As the choice for the best board games of 2023 (Golden Geek Awards) is approaching, I chose mine in one category – simply, the best board game from 2023. As expected, that game has one of my favorite average ratings on Bgg (only 7,2), it’s not hyped and it’s a surprise to me as well, but at a same time a logical consequence of the change in my gaming taste.
“Arheos Society” by Paolo Mori (“Ethnos”, Fall of Rome”, “Blitzkrieg!….”) is, hands down, the funnest of all board games from 2023. There are at least two reasons for that, the first is the increasingly frequent offer of dry board games, that rely too much on heavy optimization and second is that vast majority of them are multiplayer solitaire experience. Fun, in board games, at least for me are table talk, atmosphere, ease of playing, depth and richness of decisions, snappy turns, theme, “let’s go one more time” factor, replayability, variability… and in that niche “Archeos Society” is my no1 for 2023.
“Arheos Society” with average ratings 7,2 and complexity of just 1,92 certainly shouldn’t attract me, but I’m already used to taking average ratings with a grain of salt, lucky that it’s so. This game is mix of “Ethnos”, “Rise” (my favorite board game from 2022.) and in some weird way “Lost cities”. Mechanisms are: hand management, open drafting, push your luck and set collections, track movement, variable set-up, end game bonuses and so on. Category is exploration and theme is archeology. So what not to like?
You’ll guide your teams as you explore 6 (more precisely there are 12, because boards are double-sided, with basic and advanced sides) legendary sites on different continents. As publisher describes, on each of your turns you must decide whether to form a small expeditions for quick progression, or larger that are more efficient but slower to assemble. At the same time, you have only 2 possible actions: take one card aka recruit a new explorer, or launch an expedition by playing your cards using a group of matching colors or roles. Also, you need to choose your expedition leader smart as they determine which site you explore (and advance on that track) and provide a special ability for that expedition. Problem is, whenever you launch expedition, you must discard unplayed cards from your hand to the market and make available them for your opponents.
Nothing new? Re-themed “Ethnos”? Maybe, maybe… but this one has card play that’s so simple yet incredibly absorbing, very interactive and provides tons of fun. 2, 3, or 4 players – it doesn’t matter, it’s so social, cut-throat and zen at a same time, that’s true gem. Replayability and variability are through the roof because you have 12 different roles (you need 6 of them per gameplay): the professor, the guide, mercenary, pilot, the botanist, cartographer, student, linguist… as well as 6 double sided boards – Rapa Nui, Ur, Chichen Itza…Taste, aroma, Indiana Jones vibes, unique characters with different special powers… You owe yourself this one. Great game!
Sounds like a interesting game, and from this review I would say worth trying, if not even having it in the collection.
For sure I will try to find this game and try it, and hopefully I will like it as I like it how it is described in this review.
Can this be considered as a travelling game, that you cam take on vacation, that is well packed with the relativelly small box?
Tnx for your comment and question as well…”Archeos Society” is tremendous fun and engaging for us, but also quite relaxing experience. To be fair, I must tell you that some of the characters, for example – the botanist, provide possibilities for take-that mechanism (maybe you don’t like that sort of interaction), some others for engine building etc..
I don’t particularly think that this game is for traveling, especially if you have a small bag with you…. But with 6 track boards, 1 linguist board, lots of different tokens and 159 playing cards, box is so light that’s amazing. Other than that, box is “standard” size and I can see it with us during our trips 🙂