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SerenissimaEnglish language edition
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from 20 customer reviews
Product Awards:
Deutscher Spiele Preis
6th place, 1997
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Theme
In the 14th century, the Atlantic was an ocean without end and America was yet to be discovered. The Mediterranean was a great sea of prosperity--the majot trade route between East and West. The greatest fleets of the era battled over the most lucrative trade routes. Venetians, Genoese, Spanish and Turks fought to sieze strategic ports on the trade routes of spices, precious gems and gold. Serenissima recreates this era--the golden age, when the Mediterranean was the center of world trade.
Goal of the Game
The ultimate game of Victory through Economics! In the course of a game players must build galleys, hire crew and buy commodoties. Their galleys sail to other ports to sell their cargo to earn money. The winner is the person with the most money combined with the most prosperous trading routes. The rules are simple and quick to learn. The game can be enjoyed by both new and experienced players, who will appreciate the depth of thought required to execute the perfect strategy.
I personally would strongly advise against making house rules for scoring. Some have suggested adding points for the number of sailors and ships you control at the end of the game, which is a fair suggestion because they are a big part of the game. However, doing this makes the game become too combat oriented and actually takes away from the game balance. With the official rules, one generally must be shrewed about combat, waiting for the proper time, if they are trying to win.
I now see the logic behind the official scoring values and think that the scoring system is genius, and serves to make the game more dynamic. Tinker at your own risk.
After a few plays I've got to write a review of this remarkable game!
Serenissima, as much as any game I've ever played, rewards well-timed combat and trade dealing. Each time I play it I learn two or three new strategies that I should implement in my game play.
What's great about this game is that it does not favor combat, nor does it penalize you for letting your pirate out. Balancing combat and trade is the best way to victory, but TIMING IS EVERYTHING.
I've begun to see the value in determining turn order, so the initial bidding phase can be esssential. There's so much to this game, but it's not too complicated to make it feel like work.
Right now I can't think of a game I prefer over Serenissima. The mechanics are smooth and give you lots of cool options on each turn. There is a ton of interaction, but not lots of frustrating down time. And the game board is the most beautiful, or bellissima, that I've ever seen. And, to me, the art is part of the game.
Ive been reading about Serenissima and hoping to get in a game to try it out before I buy it. I finally did get a chance to play and it did not disappoint. Economics and warfare in the same game, what else can you ask for? The rules are quick to learn. The game flows well and is very engaging. Its obvious at the first playing that one set strategy won't win every game. Youve got to be aware of what your opponents are up to at all times and react accordingly or else you could be left behind. As our first game was drawing to a close several of us said we wanted to play again right away to try out different tactics. The bits are very nice, although the boats have a rounded bottom and a tendency to rock. In my opinion this is a great game and I would recommend it to any gamer.
