Excavation Earth

Excavation Earth is one of those cases where a beloved designer of a well-known influencer does something beyond solo rules—and, for me, ends up with a game that has flown more under the radar than it deserves.

At its core, it is an action-programming game: I program my actions and try to use them at the right moment. That gives it a pleasantly brain-burning feel, because it is not enough to have a good plan; I also need to have placed it correctly within the flow of the game.

At the same time, the market is a space for manipulation, and that is where much of the interaction lies. My choices affect what has value and what is profitable, so I am constantly watching not only my own direction but also what the other players may want to exploit.

My main complaint is the tempo. It lacks that old, good “fiery crescendo”: the final round can be uninteresting for some players, which is not ideal in a game like this. Even so, I would play it again without a second thought. It has plenty of replayability, while the new Kickstarter expansion adds additional paths to victory. It is not game of the year, but if you can now find it at a good price, it is absolutely worth two or three plays.