First off, I wanted to talk about the 2 other reviews for this game. The 1 star review mentions buying the game from a 3rd party seller and missing some of the pieces. While this is a total bummer, I wonder if this review would be better suited for the individual seller rather than docking the game stars. Usually if you contact Amazon they will help you resolve the issue. Plus, I noticed that Catan customer services commented on that review and offered to send free game pieces that were missing. On the second review, I don't have a problem with them scoring it with 3 stars, but I will totally disagree that games are generally the same and that the first player to have a turn has a significant advantage. If you play without using any of the expansion sets, yes games can tend to be very similar. However, the different themes offer 4 additional ways to play that can significantly alter player strategy. And lastly, I don't think that the player with the first turn has a significant advantage. They might have an advantage in certain strategies, but this is why there are multiple paths to victory. But it is important to note that luck and using all available strategies can make a big difference. If you want more opinions about this game, I suggest that you look up the Amazon review forRivals for Catan . The other version is not the Deluxe version and does not come with the card trays (a must in my opinion). But at least you can get some more opinions. FYI, if you are curious, there are other expansions for this game that are not included in this Deluxe package. With that out of the way, let me give you some background about me. I played lots of the classic board games growing up (Monopoly, Life, Chess, Checkers, etc.). I have only played Settlers of Catan once, and that was years ago. My wife (my second player) also has a similar gaming history. We were looking for something fun that the two of us can do after the kids are in bed. First, I will say that the instruction manual is intimidating. If you are a "gamer", then you will probably have no problem with this. The manual is long and takes some time to absorb all of the rules. I suggest watching an instructional video on Youtube as that will help you learn the game quickly. You will probably have to consult the manual as you play and read some of the fine print after watching the video, but totally worth it. My wife and I have played the game about 10 times. Our time playing probably ranges between 1 - 2.5 hours. If you are playing with a theme, then your game is going to be much longer as you need 12 victory points to win rather than 7. You also need lots of space as we essentially fill up an entire card table with our set up. I also want to throw in that I love the set up and the way you turn your cards to indicate how many resources you have. Its also nice that you don't have to worry about losing tons of little game pieces as the only items in the box are game cards, card trays, two plastic coins, and 2 dice. As far as the gameplay goes, it is very fun. There can be slow moments, but usually I am so busy thinking through my next few moves and all my options that I don't care. I could see how the game might get old after many playthroughs, but we are far from that point. I could also see how the time commitment or barrier to entry could be a problem for some, but I think it is totally worth it. Great game. I am thinking about buying additional expansions already just for the heck of it.
