Ore: The Mining Game

Ore: The Mining Game struck me as interesting, but also somewhat dry. The idea of mining deposits alongside market manipulation has a solid foundation; it simply never gained enough tension or flavour at the table to keep me fully engaged throughout the game.

At its core, I liked the way the diggers descend into the mines. It is a mechanism that gives the game direction and makes mining feel like a meaningful part of our decisions, rather than mere thematic decoration.

The pricing of the minerals is equally good. The market, and the attempt to influence the value of things, give players a reason to watch one another instead of playing entirely in parallel. Still, that interaction was not enough to sustain interest for the whole duration.

I do not think it is a bad game, and I would happily play it again, especially because it works well with five players—a number that has become almost standard for my group. Still, you will not be missing much if you never encounter it: it has good ideas, but it lacks the icing that would make them genuinely memorable.