From the little that I played, Dominion looked to be a promising game with lots of ramp-up time and skill expression. There were so many ways to play the game and therefore many options different strategies to come out on top.
Dominion has a somewhat complex learning curve, due to the way that cards are drawn and played. It took our group about 10 minutes to learn, but that was because we had an experienced player teaching us the rules.
The most frustrating aspect of the game was learning the draw, reshuffle, and discard procedure. On paper it seems simple, but it is complex to an inexperienced player. I have not played a card game where your discarded cards become the cause of your actions next turn.
My favorite moment, from the little I played, was looking over the possible actions I can take. Dominion leaves a lot in the players hand, and gives them so many tools to work with. I enjoy games with lots of expression in them.
I found myself able to do anything. I am unable to describe anything I couldn’t do.
I did not play enough of the game to find flaws. I will say that the game is very overwhelming initially, making it hard to come up with a strategy. I would add more pacing to the game, either by gating certain cards or encouraging simpler strategies to build off of.
I would like to play Dominion again. I’d like to experience the game in full to see how complex the game gets at the end.
The first act would probably be the longest. The start of the game and subsequent ramp up has players understanding the game and developing their initial strategy, up until players feel confident enough to buy land or attack others. The second act would stat when players focus more laterally than vertically, either by attacking, defending, or working towards buying the most estates or amassing the most wealth. The second act flows smoothly until the final act, where new cards begin to run thin.
There are many ways to compete with opponents in Dominion, but there’s one single factor that determines victory. Many players will adopt different strategies like collecting wealth, attacking others, or playing multiple actions to maximize turns. In the end, the player with the most land cards will win the game.
I believe that the general metaphor of Dominion is empire building. You act as a king who must do whatever necessary to build their dominion. I believe that the vastness of avenues to build your kingdom is what makes Dominion stand out. Like in real life, kingdoms needed to build wealth, gain territory, and secure themselves against adversaries.