Element's sorcerously fun gameplay falls just short of excellence

November 9, 11:50 AMDes Moines Gaming Industry ExaminerDaniel Heck

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MindTwister has released a visually superior board game called Element, in which each of two players portrays a sorceror trying to capture the other by surrounding him or her with instances of the four natural elements of legend: earth, fire, wind, and water.  A turn consists of rolling four dice, each with the element symbols as well as the word "Element" and a wild symbol printed on their sides, and then placing element stones according to the icons rolled.  One can also move the sorceror at least one space per turn.  Despite having one's resources dictated to a degree, the dice still grant plenty of strategic choice, since the board starts with several element stones on which to build patterns, which grow quickly within only a few turns.

Element is gorgeously presented; the stones are colorful, perfectly smooth and easily handleable, with individual bags to make sure they don't get inappropriately mixed.  The board itself shows several detailed sorceror icons, the words "Element" in a perfectly archaic-looking font and a convenient chart that reminds each player how the individual elements can work against each other.

In terms of mechanics, this interaction is Element's greatest strength.  Each element both has the power to eliminate another element and can be eliminated by another:  Fire replaces Wind, which replaces Earth, which replaces Water, which finally, in turn, replaces Fire.  This system makes placing stones not just about positioning but about defense; one must often consider how best to help oneself escape capture by changing elemental stones wherever possible.  The game takes the strategy to yet another level by implementing special elemental manipulation powers: players can "flow" rivers, fire "grows" by allowing the placement of bonus stones, wind can be "jumped" in the style of checkers, and earth forms immovable, permanent walls over time.

All this makes for wonderfully enjoyable gameplay, for as long as it lasts.  So why the unenthusiastic title of this article?  First, some awkward phrasing in the instructions requires patience to slog through.  More importantly, Element deserves to be played with either a bigger board or fewer dice, only the latter of which can really be tried as a home variant.  The elements are so powerful and the job of capturing the enemy sorceror in one turn is so relatively easy (place stones in as many as eight but as few as five squares, depending on position) that the game is often over before you know it.  Testing on the part of this reviewer averaged five to fifteen minutes per game, including one game that lasted exactly two turns.  It's hard to really get "into" a game when it's this quick.  Was something missing?  One can place stones and move one's sorceror extremely carefully and still not avoid falling well short of the forty-five minutes the makers estimate a well-fought game should take.

I still recommend Element.  The game's strategy contains deep intricacies that should take dozens of games to really master, not to mention Element's visual beauty and particular compactness that allows play within tight quarters.  It's componentally simple, it's well-designed, and it takes advantage of well-trodden magical themes in new and refreshing ways.  Element retails for about $30.

Have fun, and never lose that competitive spirit!