Review: 3000 SCOUNDRELS is a phenomenal engine building game with infinite replay value

In early October, Unexpected Games and Asmodee were released 3000 scoundrels. This is a Wild West themed engine building game with a science fiction twist from the mind of Corey Konieczka. The Asmodee team was kind enough to send me a copy of the game for review and below I share my original views. You can grab your copy of 3000 scoundrels from your favorite retailers now.

In 3000 Scoundrels, 2-4 players enter an alternate story, the Wild West, taking on the roles of leaders of rival crews attempting to steal futuristic technology left behind by a mysterious man known only as the Traveler. During the game, players build their team of rascals by overlaying transparent “job cards” with “trait cards”, creating an ideal team for their strategy. Each turn, they will play a poker card face down, so they will use all their villains that match that card, but they don’t need to tell the truth … and experienced players will understand the power of bluffing to reach the top. At the end of the game, the player with the most technology will claim victory and determine the fate of the American frontier.

In a game of 3000 scoundrels, each player takes on the role of a character trying to get the most advanced technology since a mysterious stranger has stopped in your city. You’ll collect a crew of rascals, use henchmen to call your opponents’ bluffs, and steal vaults to do so. On your turn, you play cards in the corresponding slots on your board to perform various actions. You play hole cards, which allows you to bluff into the actions you really need. Be careful as your opponents also have henchmen ready to call you out.

From the start, I’ll let you know that I like it a lot 3000 scoundrels. My cons list is very short. First, the artwork is hit and miss for me. I like it a little and I don’t like it a little. Secondly, there are so many jobs and traits that it is entirely possible to play different games without all possible cards coming into play unless you decide to use them on purpose. Third, I would have liked to think a little more about the box insert. Not the worst insert, but I’ve seen better. That’s all. These are my complaints.

3000 scoundrels is very funny. It’s a game that looks complicated when you first start explaining it, but once you start it quickly falls into place and is easy to understand. The game is infinitely replayable as the Scoundrels will be different every time thanks to the clever use of transparent cards. This helps prevent any kind of strategy set from game to game and keeps things fresh. You also get some fun combinations like the Burly Cow or the Nuclear-Powered Butler. In addition, the game comes with card sleeves to match the 60 transparent work cards and also of decent quality. Big thumbs up there.

Another strong point for 3000 scoundrels is that it works just as well in a 2-player game as it does in a 3-player one. Quite often, games say they can accommodate two players, but the gameplay either looks weird or isn’t that fun. In 3000 scoundrels, it’s just as fun and just as simple. The gameplay looks perfect.

The last point I want to talk about is bluffing. This is handled so well in my opinion. I don’t like bluffing mechanics in games because I’m usually bad. This means that I am constantly screwed because my opponents are able to see through me and call my bluff which often has devastating consequences. In 3000 scoundrels, if someone calls your bluff, you basically lose a point and he gets a point. With the ease with which this can float and the various ways to get points, the bluffing mechanic felt like I wasn’t completely lost because I suck at bluffing. I could easily regain all the lost ground and my turn went on.

If you like engine building games, 3000 scoundrels it’s a pleasure to play and a game I will definitely play in the near future. I’m very excited to go out this year over the holidays and see what crazy combinations we can get for the Scoundrels.