Matthew BaileyThe last time we looked at Lacuna was a few Christmases ago, when we all had Norovirus and since then it’s one of my most recommended games.
Lacuna is one of those games that just feels special the moment you open it. It’s a simple two-player abstract, but it looks and feels absolutely gorgeous.
Players lay out a cloth representing a pond at night and scatter wooden flowers over its surface. Each player starts by choosing a randomly coloured flower from their collection. The aim is to select pairs of coloured flowers with a clear line of sight between them, ensuring no other flower or obstruction blocks the view.
After identifying such pairs, players place their markers between the two chosen flowers, pick them up, and add them to their collection. This continues until both players have placed all six markers and acquired 13 flowers each. The game’s true strategy emerges in the second phase. All remaining flowers are given to the player with the nearest marker. Thus, while collecting flowers initially, players must strategically position their markers to optimise their flower collection in the subsequent phase.
After distributing all the flowers, the player with the most points emerges victorious. The game is simple, relaxing, quick to set up, and quick to play. The component quality is outstanding. The game’s cloth is of excellent quality. The wooden tokens are well-made, although I did receive one misshapen token. The metal tokens are aesthetically pleasing, though distinguishing between gold and silver under dim lighting can be challenging. The game is housed in a stylish tube, which doubles as a shaker for the petals. Additionally, spare flowers are provided, a thoughtful touch.
I recommend Lacuna whenever someone asks for a present to get someone as its a beautiful package and easy enough for non-gamers to understand.
