Primordial Soup?

I noticed this game was on Tanga while I was poking around today. I have a friend that loves this game, but I haven't tried it. He likes AT, but also enjoys Euros more than I do. I don't mind a Euro, depending on the game, and this one seems to have some interaction.

Anyone played this? What do you think? I absolutely don't need it, but if it is good, I wouldn't mind picking it up at a good price.

It's goofy, a bit chaotic, and waaaaay too long for what it is.

Aww man this is one of the first euros I played way back in the day. I remember the art and premise of the game being totally awesome. However I remember the actual gameplay being slow, overly procedural and waaaay too long. I know it has its fans but I sold mine off as soon as I could and never looked back. My advice? Try before you buy.

-Will

Thanks for the tips. If it is too long, it won't find much time on my table. I'll definitely try this first.

No. It's a nasty combination of tedious analytics and bad chaos neither of which are terribly fun on their own, and together it's downright atrocious. It has way too much bookeeping, and there are "broken" strategies that, with a bit of luck, can win you the game if you pursue them. It does have a fun theme, and it is well implemented, but the gameplay drags it down.

There's a freeware PC version with an AI around somewhere if you do want to try before you die.

I think it's great!

I have to agree with Simon. (*)

Don't analyse it to death, play fast, and it's fun.



(*) Unless he's trolling of course.

Ursuppe is a top ten game for me. As for the criticisms here:

Heavy on procedure: For me, if I like a game, that's never a problem (see Through the Ages), and, if I don't, it bugs the shit out of me. So from me, that as a complaint by itself would be silly. But I won't (necessarily) project that to others.

Game length: It's a 90-120m game if played moderately briskly, but, being heavy on procedure, those "little infinities" can add up. The choices aren't really that hard, so you just need a taskmaster keeping the pace moving during the game. If that's not your style of gaming, then prepare for a long game.

Chaos: In what sense? The primary random element are the environment cards, which get easier to predict as the game enfolds. You only have to manage risks in four different directions of drift. The bigger issue is when the BP limit drastically drops, but that's just one small item of risk to add in. Otherwise, it's fairly deterministic. I haven't found the movements/escape die rolls to be "chaotic"; it just makes certain opponents less predictable.

My main criticism with Ursuppe is that there's a strong strategic element, especially around the Struggle for Survival gene. Players need to know how to play it "right". The game isn't going to work great unless you play it a bunch. In it's day, that wasn't a problem. Today, with a wide repertoire of games to play, many groups won't make that kind of investment for a long game. In this sense, its real competition is more A/T-ish multiplayer conquest games, which I suspect most on this site would prefer. German games with major conflict is probably my favorite type of game, so I eat this shit up... but I don't have such a group these days, so it doesn't get played, and so I have it on the trade pile.

Notahandle wrote: I have to agree with Simon. (*)

Don't analyse it to death, play fast, and it's fun.



(*) Unless he's trolling of course.

I'm not trolling! (Although I've just been suspended from BGG again.)

I really like this game. It's fun. Ursuppe is war!

I've only played it once though.

I'm not trolling! (Although I've just been suspended from BGG again.)

Oh do tell...

Can anyone compare Primordial Soup with Reef Encounter? They seem to be the same kind of game, just from looking at reviews.

dave wrote: Chaos: In what sense? The primary random element are the environment cards, which get easier to predict as the game enfolds. You only have to manage risks in four different directions of drift. The bigger issue is when the BP limit drastically drops, but that's just one small item of risk to add in.

It's the drift aspect that I found annoying. It's not controllable or predictable in any way (which is why I say it's bad chaos) and it can play a big part in the game. You can of course buy genes that allow you to move against the drift but then you're playing into the hands of other people who are up on the strategic flaw you mention - you buy movement genes, they start to collect the genes required for the ultimate strategy.

Again I suggest the OP downloads the windows version of the game and tries it for himself. Look, I even dug out a link:

doris-frank.de/UrsuppeWin.html

And having looked up the game I also came across my comment:

"Strangely uninvolving. Feels like there's little control (even though there is) and the game seems to descend into a race for the best gene combinations. Plus all those little food cubes to sort each round are too damn fiddly."

And I rated it a six. So perhaps I liked it more than I'm remembering, but I still wouldn't buy it.

Great comments all. Thank you very much. I don't know how much play this would get at my house, so I am going to wait. I will try to get a game with my buddies copy to see for myself.

I may also try the windows version of the game. Thanks for finding the link Matt.

Schweig! wrote:
" (Although I've just been suspended from BGG again.)"
Heh, what did you do this time?
" I've only played it once though."
For shame!

ubarose wrote:
" this one guy is always talking trash about it, so I could never get anyone to play. So about a month ago I finally get a couple of people to play it with me, and I ask the guy who is always talking trash about it if he wants to teach it or if he wants me to, and he tells me he has never played it. Go figure."
I figure he's a moron. Wait, even worse: a fun murderer! Kill 'im!