pocket Imperium. You're not going to break out Exodus: Proxima Centauri (which is coming soon) with an 8-year-old, but you could do so with Pocket Imperium.
Okay, maybe 8 is a stretch if they're not used to games, but a 10-year-old for sure.
FOR NEWBIES:
Pocket Imperium's rules aren't hard, but there are a few surprises in the rulebook. Read it carefully, try it out, and then read it again. (That's my advice for all rulebooks, actually.)
Don't let that instruction intimidate you. You're probably not like me and read the rulebook and then play perfectly the first time.
But if rules make the most sense to you while you're playing the game, that may be especially true here. It's all there, and it's clear. So don't be afraid.
WHAT MY HUSBAND WANTS TO DO TO THE GAME:
I can't recall anything Andrew wants to do the game. And that's saying something. He definitely likes the B-side of the board better than the A-side, and having two moves per player makes this one a good two-player game.
Actually, he wants to donate it to a family board game library we're starting at our church (we don't have an epic game room; the games must go somewhere) because it's easy to play and good for families.
WHAT I GOT WRONG THE FIRST TIME I PLAYED (BECAUSE I NEARLY ALWAYS DO):
This game made me create a rule: Never read more than one rulebook a day. The GenCon rush was a bit intense, and we were playing several games a day. This was one of them.
I got so many rules wrong the first time I played I can't remember how many. Not because the rulebook isn't clear. It is. I just couldn't absorb it and two others, and I was getting things mixed up from other games.
One that eluded me after a few plays, however, is that you can't attack ships that are in empty space hexes. Those hexes only support one ship, but they can make for interesting blockades.
UP NEXT:
Warband: Against the Darkness. If you're not into violence, don't let the name of this game keep you from checking it out. It's probably not what you're thinking.
MORE, MORE, MORE!
I've got links to all of my reviews at News for Shoppers here, along with the approximate order I'll be making videos. If you've got a video you'd like me to bump up the list, please leave a comment. I aim to please.
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