I’ve never been too concerned with genre identification and generalization of mechanisms as a method of critique. Classification is too often a cudgel that ends up keeping people from trying things that they might actually like. I am guilty of this. For example, I have disliked just about every game that Stonemeier games has published. Scythe? Undone by too many book openings that sour the experience. Wingspan? It’s Race for the Galaxy, but 5 times as long and half as good. Apiary? Underdeveloped worker placement and recall. Viticulture? Flip Luck: The Game.

[caption id="attachment_316852" align="aligncenter" width="768"] Speaking of flip luck...[/caption]

When I first played Tapestry back in 2021, I was set up to dislike it. I had heard that it was Definitely. Not. A. Civilization. Game. Plus, it was from a publisher whose output I had not enjoyed up until this point.

Tapestry is a classic case of why I think genre, mechanical, and publisher based expectations can be the death of both fun and new experience. See, it definitely isn’t a civilization game. It’s a pinball machine. And what a great pinball machine it is.

Tracks: The Board Game

Tapestry is a game where you either move up a track OR you reset your board to play another round (or,…

The post Tapestry Game Review appeared first on Meeple Mountain.