Corrosion

Corrosion reached my collection largely because I could not leave it alone: I had heard enough muted reports, but action programming is a mechanism I am rarely willing to pass by. Beneath the industrial dressing, fortunately, is a very clear design with rather more pressure in its decisions than its reputation suggests.

Each player builds a factory, trying to turn the most efficient production into points by the end. On a turn, you play a card to take resources, machines, or staff from the shared board, and may then fit that acquisition into your production line.

Alternatively, you turn your factory's central gear and let the next shift operate. The interesting decision is whether to claim something useful from the board now or allow your programme to run, knowing that the available options will not wait politely. The pace is brisk and downtime is slight, though several moments demand precisely the head-down calculation the genre ought to provide.

The advanced machines are my one modest reservation, since some of them appear particularly potent. There are more of them than there are players, however, so this does not become either an issue of fairness or a game decided by one fortunate reveal.

For me, Corrosion was a pleasing rebuttal to the expectations set by other reports. It suits players who want action programming to be the whole engine rather than a decorative badge on the bonnet, and it made the same plainly positive impression on my group. Quietly excellent.