Dice Forge

Since we are on the subject of dice, it is time for the successor to Seasons. I have not played Seasons, so I cannot make a fair comparison; what I can say is that Dice Forge left me with a pleasant impression, both as a game and as an object on the table. Special mention goes to the insert: it noticeably cuts down setup and pack-up time, which I always appreciate.

Its core is dice crafting: rather than being stuck with the same dice, you change their faces and gradually shape what your rolls can give you. It is an idea that sounds great and, at first, it certainly has its charm.

In practice, though, fiddling with the dice themselves ended up annoying me more than impressing me. Honestly, I would prefer standard six-sided dice and tiles on a player board that build up the results: it would do roughly the same job, probably with less fuss and at a much lower production cost. The different setups keep sessions fresh without the whole game needing to lean on the gimmick.

Even so, Dice Forge is quick and has huge replayability. I can very easily see it as a family game, but also as that game you take on holiday and set up differently each time. I own the expansion too, though I have not tried it yet; it looks like it adds a little more depth. I will return to it someday.