Nate Rethorn
United States
Toledo
Ohio
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Mr. Jack has been one of my favorite games since I picked it up at Origins five years ago. It was one of my go-to coffeeshop games for years; and even though I don't play it as much as I used to, I still break it out with my wife every once in a while. It's held up very well, and the base game by itself has offered my friends and me dozens of hours of delicious, brain-burning, furrowed-brow fun.
Mr. Jack Extension, on the other hand, is a nearly-perfect expansion that only expands the possibilities available in the base game. When I argue with someone who doesn't like expansions, this is one that I point to as an example of how to release an expansion. There are several reasons why I think this a superlative add-on, which I will go through one at a time:
It adds complexity without adding complication. One of the biggest changes is during setup. Instead of placing each character on a pre-defined space on the board, the extension makes each player draft their characters and place them on any location. This single change adds an entirely new layer of depth to Mr. Jack. Now you have to struggle over where to start each character. Whom do you draft first and where does that person go? If you're the inspector, you'll want to set the more unpredictable characters up so that they don't give Jack an easy win on the second round. If you're Jack, there are opportunities for bluffing, double-bluffing, and clumping characters to make it as difficult as possible for the inspector to split the group on the first turn. The decision-making during setup can be done haphazardly to speed up the game, but it isn't uncommon to take ten minutes or more while carefully placing your group of characters. Setup isn't fiddly; it's simply a previously-unexplored facet of the game that is now revealed. And it's great.
It balances the game without adding clunkiness. It's well-known that the inspector has an advantage in the base game. I actually like the asymmetry, and winning as Jack is more special for me than winning as the Inspector. However, the extension addresses some of that imbalance with the five new characters added. And unusually for an expansion, I feel as though each character offers something completely new to the game without overpowering the original characters. John Pizer acts as a reverse Goodley, pushing other characters away (sometimes to unexpected results). Joseph Lane is excellent at slowing the inspector down if Jack is trying to escape, and careful placement of his barrier can make life very difficult for your opponent. Madame seems to be relatively straightforward, but her 6-movement ability makes her a threat from nearly anywhere on the board. Abberline's ability seems a bit odd at first, but there are many tactical decisions to make when limiting other characters' movement. And finally, the Spring-Heeled Man is wonderfully unpredictable. Because of his jumping ability, trying to figure out where your opponent might place his requires a lot of thought. He isn't an auto-pick, but not paying attention to where he could go might spell trouble for your plans--on either side.
All of the characters are excellent. They integrate seamlessly with the original ones, and there isn't a single character that is automatically rejected when deciding which four characters will be added to the set group of Holmes, Smith, Bert, and Lestrade. Collectively, the extension characters push the tilt of the game slightly toward Jack. Since several of their powers are geared toward leaving people unseen, it gives Jack a little bit of an easier time when trying to manipulate the board. Ceteris paribus, given the choice between having five characters seen and three unseen, and five unseen and three seen, I'll pick the latter every time.
It adds variety without leading to unbalanced setups. Often with character-power games, there can be specific groups of characters that don't provide as fun of a play experience as other groups. (Citadels, I'm looking at you!) But with the dozens of combinations of characters that I've played, I've never seen a group of eight characters come up flat. This is tight game design displayed here, and it's something by which to be impressed.
It makes the game even more brain-burning than before. Now, admittedly this is more of a personal preference than the other positives listed. But I love games that burn the brain. I like making agonizing decisions and seeing what happens. I enjoy out-thinking my opponent and spotting something that he or she doesn't see. Mr. Jack is entirely about these things, and the extension only makes these things more difficult (and wonderful). This has never been a strategic game, but it is a tactical one. And the complexity of the tactics, the opportunity to outplay your opponent, the ability to bluff and maneuver and outwit someone else is only enhanced through this extension. It rewards careful play, yet encourages bold risks. I love sitting at the table for a few minutes before my turn starts, running my mind through all of the different ways this turn could go. How do I push my opponent into taking certain characters? How aggressive should I be? What will the (ever-important) fourth character picked do? All of these questions constantly need to be analyzed and adjusted as the game progresses.
There are a few (minor) issues that people could have with this expansion, however. First up is the play length. There's no doubt that the extension adds time to the game, not only because of the setup but also some of the characters. This isn't a problem for me at all, as I don't view Mr. Jack as a filler; but for others who want to knock out a game in twenty minutes, adding the extension could double that play time.
Secondly, the price is a bit steep for what you get. Thirty dollars as a list price is a lot for five characters. However, you can find it for only $15 at Boards & Bits; and for that price you can't pass it up.
Needless to say, I have nothing but high praise for both the base game and the extension. I loved Mr. Jack by itself, but I have always included the extension since its purchase. This game isn't for everyone, but if you enjoy the original I can't recommend Mr. Jack Extension highly enough. It's one of the best expansions to a game I've ever seen.
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Great review of a great extension! If you haven´t already, I recommend that you also look into Mr. Jack in New York, since I think that one is the best in the series.
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