Tea for Two – A Neuroshima Hex: Battle Review

In another life, I was infatuated with Neuroshima Hex. Almost exactly 10 years ago, I wrote this soliloquy at Fortress Ameritrash extolling the virtues of Michal Oracz’s design. The game was already nearly a decade old at that time. This thing is grizzled as hell.

The truth is I no longer play Neuroshima Hex. While I was drawn to its asymmetric factions and high tension, I eventually accepted that its abstract fundament wasn’t my jam. I had to admit that it simply didn’t deliver the type of experience I was – and still am – chasing. Additionally, since I found it primarily compelling as a two-player contest, it was in competition with some of my favorite titles such as Earth Reborn, Claustrophobia, and Android: Netrunner. This conundrum parallels the conclusion in my recent review of Tag Team, and it’s an unfortunate reality that is even stronger here.

Sharp cut to a knock at my front door and the unexpected arrival of Neuroshima Hex: Battle. Needle drop Whiplash by Metallica.

This is a fine little product. It’s a two-player only small box edition of the core Neuroshima Hex system, festooned with a couple of very distinct and evocative factions that play quite differently. Each of these armies has been treated with fresh artwork and looks killer. The components are all around fantastic, with the neoprene mat being the standout piece.

The idea seems to be that this box is intended as a new on-ramp to the game. When evaluating its price point in relation to its offering, they have managed to position it well. My main curiosity is whether it will actually deliver any measurable success. This is a game that doesn’t have mass market appeal. It’s an abstract design with some wild powers and dramatic resolution. It can be a very cerebral affair.

From my experience, many hobbyists don’t typically do small or introductory sets. This is especially true when the full base game of Neuroshima Hex is only a little more expensive. Right now, you can still find the 3.0 edition of the game for an incredibly cheap price. Of course I will Super-Size my value meal for 30 cents. Who would turn down two more complete armies and support up to four-players? That will right-size with time as the newest edition of the base game becomes the defacto set, but that may take awhile.

There is utility here if you didn’t already own the included Steel Police or Beasts factions as they are not included in the core game. This does as well mean there is some value in acquiring the Battle set, giving the system a try, and then going whole hog on the base game and perhaps additional armies. I’m sure some cultists will also grab this for the new artwork and the mat, even if they already have the factions. Every game has its sickos.

I do wonder if this will be the standard approach to faction expansions going forward. There are both good and bad qualities to this method. It’s not a poor concept if the Neuroshima Hex market is tapped out and they’re looking to lure new players into the world. It also feels squarely aimed at someone like me who once held a fondness for the game but has since moved on. With how many competing titles are released every year, sometimes it helps to give the market a shake and release new product to garner attention. I wouldn’t be writing about the game without this release, you know.

That’s kind of a shame. With the ridiculous volume of new stuff dropping each year, there is a whole swathe of sharp and vibrant titles that fade from memory. Neuroshima Hex was something special when it hit the market. Highly asymmetric games with a wealth of factions were rarer at the time and integrating this type of content into what’s principally a positional abstract was unheard of. It’s easy to take this all for granted with the industry’s current state, but we basically had Summoner Wars and Neuroshima Hex in that pre-Root era of design. Now everything is asymmetric. Tic-Tac-Toe with unique powers is even a thing. Many Eurogames have also fell in line and adopted this approach. Everyone wants to be special.

Neuroshima Hex is still fantastic. The randomized tile draw limits your options and works in tandem with the unique units to create a sharp tactical puzzle. The tension ratchets up slowly, everything about to burst. Then someone plays a battle tile and the whole payload goes off like a cataclysmic fireworks show. It’s surprisingly dramatic for an abstract game.

There is also an impressive integration of both setting and theatrics into the abstract base. The conflict is deterministic, and the tactical oomph is cold and calculated, but there is a realized world with a detailed population. There are moments where it does feel as though your Pacifier is pummeling an alien Arachnid in a brutal show of force. The way battle unfolds in a chaotic fit evokes a sense of carnage evident in warfare. It feels precise and cerebral up until the moment it’s not, then it’s chaotic and feral. This duality is alluring and a key element of the game’s motif.

Neuroshima Hex: Battle is a serviceable introduction to this now classic system. It’s a well put together set and presents the game on a strong footing. Those unfamiliar with the design may be shocked to discover how gripping it can be, and I have no doubt that a certain number of fans will be indoctrinated thanks to this compressed offering.

 

A copy of the game was provided by the publisher for review.

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