Big City: A Review

I've always been a fan of city-building games, and Big City caught my eye with its promise of unique gameplay and those lovely plastic pieces (let's be honest, they're always a plus!). The core mechanics are fairly straightforward: you acquire cards representing various neighborhoods, and use them to lay down buildings in your city. The scoring system is where things get interesting. You get a base score for each building, plus bonuses based on the surrounding structures. It's a nice, simple way to incentivize strategic placement.

But the real star of the show is the city hall. This card, which scores zero points for its owner, must be played before anyone can start building beyond the initial residences and businesses. This creates a fascinating tension: do you play the city hall early to allow for more complex building, or hold onto it to block your opponents? It adds a layer of strategy that I really enjoyed.

The game has its fair share of downtime, as players wait their turn to acquire cards and build. It's not the fastest game out there, but the strategic depth and unique mechanics make it worthwhile. I'd definitely recommend Big City to anyone who enjoys city-building games or a good dose of strategic planning. It's a solid addition to my collection, and I find myself reaching for it whenever I want a relaxing but engaging game night.