Autobahn: Kickstarter Edition

The sequel came with little cars, trucks, and suppositories—and yes, the most common line across our two-and-a-half-hour game was, “Where should I put the petrol station?” Autobahn carries a slightly cursed aura: the fulfilment problems were serious, and the KS Deluxe edition that finally reached us looks more like a Cheapass Games production than a European game that wants to call itself deluxe. It is not the luxurious box-opening experience I expected.

On the table, though, the substance lies elsewhere. This is a dense network-building euro where you build and use a road network, with cars and trucks giving real weight to your decisions. Choosing where to place an element of infrastructure—even a petrol station—is not a decorative detail; it is exactly the kind of decision that comes back to the table again and again.

Its pickup-and-deliver side ties into that network building and keeps the game full of things to consider. I did not experience it as a dry puzzle; it has enough substance to keep you constantly thinking about how to organize your network more effectively and make your deliveries work. The interaction, as I experienced it, comes mainly from the shared pressure on that space and from placement decisions, rather than from loud, confrontational attacks.

In the end, the gameplay more than makes up for it. I liked it a lot and, for my tastes, I would place it alongside Carnegie. It runs a little long and can become tiring, but not enough to spoil my overall impression. I genuinely hope it gets back to the table soon.