Sorcerer City (2020) Board Game

Sorcerer City is a fantasy-themed board game released in in 2020. It is designed by Justin Chan, Lina Cossette, David Forest, David Kegg, and Damien Mammoliti, with artwork by Druid City Games. The game incorporates deck, bag, and pool building, hand management, real-time, and tile placement mechanics, offering a unique gaming experience for players.

Game Components of Sorcerer City

Starter tiles

Market tiles

Monster Tiles

Rainbow tiles

Artifact tiles

Influence Rewards board

Market board

Prestige tokens

Vendor tiles decks.

How To Setup Sorcerer City

To set up Sorcerer City, players begin by shuffling their deck of tiles. The Market board is set out, and the 5 Vendor tiles decks are shuffled and placed in numeric order above the board. Each player draws a set of starter tiles to form their initial deck. The game is divided into 5 rounds, each representing a year, and each year starts with a fresh shuffle of the player’s tile deck.

Gameplay Mechanics and Game Objective

Real-Time Tile Placement: Players have 2 minutes to build their city using their deck of tiles.

Deck Building: Players can buy new tiles from the market to add to their deck.

Monster Integration: Monster tiles are added to the deck each year, introducing challenges.

Scoring: Players score points based on contiguous areas of the same district with scoring shields.

Resource Conversion: Magic is converted into Influence, Money, or Prestige.

Objective: The player with the most Prestige points at the end of the 5th year wins the game.

Player Experience

Playing Sorcerer City is a frenetic and strategic experience. The real-time tile placement phase is intense, requiring quick decisions and adaptations. After the placement phase, players engage in strategic planning, converting resources and buying new tiles to improve their chances in the next round. The addition of monster tiles adds an unpredictable element, making each game unique and challenging.

Pros

Simple yet Engaging Gameplay: Easy to learn, with a well-laid-out rulebook.

Strategic Depth: Balancing resources and pivoting strategies is crucial.

Time Pressure: The 2-minute timer adds a fun and challenging element.

Unique Each Game: Different monsters and tile combinations ensure varied gameplay.

High-Quality Components: Clear markings on tiles and effective game insert.

Cons

Initial Imbalance Perception: New players might feel that maximizing magic guarantees a win, but this is not the case.

Regret Factor: Players often regret not placing tiles optimally, which can be frustrating.

Personal Thoughts on Sorcerer City

Sorcerer City is ideal for players who enjoy real-time games and strategic planning. It is suitable for both casual and serious gamers due to its easy-to-learn mechanics and deep strategic layers. The game’s visual attractiveness and the excitement of the tile placement phase make it a great addition to any game collection. However, it may not be the best fit for those who prefer slow-paced, methodical games, as the time pressure and unpredictable elements can be overwhelming.

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