The Measure of a Great Game
Supremacy was always kind of a counter culture product. It reminds me of Apple or Volkswagen. It zigged while the rest of the market zagged. The measure of a great game is not how many complex rules they can cram into a 100 page rulebook. The measure of great graphics is not how many competing colors they can fit into highly detailed, high res images cluttering up an overly busy board. Supremacy was and is based on the concept of minimalism. Less is more. It is that way by design. More rules and pieces do not make a game more realistic. Don’t be fooled by its seeming simplicity. In many ways, Supremacy is more realistic at modeling international conflict, trade, economics, politics and warfare than many so-called ‘simulations’. Though the rules are simple, the strategic possibilities and layers are very complex. Fans of the original get this.
Our graphics guy is not ‘mediocre’. He is brilliant! The graphics look clear and stark on purpose. That is the theme of the entire game. Supremacy’s focus is grand strategic, not micromanaging minutiae. New people comparing Supremacy 2020 to current market standards for board games maybe surprised. This is not your run of the mill Euro/RPG board game. Don’t mistake the stark, minimalistic style for cheap and unfinished. Look at the diehard commitment to this game from people who saw it in the 80’s. And that is in spite of the ‘flaws’ it had then! How many games on the shelf today will be remembered like that 30 years from now? There are no custom molded zombies, (not that those aren’t cool) but this is a game that will become a favorite and classic. It has tremendous replay value. The new random card opening gives players a unique strategic puzzle to solve every game: Different weaknesses. New opportunities. This is a game you will play over and over. Every Supremacy game ends with players discussing why they did what they did and what they plan to do in the next game. 🙂