The Castles of Burgundy (Anniversary Edition) Review

A couple of years ago the publisher, Alea, and Stefan...

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I got the solo boards for the original version and think it's a really nice solo game as well. I've beaten it twice on the easier side, and both times I beat it on the last action of the final turn.

My only real issue with COB is I think it's worse the more players you add in. Play time scales linearly with player count, and the 4p game lasts wayyyy too long and doesn't add much in terms of fun over the 2p game. It's a great 1-2p game though for sure. It's got those good combo turns that are fun to spot and execute.

I've got basically everything for the original version, so I didn't really look at the new version. Didn't it have some weird stuff where it didn't actually have everything that has been released for the game in it or am I misremembering that.

"Stefan Feld’s designs are usually brilliant, and this is no exception."

I agree, and I think it's oddly reassuring that he can do it with the lighter games as well as the brain-melters like Bonfire and Trajan.

Ah_Pook wrote: Didn't it have some weird stuff where it didn't actually have everything that has been released for the game in it or am I misremembering that.

That may be the case, I didn't get any of the expansions or add-ons for the original. It was a strange thing, there was never a full-on expansion in the way that some games get, just loads of smaller bits that got added. I found it hard to keep track of.

Yea the mini expansions were pretty annoying all around. I really like the Trade Routes one, most of the others are... I mean they're fine? A few more tiles to throw into bags, eh. All the nhe new boards were also solid additions, thinking about it.

I was pretty shocked this one got a big box treatment, honestly.

Big Box only in name I guess, it's the same size box as the original, so definitely the one to get if you don't have the original.

The only Feld i've played. I do think it is dry and abstract, but it is also pretty good. Feld excels at hiding you from the harsh realities of your poor performance at the game.

How important are animal monocultures to winning? A question for those who have played a lot more than I.

DukeofChutney wrote: The only Feld i've played. I do think it is dry and abstract, but it is also pretty good. Feld excels at hiding you from the harsh realities of your poor performance at the game.

How important are animal monocultures to winning? A question for those who have played a lot more than I.

its a game about scoring marginally more points on given actions than everyone else, as you are all scoring points constantly for doing the things you do in the game. good animal pastures are one way to maximize your points, sure.

DukeofChutney wrote: How important are animal monocultures to winning?

Whoa! Animal monocultures? I gotta give this one a try!

I kind of wish I'd gotten the anniversary ed, but I'd heard (as noted in the review) ambivalent reactions and was able to get the original in trade. Maybe if we somehow (as unlikely as it seems these days) play it out, I'll look at the anniversary edition again.

BGG has a nice set of custom drawstring bags for not too much. IIRC, you have to order two things: a set of bags and then another single bag, for some reason. I'm assuming there was some oversight on the first production.

the base game is enough. if you are feelin fancy you can grab the trade routes expansion off the bgg store, as i think buffing selling goods is a solid change to the base game. beyond that the only thing i would really strongly recommend is PNPing the championship boards, as i dont think they ever got released for sale. theyre a really nice and balanced set of maps, and its easy to PNP them.