A game for 2-4 players with a suggested age of 14+ lasting 40-50 minutes. Produced by CMON and designed by Phil Walker-Harding.
So recently picked this new release up based on the nice looking components and the fact that Phil Walker-Harding's previous offering 'Imhotep' was a splendidly simple game but offered lots of choices and strategy during play. I would say this game did not disappoint, the rules are simple and easy to understand and it pleases my wife they are only 4 pages long (including the front cover).
If the games Century Spice Road and Potion Explosion were to get together and have a love child this would be the result. The game revolves around your player board and the market place of cards (gizmos) which you can purchase by spending marbles (energy spheres) of various colours which are drawn or picked at random from the marble dispenser. Buying the Gizmos will allow you to convert/manipulate the spheres you pick and fire off combinations of different actions and effects thus allowing you to buy increasing more expensive gizmo cards. The game ends when any player has created 16 gizmos or purchased 4 of the top tier gizmo cards.
The game is very simple to teach and get the hang of and within two turns you can see how all the moving parts of the game come together to make a fun game which even with our first play hit around the game duration noted on the box, so it certainly doesn't outstay its welcome.
The box states an age of 14+ but I think that it would be manageable by a younger age group although it is certainly much more than a kids game.
The icons on cards are consistent throughout the components and a handy reference sheet is provided, although after a turn or two the iconography is pretty much self explanatory.
Overall we have found it to be an enjoyable game, it requires some planning and a bit of thought as you build your engine of gizmos, watching it all come together is a lot of fun and the tactile element of the marbles does add something to the whole experience.
- Components - These score a 4 out of 5. Thick cardboard components with coloured printing on both side. Some assembly of the energy dispenser is required, but there is a separate sheet with the instructions on how to do this and it is very clear. The energy spheres (marbles) are of a nice weight and consistent size, colour and quality. My only small gripe is that the gizmo cards you draft are square shape and I would have preferred standard card size to allowing them to be sleeved and easier shuffling, but this certainly didn't detract from the game. The plastic box insert fits everything nicely back into the box when packed away but I suspect will not be future proof for the inevitable expansion.
- Game Play - Scoring this also at a solid 4 out of 5. Any one who has played either Splendor or Century Spice Road will recognise the mechanics of this, so although not a ground breaking mechanic it is a lot of fun to play and certainly adds a twist to it. Working towards an engine that fires on all cylinders has more strategy to it than you may first think and we found playing the game a rewarding experience.
- Board game geek link here https://www.boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/246192/gizmos
Box art doesn't tell you much about the game
Energy spheres available for selection
Player board with gizmos built underneath and the available player energy spheres stored in the energy ring
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