Deus (2014) Board Game
Deus is a strategic board game designed by Sébastien Dujardin and published by Pearl Games in in 2014. The game is set in a world inspired by ancient civilizations and mythologies, where players take on the roles of leaders trying to build the most powerful civilization.
## Game Components of Deus
– Modular board composed of double-sided interlocking hexagonal tiles
– Cards representing different buildings and temples
– Building tokens
– Resource tokens
– Player boards
– Barbarian village tokens
– God cards (Neptune, Ceres, Minerva, Vesta, Mars, Jupiter)
## How To Setup Deus
To set up Deus, players start by forming the central board using a number of hexagon-type tiles, with the number of tiles dependent on the number of players. Each tile is divided into different territories, each depicting a terrain type (mountains, fields, forests, swamps, or water) and one barbarian village per tile. Players each receive a starting hand of five cards and two buildings of each type. The game begins with each player placing their first building on any region on the edge of the map, ensuring it is more than three regions away from any other player’s building.
## Gameplay Mechanics and Game Objective
– **Construct a Building**: Play a card from your hand to your tableau, using the resources required and placing the corresponding building on the map.
– **Make an Offering to the Gods**: Discard any number of cards to gain benefits based on the top card’s color, such as resources, money, points, extra cards, or buildings.
– **Resource Collection**: Collect resources from the territories where your buildings are placed.
– **Barbarian Village Conquest**: Surround barbarian villages with your buildings to earn victory points.
– **Temple Construction**: Build temples to earn end-game victory points.
– The game ends when all barbarian villages are conquered or all temples are built. Players then calculate their final victory points, including bonuses for having the most resources and coins.
## Player Experience
Deus offers a streamlined and easy-to-learn experience with plenty of depth for strategic exploration. Players build their kingdom by placing buildings on the modular board and managing their card hand to optimize resource collection and temple construction. The game moves at a fast clip with little downtime, culminating in a tense final round. The visual and tactile element of building on the board adds to the player experience, making it feel like you are expanding your civilization.
### Pros
– **Easy to Learn**: Simple rules make it easy for new players to jump in.
– **Depth for Strategy**: Plenty of room to explore different strategies.
– **Visual Appeal**: The board and building tokens create a visually pleasing and tactile experience.
– **Forgiving Sacrifice System**: The offering to the gods mechanic is forgiving and adds depth to the game.
– **Quick Gameplay**: Games last about 1 to 1.5 hours, which is relatively short compared to other civilization-building games.
### Cons
– **Luck of the Draw**: The random draw of cards can sometimes hinder player progress.
– **Minor Component Issues**: Some minor issues with component colorization have been noted.
## Personal Thoughts on Deus
Deus is ideal for players who enjoy civilization-building games but prefer a lighter, more streamlined experience. It is great for those who like hand management and engine-building mechanics without the lengthy gameplay typical of more complex civilization games. The game rewards specialization but also requires a balanced approach, making it appealing to both casual and experienced gamers. If you’re looking for a game that combines card play with territorial expansion in a quick and engaging manner, Deus is a solid choice.
We are supported by our audience. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission, at no extra cost for you. Learn more.
