Brink Components Overview and Impressions
IV Studio has released hit after hit for us, and for the most part the quality of the production has been top notch. I think almost everything in the Deluxe version of Brink is phenomenal, although I have a few concerns about longevity that I’ll get to near the end of the article.
The one thing that sets Brink apart from the competition, and the one thing that concerns me, is about the various trays included with the game. I love when a game has removable trays that can be placed on the table, ready to go out of the box. Brink not only does that for the resource tray, but includes individual player trays and card trays as well. Getting Brink setup, therefore, is incredibly quick and easy. For a game with this many things to setup, it couldn’t be more simple.
The player trays, especially, are a nice addition to the box. Each player tray has an interior tray covered by a small player board. Inside, there are specific spots for all the player pieces including ships and attachments. When stored, the dual layered player board – where you place your upgrades during the game – keeps everything snug and safe – no spillage concerns within the box here! The player tray is incredibly useable as well. There is a lot to put your player screens up, individual wells for each of hte resources, a bidding tray that lays nicely above the wells, and spaces at the front of the tray to hold resources you need to trade, as well as your ships prior to placing them out on the board. It is VERY user friendly, and not only makes setup easy, but teaching the game as well.
The resource cubes in the Deluxe version of the game all look like cubes, but have slight design variations that set them apart. It is a small but nice touch that really does make the game feel premium. Equally as impressive are the player ships and upgrades you can slot into the the ships. Yes, you will actually put little upgrades onto your ships using a peg-and-hole system. It’s a lot of fun, and very thematic as well. There are a variety of other plastic pieces and ships in the box that will come out during the game, and these are equally as impressive as everything else.
If you’ve played other games in this universe created by IV Studio – Moonrakers and Moonrollers – you’ll likely appreciate the card design and colour palate choices. The cards are great quality, and I think it is unlikely I’ll be sleeving them anytime soon. Equally impressive are the cardboard tiles you’ll be using to build out your version of space on the central board.
I have one small concern that might not ever become a real problem so I don’t want to blow it out of proportion. I am a bit worried that the plastic used for the trays is a bit flimsy. I half expected the trays to feel a bit sturdier and heavier when I knew it was coming from IV Studio. Granted, increasing the density and thickness of these trays probably creates a product that would cost astronomical amounts to ship, so I’m sure that after rigorous testing, this is what IV Studio thought was best.
Honestly, at this point I defer to them as a company. I think IV Studio has set themselves apart in the board game industry as a group that cares a lot for the products they make, and how people receive them. So until something does happen, this concern will remain minor in my eyes. That said, this is yet another great production by IV Studio. Concerns aside, this still gets a solid A grade from us!
Article By Adam
