You know, I reckon I understand why you play RPGs. You like the development, you like how you start with nothing and slowly build up your character, adding to the story and moving from obscurity to glory. When you transfer that to the world of boardgaming you can often get the same experience in many of the things I enjoy playing, and if you’re after one of the best there’s only one game I can suggest: Agricola.
Here’s the link for it on BoardGameGeek, the world’s biggest resource for tabletop aficionados. Go and have a look – I’ll be here, waiting for you as you have a poke around.
Back? Splendid. Now, I know what’s on your mind. You’re thinking “What the hell Michael, why on earth do you think we’d be even vaguely interested in a Eurogame entirely built around subsistence farming in the middle ages?” The answer is simple, my dear. Out of all the games that are out there at the moment, there are none more incredible than Agricola. If you’re looking for depth of play, a range of options that is almost unparalleled and (of course) something that in just damn entertaining, this should be sitting at the top of your pile of games.
If you boil it down to the simplest of terms, Agricola is a chase for points. However, there are so many different ways in which you can score them, no two games ever end up the same. That may be a cliché, but if there was ever a game where it was true, it’s this one – there’s enough in the basic box to keep you entertained for months on end with different ways to play as well as stacks of cards that shake up how the game works every time.
We’ll cover the cards shortly – they’re vitally important, but they don’t drive the game. That’s the responsibility of the family members that you have at your disposal, two little discs that you place on the board one by one that trigger actions. Doing so allows you to collect resources that can be spent to upgrade your meagre farm – expanding your home, fencing off fields, building barns, that kind of thing. You’re also able to collect animals who could potentially breed, increasing your flocks and herds and – as you’d expect – getting you those all important points. Your family can also be expanded, giving you the chance to play more and more actions.
Just look at that! Isn't is appealing? Isn't it amazing?
Farming is hard work though, as we all know. As the rounds progress and more options are made available to the players, you’ll also have to scrabble together enough food to keep your family healthy. Failure to do so means that you’ll have to go begging and you really don’t want that to happen… you’ll take a massive hit on points and will invariably end up losing. Maybe.
Maybe? Well, remember the cards I mentioned? Agricola’s base box contains three different decks, each of which is packed with individual cards that bestow ongoing abilities, one-off rule changes, bonus points… For players who enjoy investigating options in their game, you’ll be in heaven. The basic Entry Level deck gives you an easy ride for a while, then you start checking out the Complex and Interactive sets – and it all goes to merry hell.
Playing with these brings along some of the most cut-throat, plain old mean gaming experiences you’ll ever get. On top of that there are also countless extra decks and promo cards, each of which change the game in many ways. Fancy playing with swingy rules that make the game utterly ridiculous? Fire up the deck X Deck, filled with aliens and insanity! If fairies and fantasy happen to be your thing, there’s a Legen*dairy Forest Deck to try. Even more are available, both officially released and fan-developed, which can only show the love that this game has amongst the community. Further expansions bring in even more play options such as dealing with winter weather, new locations… you could play Agricola every evening for the rest of your life and every time would throw out new twists.
And that’s why I reckon that you lot should try it out. Role players are the kind of people who are able to balance their available options, who can work out what’s going to be best for them now and in the future, and Agricola is the finest example of a game I know where you’re always planning - not just on what'll be best for you but also on how you can scupper everyone else's plans. Designing the perfect engine, ensuring that you’re getting the right resources at the correct time… it’s an incredible challenge and a wonderful example to the kind of games that we play week in, week out. It is, frankly, bloody amazing.
