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13 Posts

Innovation» Forums » General

Subject: Should I purchase Innovation? rss

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Voucherboy
United Kingdom

Surrey
I love card building games such as San Juan (not so much Race for the Galaxy as I don't like the theme) and am looking for another addition to our collection.

I keep seeing Fluxx being mentioned in regards to Innovation, and although I don't mind Fluxx I'm just not that into the constant changing rules and randomness of it all. So my question is this: Is Innovation really that similar to Fluxx?

Also are there any other suggestions to similar card based games like San Juan and Race for the Galaxy?
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  • Last edited Mon Jan 30, 2012 3:41 pm (Total Number of Edits: 1)
  • Posted Sun Jan 29, 2012 1:30 pm
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Tadeu Zubaran
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voucherboy wrote:
I love card building games such as San Juan (not so much Race for the Galaxy as I don't like the theme) and am looking for another addition to our collection.

I keep seeing Fluxx being mentioned in regards to Innovation, and although I don't mind Fluxx I'm just that into the constant changing rules and randomness of it all. So my question is this: Is Innovation really that similar to Fluxx?

Also are there any other suggestions to similar card based games like San Juan and Race for the Galaxy?


No it is not that similar. What it has that keep people mentioning fluxx is wild swings in balance. Sometimes you take a huge beating and everything looks lost and you get a card that turn thing over. It has strategy depth but it is also a wild game at times.

I would recommend Glory to Rome before getting innovation. It is from the same designer but IMHO it is the designer's master piece. I think it is a better implementation of Puerto Rico role mechanic than San Juan for instance. It is also more similar to the two you mentioned.

If you care for the graphic design and art:

Glory to Rome: any version but Cambridge's version, it is an aberration considering art, graphic design and general component quality. In England you should have easy access to one of the other companies version, I have Lookout's and it is very good.

Innovation: The original has clean design and it is functionally good. Iello's version has a lavish graphic design and production (I have Iello's and I am very happy with it)
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R S
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The above poster has some good points but I would consider one more.

Many people (certainly not all) would break down a recommendation of GtR vs. Innovation a bit more.

Innovation is the better game with 2p
Glory to Rome is the better game with 3-5p

Also, Fluxx and Innovation are not similar (as the other poster said but I thought it was worth emphasizing).
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Michael Denman
United States
Katy
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voucherboy wrote:
I keep seeing Fluxx being mentioned in regards to Innovation, and although I don't mind Fluxx I'm just that into the constant changing rules and randomness of it all. So my question is this: Is Innovation really that similar to Fluxx?


You know who makes that comparison? People who don't like Innovation and don't know how to play. Yes, I can see you sitting down to your first game and feeling like you're in a seas of chaos, but there IS a way to bring order from that chaos. I hate hate HATE Fluxx. I love love LOVE Innovation. Can they REALLY be that similar and yet generate such different reactions? No.

I will agree with those above who say the game is best with two. It's also really good as a four player partnership game. What it's NOT that good as is a four player every man for themself game. If others experience new games like me (usually with the highest allowed complement of players) then that could be another reason why they feel the chaos. If you're looking for a game to play with your group and they don't like playing partners, then I'd give Innovation a pass and go with something else.

voucherboy wrote:
Also are there any other suggestions to similar card based games like San Juan and Race for the Galaxy?


I've lately become very fond of card-based games, but I don't know of anything really like them that I'd recommend. Race for the Galaxy is just one of the greatest deepest card-based games out there. I suppose I could suggest Eminent Domain as something sort of similar. I feel a bit blah about it, but many others are enjoying it so maybe you should give it a look.
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Matt Sargent
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Personally, I don't like Innovation and can't recommend it. To answer your question though, no. Innovation is nothing like Fluxx. People who say that are being dismissive of Innovation and suggesting that the outcome of the game is completely random.

If you're playing with more than two players, then you should check out 7 Wonders. It's a card game, it doesn't have a fantasy/sci-fi theme, and it's pretty fun.

Glory to Rome is also very good.

And of course, this is ignoring the whole deck-building genre, which many other good card games fall into.

Dominion (best game ever)
Puzzle Strike
Tanto Cuore
Ascension
Penny Arcade: Gamers vs Evil
Resident Evil
Rune Age
Thunderstone
Nightfall

None of those have non-fantasy themes however.
 
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Jan Ivanauskas
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Yes, you should!

It´s a great game - but as said above be prepared to stay flexible and to adapt fast with new strategies.

The mentioned games GtR and 7 Wonders are also very very good.
 
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Voucherboy
United Kingdom

Surrey
Thanks everyone I have decided to take the plunge. It will manly be played as a two player game so seemed ideal. I have also pre ordered the Black Box of Glory to Rome as the current edition looks so bad I couldn't bring myself to buy it so that was a good shout too.
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Tadeu Zubaran
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voucherboy wrote:
Thanks everyone I have decided to take the plunge. It will manly be played as a two player game so seemed ideal. I have also pre ordered the Black Box of Glory to Rome as the current edition looks so bad I couldn't bring myself to buy it so that was a good shout too.

Good choices, I think you won't regret either, happy gaming.
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V L
United States

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For the record I think Innovation is great fun with any # of players.
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Chris Hawks
United States
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I can't recommend Innovation either, though I see why other people enjoy it; for me, there's just way too much stuff you have to account for, and the expansion just exacerbates that problem.

However, I just played Glory to Rome for the first time this weekend—the Cambridge version, two-player—and I absolutely loved it.
 
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Forty One
United Kingdom

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Worth it just for the nuclear fission card. "I'm going to nuke you people into the stone age". Whoops! (A chance it removes all cards from all players apart from previous dominations).
Does make for a longer game though.
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Jordan Czop
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Victoria
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voucherboy wrote:
Thanks everyone I have decided to take the plunge. It will manly be played as a two player game so seemed ideal. I have also pre ordered the Black Box of Glory to Rome as the current edition looks so bad I couldn't bring myself to buy it so that was a good shout too.


You wont regret it. Good Choice.
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Moshe Tenenbaum
Canada
Toronto
Ontario
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I just want to say, I purchased Innovation (and the expansion) based on the hype here. My hardcore fans (and I love all 0 of you) would know that I have been looking for a good buy/sell/market card game like Jambo, Traders of Carthage, and San Juan. San Juan I have to research more but Jambo seems like a winner and ToC is OOP and thereby marked up ridiculously. I couldn't bring myself to buy any of them so I bought Innovation and Echoes.

I was ambivalent about it. I like theme in my games and I like the gameplay to tie into the theme. This game is very dry and I knew that. But folks said the Civ element plays a role and I love civ elements in my games.

What this game does have is a sense of progression and it succeeds at this! Moving through the civilizations actually has a feeling of moving. I love the fact that your opponent can get a card that will destroy you until you get that first card from the next age. I love the way that you're always balancing, trying to build better and better cards while not falling behind in various symbols or covering up great dogmas. I love the way ones score fluctuates wildly based on asshole dogmas. And I love playing it as a (good-natured) cutthroat game.

I can't believe I like this game so much. Totally unexpected. Lives up to the hype, IMO, not the kind of thing I'd normally go for based off the description but DAMN
 
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  • Last edited Thu Apr 26, 2012 5:46 am (Total Number of Edits: 1)
  • Posted Thu Apr 26, 2012 5:42 am
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