by a_traveler
Paul G wrote:
But I really dislike Agricola. I have only played 2.5 games, only 1 non-family, but the game is incredibly punishing and not particularly rewarding.
My gf quite disliked Agricola for the first 3-4 games as well, before finally learning to manage her food engine efficiently and enjoying the rest of the game. (So consider that an endorsement to yes, try it a few more times!) Neither of us ever got there with Dungeon Lords; we feel that it's significantly more punishing than Agricola, hate how little we seem to be able to really affect the game (you have fewer significant actions before the adventurers come destroy everything than you have in Agricola before first harvest - and the destruction really undoes everything you've built up, while in Agricola you only get negative points, but get to keep what you've worked for), and how the non-significant upkeep takes so much time that there's only space for two real rounds (versus six in Agricola), so that you can never get into a pattern and slowly improve it during the course of a game.
Might be that the theme will overcome everything for you, and you'll love the game. But from what you write, I personally suspect you'll dislike it even more than I do.
