Unmatched: Teen Spirit

Unmatched, and thank heavens for it. I have played quite a few games and quite a few sets by now, mostly with my son, and every time I reach the same brilliant conclusion: we have a great time. I still have not had the chance to try 2 vs 2, but at 1 vs 1 the game does exactly what it promises, without lasting longer than it should.

At its core, we pick characters and set them against one another in a straightforward duel. The experience changes depending on whom you control, and that matters when I play with my son: he can hold his own perfectly well against me, provided I do not give him an overly complex character, such as the Witcher tree.

The flow of the confrontation stays pleasantly direct, with both players trying to get more out of their character than their opponent does. I prefer keeping fights within the same thematic setting, because that is where I feel there is more cohesion and a more fitting kind of versus play. Wild crossovers like Geralt versus She-Hulk versus Houdini versus Shredder may be impressive, but to me they are also gloriously ridiculous.

In the end, I had misunderstood Unmatched for far too long. It is an excellent game, with an extremely well-judged running time and plenty of room to enjoy it again and again, especially when you find the right opponent and the right thematic match-up.