Famiglia -- Blood is Thicker than Cardboard

[Gerald]

Yes, the intro is overly dramatic... specially since there is minimal bloodshed in this game.  Famiglia is one of Friedmann Friese's newer games, and is specially made for two-players.  Its about building up your gang/mob/mafia so by the end of the game, you can claim that you have the strongest group. 

Truth be told, I never thought I'd enjoy another Friese game with the exception of Power Grid.  I have tried a handful of his other titles, but all of 'em have fallen short.  Until I tried Famiglia.  But I'm getting ahead of myself.

COMPONENTS:
The game comes in a small box and is made up entirely of cards.  The cards are of good quality and the artwork is superb (at least for my own personal taste).  I specially like how the background of each card can be combined to form a collage of sorts, depicting a rough neighborhood.

The rule sheet is quite adequate and leaves little to be desired.  It has illustrations and examples of play, leaving few questions regarding how to play the game.  Whatever questions you might have after reading the rules are quickly answered after the first couple of turns of playing the game.

I love how everything can fit in your jacket pocket, making the game very portable and the game itself leaves a very small footprint so you can play it almost anywhere.

For the cheap price, you get what you pay for. 

GAMEPLAY:
The rules are relatively simple.  On your turn you can re-seed the pool if that option is available to you.  Then you can play an accountant, followed by a bruiser/thug.  Then you can claim one mobster from the pool.  Rinse and repeat.  After two rounds (dictated by the draw pile), game ends and the one with the stronger gang (highest score) wins.

What?  Want me to be more elaborate?  Okay, okay.

There are four types of cards in the game.  The blue cards are accountants.  Accountants allow you to exchange cards from your hand from your personal discard pile.  The yellow cards are bruisers/thugs.  Bruisers/Thugs allow you to lower the value of the cards in the pool, making it easier to acquire more powerful members.  The green cards are wild cards that allow you to use them in place of other colored cards.  The red cards do jack squat, but they score higher compared to other colored cards of similar value.

So in a nutshell, you use these powers to try and manipulate your way to acquiring the best gangsters.  The rules are relatively simple, but the layers of strategy contained within the game are satisfyingly stuffing (not too easy, but doesn't burn your brains out too much either).

COMPARING IT TO OTHER TWO-PLAYER CARD GAMES:
I didn't compare this game to other set collecting game or hand management games because there's just too many to name out there and I've played alot of 'em.

Its easier to compare it to other two-player card games, if only because I can just compare the "fun factor" the game provided as compared to other games.

Comparing Famiglia to Battle Line or Lost Cities, I'd say its a tie, but I give Famiglia the VERY slight edge because I like the theme better.  Comparing it to meatier two-player games such as Perry Rhodan or Jambo, I'd still give Famiglia the VERY slight edge because of the portability.  Gameplay wise, they all scratch a very similar itch for me and you really can't go wrong in choosing one over the other. 

I guess what I'm trying to say despite my incessant ramblings, is that Famiglia can hold its own against other two-player staples.

FINAL THOUGHTS:
Famiglia is a good two-player game that you probably won't regret having in your collection.  It is the only Friese game I have liked since Power Grid (though admittedly I have yet to play each and every single one of his games) and for the price, its a steal.  If you like two-player games, and you value portability, do yourself a solid and grab a copy of this game.