Overview:

Name of the game: Through the Ages: A New Story of Civilization

BGG Weight: 4.43 / 5

Year published: 2015

Publisher: Czech Games Edition

Designer: Vlaada Chvátil

Number of players: 2-4

Playing time: 120-240 minutes

Game category/theme: Civilization building, strategy

Mechanics: Action Points, Auction/Bidding, Auction: Dutch, Events, Income

 

Ratings:

Strategy: 9.5

Complexity: 8.5

Player Interaction: 7.5

Replayability: 9.0

Game Rating: 9.2

Cost: 7.0

 

Calculations:

Weight Rating = 18.0

Playability Rating = 17.2

Play Rating Score = 70.4

Value Rating = 10.06

 

Final Score Rating = 70.4 + 10.06 = 80.46

 

Review:

Through the Ages: A New Story of Civilization is a complex and strategic board game that challenges players to build and manage their own civilizations throughout history. Players must draft cards, manage resources, advance their technologies, and build wonders while competing with other civilizations to become the dominant world power.

One of the standout features of Through the Ages is its depth of strategy. With so many options and paths to victory, each decision feels significant and can have long-lasting effects on the game. However, this also means that the game can be quite complex, especially for new players. It may take a few games to fully grasp all of the mechanics and strategies.

While the game does have player interaction, it is not as prominent as in other strategy games. Players are primarily focused on building their own civilizations, rather than actively attacking or interfering with others. This may be a downside for players who enjoy more direct competition.

Through the Ages also has high replayability, as each game can play out differently depending on the cards available and player choices. The game offers a solo variant for players who want to play alone, although the experience is not quite as engaging as playing with others.

In terms of cost, Through the Ages is on the higher end of the spectrum compared to other board games. However, given the high quality components and replayability, it may be worth the investment for serious board gamers.

Overall, Through the Ages: A New Story of Civilization is an excellent strategy game for players who enjoy deep, complex gameplay and building their own civilizations. It may not be as suitable for players who prefer more direct competition or simpler gameplay.

 

Other games that may appeal to fans of Through the Ages include:

1. Sid Meier’s Civilization: The Board Game – A similar civilization-building game based on the popular video game series.
2. Scythe – A strategy game that combines resource management and area control with an alternate-history theme.
3. Terraforming Mars – A tableau-building game where players compete to terraform and colonize the red planet.
4. Gaia Project – A complex sci-fi strategy game where players build and expand their own civilizations across the galaxy.
5. Twilight Struggle – A two-player strategy game set during the Cold War, where players compete for global dominance.
6. Puerto Rico – A classic game from 2002 that has stood the test of time. Players take on the role of plantation owners in colonial Puerto Rico, trying to produce goods and develop their city. It has similar mechanics to Through the Ages, with a focus on resource management and player interaction.
7. Brass: Birmingham – A strategy game set in the industrial revolution in England. Players build networks of canals and railways, develop industries, and compete for resources. The game has a steep learning curve, but offers a lot of depth and replayability.
8. Tzolk’in: The Mayan Calendar – A worker placement game where players place their workers on a rotating wheel that simulates the Mayan calendar. Players build monuments, collect resources, and perform rituals to gain points. Like Through the Ages, the game requires careful planning and strategy.
9. Eclipse – A space-themed game where players build their own interstellar civilization. Players explore space, build ships, and engage in battles. The game has a lot of depth and replayability, with different alien races and technology upgrades to explore.
10. 7 Wonders – A classic card drafting game where players build their own civilization over three rounds. Players collect resources, build wonders, and trade with their neighbors. The game is fast-paced and offers a lot of player interaction, making it a great alternative to Through the Ages for a shorter game session.

Overall, these games offer similar mechanics to Through the Ages: A New Story of Civilization, with a focus on strategy, resource management, and player interaction. They also offer unique themes and settings to keep gameplay fresh and engaging.

This review was provided by Open Source Artificial Intelligence programs.  It uses a series of complex statement to have AI programs amalgomate their databases to produces information on board games.  These reviews are completely unedited output from the AI bots.