There are several card-based games which have come out from Tuonela Productions Ltd. the last couple of years, and this week's entry is Modern Society, released just last year.
The game is designed by Jussi Autio, and follows what is sort of standard for many games from this company. There are pile of cards, 144 in this case, a few small tokens, instructions in three languages, and all contained in a neat mid-sized box.
The game plays with three-to-five players, so it's for the family, or when the neighbours pop in. With a suggested play time of about one-hour, it does fit the after dinner entertainment niche, although the topic here may be a bit heavy for a casual evening.
The players all live in the same 'modern society' where they attempt to influence others so they can achieve enough power to leave their mark on the world.
The game rules intro Modern Society by noting "Modern Society is on the verge of change. At the beginning of the 21st Century the world is facing completely new challenges. Faith in a brighter future is endangered, however. The welfare state is almost at a breaking point, the population is aging and the dependency ratio is declining. At the same time, new catastrophes are also lurking on the horizon. Global warming and the instability of the economy are feeding inequality and fuelling people's fears. In this game, the rising discontent of the population challenges the players to build a society of their dreams. What is the direction you want the world to take?
"What would your decisions be as a statesman and what problems would you aim to solve? To answer the call in the hour of need you must sell your world view to the masses - either together with your rivals or in spite of them. Are you ready to make a difference?"
The player's opinions are determined by four societal values; militarism, economy, human values and environmental values.
The game rules explain, "Players try to sway public opinion by influencing these four societal values, in order to steer the course of legislation. This is done by playing topic cards which then become the "hot topics" of the day. They are the issues people read about in the newspapers and talk about around coffee tables. The winner is the player who uses his own political power the best to drive through certain laws in the player's mutual society."
The cards, as the heart of the game, are well designed with scenes from the modern world used well. The numbers are large, so that's a plus since you can see what cards do.
The rule set is brief, which looks like a good thing, although at times you are left wishing there was a bit more explanation.
The game, while having a rather 'deep' theme, plays lighter, although you can of course digress to talk the 'politics' of our society if you care too. Otherwise the cards, and how you play them, carry the game.
I've seen the game compared to Fluxx, a game previously reviewed here. I can see the thinking with that comparison, but Modern Society has less of the total chaotic craziness of Fluxx which leaves you with zero control of the outcome. Here there are some hand management decisions which can create some strategies toward winning.
This is a pretty solid filler style game, and likely the best of the crop from Tuonela in terms of card games to-date. Check it out if you have the chance.
If anyone is interested in this game, or other boardgames feel free to contact [email protected]
Past reviews are collected online at calsboardgamemusings.blogspot.com
