Heaven & Ale

Heaven & Ale was one of those games that had slipped under my radar when it came out, even though Sotiris often mentioned it as one of his absolute favourites. At the recent hideout auction, I added it to my hoard and put it on the table at the first opportunity.

At its core, it is a very nice, clever semi-rondel, with a feel that lightly reminded me of Glenmore. When your turn comes, you move forward as many spaces as you want around the board’s circle, until everyone has completed the lap. The central decision is immediately clear and constantly tense: do you rush to grab what you want, or move more cautiously in order to gain more actions?

That choice is what keeps the system tight. The game gives you neither time nor room to take everything, and as players better understand its rhythm, the meaningful cuts between them begin. It does not need flashy conflict: getting to the right space first, or forcing someone else to move on terms that do not suit them, is enough.

I find it honest and tough, a game that—like its monks’ beer—improves when you let it mature through repeated plays. Do not judge it from the first game: it may initially seem a little unbalanced, but later plays make it clearer why its decisions carry weight.