This week Mike takes on rocket science and discovers arguably the best game of 2010.
Date: Thursday, December 02, 2010
Author: Michael Barnes
It should be abundantly clear that HIGH FRONTIER is not a game for everyone. It requires more from its players than is usual in terms of processing both its particulars as well as the designer’s perspectives, but it also gives more back to those willing to become absorbed by the experience it offers. In a sense it is the epitome of what a hobby game, as opposed to a mainstream game, should be. But even within the hobby, this is not the correct game choice for those looking for an easy going Eurogame or a high-action conquest title.
HIGH FRONTIER earns my highest recommendation of the year despite its accessibility issues. I think that any gamer with an adventurous spirit and a desire to witness how games can go far beyond sending us on yet another dungeon crawl or tasking us with impressing some European authority figure should buy it immediately. Games can have big ideas and make them part of our entertainment experience; they can challenge us to make tough choices and deal with consequences, and they can make incredibly complex science into something fun to enjoy with our friends and family. This game is about unexplored country, not only in outer space but also on our tables.
