Launch Steam and start shaking your Brass

Originally published at: http://statelyplay.com/2017/10/11/launch-steam-and-start-shaking-your-brass/

iOS, Android, PC/Mac/Linux •


If you told me Bottom of the 9th was the only board game making its way to Steam today, I’d laugh in your face, call you names, and generally just be a huge ass. Why? Because it’s Wednesday. Also, I know that Cublo Games’ take on Martin Wallace’s classic, Brass, is making its debut on Valve’s moneymaker today as well. See how cool that makes me? That I know that thing? Yeah, I’m pretty cool, aren’t I?

We all remember Brass from its launch back in 2015 on iOS and Android. In typical Martin Wallace fashion, it’s a heavy economic euro set in Great Britain’s past with mechanisms set to punish those who would dare make poor decisions. It’s great, especially if you’re feeling a little too proud or simply need to be reminded of your own failings as a human being. Not surprisingly, it’s one of my favorite games in cardboard form, and the digital version does a nice job of bringing all that glory and suffering to the small screen.

Now it’s on the big screen, available for PC/Mac/Linux on Steam (complete with a pull quote from me attributed to Pocket Tactics, so now I’m sad again). It’s pretty much the same title you’ve been playing on your iPad and phone for the past two years, but now you can do it when you’re supposed to be working. They did add some laptop/desktop centric things such as email notifications, mouse and keyboard support, and UI tweaks for the bigger screen size, but gameplay-wise, it’s the same deal.

The game has cross-platform online play for up to four players or solo play against two levels of AI. It also has a tutorial which I’ve heard different views on its efficacy, as well as the rule book for those who find the tutorial wanting.

You can pick up the Steam version right now for $10, or the iOS/Android version for $6/$7. You can also go read an incredibly well-written, researched, and edited review for the digital version of Brass over at Pocket Tactics. I also stole the caption from that review, but I have permission from the original author.

https://youtu.be/vTnIRjcZfbs

Ha-Ha!

Love the caption. Love this game.

From what I remember the tutorial wasn’t that great, but I learned most of what I needed by listening to the “How to Play” podcast on Brass. Then losing to the AI many times.

I wish it had the little helper information you see in Through the Ages. I forget how much the canals cost, so I always have to look that up.

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all kinds of helpful texts are displayed when tapping on this or that.
eg game will show you the cost of the canal when tapping on it. you can always take back (x close) the move (very much like in TTA).

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