Patchwork is a great board game, which is perfectly designed for 2 players. Me and my wife, we both love to play it. For us is the fantastic way to spend evenings together. Below you can find full review based on my personal player experience.
Theme
In this game we are going to became seam craftsman, who has to collect and connect many different materials in one piece. You just need to visual what and how you should sew together to build the best patchwork. Of course you have an opponent who wants to this better than you, so you need to prepare your own strategy in pieces collection to be gain more points and create better crazy quilt.
What is in the box
The box contains 2 quilt boards (one for each player), 1 main time board, 2 time tokens and 1 neutral token, patch tiles and many button tokens (this is currency in this game). Additionally we have 1 special 7x7 reward plate and special 1x1 patches.
Of course there is game instruction as well.
How to play - base rules
This game is designed only for 2 players, there is no other option. For that reason there are only 2 sets of tokens and quilt boards. Each person has its own board where has to build quilt from patches which are located around main time board. On each patch there are written the costs in buttons and how many steps the player should take on time board by his token. Players start from 5 buttons on their hand. Both have just one objective, which is to fill personal grid as best as can by carefully, cleverly, slotting together fabric fragments before time runs out. Time is measured by player tokens that slowly spiral their way toward the center of the main board.
How to play - build your grid
Patches lay randomly in big circle created around time board. You can choose only 1 piece of fabric from 3 in front of neutral token. Neutral token moves clockwise and it is always placed in position from which the player took the fabric.
You can imagine how hard is to fill the grid when each patch has different shape, has different cost in buttons and time. Next thing is that your opponent can see your board and he can try to puts you off building your patchwork. Even when you find the piece of fabric which fits to your quilt, you need to be sure that you have enough quantity of buttons to buy it. And you need to calculate how many steps forward on time board you will take. Important thing is that the turn last till you overhaul your opponent on time board. It means that in next turn 2nd player can take more than 1 patch. What is important that you can rotate and place your patch as you want. You as well need to remember that you have to earn buttons.
How to play - earn money
As I said each player starts from 5 buttons on his hand. So next question is how to earn more or what to do if buttons run out?
There are 2 ways to get "money", 1st is to collect patches with buttons painted on them, then when you pass the special checkpoints on the time board, you will get 1 button per each which you have on your grid. Second way to get additional buttons is to resign from taking new patch, then you have to move your time token and overhaul opponent by 1 step, in that way you will earn 1 button per each step.
How to play - special 1x1 patches and 7x7 reward plate
There are to additional special things. 1st one is the reward, which gives you additional points at the end. It is 7x7 extra plate which is given to player who 1st fill 7x7 rectangle on his grid (Full grid is 9x9 size). Sometimes is very difficult to fill all fields on the grid, then we can count for special help which is 1x1 leather patch. You can get this patch when you pass special checkpoint on time board. In that case you need to as well cerafully observe your opponent, maybe he wants to take it before you.
How to play - who is the winner
Game is over when all players achieve the end at the time board. Player who earn more buttons wins. To check who has more you have to count all buttons in your hand, add special 7x7 reward if you have and subtract 2 buttons for each empty field on your grid. So as you can see you cannot be sure the win before you will count every aspect of the game. That is the beauty of this game - till the end you can believe that you will win, even when you were all the time behind.
Summary
I have only the best feelings about this game. It is very logical. In one hand you need to consider you strategy against oppenent, In the other hand you need to play some tetris to fill your grid in the best way. At the end you need to calculate and predict your and 2nd player moves. What is important the game is quite fast, sometimes 20 minutes is enough to play 1 full round. We always play more than 1 time :)
I advise everyone to buy it and try to play. It is big fun to spend evenings in that way!
Note:there is as well android game which call Patchwork The Game
pictures are taken from Amazon site and www.gamesworld.com.au
