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Misty (2019) Review It's raining again. A real deluge … We can not go outside. What are we going to do? Oh, what ... On my window, the mist seems to be forming something. And if I added that ... and that. Ah yes, it's starting to look like something. Oh, the cool car. And there, a rocket. And there, oh no, a monster that attacks the plant! My window is turning more and more into a real story. Oh, the pleasures of being a child. These moments where our imagination allowed us to travel while staying at home, thanks to our "talents" of imagination. These talents, which, it must be admitted, were in fact very far from resembling what we believed. But what mattered was the fact that we believed in them and that it made us travel far. Well, our parents were laughing less when they had to clean the windows behind us, because of the traces left. But what memories. It is with this approach that Misty was born. Misty is the latest game (at least as I write this article because, game designers never stop) from the designer Florian Fay. An author who derives from already known and proven mechanisms, sometimes improbable ones, creating a new life with this mixture to a perfectly well working game. Games like Apocalypse Chaos, Greenville 1989, Mesozooic or WonderZoo are all perfect examples. With Misty, the author revisits card drafting and programming by simplifying it and allowing as many people as possible to discover it. Misty was released at Helvetiq in 2019. This game fits straight into the range of small boxes from this publisher. This is probably close enough to the minimalist "Japanese" small box games. Inside, a fairly short game rule, 54 cards and that's it. The cards are of a format adapted to the box (but not necessarily to sleeves for the most addicts of you). Easy to carry, easy to play. A bit like Mesozooic, Misty offers an original experience. In the end, each player will have twelve cards with which he will have to create a window. On the final form, you do not have to choose from the beginning of the game. Your window will come alive as the game progresses. At the end, it must form a rectangle of:
At the end of a round, players win points. Whoever has the most wins. The goal is to win two rounds. The first to whom it happens, wins the game. Now that we've seen how we win, it's time to find out how we play. The game is played in two phases. In the first, each player will receive six cards. Misty is a real time game. In other words, there is not really a turn. Each player plays at the same time. You will choose a card among the six in hand. You will put it face down in front of you and you will pass the rest of the cards to your neighbor (right or left, following what you all agreed at the beginning of the game because we do not change on the first six cards! No, I said. We must follow strictly ... sorry, I get carried away ... Hum resume ...). Once each player has chosen their card, you reveal it together. This is the principle of the draft. Now, you will have to play this card to form your window. If it's the first time it's simple you put it where you want. On the other hand, for the following ones, it will be necessary to place them adjacent to another one (vertically, horizontally or diagonally). This can be done in height, length but within the limit of the maximum final size of your window. Not always so simple. You’ll do this five times, the last card is also added to your window ( this one you do not have the choice necessarily). Once the first six cards are in front of you, your window begins to come to life. Yes, that's right. There will be holes, especially to form the twelve locations. So guess what? Yes, you’ll receive six new cards. And this time, you have to fill these holes. It is also better to change the direction of the draft. Once the twelve cards are laid, it's the end of the round. The draft is finished. Now it’s time for the resolution of the programming, and for me to explain the second part of the game. The draft is only one of the gears of the game system. Indeed, on each card you will find different symbols. Sometimes it's going to be arrows, like on fire trucks or rockets. Other times ways to score points, like on smiley or plants, or you can find other indications to lose. Each card has its own way of working and scoring points. Once the card laying phase is over, we move on to the activation phase. At this point, you will have to activate all your cards. Fortunately, you will choose which order. Without being complicated, the choice of your activated cards will become important. For each card with an arrow, it moves a "space" on your window or outside (if it was placed on the edges of your window). Each uncovered monster goes greedily towards a plant. The others remain in place. Displacements are important. It will be well to visualize the best way to position your cards and the order in which to activate them. At the end of a round, you’ll move to the scoring phase.
It should not be hidden, Misty is a game intended primarily for a family audience. Simple to play, fast, and especially transportable everywhere, the game deserves its place in your library. It offers a mix of clever mechanisms that allows you to discover the wonderful world of programming in strong beautiful ways. Felix Kindelan's illustrations work perfectly with the theme. The childish side and fogged images puts you directly in the mood. The choice of drawings alone is a return to childhood. The indications are also very clear and the fact of putting them in the direction of laying cards is a very good idea. This allows a simple and effective reading direction. Players quickly learn how the whole thing works. The game offers an introduction to drafting and programming for 6 years olds. I admit I did not have the opportunity to try the game with a child of that age, but as it stands it may seem a little complicated. Or you must accompany your child with each turn. It may also be practical to leave two unused cards, face down and in two different directions, in front of everyone, to give an example of the window templates. This can avoid mistakes and make it easy. In its aspects of child's play, Misty managed to confront you with a game system very fun, but not so obvious, in a simple way. Offering some moments of reflection, Misty offers a beautiful playful time, especially for three players. Indeed, a game with two offers less challenge, which does not allow the game to have any interest. Easy to carry, the game requires a little space once installed. But I assure you it is not excessive. It is relatively easy to take it out. By cons, forget the plane or the train or even the car. No it will not support that. Could be the boat! ... But then ,a big one ... though ... oops I get lost sometimes. The designer offers us a first approach of the game of programming coupled with a system of draft, sometimes a little deceitful (but finally too rarely in the majority of the parts), ideal therefore for those of a small appetite. A game that takes little time. The rounds are fluid. The choices are logical in most cases. For the less experienced, it is possible to take a little more time to better plan future acquisitions / positioning. As time goes by, this time will be lessened. It is true that for expert players, the game will quickly find its limits despite an "expert" variant. But at the same time, Misty is not necessarily meant for them. Playing it is a bit like abusing good treats for others, a little guilty pleasure but very pleasant. Misty is a game that feels very nostalgic. Nostalgia for those carefree childhood moments. From those steam drawings that amused us so much. And this time, we do not fear the reaction of our parents, on the contrary, we drag them with us into this little crazy world. Some will even go so far as to be able to train their kids or their family to bring out their good old RoboRally ... With such an interesting "training ground", would they be wrong to deprive themselves ? Technical note 9/10 Everything fits perfectly in the box. The iconography is very clear. The rules are pretty good and the drawings display the theme well. Even if it is quickly forgotten. My BGG score 8.9 / 10 (Very good, enjoy playing and would suggest it.) For this style of play and the intended audience, Misty passed the test. Simple, fast, easy to transport, install, explain and play, everything is a big plus. Perfect entry into drafting but especially for programming (especially because it is not so common), it will convince young and old. To try it is to adopt it. Combined score of 8.95 / 10 And now it's over to you...
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