A Review of Absolutely Aces
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I just finished reading all of the reviews for Absolutely Aces, including my own. It's clear that this little card game really isn't for everyone. It really isn't. In fact, it's probably not for very many people at all.
But it's for me.
I've logged over 100 plays now, nearly all of the them solo, playing one side as Schlock, the other side as Kaff. I haven't done any stats yet, so I can't say if there is a first player advantage. It doesn't feel like it.
Luck is a big factor in the game. But it's not the only factor, a player has to score 15 points to win, and that's easier said than done. Since it's impossible to win on a single round, the game must proceed over multiple rounds, and this distributes the luck between players.
Playing against myself, I regularly go 6 rounds before one side scores 15. Fortunately, rounds go very quickly, with experience a minute or few minutes each.
Despite what seems to be pure luck of the card draw, there are usually one or more decisions available in each hand. Do you block with, say, the Break? Or use the Ace, or maybe the pair of Rolls? Each of these decisions has different consequences, all of which lurk right at the edge of my cognitive ability. I can usually see 2 turns ahead, and that's usually not quite enough. But sometimes it is! And it's cool!
Absolutely Aces plays fast, like Zombie Dice fast.
After 100 plays, I'm still finding nuance, and looking forward to the next 100 plays.
I do recommend the game to anyone willing to put in a few plays to learn the blocking combinations, and who has an equally motivated and competitive opponent, and who is willing to approach the game as it is, not as they want it to be. Per Hollandspeile's philosophy, I'd recommend most others avoid it.