Heat: Pedal to the Metal

The second big surprise of the week was that, after the stars finally aligned, we sat at the same table again after many years with a familiar former game-shop owner from Ampelokipoi and pulp enthusiast. There was plenty of catching up, we played a game or two, and Heat came first. Unfortunately, it did absolutely nothing for me.

At its core, it is an intro-level racing game in which the progress of the race depends heavily on the hand you have drawn and on how you manage Heat. It is not a bad idea, and I can see why it might work as an easy entry point to the genre, especially for groups looking for something immediate and thematic.

For me, though, my interaction with the system felt far too draw-dependent and random. Most of the time I looked at my hand and the choice seemed almost obvious, rather than a meaningful decision. And when someone gets out in front with enough Heat in reserve, they can simply hold that lead and take the win without much worry.

Obviously, the advanced rules improve it and give it more replayability. Even so, racing games do not thrill me that much in the first place, and I cannot find a reason to choose this over something in the vein of Thunder Alley. I am not calling it a bad game; it is simply a clear pass for me.