Last Will

Last Will is a board game that sees 2-5 players spending their dearly departed uncle's money as fast as they can, in the hopes of getting an even larger fortune. I'll start by saying that this is probably a medium-weight game. I would not expect to be able to play the game within minutes of opening the box. The rules are clearly laid out, but it will take some time to get a clear understanding of how to play. Here is a quick breakdown:Each "round" has 3 "phases".Phase I: PlanningThis is the shortest phase, but may be the most strategically deep. In it, players take turns deciding on their plan for the day. Each "plan" has several characteristics: number of face-down cards you can draw, number of errand boys to be placed in the second phase, number of actions to be spent in the third phase, and turn order for the rest of the round. The options you can take are usually good in one or two areas, and not so good in the others.Phase II: ErrandsIn this phase you get to use however many errand boys your plan allows (one or two). Mostly, errand boys let you pick up face-up cards from the board, but you can also extend your playing board, adjust the real estate market, or go to the opera (spend $2). It's a good idea to have a flexible plan at this phase, because most actions can only be taken by one player.Phase III: ActionsThis is the fun part! You get the number of actions your plan allows (one to four) to spend as much money as possible. This is done through the aforementioned cards. Some cards are events that happen once and are then discarded, and some are permanent, taking up room on your playing board. Some of these cards are helpers that allow you to spend more money that usual, while others are properties that you can let fall in to ruin or pay to keep up. There are also companions that can be taken along to events or given room in properties to make them more expensive.End of the game: The game ends in one of two ways. Either one person runs out of money and property, or the game is played to the end of the 7th round. Either way, whoever has the least amount of money or is most in debt at the end is the winner.Some thoughts:As I say in the title, the theme of this game is fantastic. As a hobby gamer, I get very used to collecting and converting resources into money and prestige as efficiently as possible. In Last Will, however, I'm trying to spend money on ridiculous things as efficiently as possible. It is a somewhat superficial difference, but it is still a nice change of pace. It also leads to much humor at the table as people take their dogs and horses out to dinner, and try their best to wreck the value of their properties.The components are all very well done. The cards especially are a treat to hold in your hand and admire. The artwork is very nice and also funny at times. One of my favorite things is the layout of the main board and the player boards. First, the main board scales for 2-5 players by being reversible and having extra sections. Also, the card spaces are clearly labeled so that you always know what kind of cards are being put on offer. The individual boards are very nice as well. They have room for cards to be slid down, revealing a check mark, so that you can easily keep track of which cards you have already used. There is also a system for tracking the number of actions you have left. My only complaint on components is that the insert is not very good, but that is easy to fix by simply getting rid of it!Like I said at the beginning, despite the light-hearted theme, this game is not on the same level as Monopoly. It is also a step up from the "big 3" (Settlers, Carcassonne, Ticket to Ride). However, most people could pick it up with a good teacher or by watching some youtube videos. I have only played the game two-player, with my wife. There is a rule for two players for blocking plans at the beginning of each round, but we have never used it, and the game still works fine for us. Highly recommended!P.S. Party Idea: Rent Brewster's Millions, then play Last Will. The plot is basically the same!

Bought as a gift for my son. Great game, lots of fun to play.

The basic concept of Last Will is simple -- spend all your money and go bankrupt before the other players.There are a variety of ways to do this.You could buy a bunch of properties, let them depreciate and sell them for next-to-nothing.Or you could go to "gentlemen's clubs" with your drinking buddy and make it rain.Or maybe you'd like to spend all your money on that certain lady friend (yes, this game assumes you are a straight male).But, in order to do it, you might need the help of your errand boys. And you'll need options and time to carry them out.So each round, you'll take turns with the other players to choose a slot that gives you a certain number of actions, lets you draw a certain number of cards, and lets you send out one or two errand boys to get another card or manipulate something in the game for you.Each turn forces you to prioritize what you need to do, decide how badly you want something that is out on the board, and pick a strategy for growing broke.The artwork is simply gorgeous and the theme (though sexist) is really fun.The gameplay is also way more complex than the description makes it sound, so it isn't for family game night or a party unless your family and/or friends are fairly serious gamers or willing to take the time to learn. (Not to mention that the theme may not be appropriate for youngsters).Anyway, after playing this the first time, I had to have it. It's super fun and a bargain at the price.

This game is a lot of fun, but it is NOT for a casual gamer. The premise is that you are potentially the inheritant of a large lump of money. In order to prove yourself worthy, you must be spend all of the money you are alloted as fast as possible, before the other does so. How is this possible? By buying property, and selling it for the least possible value, having lavish parties, eating at expensive restauarants, and taking boat trips with your pet horse. This game has a very whimsical air to it. The componants are quite good, you will get player boards to support up to 5 players, and this game is just as fun with 2 as it is with 5. It will be a lot longer with more people.The good: The box, the unique backwards theme, the pieces and their durable quality, the artworkThe bad: The fact that it is very complicated to explain to new players. There aren't THAT many cards, an expansion would be cool.I will quote my coworker who has little patience for complex games. "Are you done explaining this yet?" amongst lots of groans. Then when she played for two rounds, "I love this game!"

This takes some times to learn but it is worth doing. It’s a fun game with lots of options to make it different every time.

Very unique theme, and well implemented giving you a good new fresh way of playing a game. In my opinion, best at three or four players as the game is somewhat prone to analysis, as there are many options available to the players, but all of it is distinctively fun.