YORKTON - Admittedly I tend to gravitate to card-based PnP games as an easy build, but then you come across something like Kaiju Siege and you have to be intrigued.
As it turns put this is a very easy build, which is a huge positive to start with. There is a game sheet, a few extra prints which are not so small as to be finicky, then add some coloured cubs (old Risk cubes come in handy) and some common D6 dice and you are ready to go. I’ll add here the art is very nice.
Kaiju Siege is a game set in Medieval Japan, where the Daimyo’s fortress is being attacked by a kaiju (think Pacific Rim critters).
You must manage the Daimyo’s forces in this solo worker placement game, deciding where to send men; to ask a neighbour for help, to gather weapons, to defend the walls, or repair damaged ones. Of course you never have as many men as you’d like so the choices can be difficult.
In a competitive setting, worker placement games can be frustrating as who gets to prime spots with their placements have an advantage, and there are almost always a prime spot or two which are superior to others – Stone Age comes to mind here.
In a solo game that race to the best spot is nonexistent so you can concentrate on what you feel is the best strategy. It is frankly where the worker-placement mechanic can really shine. It works extremely well here.
Adding to this game are that it comes with a number of different Daimyo – each offering something different in terms of game play.
Ditto a variety of kaiju, which all attack differently too.
There is an expansion too that moves the battle from a fortress to a ship (all of the files are at boardgamegeek.com).
The multiple options mean you can do a lot of mixing to keep things fresh.
All told this is an absolute must for a PnP fan that likes the solo experience.
