Industry [ハードカバー]

Combine penny-pinching economic scarcity, fierce bidding at the public auction, and proprietary competitive races in innovation against the backdrop of thousands of years of historical technological developments, and you have Rio Grande's recent board game release, Industry. Will it be development in the water pump station, the iron ore mine, or power plants that lead you to success? Should you spend your cherished resources developing the automobile, or go into the financial industry by creating the stock exchange? How about transportation: do you prefer water or rails? It all depends on your strategy in this game of calculated risks, clever bids and constant innovation.

In Industry, players compete over the span of five eras, ranging from the primitive invention of brick to the final technologies of robotics and the internet. They take turns auctioning the rights to develop factories, technologies, and bonus fields. With an interesting twist to a standard auctioning game, the auctioneer has a choice between pocketing the money from the highest bidder, or purchasing the right for himself. If he chooses the latter, he distributes his payment between all the players and must give up his seat as the auctioneer.

After purchasing rights, players must still pay additional costs to develop their rights into factories, technologies and bonus fields. Factories and technologies only yield victory point benefits if developed in the current era, so players must carefully plan for timely development. Failure to do so results in sunk costs and useless fields. The third type of right, bonus fields, can be developed at any time, since they offer only endgame benefit. These bonus fields include the railways, power lines, waterways and other mediums that enable your business to deliver its innovations. Monopolizing on one can prove to be of great strategic value, since each bonus field acts as a victory point multiplier for associated factories. After all rights have been auctioned, the player with the most victory points is the winner and history's greatest industrial genius.

I was thrilled to play Industry, although I found the learning curve to be steep. It took me two full games (at around two hours each) to grasp the game enough to approach it confidently, and even then my understanding felt a bit shaky. Numerous components contribute to a successful strategy, and acquainting oneself with the board is no small task in this case. With over 40 factories and 12 technologies, it can be a bit daunting. The intricacy of each component, however, is amazing, and the way that each piece contributes to the whole is rather fascinating. The final product is well-thought-through and balanced, offering a variety of successful approaches that do not quickly grow boring.

I especially enjoyed the historical aspect of Industry, witnessing the unfolding of technologies throughout the eras. The game serves as a strong educational tool, and I've always liked games that serve dual purposes in this way. It will pique older childrens' interest in what was once considered "cutting edge" (bricks really were the hot item, once upon a time!) while offering some quality family fun. Although the manufacturer recommends ages 10 and up, I am inclined to suggest 13 and up for a truly positive experience.

Industry is not for the faint of heart--its level of complexity and mental involvement make it an ambitious choice for the casual gamer. For those intrigued by strategy and calculations, however, Industry is thought-provoking and offers a great challenge. I enjoyed playing Industry, and, as a Business Major, I was pleased with the different economic factors at play in the game. Although it is not my favorite, it is unique among board games, and I think it has a lot to offer. See you on the auction floor!

**For other game reviews I have written, please visit my blog, "Advantage Games." You can find the URL on my Amazon profile page.