Since it became free as Microsoft celebrated Xbox Live's fifth birthday, Carcassonne has seen many more users give it a shot. Michael Ubaldi gives Carcassonne a second look, and offers his opinions on this turn-based strategic board game.
Excerpt:
To the naked eye and jaundiced eye, Carcassonne looks like a repeat attempt of Microsoft's: transposition, for Xbox Live Arcade, of turn-based, family-friendly, strategic board games. Released in late June 2007, it got a pass from me. Tile-driven accounting of roads, lands and livestock? No, thank you - I already had the Live Arcade version of Settlers of Catan. When, three weeks ago, Sierra Online's product was offered on the Marketplace for free, Ed Kirchgessner suggested I write a review. Game and Player's editors played a few rounds two weeks ago; it was my first time, and those prepossessions remained. The game commenced with the laying of tiles. It continued with the laying of tiles. Five minutes in, I spoke up. Will we start playing soon? I asked. Came the reply: Mike, we are playing.
