Century: Spice Road | Rahdo's Final Thoughts

[@2010Renu]

The point about 2 players is absolutely correct. I felt this while playing with my husband. Although, we find engine building became a lot more difficult with 4 players. For 2 players, the game generally took about 30-40 minutes but with 4 players, it went almost for 90 minutes. Engine building took a long time which made it more challenging to move ahead in the game.

[@danielpreilly77]

Always impressed how you can articulate the gears of a game. Excellent review, great seeing the two player assessment.

[@RowantarotBlogspot]

My husband and I enjoy playing this as a two-player for the reasons you mention. It might seem like going for the big card is best, but sometimes going for the lesser cards is a more effective strategy. I suppose if you had two very good game players going head to head, it would play out inevitably, but if you've got two players who don't always see or make the 'best choice' every time, it is quite entertaining and sometimes surprising. :) Sometimes not being very good at something ends up being more entertaining. :D We played it with five players once, and one of the best things about that was its smooth, quick play -- not too much wait time between turns, unlike some games. You mention the game feels like a 'part' of another game -- but as you know, it kind of is! Maybe you should hold onto it long enough to find out how all three games fit together. :)

[@jeremyoverton7047]

I agree about the two player game. With more players, you need to think much more ahead and go for the fourth of fifth card in the row, hoping that it slides into the gold or silver position by the time you can buy it. With two players, it just tends to play out by rote. Splendor is bette4 for two because of the reserving action.

[@xfoolsgoldx]

This game has grown on me. I originally was not impressed but after a few plays have grown to love it. Its also great to for non gamers as you can teach it in a few minutes. It plays well at all player counts and there are also home brews out there that allows you to play solo🤍🖤🤍🖤

[@docbun]

2-player variant addition: on top of the people sliding, when a contract card is put in the "gold coins" leftmost space, place a countdown on it withas many cubes as it costs to buy (i.e. 4 cubes for the card we see in the runthrough). Every turn no player claims an objective, remove a cube. If that was the last cube, then remove the leftmost contract from the game and slide over left, drawing a new one. With regards to this having engine building and not the rest of the Stephan Felt game, that's how I Felt about Mystic Vale, so I'm smiling at this one. ;) As for extensions coming out for this, I'd place a 4-cube bet here that, unless they introduce legacy, they won't change your opinion of the game. And I doubt they will, but I'll love to be proven wrong. :-) Thanks for sharing your thoughts, Rahdo! And for the runthrough. I now know that I'd buy this game as a gateway on top of Splendor (which I already own) without really feeling like I have duplicates in my collection, in spite of everyone going "Splendor-killer". (I have 2 gaming groups, one of which is family and Splendor works marvels with family. ;) I just need more shelf space and to decide for this game above others. (I'm trying to go on a purchase diet. I passed Anachrony & Tiny Epic Defenders, but the itch is still there...) (Edit: I'm really impressed at how cheap this game retails. What a breather! €32!)

[@boardgamefangirl]

I thought I didn't care about the trilogy and was planning only to get the Golem edition. But Richard's emphasis at the end of his final thoughts makes me think maybe I should get the Spice Road edition bc of the 2 forthcoming games.

[@rahdo]

maybe they'll do golem versions of the future ones as well (though they said they won't)

[@KuddlyKisses]

♫ ♪ ♫ "Zero to hero in no time flat. Zero to hero, just like that." ♪ ♫ ♪ ~ Disney's Hercules Thanks for getting that song stuck in my head >.< LOL

[@JKT84]

Richard, did you get a chance to play eastern wonders? Do you feel like it mitigates some of your issues with spice road?

[@rahdo]

nope, i'd like to try it tho

[@JKT84]

rahdo I'd love to see your take on it.

[@jyoung10]

I just kept thinking about Merkator while watching this run through...all of the resource goodness in a meatier game.

[@littleratblue]

I was also going to mention Merkator. The Splendor killer before Splendor existed (and no one noticed it).

[@EchoMateria]

Richard, what are your thoughts on 'Century: Golem Edition'?

[@rahdo]

very pretty but i care more about comparability with the future games

[@Artusxxx0071]

rahdo you think they won’t do Golem edition to other games? Thanks

[@TheManofDew]

Matyas Pospisil They initially weren't planning to but after a big fan outcry they might change their minds. Heard recently golem edition is going to hit retail stores so who knows.

[@simonb4689]

@@TheManofDew figured I'd give an update. Golem 2 is out since the video Ave golem 3 is coming in August 2020. I'm very happy to have waited, the golem edition is, imo, so much better

[@brassbingo]

artist friends from Malta ? that was a surprise , greetings from Malta

[@rahdo]

hello! we lived in malta for 6 years or so, first in mdina and later at xwejni beach outside of marsalforn :)

[@SergeKatz]

Century: Golem edition has a much better look! you should check it :) And I totally accept with you giving names and some little story will improve this game a lot. And adding shifting cards (in no card was purchased) is great Idea, the other option can be adding resource (on first card in row) to make it more attractive.

[@rahdo]

ooo, great idea!

[@xfoolsgoldx]

2 player count 8/10 3 player count 8.5 4 player count 9.0

[@npbggroup8052]

Its a cube pusher...didn't light any fires for me. Thanks for the video Rahdo. 👍🏻

[@joshuaanderson7405]

I will never understand this splendor vs. spice road ‘fight’. For me, there is no true theme changing the way either of the games are understood or enjoyed so they are abstracts (which is fine... why so much hate for abstracts?). I prefer the symmetry of the splendor market and setup personally, but enjoy spice road too. Splendor killer? Come on. Just silly.

[@rahdo]

not silly, just personal preference

[@joshuaanderson7405]

I guess it depends what the definition of ‘Splendor-killer’ means. The context I have heard it in regarding Century: Spice Road has always been ‘I will never play Splendor again, only Spice Road’ and that seems silly to me. You are right... personal preference means everything when it comes to enjoyment of board games - but my comment was about the term Splendor-killer, and the idea that somehow one abstract game eclipses another. We may disagree on this, and that is awesome. Variety is truly the spice of life.

[@stevefratus1546]

I've never played Splendor nor have I really ever wanted to. This looks good to me though.

[@Atlas-FM8]

I just can't see this game being as massively successful as Splendor. Spice road has already kind of been killed by Golem edition.

[@afcomser]

Splendor, isn't abstract! You use gems to buy Mines, to get more gems, to fund expeditions, hire artisans. To eventually own jewelry shops to lure in prestigious Nobles.

[@unkindled_dreg]

I agree with you on the theme aspect - you have to be fairly imaginative though, which I find really interesting. I also completely agree with a lot of Richard's points which are absolutely spot on, about going for cheaper cards and 2 player scenarios.

[@chriswinston1223]

I agree as well; and it is not a Splendor-killer since it focuses on engine-building and Century doesn't not even remotely feel like an engine-builder. You don't build an engine at all. You manage resources. There is no arc to the game. I don't think it is a "well-oiled machine." It's a nice game, but there is no sense of building or growing in power throughout the game. It's a lot more static than that.

[@rahdo]

the fundamental thematic disconnect of splendor that turns it into a pure abstract is that certain commercial enterprises may only be purchased with certain combinations of certain gems. that's not the way commerce really works. it's great as a set collection/engine building mechanism, but it's anti-thematic :)

[@vonwoolf9963]

If there had been some kind of gold system involved, I would have agreed with your afcomser. But in its actual state, you have to add to your thematic reasoning : "convert into gold" each time you get gems. Which implies gem dealers, trade companies, etc. Too much a pain in the ass to justify a theme imho, so I consider Splendor as an abstract game.

[@Southfloridelphia]

Why is it cool to have to buy three games which will cost over $100 total? Instead, I can just buy a Stephen Feld game which already has the three games together for $40.

[@rahdo]

because it's neat seeing a design of a game evolve and change over the course of several years

[@simonb4689]

Because with the 3 games you actually get 7 different games.