A City-Building Delight (With a Dash of Chaos)
This week has been a whirlwind of board games, and the highlight has definitely been finally diving into Era: Medieval Age. Let me tell you, this game is a beast – literally, the box is huge! But size isn't everything, and Era: Medieval Age packs a punch of fun strategy and a satisfyingly tactile building experience.
My Love at First Rant
I first spotted Era: Medieval Age at Static Games in Glasgow, and let's just say my wife got an earful. It was a combination of things: a roll-and-build mechanic (think breadboard for engineers!), 3D buildings like Legos, and the chance to build your own medieval city. Plus, there's dice-rolling, resource management, and a dash of chaos with player-induced disasters. It was a hard sell to resist!
The Shelf of Shame and the Allure of Castles
The game ended up on our "shelf of shame" for a while. It looked intimidating, and with so many castles already in our collection, Era: Medieval Age seemed like it might be redundant. But finally, the time was right!
A Fun and Strategic City-Building Experience
Era: Medieval Age, designed by Matt Leacock, is a fantastic game for 1-4 players with a playtime of around 45 minutes. We played with four, and it was a blast. It's a roll-and-build game, where dice represent different medieval social classes. You roll to collect resources, then use those resources to build cool miniature structures, creating your own unique 3D city. Each turn involves feeding your people, constructing buildings, dealing with disasters (or inflicting them on others!), and even extorting resources from your opponents.
What Makes it Special?
Era: Medieval Age stands out for a few reasons. First, the roll-and-build mechanic with dice representing social classes is both unique and thematically fitting. Second, building your own 3D city is incredibly satisfying and adds a great visual element to the game. Third, the disaster mechanic adds a layer of player interaction and a touch of joyful evil – who doesn't love messing with their friends a bit?
Why You Should Try It
If you love dice-rolling games and Legos, Era: Medieval Age is a perfect marriage of the two. It's streamlined – the game ends after building a set number of structures – and surprisingly fast-paced. Plus, the luck of the dice is balanced with strategic decision-making. I'm still forming my final opinion on Era, but so far, it's a fantastic game that offers a unique and engaging city-building experience. Stay tuned for a full review after a few more plays!
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