BlockHaus

"Not a Tetris clone"

No indeed not.

This actually makes the game a lot more difficult in the beginning at least for me. Because of the shape of blocks I automatically feel the need to place them so that there are no empty spaces. Which I did at first, it actually took a couple of tries until I started to go against everything I have ever been taught and start thinking about the game on its own terms.

Once you do get over it though there's an interesting game here. Trying to position blocks in lines of four or blocks of 2x2 provides a fairly interesting challenge since often it's easy enough to position a line of three and/or making a T or L-shape of the same blocks but the 4-line and 2-block make sure that the game is interesting at all times.

I'm also sort of partial to the theme, even if it is tacked on. The materials you collect remind me for some reason of Settlers of Catan so I get a settler-vibe while trying to position blocks in a completely abstract game.

This all said it is not a perfect game. The fact that it has to be the 4-line and 2-block gives some extra problems that perhaps increase the difficulty a bit too much occasionally. It's so easy to have a 3-line and L-shape and then botch into something completely irrecoverable. Of course it might be that I just suck. And while I like the theme some of the blocks are a bit similar. I'm referring to the two grey ones (fur and stone?). Having a slightly different tint on those could make the playability better while retaining the theme.

I have to admit I would not have liked the game as much if the blocks had just been different colour blocks without the names.

Overall though this game is well worth a try at least.