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Reviews

Below are the many great reviews Hive is getting. Please read on to find out more ...

BRIEF REVIEWS

Thomas Cackler - GAMES BY JAMES

Hive is a fantastic strategy game that is sure to create some buzz in gaming circles as it heads to a wider release. There is no need to worry about this game stinging you, as it is simple to learn with a depth of strategic elements. I recommend getting together with your honey and hopping over to your local game shop to pick this one up as it guaranteed to be as much fun as listening to the Beatles repeatedly.

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Alan How - COUNTER MAGAZINE

While I do not rush to get abstract games, this one has more appeal than most, plays quickly and is well produced. I would recommend adding it to your collection, even if you only have a casual interest in abstract games.

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Scott Tepper - USA

This is a great 2 player game. It plays quickly. There is no luck involved. And every game is different. Very clever and addictive.

Richard Glanzer - USA

Best 2 player game I've played. Better than Gyges. Better than LOA.
Thematic, tense, games always different. A must buy.

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Aaron Dalton - CANADA

A must have for any lovers of abstract strategy games. My friends and I thoroughly enjoy it. Takes less time than a chess game, with lots of the same decisions and planning.

Harold van Veenendaal - NETHERLANDS (board games pagina)

Great game... after a few games you work out some tactics... very well thought out.

GAMES GAZETTE

I applaud anyone who believes in their product enough to put a lot of
their own money into it. HIVE is not a cheap production.

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Stephen Tavener - UK (Game Sale)

Hive is an unusual abstract game, with quality wooden components
and very clean rules, highly recommended.

Richard Dewsbery - UK

James Sinfield - UK

I bought 'Hive' for my sister as a Christmas present however curiosity got the better of me and I just had to play. Unfortunately I am now addicted and have to go and buy my own copy. It is a truly great game, the most innovational new game I have played for ages.

Pete Smith - UK

Hive is a GREAT game, and worth every penny I spent on it. Never give up on this product line, and well done on giving me a new hobby.

David Mitchell - USA

This game is just fantastic. It is very visually pleasing and the ever
changing 'board' makes for an exciting game.

Greg Aleknevicus - THE GAMES JOURNAL

This process of discovering tactics and counter-strategies was very
enjoyable and the sign of a superior game.

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Gene Vogel - The National Gamers Guild

A great game that made me think "why didn't I think of that?" We've all been there, right?

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UK Gamers Review

Overall, I have to say that Hive is one of the best games I have seen come onto the market for a long time, its construction is of such a high quality that it rivals many of the German games, and it's simple rules but varied strategy means that it can be played over and over without becoming repetitious.

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Abstract Games Review

Hive is a fascinating and excellent new game.

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Reich-Der-Spiele - German Game Website

This review is in German. We will shortly have an English translation of this review.

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FULL REVIEWS

Alan How - COUNTER MAGAZINE

Hive is an abstract game of placement for two people. Each uses 11 hexagonal pieces, which are made of smooth wood about 1 cm in thickness and which provide a quality feel to the game. The eleven pieces are a queen, 3 ants, 3 grasshoppers, 2 spiders and 2 beetles. Each player has an identical set that is distinguished by the background colour of the sticky label (which is already attached to the wood when you get your game). While they look pleasant on a display, under fluorescent light they can be hard to tell apart.

The game is played with each player playing one piece at a time and the object is to capture your opponent's queen. This is achieved when the queen is surrounded by pieces, and mainly this will be with your pieces.

Each type of insect has its own movement rules. For example, once placed the grasshopper can jump to a vacant space along a straight row of joined pieces, while the ant scoots around the edge of the pieces to a new position, a move that is incredibly good at times. Except for the first turn, when pieces are first placed on the board, they must only touch their own colour. When they move (on a subsequent turn) they must form one continent, i.e. all pieces must be linked somehow. Your queen has to be played during the first four turns and this is also a telling time, as it can end up in the middle of a load of pieces and be "in check" early on, or find itself stranded at the edge of a developing continent and unprotected.

The game reminds me of the old Hartland Trefoil classic (sadly, out of print now) called Ancient Kingdoms. This game was also about hexagonal tile placement and movement of piece and was for 2 to 5 players. But it had a similar feel to it as pieces were moved into better positions.

The rulebook is extraordinarily good: the colours match the colours of the pieces, there are good examples and the clarity of the rules is first class. Why comment on this? Well, since this is a first production you do not normally get either this attention to detail or this quality. It all comes at a price of course. The game is £20 in the UK, but if you are at all interested in abstract games, then you should consider this. It plays quickly, has an addictive quality and, with so many options in the play, does not have a perfect strategy or set so many initial moves.

After several games now, I am uncertain about the position of the first player. We had more first player wins than second, but this is simply resolved by reversing the order in the next turn. It could be argued that the second player can counter any move by the first player, but I haven't played sufficiently to guarantee that this is the best way of playing second. (the website says that there is no advantage in going first, but I can only comment on the games I have played so far). Like chess, there is plenty of room for analysis. Personally, the rule I like the best is that all pieces have to be in contact. This makes for some interesting plays as the continent stretches out.

The game is readily available in England and also from the www.hivemania.com website, which itself is well constructed and will provide sufficient further information for this review. Some of the site is still under construction, but there are some pictures of the pieces, which are useful to see.
The cover of the game say " Hive is a game crawling with possibilities ". This set my mind working to the various puns that could be used in the game. The best I came up with was an "all ant attack", but working with insects I'm sure you will do better. While I do not rush to get abstract games, this one has more appeal than most, plays quickly and is well produced. I would recommend adding it to your collection, even if you only have a casual interest in abstract games.

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Richard Glanzer - USA

Hive is a tremendous game. One of my top three, 2-player games.
Gyges and Lines of Action being the other two.

The object of the game is to surround your opponent's queen bee, using yours and your opponents pieces.

There are 5 different types of pieces. Queen Bee, Ant, Spider, Grasshopper and Beetle for a total of 11 pieces.
What's interesting to me is that on your turn you either place or move a piece.

So often the number of pieces for each player and the board can be quite different. Sometimes fewer pieces can do more. This leaves you more pieces in reserve to either make an attack or change the configuration of the board (more on this later).

The board is created as pieces are laid. The pieces are well made, thick
pieces of wood, hexagonal shaped. No piece may be moved which would break the hive into two disconnected segments, so pieces often get pinned. And that's a part of the game that is always important.
Pinning pieces, freeing pieces by changing the shape of the board and
limiting your opponent's moves are all part of the game.

This is one game where defence is as much fun as offence. Games can last 5 to 45 minutes. Going for the kill is not often easy or quick.
You can only place pieces touching your own pieces. So there's the need to get pieces on the board and on your next turn, move them into position. This process always takes longer than you want it to.
The beetle can climb on top of another piece. This has two effects: one, that piece is pinned and cannot moved and two, for the purposes of placement, the beetle on the top becomes the colour for adjacent placement. This can be a serious threat.

A great part of the game is that there are only 11 pieces per side. If you need 6 of your own (sometimes your opponent's pieces help)
pieces to surround the queen, this only leaves 5 of your own pieces to move. And if they're pinned (either by the beetle, or by the disconnecting the hive rule) it becomes very hard to manoeuvre. All delicious stuff.

While this is an abstract game, the bug theme works well for me.
The ant scampers around the "hive" to any spot on the hive.
The grasshopper jumps in a straight line over connected pieces to the first open spot. The breeding queen bee can only move one spot at a time. The spider scampers three spots at a time, I feel like I'm placing and moving my bugs when I play, it doesn't feel abstract.

This is the only game I've played that I think about when I'm not playing. I can't wait to try out different opening combinations. I can't wait to see if I can claw back from near defeat. Can I place the queen as my first play and still win the game (yes)?

This is also a game of learning how to combine and advance forces.
I am not a war gamer and never will be. And this does not feel like a war game. But you have to learn how to combine forces to both secure victory without leaving your queen too vulnerable.

This game is one of wonder. Superbly crafted and designed. Little lights go on in my head each time I learn a new wrinkle or play
combination that will push the game a little in my favour. This game has that one more time quality to it. If I just did things a little bit different I would have won. Let's play again.

Happy gaming.

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GAMES GAZETTE

To quote the cover, "HIVE is a game crawling with possibilities". It is a 2-player (age 9+) strategy game made by an independent company. The playing pieces are of the highest quality wood (hexagonal) with adhered glossy metallic stickers forming two sets of 11, blue and silver insects. The object of the game is to capture the opponent's Queen by placing and moving pieces according to insect type until your opponent's Queen is completely engulfed, be the surrounding pieces yours or those of your opponent's it matters not. Each playing piece represents an insect and as chess pieces have specific moves, so do HIVE pieces.

To play HIVE the lighting must be right otherwise the pieces tend to look the same.

Unlike many other independent games HIVE has a good rulebook of instructions, pictures and examples. Play is a clever mechanic where it is up to the players which of the different insects they bring into play and where they place them, though always adjacent to one of
their previously played pieces.

HIVE is a quality game but by being so and independent, means the retail price of £20.00 is quite steep.

HIVE has it's own website where you can order the game and contact the author - go to www.hivemania.com - this is currently being developed to include a virtual game and more information. I applaud anyone who believes in their product enough to put a lot of their own money into it.

HIVE is not a cheap production. It is a thinking persons game where one error can cause a win or lose. HIVE could well be the executive Christmas stroke birthday present you have been searching for.

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Richard Dewsbery - UK

A two-player abstract game. So it's *way* down on the list of games likely to catch my attention. And yet, I find Hive rather appealing. So much so that it's found a place in my collection, and actually gets played. Zertz has been the only other two-player abstract to ring my bell in the last few years.

So, what's it all about? Each player has 11 hexagonal pieces - a queen, 3 ants, 3 grasshoppers, 2 spiders and a couple of beetles. The game idea is to play or move your pieces so that they surround the opposing player's queen. The other pieces all have their own rules for movement. Play is by way of alternate moves. All fairly standard, so far. There's no board, but each playing piece must always be in contact with another piece. The game opens with players putting down their first 4 pieces in alternate turns, and one of those first pieces must be the queen. Thereafter, pieces can use their special moves to try to initially trap, then encircle, the opposing queen. Grasshoppers can leap across the hive, stag beetles can be used to block, and ants scurry around on the edges.

Although one player moves first, I can't see an obvious turn order problem. Although the player going second is half a move behind, he also gets the opportunity to neutralise or counter each move the first player makes. What is more important is getting a whole move ahead of the opponent; a move wasted puts you at a real disadvantage.
The huge variety of ways in which the pieces can arrange themselves, and the different moves of each piece, makes for a varied and interesting game.

The downsides? Well, the game isn't cheap. The hexagonal pieces are made of a nice, thick bit of wood - but this has driven the price up. The full-colour box and artwork on the pieces also have that look of quality about them, but have also contributed to the £20 price tag.
The second problem is the choice of artwork for the pieces themselves. Although the insect artwork is nice, the choice of backgrounds is somewhat questionable - silver for one side, metallic blue for the other, and in the wrong light they can be very tricky to distinguish between.

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Abstract Games Review

Hive is a fascinating new game. It is played without a board. Each player has 11 hexagonal pieces, consisting of three soldier ants, three grasshoppers, two spiders, two beetles, and one queen bee. The objective is to surround the opponent's queen bee on all six sides. The
surrounding pieces may belong to either player. The playing area starts empty, and the players take turns either to play a new insect to the table from their stock or to move one of their insects they have already placed on the table. A player must play the queen bee within the first four turns. A piece must always be played to the table or moved so that it is contact with another piece in the array (known as the hive) at the end of the turn.
Each type of insect moves differently. In this respect, the game
might almost be considered a chess variant, if one defines a 'chess variant' as a game between equal armies of pieces with differentiated movement, with the objective to capture a single opposing royal piece.
Even so, I think Hive stretches the definition, and the game must be regarded as one of a kind. The queen bee moves one space at a time; the beetle also moves only one space, but may, unlike any of the other pieces, move on top of another piece, thereby immobilizing it; the grasshopper jumps over any number of pieces of either side to the next empty space beyond; the spider crawls three spaces around the hive; and the soldier ant can move to any other space in the hive.
A very important rule is that at no time may the hive be disconnected. This is the case even if the disconnection is temporary while a piece is moved from one position to another. Much of the tactical interest seems to stem from this rule since even the movement of otherwise extremely mobile pieces like the soldier ant can thereby be restricted. Strategically, tempo seems to be an important consideration- if a player gets the upper hand so that his opponent is forced to defend successive attacks, it may be difficult for the defence to recover.
With experience, the character of the pieces and the way they interact ought to suggest favorable opening combinations. An obvious first move is a beetle play; then, when your opponent places one of his pieces down, you can move your beetle on top of it. However, your opponent can then threaten your beetle with on of his own.... Remember: the queen bee must be played within your first four turns, and having a queen immobilized under an enemy beetle will be a big strategic disadvantage.
A number of possible insect pieces might suggest themselves. However, I think the game as it is, is neatly balanced with a good mix of pieces. The chunky wooden pieces are pleasant to handle and the insect representations are striking and colorful. My one complaint is that the backgrounds used to distinguish the two players' pieces - metallic blue and silver - are difficult to differentiate under some artificial lights. Nevertheless, Hive is an excellent game.

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Games By James - Full Review

It’s tough to be a bug. Sure, you get to buzz all over the place and you hit middle age by noon, but sometimes you have to protect the queen from being surrounded. If you fail, the entire bug colony will die and it will all be your fault. Does this sound like Flick from “A Bug’s Life”? Perhaps, but it definitely sounds like the great new strategy game from England called “Hive”.

Hive is a fantastic new strategy game. Notice I didn’t say board game as there is no board. That’s right just 22 pieces, 11 silver and 11 blue (somewhat like Football here in the States). So how do you play such a game without a board? Simple. You play it on the fly (sorry, bad bug reference). Seriously, you set it up as you go.

The first player plays one of their 11 bug pieces. The opposing player follows suit. From there, you continue to place pieces. Once you’ve placed your queen bee, you can start moving pieces around the playing area. Here’s where things get interesting as each piece moves differently. Much like in chess, a soldier ant moves differently than a beetle and they both move differently than a grasshopper.

Now, I’ll be the first to confess that while the game is a bit difficult to explain without playing, it isn’t hard to explain how to play. The goal is very simple (surround your opponent’s queen bee) and the rules are straightforward. Although each piece moves differently, it really is no more difficult than chess and actually has similar depth for strategic moves.

One of those strategic rules is the “Rule of One Hive”. At any point in the game, all the pieces have to be connected. You cannot, for example, move a piece that would result in multiple hives. This makes a great way to trap your opponents queen bee by placing a piece on the outside making it impossible to move the piece without violating this rule. Great strategic elements make this a solid game offering for people who enjoy chess, Othello, and go.

Component wise, the pieces are wood with a shiny sticker affixed on them. Although I am fond of wood pieces, the stickers sometimes develop a wrinkle or bubble to them. Regardless of this slight flaw in production and with assurances from the manufacturer that the problem is very isolated, the game is fun to look at with the various bugs represented and the wood pieces have a nice feel to them

Another small gripe is the fact that there is no board to help signify what is a “space”. While it really doesn’t matter most of the time, it does make placing Spiders difficult as they move three spaces, no more, no less. A simple grid map would have made that much easier and ended arguments on what constitutes a space.

All that nitpicking aside, this really is a great strategy game. While the bug theme is unimportant to actual game play, the theme is a nice break from the traditional knights, kings or military themed strategy games like Stratego or Chess. They just as easily could have called it Cops & Robbers and had appropriately themed pieces.

Hive is a fantastic strategy game that is sure to create some buzz in gaming circles as it heads to a wider release. There is no need to worry about this game stinging you, as it is simple to learn with a depth of strategic elements. I recommend getting together with your honey and hopping over to your local game shop to pick this one up as it guaranteed to be as much fun as listening to the Beatles repeatedly.

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