TDG: City of the Great Machine

Tired of villages with so-so machines? Have I got the game for you! Join Cody as he looks at this steampunk adventure of oppression and revolution from CrowD Games. Will your game night run with clockwork perfection? Or will something get stuck in the gears? Let's watch!

[siriactuallysara]

I see someone covering this game finally

[Biodelic]

Got the all-in pledge for very cheap from a friend that tremendously hated the game. He called it the dumbest pledge of his life. 🤣

So far I played three solo games and I had a jolly good time with it. Yes, it can be a bit fiddly at times but this has been very small nuisance so far. In my opinion, it offers an excellent foundation upon which one can easily suit houserules to streamline some aspects.

This weekend it will be played with several people. Very much looking forward to that experience.

[bgm-]

Wow, is this one heck of an immersive and original game! Though while I don't fully agree, I see where you're coming from wrt it being "fiddly", and in need of some streamlining. But then, that's why it's such an immersive game!
For the sake of other readers, I agree that it can be construed as "fiddly", though not in the same sense that we apply the term for other, truly fiddly games. IMHO, this game's "fiddlyness" comes from its plethora of actions available to both the Great Machine and the Revolutionaries, but only because of the subtleness in how they all interact with, and support each other, for each side. Not to mention that each side needs to be aware of what the other is capable of. Combine that knowledge with the current board state of the board, and the decision space does become "fiddly" in a sense. So, in other words, I wouldn't say that any of the mechanics are fiddly... sure... it takes a while to get the various movement costs down... but once you grasp the mechanics, it's actually the decision space that can become "fiddly" to form a clear picture of. But again, that's why the game is so immersive.
And about it needing streamlining... again, I see where you're coming from. But I wouldn't know what could be cut or modified without taking the players out of their roles or diluting the game's objectives.
...
All in all, this is turning out to be one of my stellar, favorite games of the year. I introduced it to two different groups at Geekway, and they both really enjoyed it... likely for the same reasons you say it's a good game. One game was 4 players and the other was three. The 3-player game didn't feel a whole lot different... it just went a bit quicker is all.
...
Then there's the solo game! OMG... what a phenomenal solo experience! Now IT is streamlined - much more than expected. The AI is actually a joy to run, and it keeps you engaged and on your toes!

[healthygamingnetwork]

If you are going to use imprecise language like the word "fiddly" in a review please define what that means to you so your audience had a frame of reference for your opinion. How I would define "fiddly" is having rules, game mechanisms, or game pieces that distract from the overall game play (most often the latter). I dont see any of that here so "fiddly" must mean something very different to you. Thanks and keep the reviews coming!

[thegamesninja]

I am awaiting the expansion where another Great Machine is Cody and involves the production of dad jokes. 🥷