clydeiii wrote:
Curious. I found that they're similar in superficial ways, but the games feel so amazingly different. In Eclipse, depending on your race, you're either looking to fight or looking to hide, while in TM, you're really just hoping the action you need to do is still available when it gets around to you.
Also, TM has no luck-based elements and Eclipse has a lot. Neither is "better"...I tend to prefer less luck in games, but less luck can lead to tons of AP at the end of the match, while in Eclipse I just hope my VP draws were better than my opponents' and tend to not overthink the final turn.
Also, TM has no luck-based elements and Eclipse has a lot. Neither is "better"...I tend to prefer less luck in games, but less luck can lead to tons of AP at the end of the match, while in Eclipse I just hope my VP draws were better than my opponents' and tend to not overthink the final turn.
Yes and No.
(1) I agree that Eclipse is a 4X game, while Terra Mystica is a 2X game. That is, Terra Mystica lacks the eXplore and eXterminate concepts fundamental to Eclipse.
(2) I also agree that managing semi-randomness is part of Eclipse. On the other hand so-called Eclipse "luck" can be skewed in your favour. The classic example of skewing is that your draw of Eclipse's reputation tiles can be enhanced if you follow the strategy of early and often conflict with the neutral Ancient ships.
(3) But in my opinion both Eclipse and Terra Mystica are equally prone to Analysis Paralysis because both are "action menu" games. Eclipse has seven (including Pass) actions on its menu, while Terra Mystica has eight.
(4) De gustibus non est disputandum. There is not any game which is better than any other game. Even the lowest ranked game on the Geek, Tic-Tac-Toe, is the best game in some circumstances, for example when your opponent is a four-year-old child.