Urban Sprawl

I know Urban Sprawl is not for everyone. Some people simply do not like it at all, while others criticize the AP it can produce. But I look at it through the lens of the evening it gave us: two and a half substantial hours, with the tension staying on the table until the end and the feeling that we had played something worth its time.

In our game, the pace was not frantic or rushed; it was the pace of a game that lets you dwell on your decisions. That is also where I understand the discussion about analysis paralysis: when every choice feels as if it matters, it is easy for someone to get stuck for a little too long.

Even so, the flow worked for us. Players take turns making their decisions, and the game builds its tension around the points race, with interaction showing mainly in how everyone else’s progress makes you reassess your own position. The final picture was close on points, even if our beloved journalist had put something like thirty-five points or more over our heads.

So, for me, Urban Sprawl remains a very enjoyable experience when it finds the right group and receives the time it asks for. And after this game, my curiosity about Welcome to Centerville has only grown—I hope it is just as good.