REVIEW: Catan (XBLA) - Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community

xepherys · 08-12-2007, 02:11 PM

I had never heard of Settlers of Catan before it became available for download via Xbox Live Arcade. However, rave reviews and more than a few fans of the board game convinced me to download it and give it a try.

Now, after playing for about a week and settling in on the hard difficulty against the AI opponents, I can state, with clear conscience, that this was worth the 800 MS points I paid.

The basics of the game are that you play on a hex-based board made up of resource tiles. You place settlements, cities and roads along those resources when possible. Each turn the dice are rolled, and players with settlements or cities bordering a hex bearing that number receive resources of that type. There's a bit more to it than that, but that's about it. If it sounds simple, it is! But mastering some of the deeper strategies (when to play your soldier cards, when to trade and when not to, when to try for "longest road" points, "largest army" points or just to build your settlements up into cities, for example) definitely takes a bit of time.

I can't speak to the multiplayer, as my internet out here doesn't support gaming of even such a simple nature. However, I can truly recommend this inexpensive game for anyone who enjoys strategy games, board games or is just looking for something new to play in a casual situation.

SecretMethod70 · 08-13-2007, 03:15 AM

I recently played this board game for the first time after hearing good things about it for awhile and I agree that it's very good. There are also expansions, although my friends have mixed opinions about those. Apparently, the Cities and Knights expansion screws up the balance, but they seem to like the Seafarers of Catan expansion. I haven't had a chance to play using either of those yet though.

08-12-2007, 02:11 PM	#1 (permalink)
xepherys <3 TFP Location: 17TLH2445607250	REVIEW: Catan (XBLA) I had never heard of Settlers of Catan before it became available for download via Xbox Live Arcade. However, rave reviews and more than a few fans of the board game convinced me to download it and give it a try. Now, after playing for about a week and settling in on the hard difficulty against the AI opponents, I can state, with clear conscience, that this was worth the 800 MS points I paid. The basics of the game are that you play on a hex-based board made up of resource tiles. You place settlements, cities and roads along those resources when possible. Each turn the dice are rolled, and players with settlements or cities bordering a hex bearing that number receive resources of that type. There's a bit more to it than that, but that's about it. If it sounds simple, it is! But mastering some of the deeper strategies (when to play your soldier cards, when to trade and when not to, when to try for "longest road" points, "largest army" points or just to build your settlements up into cities, for example) definitely takes a bit of time. I can't speak to the multiplayer, as my internet out here doesn't support gaming of even such a simple nature. However, I can truly recommend this inexpensive game for anyone who enjoys strategy games, board games or is just looking for something new to play in a casual situation. __________________ The prospect of achieving a peace agreement with the extremist group of MILF is almost impossible... -- Emmanuel Pinol, Governor of Cotobato My Homepage

08-13-2007, 03:15 AM	#2 (permalink)
SecretMethod70 Human Administrator Location: Chicago	I recently played this board game for the first time after hearing good things about it for awhile and I agree that it's very good. There are also expansions, although my friends have mixed opinions about those. Apparently, the Cities and Knights expansion screws up the balance, but they seem to like the Seafarers of Catan expansion. I haven't had a chance to play using either of those yet though. __________________ Le temps détruit tout "Musicians are the carriers and communicators of spirit in the most immediate sense." - Kurt Elling