Pentaquark was worth revisiting

 I tried playing Pentaquark about seven or eight years ago. And I did not like it.

I found it frustrating and counter-intuitive. I found the process of the game preoccupied me and I couldn’t focus on the actual playing of the game. It was a major disappointment in my experiences with Button Shy Games.

 

However, when I was reminded that Pentaquark existed, I decided that I should give it another chance. I learned it when was I still relatively new to PnP and solitaire games. In the time since I tried it, I have played quite a few solitaire or solitaire friendly games.

Short version: I liked Pentaquark more the second time around. And a lot of that comes from the fact that I have better idea of what the game is doing. 

Pentaquark, while definitely acknowledging its quantum physics theme, is really a game about card sorting. Which is basically card solitaire 101. And I understood that back in my first go.

And I firmly believe that using tried and true mechanics is not a bad thing. Insisting on reinventing the wheel leads to square wheels. It’s what you build on that foundation that matters.

And I know see that how whole suites in Pentaquark exist for you to be able to sacrifice them, to manipulate the tableau to get what you want. That the need to plan around how the deck will flip every round is a feature, not a bug. How the end goal is very specific, not arbitrary.

Mind you, I now actually think Pentaquark is actually harder to win than I first thought. But it makes sense to me. And that makes a big difference.

It isn’t my new favorite game. It feels more intuitive but it also feels pretty dry. However, I think, as I grok the game more and more, I could develop mental muscle memory that would make the game relaxing.

And I have found that Pentaquark has a whopping four expansions and a campaign mode. Either a lot of folks liked it more than I did and/or it is a serious passion project.

Pentaquark was worth giving it a second chance.