Mission: Review - Targi, Codenames: Duet and Fox in the Forest Reviews
Hello again and welcome back to another review from Mission: Control! We’re going to switch things up a bit for our second review and we’re going to talk about three games instead of focusing on just one. All three of these games are small, easy to set up, easy to learn and only need two players to play. While none of these games would make my top 10 all time list, I think that they’re a great starting point for someone who wants to get into the hobby and not be too overwhelmed. Without further ado, let’s get to the games!
A spin-off of the popular party game “Codenames”, “Codenames: Duet” brings the same wordplay puzzle into a nice, tight two-player package. The base gameplay is nearly identical to the original “Codenames” but with a few twists to make the game work for the low player count. For those who haven’t played Codenames before, it breaks down like this: A 5x5 grid of random words is laid out between the players. One player takes on the role of Codemaster and their partner plays their Agent. The Codemaster gives one-word clues to their Agent, trying to get them to guess certain words while avoiding others based on a secret key. Play goes back and forth until one team covers up all their words first.
“Duet” plays the same but with two twists. The first and biggest difference is that each player now has their own key and both players take on the role of the Codemaster. Players are working together giving one-word clues to each other and trying to get their partner to guess the words shown on their respective keys. The second twist is more minor but “Duet” also adds timer tokens that must be used each round. This adds a sense of urgency to play, as players can’t win by giving clues for only one word at a time.
Codenames: Duet does a great job of capturing the essence of Codenames and making it work for two players, but some of that party game magic is lost in the two-player format. Typically, Codenames is played with four players, so part of the fun lies in watching the opposing team squirm and struggle as they try to come up with good clues and experiencing the hilarity that ensues when they miss the mark completely. There’s something satisfying about showing off how in sync you can be with your partner especially when your opponent falters. However, if you’re a fan of the original Codenames and want to be able to play it without needing a large group, Codenames: Duet still delivers that same great brain-teasing gameplay into a format that’s a lot easier to get to the table.
Fox in the Forest is a two-player trick-taking card game that is played over a series of lightning quick rounds or tricks. A trick-taking game is a card or tile-based game in which play of a hand centers on a series of finite rounds or units of play, called tricks, which are each evaluated to determine a winner or taker of that trick. The winner is determined by the number of tricks a player takes or wins during a given round. However, there is a catch: if you get too greedy and win too many tricks, you’ll lose points!
If you’ve ever played a trick-taking game before like Spades, Hearts or Contract Bridge, the flow of Fox in the Forest is similar. Players play cards in turn order and whomever plays the highest card of a given suit wins the trick unless a trump card is played. The real difference maker in this game, however, is the fantasy theme. Certain themed cards like the witch or fox give you special abilities, such as altering the trump card’s suit, giving you the upper hand. This adds a little bit more strategy and can add some great “gotcha!” moments.
Overall, while this game isn’t one I’d play frequently, Fox in the Forest makes a great travel game for people who like to game on the go. There’s virtually no setup and the rules can be learned in less than 2 minutes. Also, the artwork on the cards is absolutely fantastic.
Unlike the previous two games, Targi is neither a party game nor a card game. It is more of a traditional board game, albeit in a small package, with a unique theme. In Targi, you play as a member of the Tuareg tribe, whose economy traditionally involved trans-Saharan trading. The board consists of a 5x5 grid: a border of 16 cards with action symbols surrounding 9 blank spaces in the center onto which cards are dealt (the “tribe cards”). Tribesmen are placed one at a time on the border cards. You cannot place a tribesman on a card your opponent has a tribesman on already, nor on a card facing an opponent's tribesman. Once all tribesmen are placed, players then execute the actions on the border cards and take the tribe cards that match the row and column of the border tribesman. Some of the tribe cards have costs which must be paid before taking the card. Once a player has acquired 12 tribe cards, the game ends and the player with the most victory points wins.
Tribesmen intersecting on the board
Targi is one of those games that seems simple on the surface but once you play it you start to discover the layers of hidden strategy within. Even at two players, you and your opponent are in a constant knife fight for resources and board placement. Every decision you make will not only affect your next turn but also your opponent’s. The placement rules of where you can and cannot play a tribesman add to the constant struggle you’ll find yourself in as you maximize your turn while also trying to foil your opponent. The randomized setup of tribe cards that come out each round also help keep the game fresh with each turn.
Of all the games that I played for this review, this one was by far my favorite. It takes less than 2 minutes to set up and has rules that you can easily learn in less than 5 minutes. However, you’ll quickly find yourself wracking your brain over acquiring resources and trying to outplay your opponent in order to score that sweet tribe card or precious gold resource.