Keyflower

Keyflower is a retro pick and a long-standing favourite of our group, and this time we played it with Merchants. We had a good time, even if the session did not reach the game's very best heights. The expansion added a little more uncertainty to the table, but it also reminded us that some details require you to keep your eyes open.

The heart of the interaction remains the bidding and, above all, the counterbidding. When someone tries to lock down something that benefits them, the other players have a way to answer and put pressure on them. That is the nice thing about it: you do not have to sit passively and watch one player pull ahead, as long as you remember when and why it is worth contesting something.

With Merchants, the final season gains hidden scoring elements, which in theory also help reduce AP. In our game, though, some buildings from the expansion felt slightly broken, especially when the rule that doubles their score comes into play. It is not necessarily a disaster for balance: if you know it is coming, fair counterbidding can work as a counterweight. We were simply a little rusty, and we felt it more than we would have liked.

Overall, it was an enjoyable return to a game that still has bite and room for the right responses to other players. It is just that next time we see those Merchants buildings, we will be a little more prepared. Now we only need the stars to align so that we can play it again soon — yeah, right.