Review Details

Race for the Galaxy

Product Rating:

Product Review (submitted on December 13, 2008):

I'll just say at the outset, the designer of San Juan (Andreas Seyfarth) deserves as much credit for this game as Tom Lehmann. I can't think of another game that's as redundant as this one.

Still, despite the fact that its core mechanics are a blatant copy of another game, I do recognize it's a fuller, more nuanced, and prettier version than its forefather. I would choose to play Race for the Galaxy over San Juan, though internally I would be grumbling at how redundant those options are. And I would choose Puerto Rico (another fairly similar game) over either of them.

And a nitpick about the iconography on the cards: Those esoteric symbols used to describe the benefits on each card are a failed attempt at minimizing language dependence. Instead, the cards are now equally cryptic to all native tongues. Players will eventually get used to them, but most newbies will be confused by many of them for the first couple of games.

Over all, I'd say Race for the Galaxy will appeal to die-hard fans of San Juan who are excited for more of the same as well as those who enjoy strategy card games and are unfamiliar with San Juan altogether. Those like me who think San Juan is simply OK may also be turned off by how samey it feels.