Asmodee A Game of Thrones The Board Game (2nd Edition) - Epic Strategy in the World of Westeros, Tactical Wargame for Adults, Ages 14+, 3-8 Players, 2-4 Hour Playtime

Simply put, this is one of the best board games ever made. I've been a boardgame geek now for about ten years, and I've played well over a hundred different board and/or card games (mainly European) from every existing genre. I also own several games, and A Game of Thrones: The Board Game Second Edition (GoT) is one of the only games I would never even consider trading or selling.The Facts:The game plays three to six players. The rule set is actually considered simple for a war-strategy game (less complex than Axis and Allies yet slightly more complex than Risk), and anyone can learn the basics in under half an hour of instruction. Otherwise, the rules manual is very well organized and easy to follow if a newbie would rather just read it. A typical six-player game (recommended) can last anywhere between four and six hours, depending on the players' experience. The game does have a finite clock set to ten rounds, so even heavy "analysis paralysis" amongst players won't make the game last forever. Fans of the HBO series and/or books who have not completed the story need not fear of spoilers as the game does not deal with any actual events from the books (it does reveal the names and associated Houses of characters and places through book three, but nothing that's going to spoil anything for you). An optional card deck called "Tides of Battle" is also included, allowing for a more Risk-like element of luck to be utilized when playing (actually quite fun). The 2nd edition of the game includes the Southern Expansion as part of the main board, as well as those updated rules and corresponding House cards. This edition does NOT include the most recent expansion.The Pros:For the most part, GoT has a very taught rule set, minimizing loopholes and/or contradictory rules that plague many lesser war strategy games. After a couple play-throughs, I also found most of the rules to be quite intuitive and easy to remember. This is a HUGE plus for a game with so much going on, and because there is so much going on at any given time, GoT is incredibly engaging. Hours really do seem like minutes when playing. I've had six-hour sessions only to be frothing at the mouth to play again. one of the more fun scenarios of the game is when every player must bid against one another on the influence tracks. Sometimes the bidding wars are more fun than the actual combat! Another plus to this game is its beautiful design and artwork. No expense was spared on what you receive out of the box, making it intrinsically worth every penny.The Cons:After about ten play-throughs so far, I've really only found one potential gripe, and many may not even consider it to be a negative. Basically, the game can be so much fun at times that an easy trap for a player (especially a newcomer) to fall into is to lose sight of the object of the game, which is to acquire the most castles and/or strongholds by the end of round ten (acquiring seven makes for an immediate win). If that is not your ultimate goal, then you're not really playing the game. Often times players will spend most of the game either backing an alliance that they've struck or carrying out personal vendettas, forgetting that they themselves must have the most castles to win! Though that can be frustrating for competitive players, it also just points to the game's extreme fun factor. You really can lose yourself in it.So if you're a fan of the books/series and you appreciate an accessible war strategy game, then GoT is a must-have for your game closet. My friends and I now dedicate entire days (or nights) to convening for a session or two, and never have we walked away without grins on our faces. The board game that put Fantasy Flight on the map is still one of the best games of the last decade.

I recently had to buy this board game because I am a fan of the show and had to somehow fill the void left by the 2nd season finale!I came by the board game searching for the books on amazon and upon researching if it was too hard to play I decided to give it a shot. I am by no means a serious board game player and not into board games all that much. I have only played board games a handful of times these last few years with Monopoly being the most complex and I have played RISK maybe 5-10 times my whole life so don't be scared to try this game if you think is too hard.I have played this game 4 times now with only casual board game players like myself and the overwhelming majority of them have enjoyed it. It did help that most of them were fans of the show as well but once you get into the game you really enjoy it and lose track of time as you are constantly planning your next move, who to form an alliance with, whether to betray a current alliance etc. So even those not familiar with the show will enjoy it!What I really like about the game is it's mostly strategy that will determine whether you win or lose, though luck will always play some roll. It's important to mention the game comes with an optional add-on(Tides of Battle cards) that creates that extra bit of chance for those who prefer that.As for the complexity of the game it really is easy once you start playing it. What makes it feel complex is that there are a lot of rules and things to keep up with, but it's quite simple to follow them once you've played for a few rounds (though you will find yourself correcting things that were being played wrong in subsequent games).What I would suggest for casual board game players to do is read the rules once, watch a youtube video (there's quite a few out there but this one I found to be the most helpful [...] and just start a practice simulated game. The one good thing about the instructions is that they are set out in the order that the game will be played so you can play a simulated game as you read the rules. It really only takes a few game rounds to get the gist of it, off course some things will require re-reading as with any game.I'll mention again that setting up the game and playing a simulated game as you read the rules will REALLY help you understand the game!The one thing to take into consideration when buying this game is that it will take 3-5 hours to complete. The more experienced the players the less time it will take but I always tell new players to expect to play for 5 hours. Be sure the people you play with know this so everyone's into the game when you are crossing that 3hr mark.(which actually goes by fast when you're playing the game)In conclusion it's a really entertaining game and even casual gamers will like it. It's a game that will make you think and give you a "can't wait till my next turn" feeling. Like the show the game will bring out unusual alliances and backstabbing which just makes it more fun! For fans of the show it's great to use the character you like and playing the board game gives you a sense of the territory of Westeros and the advantages/disadvantages the families have.If you are unsure because you think it might be too complex don't be, the game is a lot of fun and after a few times playing it you will find yourself(as other reviewers have mentioned) interested in similar strategy based board games!