Some games just wow you with their production quality. That is most certainly the case with Focusi, from designer Preeda Pitianusorn and publisher Life Dimensions Game (www.facebook.com/LifeDMSgame).
This game is, quite succinctly, gorgeous.
The pieces come in a sturdy wooden box, and you’re amazed that everything fits inside until you see the cheat pattern showing how to pack it. The box and the beautifully woven board then slip neatly together for storage. The wooden pieces feature acrylic inlays on both sides, representing three “elements” in various combinations.
The chunky components are visually impressive as you place, move, and push them across the board, trying to create winning patterns that match the game’s cards.
The game supports two to four players, but, like most titles that are essentially abstract strategy at heart, it plays best with two. With three or four players, someone inevitably has to make a move solely to block the next player, gaining no real advantage—something that always feels a bit hollow.
To Focusi’s credit, there are multiple modes of play. One has players working from a shared pool of pattern cards. You need to complete two, and there’s even a mechanism for stealing a card from another player. This option greatly expands the game’s depth with more than two players and elevates it from “recommended for two” to “well worth exploring for group play.”
The eye-catching presentation draws you in, but the versatility of play ensures Focusi will keep your interest for a long time.
About Author
Calvin Daniels is a Saskatchewan-born, self-taught journalist. He is currently Editor of Yorkton This Week, with 35-years in the newspaper business.
Good Looks Matched by Solid Play
This game is, quite succinctly, gorgeous.
The pieces come in a sturdy wooden box, and you’re amazed that everything fits inside until you see the cheat pattern showing how to pack it. The box and the beautifully woven board then slip neatly together for storage. The wooden pieces feature acrylic inlays on both sides, representing three “elements” in various combinations.
The chunky components are visually impressive as you place, move, and push them across the board, trying to create winning patterns that match the game’s cards.
The game supports two to four players, but, like most titles that are essentially abstract strategy at heart, it plays best with two. With three or four players, someone inevitably has to make a move solely to block the next player, gaining no real advantage—something that always feels a bit hollow.
To Focusi’s credit, there are multiple modes of play. One has players working from a shared pool of pattern cards. You need to complete two, and there’s even a mechanism for stealing a card from another player. This option greatly expands the game’s depth with more than two players and elevates it from “recommended for two” to “well worth exploring for group play.”
The eye-catching presentation draws you in, but the versatility of play ensures Focusi will keep your interest for a long time.
About Author
Calvin Daniels
Calvin Daniels is a Saskatchewan-born, self-taught journalist. He is currently Editor of Yorkton This Week, with 35-years in the newspaper business.
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