Marvel: Age of Heroes (2023) Board Game

Marvel: Age of Heroes is a board game set to be released in 2023 by WizKids. It is a hand management and worker placement game that is designed for 2 to 5 players. The game is based on the Marvel Universe and features iconic characters from the comic books.
## Game Components of Marvel: Age of Heroes
– 36 Acrylic Hero Pawns
– 1 Game Board
– 8 Mission Tiles
– 34 Villain Tiles
– 86 Institute Cards
– 60 Evolution Cards
– 2 Extraction Zone Tiles
– 6 Player Boards
– 1 Round Marker
– 6 Score Tokens
– 15 Villain Tokens
– 1 Magneto’s Influence Token
– 4 Horsemen Effects Tokens
– 30 Resource Tokens
– 10 Victory Point Tokens
– 5 Score Markers
– 15 Resource Markers
– 75 Player Markers
– 20 Student Pawns
– 1 Rulebook

## How To Setup Marvel: Age of Heroes
To set up the game, players start by placing the Institute board on the table and choosing one of the three missions: Children of the Atom, Fatal Attractions, or Fall of the Mutants. Each mission has a specific setup and components. Players select their pair of X-Men heroes, each represented by a player board that shows their unique abilities. The player boards are double-sided, with the blue side being the basic side and the gold side offering more advanced abilities. Players place their resource cubes on the three tracks on their player board and receive Evolution cards specific to their heroes, as well as three Institute cards.

## Gameplay Mechanics and Game Objective
– **Institute Phase**: Players take turns placing their heroes in various institute locations to gain resources (Physical, Mental, and Willpower), draw cards, play cards, or change the turn order. Heroes can also be placed on the X-Jet to participate in the Mission Phase.
– **Mission Phase**: Heroes on the X-Jet are assigned to Mission action spaces, such as Team Up cards, Extraction Zone, or Mission tiles attached to Villain tiles. Players spend resources to damage villains, earning victory points. Villains are defeated when all their damage locations are filled, triggering special effects.
– **Resource Management**: Players manage their resources to perform actions and defeat villains.
– **Card Play**: Players use Event cards for one-time bonuses, Ally cards to create new placement spots, and Team Up cards to enhance mission capabilities.
– **Evolution Cards**: Special cards add new abilities and scoring conditions to the heroes.

## Player Experience
Marvel: Age of Heroes offers a dynamic and strategic gameplay experience, particularly appealing to fans of the X-Men and worker placement games. The game features high replay value due to the random setup of villain boards, resource requirement boards, and the variety of Ally and Team Up cards. Players must carefully manage their resources and utilize their heroes’ unique abilities to outperform their rivals.

### Pros
– High replay value with varied setups and card combinations.
– Unique blend of worker placement and resource management mechanics.
– Strong thematic integration with the X-Men universe.
– Evolution cards add depth and customization to hero abilities.
– Interactive gameplay through shared card spaces that reward players for strategic placement.

### Cons
– Production quality issues, such as small icons on villain boards and busy gameboard design.
– Game can be lengthy, especially with higher player counts.
– Some design decisions, like lucrative villain rewards, can make other victory paths less relevant.
– Player scaling issues with five-player games, leading to increased downtime.

## Personal Thoughts on Marvel: Age of Heroes
Marvel: Age of Heroes is an excellent choice for Marvel fans and enthusiasts of medium-weight euro games. The game’s unique mechanics and high replay value make it a solid addition to any board game collection. However, it may not be ideal for those seeking a quick game, as it can stretch to three hours or more with higher player counts. Despite some production issues and design quirks, the game offers a engaging and strategic experience that rewards careful planning and resource management.

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