Smartphone Inc.

I initially underestimated Smartphone Inc. The unfamiliar designers and its theme made me place it next to Franchise, an honest game I already own and one that I thought covered my light network-building needs perfectly well. Thankfully, that first impression was far too limited for what this game actually offers.

Its rules remain simple and do not overwhelm the group, yet the game has much more depth than it first lets on. The interest is not just in building your own network, but in constantly trying to read what everyone else is preparing.

That is where the interaction emerges: cutting each other off, suspicion, hang-ups, and the necessary drama when someone ruins your plans. It is one of those games where opponents' choices matter and keep you engaged with the table, without the procedures becoming tiring or hard to understand.

It plays comfortably at all player counts, provided that for three players you have the 1.1. expansion for its corresponding map, and the package includes all the goodies too: bots, retailers, and so on. The production is top-notch as well. My only real objection is that the expansion feels essential, so the overall cost climbs a little bit. Even so, Smartphone Inc. proved much better and much more interesting to me than my initial, unfair dismissal.