Beacon patrol is a game that seems like it will be easier than it is. With its quaint art and relaxing vibe, I definitely expected something a little lighter in the box.
At first glance it’s hard not to compare with Dorf Romantik, and that game was definitely a meditative experience.
Beacon Patrol is a different animal, and a good one. A crunchy puzzle lies beneath the surface of this game, one that challenges you to adapt to and plan around the random tile draws.
The rule book is concise- once we read through it we only used the reference cards until we added in the expansions. Having the two expansions included in the box was a great idea, as the base game is fairly straightforward and quick to process. I really liked the piers expansion, and felt like it gave a new dimension with the islands. The windmill expansion felt more like filler, as it deals with open water and is not particularly challenging.
With multiplayer the experience can be a bit solitary, as your boats typically kind of wander off from one another. I really liked that players could trade one tile per turn, a rule I felt kept us engaged. We played single player, two player, and three player games, and absolutely felt that two player is where this game really shines.
If you are a fan of tile laying games, there is one rule to consider here before buying. Tiles cannot be rotated- each one has an arrow showing which direction it must face. This could be a make or break feature for fans of the genre, as creatively orienting your tile can be really thought provoking and fun. However, it’s this very restriction in Beacon Patrol that makes it so crunchy. The rule set is very simple, yet very strict, so you will be discarding tiles you cannot use. This sometimes can be frustrating. Rarely have a I felt so relaxed and stressed in a game, as I watch my points slowly float away.
Every time you play a tile, your boat moves onto it. This adds some depth to the puzzle, as you can only work with tiles your boat is on. Fortunately you have three movement tokens to spend per turn, which turns out to be a godsend. You will find yourself using them at various parts if your turn, as you plan out where you want to be.
The art style is unique and fun, and makes the game easy to understand. Everything flows really easily, and the game is over before you know it- another feature I really appreciate. This is definitely one of those “let’s play again” games, and you can easily play three or four games in a row.
Likes-
The art style
The puzzle
The piers expansion
The play time
Two player
Trading tiles
Movement tokens
Dislikes-
The windmills expansion
Three player
Unlucky streaks
Sometimes feels too restrictive