Review
1883: Building Railroads in Northern Italy
1883 is a hard Italian train game that lets random events reshuffle everything almost every round. Exhausting and unstable, but still an experience for anyone looking beyond the usual choices.
1883: Building Railroads in Northern Italy
- Published
- 2019
- Designer
- Manlio Manzini
- Publisher
- Aleph Game Studio
- Players
- 2–4
- Playing time
- 300 min
1883: Building Railroads in Northern Italy is not the calm train game I would put on the table for a relaxed evening. It is tough, demanding, and has that feeling that just when you start finding your footing, something comes along to shake you up.
The random events are a central part of that experience. Every round can turn over what you thought you had worked out, so you need to tolerate the unexpected and avoid becoming too attached to your plan.
That makes the game’s flow harsh: I do not feel as though I am calmly building toward a safe objective, but rather as though I have to keep finding my balance again. For me, that disruption is also what makes it a distinctive experience, even if it will not be for everyone.
If you are tired of the usual games and want an Italian train game for strong stomachs, full of constant reversals, it is worth a look. If you prefer something steadier and more predictable, though, you are probably better off sticking with the classics.
Source: BoardGameGeek
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