So, here I am, shamefully punting another game.
The game is called HeroScape, and it is basically a game of two fantasy armies going up against each other on terrain that is built from tiles that interlock and stack on each other, giving you the ability to play on different 3D battlefields every time. There are plenty of expansions, giving you snow terrain, volcanic lava terrain, trees and bridges, and a multitude of creatures and men to add to your ranks. The game is big, bigger than it looks anyway. Even one master set, as pictured above, will be enough to cover a significant portion of most dining room tables.
I didn't want to like this one, it seemed to be for kids (that's the target market), and more flash than anything else. However, one afternoon on a visit to my games store, they were out of anything I wanted, so I decided to give it a try, thinking my son would like it. This was last week. Since then, two of my work colleagues have felt they needed a copy too, and together the three of us have purchased all the HeroScape merchandise in our area (and it's a big area). This says more about how scarce the game is here than it does about how much we purchased, but it should serve to illustrate how it tends to grab you.
I have plenty of "gamer's games" in my collection of board games (now numbering 89), but for sheer fun, this one is tops. My son of 7 years old did like it, and will hardly play anything else now. Even when not playing, he often sits and builds terrain, and plays through battles on his own, trying out different characters.
Anybody else been sucked in by this one? I tell myself I am buying expansions for my son, but part of me knows better, and my work colleagues aren't even pretending. They are playing it with their adult friends, and are really enjoying it.
If it sounds interesting, check it out at http://www.heroscape.com.
