TransAmerica

Today's review is of the 2001 release, TransAmerica. For 2-6 players, it takes 30 minutes.

Overview

TransAmerica is played over several rounds. In each round, you are dealt five city cards (one in each region of an American map, denoted by color) and your goal is to connect your five cities. Each player has a starting token, which they take turns placing at any junction on the map. Then the round begins.

On your turn, you can lay two pieces of track along the grid lines (or only one piece if a double line is shown). Initially, you can build only from your token, but the tracks in this game are shared: once you connect to another's network, you can build at any point along the greater connection. If you're lucky, other players will do your work for you, laying track to get you closer to your own goals. Play continues clockwise until one player has connected all five of their cities. Once that happens, the other players count how far (in aggregate) they are from connecting theirs; they advance their 'scoring train' that many squares. The the board is cleared, city cards are shuffled and re-dealt, and the next round begins. The game ends once one player's train falls into the ocean . . . then the player farthest from that is the winner.

game in progress; image from here

Review

This is a simplified version of Ticket to Ride. There isn't a lot of strategic choice here (though there is a little bit); you will do well if other players happen to be building towards the general direction of your destination cities. Then you can ride their coattails to efficiently complete your own connections. But if not, you're out of luck.

This isn't a bad game; it is good for a light social game night. But don't look here for deep strategy.

Rating: B

Being God's Image (Carmen Joy Imes)

In 2019, Carmen Joy Imes wrote Bearing God's Name. This book is a companion volume to that. She says in the introduction that it is an extended answer to this question: "how does bearing God's name relate to being the image of God?" Her basic answer is that "every human being is created as God's image . . . [and] our identity as God's image implies a representational role—the Creater God appointed humans to exercise his rule over creation on his behalf." The fall of man corrupted us, of course, but did not change these important truths. Imes thus spends the book exploring this topic, looking at humans in God's world, the way of wisdom, and humans in God's new world. 

Overall, this is a solid work. She explains some key concepts (which may be familiar to a mature Christian) but incorporated some interesting and new [to me] interpretations of several Biblical texts. It felt meandering in places—more like reflections on the topic vs. a clear structure—but I enjoyed it and would recommend it overall.

Rating: B+

Batman: The Animated Series (Season 1)

Batman: The Animated Series follows the Caped Crusader as he seeks to bring justice to Gotham City. You'll see him fight foes familiar and foreign, included Joker, Harley Quinn, Poison Ivy, Clayface, Riddler, Penguin, the Mad Hatter, Mr. Freeze, and so on. Can Batman (and very occasionally Robin) save the day?

This series ran from 1992-1995 and is much loved, even decades later. It was influenced by the popular Tim Burton movies Batman and Batman Returns, borrowing some of the music and tone. The style pays homage to the 1940s, using a style combination of noir and art deco that the producers called "dark deco." And dark it was in theme, too, for a children's cartoon of the time. Re-watching these as an adult, I was impressed with the themes of some episodes, wrestling with things like pain (Mr. Freeze), mental illness (The Ventriloquist), yearning (Mad Hatter), and struggle for healing (Clayface).

Bizarrely, the episode count is lopsided. Season one ran for 65 episodes, followed by season two (20 episodes). Then there was a follow-on show called The New Batman Adventures (24 episodes). Making it more confusing, these two shows were bundled together and sold as a four-volume set (the first three are pictured above). Season one spanned volume one, volume two, and part of volume three. 

Overall, I really liked season one. Some episodes were 'filler' or 'chaff', but there were enough solid entries to merit watching the whole thing. I did notice some animation differences; apparently the studio contracted out to several places, and one in particular was eventually fired. That aside, I look forward to a much shorter season two; it took me six months go get through the first.

Rating: A

Ghostbusters: the Card Game

Today's review is of the 2018 release, Ghostbusters: the Card Game. For 2-5 players, it takes 20-30 minutes.

Overview

The spirits are loose! In this lightweight card game, your job is to capture them. Who you gonna call to help? You know the answer . . .

This game has two decks: action and ghost. After setting up (see below), each player will have 3 action cards in their hand. There will be 12 ghosts in a circle on the board with a ghost trap at 12 o'clock and a direction marker in the middle.

game setup; image from here

The game has 3 rounds. In each round, you take turns capturing ghosts. When that round is complete, put out 12 more ghosts for the next round. After 3 rounds, score.

On your turn, you do three things:

1. Take Actions. You may take up to 2 actions, and for each, you have two options: 

- play an action card: play a card from your hand, carry out its effect, and discard it

- discard an action card: draw one to replace it

Note: as an additional action, you may also use ghost abilities of those you have captured on prior turns. 

2. Capture Ghost. If you played at least one action card this turn, capture the ghost at the trap's location. Put it in your player area, with any other ghosts you have captured on previous turns. Move the ghost trap to the next card in the circle (following the direction marker).

3. Refill Hand. Draw cards from the action deck until you have 3 cards in hand.

At the end of the game, you score, adding up each captured ghost's value plus bonuses for sets and sequences (based on scoring icons and roman numerals on cards, respectively), gear, and slime. Highest total wins!

Review

We found this game at a bargain outlet. It is fine for what it is: a lightweight set collection game with some mild card drafting (since some captured ghosts grant you abilities). There is a heavy luck component. It is recommended for children and ghostbuster fans, but seasoned gamers will want a heavier experience.

Rating: B

Legends of King Arthur: A Card Game

Today's review is of the 2023 release, Legends of King Arthur: A Card Game. For 2-4 players, it takes 30 minutes.

Overview

As they did in the times of old, complete quests for renown . . . and victory! In this card game, your goal is to complete quests (represented by quest cards) by assigning one character [card] to it and adding journey cards until the quest is completed (meaning the character + journey cards collectively meet the symbols indicated on the quest card). Quests are of four different types: romance, power, mystery, and wild (which serve as any of the other three types). When one player has completed three different types (or three of the same type) of quest, the game is over and final scores are tallied. Highest score wins!

Each character card represents an Arthurian persona, and has special abilities. You may use any character to go on any quest, but you'll find that some characters have abilities that help (or hinder) a given type. So choose wisely!

To set up, the various decks (journey, legend, quest, and character, shown clockwise from top in the below picture) are shuffled in their respective piles and 1 character + 4 journey cards are given to each player. Of the decks, three quest and character cards are always displayed face up.

Setup from the how to play video linked below

Turn order is straightforward:

- play 2 cards or discard as many cards as you like

- take a special action if desired (you get 4 total for the game, and your remaining special actions count as points at games end). These actions can give you access to the legend cards and more.

- draw your hand back up to 5 cards, drawing from either the journey and/or character card decks

To go on a quest, you choose a quest (on the table, next to the quest deck) and assign a character (in your hand) to it, placing both face up in front of you. (I think this counts as playing 2 cards for that turn). You may have 3 active quests at any time. On subsequent turns, you can either play journey cards to that particular quest, discard cards, or go on another quest (assuming you have a character in your hand to do so). At your turn's end, you draw back up to 5 cards, choosing characters and/or journey cards as you desire.

When you complete a quest, you discard the character and journey cards used to do so, but keep the quest card, as it has a point value that will be tallied at game's end. Once a player has completed three quests of the appropriate type(s), everyone tallies points and highest wins.

This how to play video is helpful.

Review

My King Arthur reading focus spilled over into games. This caught my eye at a bookstore and I was excited to get it as a gift. The game is okay. It is a set collection game with some twists and an Arthurian theme. The theme is, I'll say, mildly pasted on, meaning there is some reflection of 'authenticity' to the Arthurian tales, but this game could work without it. It is ultimately about matching symbols and choosing quests that synergize with your characters. There is a heavy luck component, as you cannot see any journey cards in that draw pile.

The twists were interesting. I won't cover them all here, but you will get cards that enable you to mess with your opponents or help yourself by stealing journey cards, swapping them, and so on.

Side note: this won't teach you about the legends (as the game claims); the paragraph introduction to each character in the rules booklet is fine but hardly a substitute for reading about them. 

Overall, I thought the game was decent. Though a simple game, the rules were confusing in places and we've had to do some house interpretations. That diminished my enjoyment. And the heavy luck component minimizes meaningful decisions. It's worth a look, though, as a lightweight set collection experience.

Rating: B

King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table (Howard Pyle, Joshua Hanft)

King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table is the Great Illustrated Classics version of Howard Pyle's work. It is adapted by Joshua Hanft, with illustrations (on every other page!) by Pablo Marcos Studio.

I have a vague memory of enjoying tales in the Great Illustrated Classics as a child. I didn't overly enjoy this. Hanft takes Pyle's quadrilogy (Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4) and condenses it greatly. It is basically two-thirds of book one (covering Arthur's rise and Merlin's fall) and the last third of book four (covering Launcelot and Guinevere's situation and the last battle). But what really bugged me was the art. Howard Pyle was a masterful illustrator, and this version didn't use any of his Arthurian works. Instead, it featured a black-and-white comic style, where Arthur looked a bit like He-Man. 

Overall, I supposed this is a starting point for children to learn about the general legend. But it is stripped of its potency, tragedy, and beauty.

Rating: B-

Deadpool 2

In this sequel to Deadpool, "Merc with a Mouth" Wade Wilson is doing what he does (killing bad guys with amazing skills and snarky comments) while also looking to settle down and start a family. When his girlfriend is killed, though, he is determined to join her in death, but his superhero 'curse' (accelerated healing) makes that difficult. A vision shows him that he remains for a purpose, and he makes it his mission to help the X-men with a misguided mutant, Firefist, who is terrorizing his abusive orphanage overseers and placed under arrest. But things get complicated fast . . . Cable, a mutant from the future, arrives and claims that Firefist becomes a monster and must be killed. Fighting both his nature and Cable, Deadpool is forced to figure out fast what it means to be a part of that dreaded 'f' word . . . family.

This movie is like the first one: a snarky, unfiltered, break-the-fourth wall hero whose pop-culture-laden wit is in turn hilarious and inappropriate. The movie can be violent and gross, too. And yet . . . the message (self-sacrifice, seen in several ways) is weirdly good, and the overall experience aligns with the original film: "I enjoyed that, but should I have?" Don't let your kids see it, but you might want to check it out.

Rating: A-