MICROMACRO CRIME CITY (2020)

PLAYERS	TIME	DESIGNER	PUBLISHER
1-4	5-30 mins	Johannes Sich	Pegasus Spiele

This game has often been compared to ‘Where’s Wally’, with players having to search across a huge map to seek out characters and small details.

In MICRO MACRO CRIME CITY, you investigate a series of cases that you solve by following clues.

The cleverness comes from the fact that time is represented within the game. The large black and white map isn’t a snapshot of a single moment. Instead, characters and events can be followed as they go about their daily business. Characters repeat in locations as you trail them around.

At first I thought it wouldn’t make sense, but each character (and each vehicle) that is important to the plot is drawn in a way that they are easily identifiable.

But while the scale of the map is impressive, and the investigation technique had me impressed, there wasn’t much else about this game that I liked.

My biggest complaint is the physical toll it took on me. The map is quite big, and easily takes up more table space than most board games.

Sitting at the table wasn’t really an option when tailing a perp from one side of the city to the other.

This meant standing, which wouldn’t have been so bad, but you have to bend over and get in real close to really see what you need to.

I also found the cases a mixed bag too. They start off beyond simple, which is fine, but we didn’t feel like the cases were meaty enough until we were on the home stretch. And by then we were forcing ourselves to play only to have it completed.

I’ve also seen other people comment on their confusion with the content of the cases themselves. MICRO MACRO CRIME CITY has adult themes wrapped up in a deceptively kid friendly looking outer layer.

Overall, I’m not sure who this game is aimed at. It was brief and unfulfilling. A marmite game, for sure, but one we won’t be returning to.