YORKTON - The games from designer Sébastien Bernier-Wong, and publisher Firestarter Games have been a most pleasant surprise of 2024.
It started with Master of Maple Syrup, a game I particularly liked in the PnP rendition we reviewed, and then took a step up with the absolute little gem Reforest: Plants of the Pacific Northwest Coast.
This week we look at a third game in the ‘family’; Downstream, a game designed by Bernier-Wong this time is co-operation with Daniel Mously.
So, to start this one released in 2022 has sold out, but can be found as a PnP, (a new edition is in the works), which is good, although by design the cards are narrower than a normal deck so are a bit finicky to sleeve. I ended up gluing to a card, which worked but doesn’t look quite right with the white border of the playing card seen under them.
And, up front this is the weakest of the three games from Firestarter Games, which is a bit unfair to Downstream because the other games are so good, leaving this one solid – but still third among the three.
Downstream is a two-player card laying game where players create a river and attempt to enrich their own shoreline.
It’s a solid idea but the card art on the two-sided cards is not particularly interesting albeit functional, so it’s a bit bland laying cards.
Players compete to achieve a varying set of objectives in each game, which is rather standard as well.
This is a little game that works, but just never catches the imagination in a way which leaves a great impression.
Playable for sure, but not one you will reach for first. Find it at www.firestarter.games
