Peter Schell
United States
Menomonee Falls
Wisconsin
-
I'm a big fan of 2-player card games and small publishers so I was excited when Battlefields of Olympus first came out. After I got the game I was thrilled even more by the clear rules, great art, good cardstock and quick straightforward play.
Players draw from common Warrior and Fate decks. You start with a hand of warriors that have a weighted rock-scissor-paper hierarchy. The fate deck contains action cards you can keep, land cards to fight over and Ares cards that initiate battles when land cards are on the table.
In battle, players take turns playing warrior and/or action cards to beat or tie the previous ones played. The game ends when a player wins 16 points worth of land cards or if all six Ares cards are drawn. Advanced rules allow you to fortify your own land cards or battle to steal your opponents land cards. It reduces the luck factor a little...or so I thought.
Unfortunately, my affection for this game has diminished after several plays. There were too many times that one player had managed his hand nicely and had a mitt full of cards and fortifications only to be beaten by the other player who was lucky enought to draw more archers but still have far fewer cards overall (Archers are only topped by one other type of warrior card which is as scarce as archers).
If you draw a lot of Spearmen and Swordsmen for your warrior cards or if you get Elites and Rally's for your action cards, you will be beaten by the better cards. Many sessions of Olympus were reminiscent of my Mille Bornes sessions long ago where I often sat trapped with a flat tire while my opponent picked every safety and spare tire to run roughshod over me.
The publisher posted a 4-player variant which I tried but found was also marred by overpowered cards trumping all strategy.
I wanted to find more balance and fun in this game but my hopes faded over time, sorry to say. For now, it's back to cribbage and Clash of the Lightsabers until I can try out Shazzam! and En Garde later to find more enjoyable two player card games.
-
Andy Andersen
United States
Newark
Delaware
-
Thanks for the review
-
Gabriel Ouimet
Canada
Ottawa
Ontario
-
If you're looking for 2 player games try these:
Battleline (Quick Card Game)
Rivals for Catan (Expansion coming out this year)
Lord of the Ring the Card Game (Coop, sorta like Magic)
Battleship Galaxies (Space Combat)
Summoner Wars (Fantasy Miniature Tactical Combat without the miniatures)
Battleground (Fantasy Miniature Tactical Warfare without the miniatures)
Pocket Battles (Fantasy Miniature Tactical Warfare without the miniatures)
Magic the Gathering (The ultimate two-player game)
There's many more.
-
|
|
