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Gamebox author Ralf Togler writes about the game:
2F-SPIELE is back again, and Friedeman Frieseīs newest game is Flussfieber. In the game the players try to bring their two tree fellers (three fellers in a 2-3 player game) from one end of a river to the other by navigating them along a bunch of floating logs. This seems to be easy enough, but the narrower parts of the river will soon be crowded, because the other players have the same aim, too. And then there is also a lot of logs in the river which additionally handicap the players. As usual for a 2F game, the design is appealing and funny. The game comes in a very huge box, although it seems that this would not really have been necessary, because the box only contains feller figures for each player, some logs, 90 cards for the players and six river boards that can be used on both sides. For a game with normal duration, only two of the river boards normally are taken to design the river, so that the players have a lot of possibilities to vary the game. Or, if they feel like real Canadians, they may go for a longer river! To set up the game, every player gets his tree fellers and places them at the one end of the river. Then each player gets his own deck of cards, shuffles it and takes three cards into the hand. Last but not least the logs are arranged on the river as indicated on the river boards. In their turns, the players one by one play a card that shows which of their tree fellers can be moved and how many spaces on the river this tree feller can go forward. A tree feller may push up to two other players or logs one step further but unfortunately there is no way to push three or more of these "barricades". So the players try to block the other tree fellers especially where the river becomes narrow and only one or two fellers can pass at a time. While this alone may look easy, the rapids on some river spaces make the game much more complex than it looks like. A tree feller, who has moved on one of the rapids and ends his movement on this space (either by his own will or by being pushed by another player), is moved along the rapid and does not stop until he reaches the first "normal" space or is blocked by other players or logs (a bit similar to the conveyor belts in Roborally). So it does not seldom happen that players in lead are very soon at the end of the queue again. Flussfieber is quite typical for 2F. It is easy to explain, easy to play but not too easy to win. Although luck concerning the other players actions has some influence in the game, it also needs some tactical understandings of the game to move the tree fellers quick enough through the river. Especially in the narrower parts of the river it will take some time to do a clever turn, particularly if this part is combined with rapids. Still, a player will not have a real chance if the one or other opponent turns nasty and brings the tree feller on the next rapid again and again. This game of payback and revenge makes the game funny but with the wrong players it also can become frustrating. So Flussfieber should only be played with the right people - then it will be a great fun!!! In my opinion the game becomes better with increasing number of players. While in a two player game there is always enough room to move the tree fellers, the game is really a big shot with five players. The only and last point of criticism I have is the choice of the tree feller figures. It is sometimes a little bit hard to see which tree feller can be moved, but after some time you get used to it, too. As you can assume, Flussfieber is not a game for a whole evening, but it will enthuse many players who, after a hard strategic game, only want to have some fun by pushing and angering their opponents. |
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Looking for this game? Visit Funagain Games! |
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