Architects of Amytis

Tiles 2 players

play on: https://game-park.com/board-games/architects-of-amytis

De la pose de tuile couplée à du morpion, nous sommes bien dans un jeu très actuel. Il y a de quoi s'amuser entre ses 2 mécaniques d'optimisation et de placement, l'interaction se faisant sur le blocage éventuel du plateau et la course aux objectifs. Ça fonctionne et c'est sympathique. Petit bémol sur l'édition et les bâtiments peu différenciés qui demandent un effort de lecture.

LES ARCHITECTES D’AMYTIS est une sorte de gendre idéal, pas toujours très enivrant, mais solide, sain et stable.

L'avis complet : https://lemeeplejaune.fr/2024/08/13/un-oeil-sur-les-architectes-damytis/

Vin d'jeu: French review of Architects: https://www.vindjeu.eu/2024/08/25/les-architectes-damytis/

Designer: Jérémy Ducret, Romaric Galonnier Playing time: 30 Min Weight: 2.00 / 5 Publisher: Hachette Boardgames UK Player count: 2 (best with: 2)

[b]COMPLEXITY: Low COMPONENTS: Medium DOWNTIME: Low FUN: Medium INTERACTION: Low PLAYING TIME: Low LUCK: Medium REPLAY VALUE: High SOLITAIRE: Very low THEMATIC: Very low[/b]

[b]Comments:[/b] [thing=415910][/thing] is an abstract family game about pattern building, worker placement, tile placement, layering and contracts. The idea is that players will use their workers to get tiles, which will be placed on the personal board, both to earn points in different ways as well as making specific formats in order to complete goal cards (which are also worth VPs). Furthermore, if players position his workers in a line of 3 or diagonal of 3, they unlock a different type of scoring at the end of the game. Once the game ends, the person with the most points (from contracts, buildings and special scoring) will be the winner!

The rules for [thing=415910][/thing] are very easy to grasp and teach, taking no more than a couple of minutes. Remembering the effects of the types of buildings also shouldn't take much to be used to. The main rules, per its description are: during your turn, you'll have to select a tile among the available ones on the main board, and place one of your Architect Pawn on the corresponding pile. Then, you'll place the tile on your board wherever you want (on a free spot, or covering another tile to make your city grow higher).

Each tile is colored (4 colors) and represents a building (6 different types). Each building type will score directly when you place the tile. And the colors will allow you to reproduce some of the King's projects (a colored pattern inside your city) that will grant you points at the end of the game. Furthermore, while placing your architects on the main board, if you manage to create a line, row or diagonal of 3, you'll be granted a King's favor: another type of score,triggered at the end of the game. And the game ends when two stacks of tiles are depleted. Whoever have the most points, wins.

There is enough possibilities to keep the players attention, with good amount of variation, as the projects (goals) change, the order of the tiles, and the tiles have two sides (with different effects). The patterns are all easy to make, and even people like me, who aren't particularly well suited for seeing patterns, will be able to handle easily. On the otherhand, with all the effects of buildings, I didn't even bothered much regarding what one give or not - I just take the ones I need to complete my goal cards, or the ones who allow to draw more goals, as these are worth a lot, and certainly are worth be prioritized.

There is some interation in blocking, but that is about it. Not many feelings hurt around here. Both players will likely be more concern in what they are doing than trying to block the other. There is also no actual theme or flavor going on; and no option for solitaire play.

Overall, [thing=415910][/thing] is alright. It felt to me as a more involved and convoluted option to Reef, which is around the same weight and play time; but with more focus on the patterns (is the only thing that scores); and is a lighter option to Harmonies, as the patterns in this one are harder to accomplish. While I enjoy building stuff during play, [thing=415910][/thing] didn't scratch that itch for me, as you just get a bunch of tiles stacked in a haphazard way. The pacing is a plus, as no one often takes too much time in their turns, which keeps the playing low. In the end, while I didn't find any particular part of [thing=415910][/thing] to be great (or bad), I wouldn't mind playing more times, albeit it is more likely that it will be forgotten.