Oct 15, 2019

To Open or Not – Tapestry the Board Game

Updated: Nov 9, 2020

Are you a person who opens presents right away, or do you wait?

I wait as long as I can to open a present, and it’s not that I find it unsettling to be the focus while opening. (Those close to me know I am not shy to attention.)

It’s the feeling when I open the gift and not conveying the appropriate level of appreciation or worse, not being able to conceal my confusion or lack of enthusiasm if it turns out to be odd or inexplicable.

I was experiencing that dread waiting for our game to arrive.

My impatience was brimming for our copy of Tapestry to arrive, and the endless posts from around the world opening their box were vexing. Then the Postman brought the much-anticipated game!!! Out of the brown box and on to the table, Tapestry went and sat for a month. After I had been following the assessments and judgments on social media, I was dreading the idea of disappointment in the game.

It is fair to note that we enjoy Stonemaier Games, and they are often in rotation at Nerdz Garage.

I have said it before that opening a Stonemaier game is a gift that never disappoints. The choice of linen paper, the adorable building and outpost miniatures, unique dice, and charming landmarks. The art on the Tapestry cards are delightful, and all of these fit in a custom insert. (Love custom inserts) The Landmarks (for me) are reminiscent of anime; they look close to what they represent, Character-Esque, Art. I had a conversation online about the value of these pieces, and they noted they thought them pricey and unnecessary, chits or tokens would work just as well. I added that I thought they were essential to the game since we were growing our new world, and these landmarks are the physicality of what was built. My favorite strategy is filling up my City.

*We generally purchase upgrades of pieces that are more factual and heavier because it deepens our experience of a game.

Stonemaier games are known for his intricate design and impressive gameplay mechanics. Tapestry has the depth and strategy of a Stonemaier game. It notes a two-hour game; we have played a dozen times, and we have been closer to three hours.

You start from nothing and advance on any of the four advancement tracks (science, technology, exploration, and military) to earn progressively better benefits. You can focus on a specific track or take a more balanced approach to build your City and civilization. I have tried both strategies and found that divide and conquer brought a higher VP. You will also improve your income, build your capital city, leverage your asymmetric abilities, earn victory points, and gain tapestry cards that will tell the story of your civilization. The growth in each track provides unique bonuses and progress of advancement. Our son loved the fact that he could go to space, and THAT was his only goal. (He made it to space.)

We found Tapestry to be well balanced with aspects in a particular combination. The luck of the draw with a Tapestry card at the right era or the roll of the dice can swing for or against your favor. The wildcard of balance is personal game style/attitude/ goals as they relate to what options the game presents you.

The tension that builds at the last round is stressful, remindful of most of Stonemaier games. Every time!!!

I have spent decades in theater and know the stress of asking folks to spend their hard-earned cash in the hopes that for a few hours, they were transported from their life and hopefully had a good time.