london board game review

Alright, listen up, y’all. I’m gonna tell ya ’bout this game, this “London” game. Some folks call it a board game, I guess that’s what it is. It ain’t like checkers, though, no sir. This here’s a bit more…complicated, like tryin’ to figure out why the rooster crows at 3 in the mornin’.

What’s this London game all about, you ask? Well, it’s ’bout buildin’ stuff, I reckon. Like, buildin’ a whole city, a big ol’ place like…well, I ain’t never seen a city that big, but you get the picture. You gotta put up buildin’s and stuff, make it all fancy-like. And you gotta get money, gotta keep things runnin’, gotta make sure folks ain’t starvin’ or nothin’. It’s kinda like runnin’ a big farm, but with more bricks and less chickens.

Now, they say this game takes place in somethin’ called the “Victorian era.” I ain’t got a clue what that is, sounds fancy, though. Maybe it’s when them rich folks wore them big hats and rode around in carriages. Anyway, you gotta pretend you’re back then, buildin’ up London after… somethin’ bad happened. A fire, they say. A big one. Burned the whole place down, near ’bout. So, you’re kinda like the clean-up crew, but instead of brooms, you got little wooden blocks and cards.

• First thing you gotta do is get some land, I guess. Can’t build nothin’ without land, right? It’s like plantin’ seeds, you need dirt first.
• Then you start puttin’ up buildin’s. All sorts of buildin’s. Some give you money, some give you points, some…well, I ain’t quite sure what some of ‘em do, to be honest. Too many fancy words on them cards.
• And you gotta hire folks to work for ya. Can’t do it all by yourself, can ya? Just like on the farm, gotta have hands to help with the harvest.
• You gotta keep an eye on your money, too. Can’t go spendin’ it all on fancy buildin’s if you ain’t got enough to pay the workers. That’s just common sense, even a blind mule can see that.

This game, it ain’t quick. It takes a while, like bakin’ a good loaf of bread. You gotta think, gotta plan, gotta… I don’t know, strategize, they call it. It ain’t like no game I ever played before. Usually, I’m playin’ somethin’ simple, like Go Fish with the grandkids. But this here “London” game, it makes your brain hurt a little.

Is it fun? Well, that depends. If you like thinkin’ hard and plannin’ ahead, then yeah, maybe you’ll like it. It ain’t for everyone, though. Some folks, they just wanna throw some dice and be done with it. This here game is for them what likes a challenge, them that likes to build things and see ’em grow, even if it’s just little wooden blocks on a board. If you’re lookin’ for somethin’ easy-peasy, go play checkers. But if you wanna feel like you’re buildin’ a whole dang city, then give this “London” game a try.

But let me tell ya, this game ain’t perfect. All them little pieces, they’re easy to lose. Dropped one under the table the other day, spent half an hour lookin’ for it. And the rules, oh lord, the rules! They’re thicker than a Sears catalog. Took me a good long while to figure out what I was doin’. Had to get my grandson to explain it to me, and he’s just a whippersnapper. Still, once you get the hang of it, it ain’t so bad. Just gotta be patient, like waitin’ for the crops to grow.

And another thing, this game, it ain’t cheap. Cost more than a good pair of work boots, I tell ya. But I guess if you’re gonna spend your money on somethin’, might as well be somethin’ that makes you think, right? Better than spendin’ it on them lottery tickets, that’s for sure. At least with this game, you got somethin’ to show for it at the end, even if it’s just a bunch of cardboard and wood.

So, there ya have it. That’s my take on this “London” game. It ain’t the best game I ever played, and it sure ain’t the easiest, but it’s somethin’ different. Keeps your mind sharp, I reckon. And who knows, maybe you’ll even learn a thing or two about buildin’ a city. Just don’t expect it to be like buildin’ a chicken coop. This here is a whole different ball game.

Tags: London, board game, city building, Victorian era, strategy game, board game review