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Mystery of the Temples (2017) Board Game

ByMichail

Mystery of the Temples is a board game released in 2017 by designer Wei-Min Ling and published by EmperorS

  • The game combines economic and fantasy elements, challenging players to explore and collect treasures from ancient temples. With a playtime of 20-40 minutes and designed for 2-4 players, Mystery of the Temples offers a quick and engaging gaming experience suitable for players aged 10 and up.

    • Game Components of Mystery of the Temples

  • Temple cards: Five cards arranged in a circle
  • Wilderness cards: Placed between temple cards
  • Rune cards: Stacks of four cards above each temple card, providing crystal bonuses
  • Temple objective cards: Offer additional victory points
  • Player grids: For collecting and arranging crystals
  • Crystals: Acrylic, sparkly, and fun
  • Cardboard tokens**
  • Wooden player markers and meeples**

    How To Setup Mystery of the Temples

    During setup, five temple cards are arranged face up in a circle, with two wilderness cards placed between each pair of temple cards. Rune card stacks are placed face down above each temple card, with the top card in each stack flipped face up. Temple objective cards are laid out, and each player is given a grid to collect and arrange crystals. For a 2-player game, adjustments include using extra player markers to block off temple curse claim spots and fewer wilderness cards.

    Gameplay Mechanics and Game Objective

  • Movement: Players move their Curse Breaker meeple clockwise across temples and wilderness.
  • Crystal Collection: Ending a turn on a wilderness card allows players to collect crystals to arrange on their grid.
  • Curse Breaking: Ending a turn on a temple card allows players to turn in crystals to break a curse and earn victory points.
  • Victory Points: Each temple card provides victory points (3-8) based on the crystal combinations discarded.
  • Objective: Break five curses to end the game; the player with the highest victory point total wins.

    Player Experience

    The game offers a pleasant rhythm of movement and crystal collection, with strategic decisions on whether to quickly fill lower victory point slots or aim for longer crystal chains worth more points. The abstract nature of the game ensures high replayability, with varying temple and wilderness card layouts each game. However, there is a moderate amount of analysis paralysis, which is manageable.

    Pros

  • High Replayability: Unique move combinations and varying card layouts.
  • Visual Appeal: Beautifully illustrated plastic-coated cards and sparkly acrylic crystals.
  • Strategic Depth: Multiple strategic decisions during each turn.
  • Adjustments for Player Count: Special rules for 2-player games to maintain game integrity.

    Cons

  • Analysis Paralysis: Moderate, but manageable.
  • Scaling Issues: Addressed with adjustments for lower player counts, but could still be a consideration.

    Personal Thoughts on Mystery of the Temples

    **Mystery of the Temples** is ideal for players who enjoy area control and abstract strategy games. It strikes a balance between being challenging and fun, making it a keeper for those who appreciate games that require strategic thinking without being overly frustrating. This game is perfect for gamers looking for a engaging, yet not overly complex, experience that can be enjoyed with a variety of player counts.

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    • Michail, a seasoned tabletop enthusiast, dives headfirst into worlds of fantasy and strategy. Whether commanding a party of adventurers through perilous dungeons or engaging in tactical showdowns on the board, Michail is the maestro of the tabletop realm. Michail's gaming table is a realm where the clatter of dice and the shuffle of cards create a symphony of strategic chaos.

    Hobby: Miniature painting guru, turning pewter into masterpieces
    Preferred Game: Dungeons & Dragons, but always up for a board game brawl

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