Illumination is a strategic board game that was released in in 2021. Designed by Claire Campin and Jake “Seven” Thomashow, the game is set in a medieval theme and involves area majority/influence, point to point movement, set collection, and tile placement mechanics.
Game Components of Illumination
Player mats: Each player has a mat to manage their tiles and resources.Illumination tiles: These are the core components for creating illuminations in the manuscripts.Coins: Used for performing special actions or purchasing Scriptorium cards.Ritual tokens: Collected for scoring points at the Ritual stations in the Monastery.Scriptorium cards: Allow players to perform special actions that break the normal rules.Battle cards: Used to resolve conflicts between good and evil tiles.Monastery mat: Tracks Ritual points and the Abbot’s position.Abbot pawn: Moved around the Monastery mat to determine which rituals can be performed.Crusade cards: Secret objectives that provide bonus points for defeating specific tiles.
How To Setup Illumination
To set up Illumination, place the three manuscript pages (Books) on the table in any orientation, each with a purple wild Drollery tile on one text box. The Monastery mat is placed nearby with the Abbot pawn randomly positioned on a blank station. Each player receives their player mat, starting gold (1 for the Reverent player and 5 for the Irreverent player), and nine Illumination tiles. The remaining tiles are stacked in sets of three and placed nearby. Players draw three stacks of these tiles and place them on their mat without altering the order.
Gameplay Mechanics and Game Objective
Tile Placement: Players place a full row or column of tiles from their Player mat into one of the three Books.Coin and Ritual Token Collection: Tiles placed in specific positions or next to matching colors earn Coins and Ritual tokens.Special Actions: Coins can be spent to move tiles, move the Abbot, or draw Scriptorium cards.Scriptorium Cards: Allow special actions like moving tiles, exchanging tiles, or gaining Ritual tokens.Bounded Battles: Conflicts between tiles are resolved when completely enclosed, with the winner flipping the opponent’s tiles face-down and placing a Marker on the Battle card.Game End: The game ends when both players have passed or all three Books are completed. Points are scored for face-up tiles, Ritual tokens, Battle card Markers, and secret Crusade objectives. The player with the most points wins.
Player Experience
Illumination offers a dynamic and engaging experience, especially tailored for two-player games. Players must strategically place tiles to collect resources, engage in battles, and manage their secret crusade objectives. The game is praised for its puzzle-like feel, interactive gameplay, and the necessity to adapt to the random tile draw and different scriptorium cards each game. The components are of high quality, and the game’s theme and mechanics are well-integrated, making it a thoughtful and fun experience that can be completed in under an hour.
Pros
Strategic Depth: Offers a mix of short-term and long-term strategies.Replayability: Random tile draws and different scriptorium cards ensure varied gameplay each time.Interactive: Engaging battles and resource management keep players involved.Thematic Integrity: The game’s theme and mechanics are well-aligned.High-Quality Components: Published by Eagle-Gryphon Games with attention to detail.
Cons
Initial Complexity: The bounded battle system can be confusing for some players at first.Resource Management: The limit of seven items on the player mat can lead to tough decisions but is also a positive aspect for some players.Setup Time: Setting up the game can be a bit of a task due to the number of components.
Personal Thoughts on Illumination
Illumination is ideal for players who enjoy strategic tile-laying games with a strong thematic presence. It is particularly suited for two-player games, offering a balanced and engaging experience. The game’s ability to balance multiple scoring paths and its high replayability make it a great addition to any board game collection. If you appreciate games that require strategic thinking and adaptation, Illumination is definitely worth checking out.
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