The City (2011) Board Game
The City is a card game that was released in 2011 and designed by Thomas Lehmann. It is published by AMIGO and features artwork by Klemens Franz and João Tereso. The game falls into the categories of card game and city building, where players must strategically manage their hand of cards to build the best city possible.
## Game Components of The City
– Deck of building cards
– Victory point chips
– General Contractor cards
– Survey tokens
– Player tableaus
## How To Setup The City
Players start with a hand of seven cards, from which they discard two to begin play with five cards. Victory point chips, General Contractor cards, and survey tokens are placed within reach of all players.
## Gameplay Mechanics and Game Objective
– **Simultaneous Play**: Each player chooses a card to build and places it face down.
– **Card Resolution**: Players flip their cards, pay the costs using cards from their hand, and take the necessary actions.
– **Victory Points**: Players collect victory points based on the cards in their tableau.
– **Income Collection**: Players draw cards (income) based on the symbols on their cards.
– **Game End**: The game ends when one or more players reach 50 victory points. The player with the most points wins.
## Player Experience
The City is praised for its simplicity and rapid gameplay. Players build their city by constructing various buildings, each providing different benefits such as victory points, income, or special symbols that interact with other cards. The game ramps up quickly, with scoring opportunities increasing significantly as players progress. Despite its simplicity, the game requires tactical decision-making to maximize scoring and manage card resources effectively.
### Pros
– **Quick Gameplay**: Games last no longer than 30 minutes.
– **Easy to Learn**: Simple rules make it accessible to new players.
– **Tactical Depth**: Requires strategic planning to build an efficient city.
– **Good at All Player Counts**: Engaging for 2-5 players.
– **Travel Friendly**: Compact and easy to carry.
### Cons
– **Low Player Interaction**: Players mostly focus on their own tableau with minimal interaction.
– **Runaway Leader Issue**: It can be difficult to catch up if a player falls behind.
– **Bad Card Draws**: Mitigating bad draws can be challenging, especially with the survey action.
## Personal Thoughts on The City
The City is ideal for fans of engine-building and tableau-building games. It’s a great filler game that offers a fun and quick experience, making it perfect for vacation trips or short game sessions. While it may not offer the complexity of other games in the same genre, its simplicity and rapid scoring escalation make it an enjoyable and engaging game for players of all skill levels.
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