Whoa, to get only one of the expansions . . . we have to buy ALL FIVE?  That’s the surest way to annoy gamers with low funds like myself.  I’ll reserve my annoyance until I’m certain they’re not going to sell the expansions separately.

As with the alea expansion and the Zooloretto expansions from Rio Grande – unlike the ones from Abacus which were distributed separately, RGG packages multiple ones together – companies pack several expansions in one box because publishers, distributors and retailers prefer not to handle lots of little packages. The Metropolys expansion is only four cards, for example. How much would this sell for on its own? $1? No distributor would want to carry something that small, much less five tiny packages, when it can expend as much effort on a slightly larger box for a larger profit.

Eric

The Metropolys expansion happens to be the only one I’m interested in.  I hear ya, but I’m disappointed because I’m not going to buy the whole box even though I want that Metropolys expansion.  Let me be creative for a moment: if the expansions are that small (i.e. a few cards), offer them up as a bonus for pre-ordering a future game.  I jumped on the Agricola pre-order just to get the animeeples.  I know for a fact that many others did the same.  That little incentive made me a happy consumer.  I’m going to send them an email to see if they would consider something like this.  But hey, I can’t be the only one bummed out by this?

Well, you’re in luck then, Jacob, as Ystari’s Cyril Demeagd mentioned in a preview of the Metropolys cards on Tric Trac that these cards would be available as a download from the Ystari website.

Eric

I own only two (soon to be 3) and am excited for expansions for all these titles - in fact, the release of this box makes me want to finish filling in my ystari line.  When you have a company that produces such great games, in my opinion, its not difficult to sell me on purchasing a lot of expansions. The expansions themselves become a motivator to purchase the original box.  That Alea/RGG treasure chest will have the same effect from what I am gathering about my buying habits for games...though I don’t think I will ever bring myself to purchase Jamaica.

I guess that poses the question: sylla or metropolys?  Since I am buying one of them this week. I have been addicted to auction games lately so either will work in my mind.  thoughts?

Great news.  For only four cards, this seems the way to go.  Ystari is redeemed in my eyes.

Tom, I haven’t played Sylla, but I can totally vouch for Metropolys as a superb game.  I like it more with four than three players, but they both work.  The tension throughout the game is extremely fun and it’s fascinating to see the board change shape before your eyes as occupied areas become “walls").  You’re constantly adjusting to an evolving map and it gets tighter and tighter as spots fill up.
I’d feel bad, however, if you bought the game on my recommendation and ended up not liking it.  So I should mention my one caveat is that I don’t know if all of the bonus cards are balanced.  I can’t prove one way or the other, but there’s a feeling they might not be.

Since I picked up Metropolys ( ; D ) I can say that it was a good buy and will get a bit of play around here, especially since the two player game is not bad at all!  I appreciate the length of the game and I do see what you mean about the goal cards not being exactly balanced.  I especially like where Sebastien credited Rudiger Dorn and Hans Im Gluck with unknowingly helping to create the game because he misread an illustration of the ruleset from Goa!  Ahhh...I am sure that he is not the first or last designer to come upon a mechanic by playing something else wrong! : D

I will be very anxious to get a few more components for this one from the Ystari box! In the meantime, onward to Sylla!

Nice.  Thanks for letting me know my recommendation didn’t make you waste money.

And, you know, I never read that line about Rudiger being credited.