Take part in reenacting historic naval warfare in this two player, asymmetric game. One player controls the Royal British Navy while the other plays as the German Kriegsmarine. The game is played on a hexagonal-tiled game board with cards inspired by true events in history.
Was this game sent for review or self-purchased?: This game was kindly sent for review by 25th Century Games.
In two sentences, what do you do in the game: As the British you try to find the hidden Admiral Graf Spee and as the Germans you try to sink as many freight ships as possible while trying to stay hidden from the other player. You try to outmaneuver the other player while trying to play the appropriate cards at the appropriate times.
Have we played any other titles by this publisher?: Yes, we have played many other titles by 25th Century Games.
What was surprising about this title: The premise of the game seems slow paced and most historical games bog down gameplay for historical accuracy but The Hunt does a good job of keeping the pacing tense throughout and historical accuracy is mostly in the flavor text rather than gameplay.
How likely is this to return to the game table?: Very likely, the asymmetrical nature of the game at least guarantees two plays at the very least. But the game is fun, quick to setup and easy to teach. The bonus of being a two player game also makes it easier to play with a limited number of players (or our case of being a husband and wife team).
Game length: 30-60 minutes. The game take a bit of time to get going in terms of the British Navy as you can increase your movement and pieces as the game continues but as the German Kriegsmarine you essentially have access to your entire arsenal from the get go.
Language Barrier Playability: Difficult. The cards each have different phase abilities that may or may not activate during your turn depending on how they are played or when they are played. The cards have text that is a single language so any sort of strategy would be difficult without constant translation.
Artwork: Energetic. The artwork is bold, and cartoony yet grounded enough to appreciate the history behind each card.
Quality: Excellent. The pieces are mostly made of cardboard and wood but are painted well and are high quality.
Strategy: Very strategic. The game is a lot of give and take and each turn may put you at risk should you decide to move a piece into a specific square.
Instruction Manual: Great. The manual is very well written, breaks down each players motivation and even includes a small section that reveals more about the historical context of cards and what inspired those specific cards.
Organization: Excellent. Everything fits neatly into the box and doesn’t require you to have to play Tetris in order to fit everything inside.
Final thoughts: If you are looking for a fun experience with only 2 players, The Hunt provides an excellent experience. You may not think you’ll look at the historical context section as you’re reading the rules but during gameplay you’ll begin to wonder who the man on the card is and why that’s his ability. It provides a fun experience as you try to hunt down the Admiral Graf Spee or try to keep your Admiral Graf Spee hidden from the other player. It is truly deserving of a space on your shelf.
Sushiball Games 