Arcs

Tentative rating based on one play.

Arcs is a space game that hits the usual tropes like exploration, combat, building bases, harvesting resources, new technology (Guilds) and Area Control, but many of the mechanisms are novel with the heart of the game being a pseudo trick taking element that encourages players to play the same type of card of the lead player by granting them more actions if they do so

Like Wehrle’s other games, Arcs is very chaotic and the game is largely a tactical one either because you have to manage the hand of cards you’ve been dealt or because the game state changes so quickly. Throw in some over-powered technology and it becomes very hard to plan too far ahead.

I suspect the game will play best in the 3 game campaign mode (not played yet but 3 games only for a campaign is very refreshing these days)

I just read someone’s comment that this game won’t be “solved” by repeat play. And I completely agree. The puzzle of each chapter and the knowledge that no matter how much experience I have, I could miss the right opportunity, means that every play is tense. To those who feel Arcs is all luck, I would love to have a game with them and show afterwards how they lost. But it’s difficult, as has been said, since most won’t care to know how they lost, only that the losing left a sour taste. Big thumbs up to Wehrle, he has pushed the boundary again.

Leder Games has combined the best parts of Root and Oath and have thrown the combination in an epic sci-fi setting with a gorgeous art style!

Frustration. frustration, frustration

Really sleek 4x. For fulfilling the niche of games like Root, it works so elegantly it feels almost magical.

What a blast to play, me and my friends thought it was such a well designed game. Very thought out mechanics, works well with the theme and really makes you feel like space fleet admirals. We started our first game at 1 am and finished at 6(took our time learning the mechanics) and my friends asked to play another round.

Can be frustrating to have limited actions because of a bad hand