Players: 2 to 4 players
Age: 8 and up.
Length: 30 mins.

Contents: 60 cards- 4 families of 15 cards each; there are 5 cards with value 0, 4 with 1, 3 with 2, 2 with 3, and 1 with 4;
(this includes two starting sets of 4 cards each with one value 0 from each family with backs unique to each set), rules sheet

        As part of Rio Grande's lineup of releases for the winter, Famiglia is a promising new game that takes the ages-old simplicity of card gaming to all-new heights, bringing the kind of fun and depth that would otherwise be reserved for strategic board games. Board game guru Friedmann Friese made this a high priority prior to undertaking this project. Full of excitement and pressure, two players butt heads as mafia lords who compete to recruit the best members into their gang and emerge victorious as head mafia boss. Requiring strategy, wit, and a bit of luck, Famiglia is ideal for those who are into two-player fast-paced games that never lets up in its intensity during game play.

        Players must choose the most promising gang members four other families- The Accountants, La Famiglia, The Brutes, and The Mercenaries. Each of the four families are inherent with their own unique skills and attributes as indicated by their namesake. Wanna thug? Call on The Brutes. Need a math wiz to crunch the numbers? How about someone from The Accountants? Who you choose, and in which order you choose may determine the outcome of the game at the end. Famiglia allow players to manipulate the choices which his/her opponent may have their eye on, so careful attention must be given to your opponent's strategy. Each card is worth a certain number of points depending on its type. Lower ranking members are usually recruited in the hopes that they may help to influence more valuable gang members to join later on. The player with the most accumulated points at the end wins.

        It's hard to believe that a card game could combine such depth and strategy. Whenever I think of card games, the first thing that pops up into my head is poker or blackjack. To open a seemingly simple deck of cards as this, and to discover the array of elements involved is just mind-boggling. It has definitely made me look at card games in a whole new light, as the possibilities are endless. What really makes Famiglia great is that games are usually no longer than 30 minutes, and the minimal contents and packaging encourages potential players to get involved who are otherwise intimidated by the physical complexity of strategic games. Since it's compact, it can be easily transported and played anywhere by anyone, whether at home or at the local pub. Simple, fun, yet with depth, card games such as Famiglia are probably the next big trend in strategy games. 5 OUT OF 5 STARS
    
My Ratings Scale are as follows: