Debt Management
Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9PUPSu0Jk9Q
Player Count: 2-5
Play Time: 8-20 Minutes
Recommended Ages: 10+
Components: 18 Cards, Pen and Paper
Mechanics: Push Your Luck, Set Collection
Description: Push your luck to get the best credit score by collecting as many paid debts as possible while avoiding late payments. Pass cards you think might be bad off to other players to deal with.
Feedback
Creativity of Theme
Pretty darn dry, but at least it’s something different
Building your credit score is an interesting (though not exciting) theme that I haven’t seen elsewhere
Creativity of Mechanisms
Nothing really astounding here. What’s there works, but I’m not convinced that this is “fun”. Another issue with Chris’s designs I’m seeing, save a couple, is that his endgame scoring is insane, and often requires you to have to reference the rule sheet directly in order to tabulate everything properly- this instantly tunes out casual players like my wife, she’d roll her eyes at this kind of scoring.
Seems very similar to Cockroach Poker, but with the bluffing eliminated
Mesh of Theme/Mechanism
It makes sense, but I don’t think they’re married to each other
The game play has nothing to do with the theme. Life would be great if I could pass off unpaid debt to someone else.
Clarity of Rules
For the most part clear, but it honestly took me a few mins to understand the scoring graphic in there.
I think I could play this game now.
Use of Form Factor
No multiuse, missed potential there
Perceived Player Engagement
I don’t think these kind of push your luck mechanics will engage players for very long, especially when it’s so mathy on the back end
People would be playing, but I don’t know that they’d stay interested.
Match with Button Shy Brand
Simplicity and ease of learning is there.
WOW Factor
A PYL game about debt isn’t exactly wow’ing.
Concerns
The fact that the initial player doesn’t look at the card before making a decision seems like it will make the game feel very random.
Additional Comments
Luck, zero decisions, glaring absence of fun