There’s been a fair number of games in recent years zooming in on a specific, niche topic. I typically have little interest because they all have a very “kickstarter-y” feel. Things like Mycelia, Undergrove, Planted, Verdant, Botany, Leaf etc etc. And look, I’m not saying anything specifically against the mechanics of these games as I’ve never played any of them. If you disagree, I’m happy to hear why. But there’s clearly a theme and pattern here, enough that I’ve begun to think of them as the Marvel movies of the board game world. Yes, I realize the major difference is that all the games listed are nature-themed and Distilled is decidedly not. But without thinking about it too much, I placed Distilled in this kickstarter-y box and forgot about it. Fortunately, we have Board Game Arena for harsh critics such as myself (note this review will not comment on the physical version of the game as I primarily played it on BGA).
And let me say that I’m not above eating my words to proclaim this game is fun! I hardly drink alcohol, let alone liquor, so what can I know? Well, I understand when something looks classy and cool. Are those barflies in the corner debauched, sloshed and slurring bores or…are they fascinating raconteurs with a wealth of romantic stories about war heroes and family business empires? There’s something about a whiskey neat and a nice, fat cigar that make a man look cultured. I don’t make the rules.
My point is Distilled captures this theme very well. The color palette alone nails it. I personally walked away from this game with a fair amount of new knowledge, not the least being how we’ve figured out a way to drink so many plants. Corn, agave, rice, potatoes, grapes etc. I continue to be stunned and impressed by the powerful human drive to get f’d up.
I won’t go over the rules of the game because there are many others that do. And this review (as well as my others) is focused on how I felt about the game. I have played a total of 5 games, from which I derive my brilliant analysis. I would say my favorite aspect of this game is the push-your-luck piece. In fact, it might be a bit boring without it. But it’s push-your-luck in a way that’s not too terribly punishing if you fail. There’s a real excitement as you see what cards you’re left with when you distill your spirit. Will I make a beautiful Baijiu I can age to perfection or some trashy moonshine? The only piece that felt like a miss to me was I wanted to be able to distill more than one spirit in a round. I wanted to really push my luck and whip out both a whiskey and a gin. At the very least, that’s what the drunk me would have wanted.
I tend to prefer heavier games and I value fluidity. Distilled, while not particularly heavy, feels smooth. Things become intuitive as you continue to play and its not a choppy “mechanic-fest”. I like it when you can tell the work has been done under the hood but you get to reap the benefits of a smooth engine. Distilled achieves this and looks good doing it. I recommend you give it a shot (pun intended).
Quick Pros and Cons
Pros
–turns are quick and keep you engaged
–it feels very satisfying to successfully make a high end liquor
–the push-your-luck mechanic fits well in this game
Cons
–low player interaction- here and there someone takes a card you want from the market but other than that there’s not much
–the region icons specifically are small and I found myself constantly needing to concentrate to find them
–doesn’t really stand out in any one area
TLDR: It’s a fun game that I will enjoy coming back to now and again. It’s not something I would spend hours pouring over strategy guides for but it’s fun for what it is. And for a first time game designer (I think, from what I’ve read?), they did an excellent job.
Beau 