Legendary board game classic from award winning designer Vlaada Chvátil
The game revolves around drafting cards that represent technologies, wonders, leaders, and other advancements to develop one's civilization across three ages - Ancient, Middle, and Modern. Players must carefully balance acquiring new cards, assigning citizens to produce resources like food and ore, and building their civilizations.
The core gameplay loop involves drafting cards from a communal 12-card row, with the leftmost cards being cheaper but less powerful than the more expensive rightmost cards. Efficiently managing and allocating these limited resources is essential for success.
As players progress through the ages, they can advance their governments, unlocking new actions and capabilities. Choosing the right government advancements at the appropriate times can provide significant boosts to a player's strategy.
Players can build military units and play tactic cards to engage in wars and conflicts with opponents. While military strength alone does not directly determine the winner, it can be used to gain advantages, such as stealing resources or cultural advancements from other players.
The ultimate goal is to amass the most culture points by the end of the game. Culture points are generated through a variety of means, including building wonders, advancing technologies, and developing a strong cultural presence. This creates an interesting tension, as players must balance their resource-generating and military activities with their cultural development.
The game's randomized card layout and the numerous viable strategies ensure high replayability. Players must constantly adapt their plans and tactics to the specific cards and circumstances that arise in each game, keeping the experience fresh and engaging.
The digital implementation of the game is widely praised for its excellent execution, which streamlines many of the administrative tasks and bookkeeping associated with the physical board game. Features like automatic calculations, undo/redo functionality, and a helpful tutorial contribute to a smooth and enjoyable gameplay experience.