I still go to Essen SPIEL. I still love Essen SPIEL.
Early start and Channel Tunnel as usual, and apparently the new
German border checks hadn't kicked in yet, so I was there in plenty of
time for most of the setup. I love the feeling of community: we may be
in competition with these guys, but we'll lend each other a tape
dispenser or a vacuum cleaner so that we can all put on the best show
possible.
(Also filling the Mystery Boxes. Happy to see that a game I had
un-loved a few years ago is now in this category.)
Shortly after opening. I think these people were queueing for the Dice
Tower booth, but it wasn't clear just what was happening there.
My main game this time was Terraforming Mars: The Dice
Game
(for sale last year but still new to a lot of people here).
I am reminded of my gay friends commenting on the embarrassing old men
who want everyone to go back to the days of anonymous hookups.
The new versiom of
Lifeboats.
Even the demonstrator was having some trouble working the pieces.
Babylon, looks
promising.
A disconcerting thing to see as I rounded the corner, given that this
was originally supposed to be available in 2022, but it turns out it
does actually exist now.
The usual food trucks were back. (But no spiral potatoes!)
Friday around closing time. The demos got quite hectic at times but
this was probably the quietest day.
Traditional Currywurst supper from Imbiss.
This cover makes me think, not of a game, but of a romance in which a
pastry chef from the city fleeing a bad breakup tries to bring fine
pastry to Turn Off Paved Road, Arkansas (and, inevitably, finds True
Love).
3d-printed giant meeples.
Saturday was my day for Flash Point: Fire
Rescue:
still one of my favourite games and a reason I started working for
Indie in the first place (along with Coup), and it was glorious.
More Currywurst for lunch.
Getting in on Sunday morning.
Do I see a certain family resemblance?
Me: "It's Mille Bornes isn't it?"
Demonstrator: [shifty look] "…maybe?"
Promising-looking hybrid social deduction game, which tries to be
enjoyable even after roles become apparent. (Didn't buy it though.)
Yes, there are games about everything. (Apparently you can win,
though, which seems to be missing the point.)
The Galleria, main route between the halls.
Shopping in France on the way back.
Hitch-hiker.
The final haul. Would have been rather less except there was booth
credit I had to spend…
