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by fabio 04/12/2012, 8:01pm PDT |
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So Fantasy Flight Games wanted to do a reissue of the 1979 Dune boardgame but couldn't get the IP rights from Herbert's estate, so they pulled a Space Hulk and just copied the mechanics with a different background. Unfortunately, a lot of the fun from a Dune game comes from the background, and FFG went with their Twilight Imperium LORE that no one cares about.
Once you get past that though, scribbling out every proper noun in the game and replacing it with its Dune equivalent, REX is a lot of fun. The mechanics revolve around forging alliances while fighting other players while collecting random appearing resource while avoiding a random deadly hazard. In Dune it was collecting spice while avoiding sand storms, in REX it's collecting "influence" (bwuh?) while avoiding a fleet of orbital bombarding ships. Once all your scribbling is done, role play your faction to your heart's content. Fattest player gets the Harkonnen.
Combat is a neat game of loser loses all chicken. Players secretly "bid" one to all of their units for a total strength in addition to some other modifiers. Winner loses the number of units he bid while the loser loses everything. Everyone in the game starts with a random traitor card, each representing one of five leaders from one of the other factions. Leaders add their value to the battle. If you happen to have the traitor card of the leader your opponent played, he loses everything and you nothing.
The rest of the fun comes in the asymmetry of the factions. The "Fremen" know ahead of time what path the bombardment fleet will take and are more mobile with ambushes. The "Emperor" gets powerful "Sardukar" units and receives all money spent by other players on combat cards. The "Bene Gesserit" can decline combat, use "the voice" to forbid certain combat cards, and secretly predict at the start of the game a faction and turn number to win (if their prediction comes true they win instead). The "Harkonnen" receive four traitors instead of one. "Atredis" get an edge in combat cards. "The Guild" receives all money spent by other players on movement.
Another good mechanic is the way alliances are handled. No more anti-climatic decision-free co-wins of Cosmic Encounter. There is a trade off to alliances since it increases the victory condition the larger it gets (first to control 3 victory spots wins. 4 spots for two person alliance. All 5 spots for three person alliance.) You can only change alliances when a certain card comes up so it's a commitment that requires foresight, but can quickly be dropped.
I'm not sure it's perfect.
-Combat seems like it can become a bit annoying with the cards. If you didn't buy any combat cards you're not going to win any battles. The nature of the cards makes some combat feel like blind rock paper scissors where there isn't any paper, just rock and super sharp rock cutting scissors. This is all still preferable to Cosmic's ten times more random and a hundred times more meaningless combat.
-The rulebook forbids anyone from writing anything down, to prevent players from memorizing what cards others have. This is a retarded holdover from the Eurotrash boardgame genre where photographic memories are supposed to be fun and must correctly be stricken from the game.
- You really need 6 players to make the game work.
- Whoever goes last has a HUGE advantage in the movement and battle phase for that turn, as in whoever goes last has a decent chance of immediately winning the game that turn (certain factions are capable of winning on the first turn if they go last). First player shifts every turn, but with six players and a maximum of 8 turns, some players get the random advantage of going last twice.
So some flaws, but every fun aspect of Cosmic Encounter is present here without the mounds and mounds of suck. How much effort are you willing to put into taping pictures of Dune characters onto all the cards? |
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Boardgame roundup: Vol. 1 by FABIO 04/26/2005, 10:56pm PDT 
Re: Boardgame roundup: Vol. 1 by Entropy Stew 04/27/2005, 12:08am PDT
Volume 2, right now! by FABIO 04/27/2005, 3:30am PDT
Re: Volume 2, right now! by Choson 04/27/2005, 6:47am PDT
Re: Volume 2, right now! by theemu 04/27/2005, 11:52am PDT
Re: Volume 2, right now! by FABIO 04/27/2005, 1:43pm PDT
Re: Volume 2, right now! by Choson 04/27/2005, 2:40pm PDT
Re: Volume 2, right now! by laudablepuss 04/27/2005, 2:56pm PDT
Re: Volume 2, right now! by Choson 04/27/2005, 3:01pm PDT
laudablepuss says dice are random NT by binkbot 04/27/2005, 4:57pm PDT
Like football! I also said that. Also ballooning. And then I said comma. NT by laudablepuss 04/27/2005, 5:09pm PDT
Re: Volume 2, right now! by mark 04/27/2005, 12:10pm PDT
Wow by Arbit 04/28/2005, 12:27am PDT
ARE YOU GOING TO TAKE THAT FABIO NT by the CROWD 04/28/2005, 12:43am PDT
*shrug* NT by FABIO 04/28/2005, 12:54am PDT
Re: Boardgame roundup: Vol. 1 by Bill Dungsroman 04/27/2005, 7:54am PDT
Re: Boardgame roundup: Vol. 1 by FABIO 04/28/2005, 2:44pm PDT
Fortress America in ACTION! by FABIO 04/29/2005, 1:20pm PDT
Re: Boardgame roundup: Vol. 1 by mark 04/27/2005, 11:56am PDT
Re: Boardgame roundup: Vol. 1 by FABIO 04/27/2005, 1:52pm PDT
Scott Orr disagress with you! by FABIO 05/09/2005, 9:20pm PDT
Man who made game that sucks, sucks :( NT by mark 05/09/2005, 11:10pm PDT
Memoir '44 by fabio 01/24/2012, 9:50pm PST
No Dark Tower? No Stop Thief? by laudablepuss 04/27/2005, 12:31pm PDT
Re: No Dark Tower? No Stop Thief? by mark 04/27/2005, 1:02pm PDT
Re: No Dark Tower? No Stop Thief? by FABIO 04/28/2005, 2:45pm PDT
yes. by mark 04/28/2005, 3:20pm PDT
Mark's Boardgame Roundup part 1 by mark 04/27/2005, 12:50pm PDT
For the love of God can no one stop these boardgame roundups??? by Ray of Light 04/27/2005, 1:16pm PDT
Re: Mark's Boardgame Roundup part 1 by theemu 04/27/2005, 1:22pm PDT
Mark's Boardgame Roundup part 2 by mark 04/27/2005, 6:11pm PDT
Settlers counter rebuttal by FABIO 04/27/2005, 6:35pm PDT
Re: Settlers counter rebuttal by Quentin Beck 04/27/2005, 6:47pm PDT
actually that was me (that's the new mysterio name? I thought he was a poster) NT by mark 04/27/2005, 6:47pm PDT
Re: Settlers counter rebuttal by Choson 04/27/2005, 7:55pm PDT
Re: Settlers counter rebuttal by Pre 05/10/2005, 11:14am PDT
I can't believe I never heard of Arkham Horror before. by Fullofkittens 04/28/2005, 9:28pm PDT
Re: Boardgame roundup: Vol. 1 by mark 04/28/2005, 12:32am PDT
Vol. 3 by FABIO 05/09/2005, 11:29pm PDT
Thanks! by laudablepuss 05/10/2005, 7:21pm PDT
suggestions by my$terio 05/10/2005, 9:20pm PDT
Dark Tower sells for hundreds on ebay? by extarbags 05/12/2005, 4:08pm PDT
I shot mine full of BBs. Along with all my classic GI Joes. :( NT by laudablepuss 05/13/2005, 11:11am PDT
I demolished my star wars toys in my sand box or fed them to my guniea pig :( NT by Mischief Maker 05/13/2005, 1:58pm PDT
"Putting away childish things" turned out to be a really stupid idea. by laudablepuss 05/13/2005, 4:47pm PDT
Mine sold for $130 by fabio 05/26/2011, 11:14am PDT
Arkham Horror: Making Pen & Paper games obsolete by FABIO 02/13/2008, 9:51pm PST
That should read 1d8 people :( by Erratard 02/13/2008, 10:05pm PST
Wait'll you discover "How to host a murder mystery!" NT by Mischief Maker 02/13/2008, 10:22pm PST
^ roleplaying =( NT by FABIO 02/14/2008, 4:20am PST
My group hit a bunch of obstacles with Arkham Horror. by Last 05/25/2011, 7:14pm PDT
Re: My group hit a bunch of obstacles with Arkham Horror. by fabio 05/26/2011, 12:06pm PDT
My group is having fun now with a play-by-email setup in google docs. by Last 07/27/2011, 9:16pm PDT
Boardgame roundup: Pandemic, Longshot by Last 05/26/2011, 10:33am PDT
+1 on Pandemic, it's very fun by Fullofkittens 08/07/2011, 6:14pm PDT
Apparently the expansion is worth it if you like the core game NT by Lizard_King 08/07/2011, 8:29pm PDT
Battlestar Galactica by Lizard_King 08/03/2011, 9:09pm PDT
Re: Battlestar Galactica by fabio 08/04/2011, 12:58am PDT
Re: Battlestar Galactica by Lizard_King 08/04/2011, 5:41am PDT
Re: Battlestar Galactica by fabio 08/04/2011, 8:31am PDT
Re: Battlestar Galactica by Lizard_King 08/05/2011, 4:32pm PDT
Tried Exodus by fabio 08/25/2011, 11:52am PDT
Citadels by Lizard_King 08/04/2011, 6:26am PDT
Needs the expansion by fabio 08/04/2011, 8:40am PDT
The expansion comes with every version of the game currently available by Lizard_King 08/05/2011, 4:04pm PDT
Totally worth it by fabio 08/27/2011, 7:44am PDT
Cosmic Encounter by NDD 08/28/2011, 5:23pm PDT
Re: Cosmic Encounter by NDD 08/28/2011, 5:31pm PDT
The best board game review by fabio 01/24/2012, 8:34pm PST
War of the Ring by fabio 01/24/2012, 10:09pm PST
Age of Wonders - Positive! by Last 01/31/2012, 10:29am PST
*80% to 120% NT by Last 01/31/2012, 10:31am PST
I liked this one by fabio 01/31/2012, 7:30pm PST
Review request: REX by fabio 02/24/2012, 5:56am PST
Haven't played it, but I have no faith in FFG NT by mark 03/13/2012, 8:33pm PDT
Why's that by fabio 03/14/2012, 5:42am PDT
Going Cardboard by Souffle of Pain 02/24/2012, 7:10am PST
Ever wish there was a simplified version of Arkham Horror? by fabio 03/23/2012, 12:41pm PDT
REX, aka Dune 2.0, aka Cosmic Encounter Obsolescence by fabio 04/12/2012, 8:01pm PDT
UPDATE: default rules broken, needs fixing NT by fabio 08/23/2012, 8:42am PDT
Dune got a new edition. Rex is the better game by IPB 04/23/2020, 7:06pm PDT
Ticket to Ride: Steam edition by fabio 08/23/2012, 8:47am PDT
How is that different from the boardgame version? by Last 08/23/2012, 9:14am PDT
Never played the boardgame version by fabio 08/23/2012, 10:49am PDT
Oh, I have the version set in Europe and they fixed that. by Last 08/23/2012, 1:42pm PDT
Great, no one ever plays the other maps online =( NT by fabio 08/23/2012, 5:43pm PDT
Vassal by fabio 05/04/2013, 2:43pm PDT
Fucking iPads by fabio 06/11/2013, 3:32am PDT
Did you want to like Arkham Horror but couldnt? by fabio 12/12/2013, 8:02pm PST
Thanks, I'll get it. NT by Last 12/13/2013, 8:44am PST
Alhambra - Positive! Guillotine - Positive! by Last 12/13/2013, 9:00am PST
board game review: Twin Tin Robots by blackwater 12/13/2013, 10:33pm PST
Board Games? More like...wait for it...WAIT FOR IT...SNORE-d games! by HA HA HA HA HA HA HA 12/19/2013, 9:54pm PST
In the land of the video gamer, the board gamer is king by motherfuckerfoodeater 12/19/2013, 10:47pm PST
I'd invite you over but I only have one game port on my soundbalaster :( NT by PC GAMING FUCK YEAH!! 12/20/2013, 12:29am PST
Review: Incognito (Board Game) by blackwater 03/24/2014, 12:55am PDT
Shadow Hunters is fun by fabio 03/24/2014, 1:08am PDT
Review: Libertalia (board game) by blackwater 06/17/2014, 11:52pm PDT
Gaming with family by skip 08/04/2016, 7:07am PDT
Re: Gaming with family by laudablepuss 08/04/2016, 8:45am PDT
Re: Gaming with family by laudablepuss 08/04/2016, 8:47am PDT
There is no reason to ever play Ticket to Ride or Dixit by fabio 08/04/2016, 3:56pm PDT
The reason is that they're great family games by skip 08/04/2016, 5:28pm PDT
The Pink Panther remake is a great family film! NT by fabio 08/04/2016, 9:48pm PDT
Fabio has never had to game with relatives and it really shows. NT by skip 08/05/2016, 6:06am PDT
What kind of family get togethers mandate boardgames? by fabio 08/13/2016, 6:16pm PDT
The kind where we're inside and just need an activity to do? NT by Picionary < Dixit 08/13/2016, 7:54pm PDT
Hey this game is coming out with an expansion. Look at the scenario writers by skip 08/13/2016, 7:59am PDT
GMT games is giving boardgames away to anyone laid off by corona by saltlord 06/29/2020, 8:59am PDT
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