Roman Backgammon Review

Backgammon has been around for centuries in various forms. It's a fun yet challenging board game that offers a surprising amount of depth despite its appearance.

Roman Backgammon offers a slightly simpler version of the classic game, with easier rules. That doesn't detract from the experience however with plenty of fun to be had for those after a new board game.

Appealing most to those who enjoy games such as Chess, the purpose of the game is to move all the stones from one side of the board to the other, before your opponent. It sounds simple enough and it is, to an extent. Strategical moves emerge in the form of trying to block one's opponent from getting too far ahead. There's no tutorial, unfortunately, but there is a very comprehensive guide on how to play, as well as a brief history section.

Due to the nature of the game and its board game history, it'd be difficult for Roman Backgammon to look particularly amazing. Instead, we're offered a clean yet simple interface that does the job reasonably well.

Features wise, there's a more varied selection with the option of playing against one of three difficulty levels or against a friend. This can be done either via passing the iOS device around or by setting up a game through Game Center. The latter is a great touch to ensure that there's always a willing opponent somewhere, even if all your gaming friends are further afield.

Roman Backgammon plays a good game of Backgammon with some pretty feisty AI on the hardest difficulty level. Only one crucial flaw emerged in my time playing against it. At one point, very near the end of a game, I rolled some dice that meant I couldn't use them to move anywhere. The game faltered and refused to let me skip my turn or do anything. I was stuck and forced to restart the game which was immensely annoying given how long I'd been playing for.

Irritating to say the least, it was a bitter moment for an otherwise fine conversion of Backgammon. Roman Backgammon could do with this potential pitfall fixing but otherwise, it's a worthy title for board game fans to check out.