Eter

Today we are going to be looking at “Eter” a fairly simple yet fun two-player tile-laying game that can best be described as “noughts and crosses Extreme Edition.”

Played here by myself and Jack(.8.)

This isn’t the first time I have reviewed a game that is very similar in style to “Noughts and Crosses”, but “Eter” is one I particularly like.

Each player gets a symmetrical deck of cards that consists of tiles with values from one to four. Depending on the exact rule set you’re playing, you are essentially trying to make a line of three or four by placing your cards. The key idea is that cards with a higher value can cover cards of a lower value, and the exact positioning of the cards is created as cards are dealt, meaning as you lay the first card, dependent on where your opponent lays the next card, you could be on the right, on the left, or in the middle.

When you win a game, you then put a mark on the overall board in the position of your last played tile, and what you are then trying to do is win an overall metagame of noughts and crosses to win the game overall.

This double-layered approach is super interesting and isn’t something I’ve actually seen before. It leads to some very interesting gameplay as you are trying to win the game that you are playing, but also you need to win the game in a certain way so that you can win the overall match.

The game is spiced up with various extra powers depending on the cards you have and the character you choose to play. These are generally optional but add an extra set of rules as you become more familiar with the game.

I am not always a massive fan of abstract strategy games, but this is actually one of the best I have played. The artwork is fun and quirky, the game doesn’t overstay its welcome, and the components are of decent quality.

Annoyingly Eter isn’t the easiest game to obtain at the moment but is worth tracking down.

If you like playing games such as this but want something with a bit more depth and an overall really cool metagame, then “Eter” is a definite recommendation.