This is one of those games where, just shifting the map a bit, changes so much of how you approach the game.

But the game seems to have taken a bit of a dip in fortunes since gaining a head of steam at Essen in October 2013. Designer Mac Gerdts has become known for his board game rondel; a system of taking actions he employed in his last five or six games and one I’ve really enjoyed (I borrowed heavily from it for The Empire Engine). Look, games as a rule are fun, but so many games these days are more preoccupied with themselves than they are with you, the player. The double-sided player aid includes a reminder of how each god scores and how much it costs to build in each city.The other nice thing it does is that it allows you to take your mind off of your round-to-round decisions. As is often the case with games from PD-Verlag you get an extra pamphlet with historic information about all the countries in the region in this period; as well as a really useful setup card in both English and German (the box actually includes two packs of cards, one in each language). This title is far and away my favorite as it handles the trade aspect quite elegantly and as a designer/developer, I defy anyone to find me a set of rules as short as Concordia’s with the same level of depth. Think of it this way: I may make a decision that seems more resource and action-efficient, but it’s very very difficult for me to calculate exactly how many points I’ve gained or lost relative to my (perceived) next-best move.

Concordia is a medium weight strategic board game which combines elements of resource management, economic development, hand management and a tiny bit of deck building. But unfortunately that’s all you do; no conflict, no powers, hardly any uniqueness (there are some unique cards to draft in, but they’re just another way to produce/score) and plenty head scratching late on. Give me a beautiful, intricate map that’s also clear to read, and I’ll probably get lost staring into its starry blue eyes and promising it the world.It’s an economic game that doesn’t get too mired in analysis paralysis and while turn optimisation is key it’s never crippling. At a recent game night, we needed something that could play five or six people; we had five people and we were expecting a sixth, so the usual debate resurfaced: do we play one game, or split into two groups?

This can have one of two effects: either players get discouraged because every move seems to be of relatively equal value, or those who understand the game well are able to calculate those marginal plays so well that the game becomes simple for them–there’s no more mystery to it. I’ve really enjoyed each game I’ve played to date, regardless of player number (two to four for me), and feel I’ve got plenty to get from the game in the future. It’s still good, mind you, and fine for a change of pace, but the bar for quality set by the base game is high enough that this seems awkward by comparison. Again this is a fine line that has to be walked in any game of this type, and I can’t be certain how well Concordia has done it at this point.I will say the publicly open games are pretty limited and trying to find a random game to join isn’t particularly easy. Don't let the boring art and name fool you, this is a fantastic strategic competitive game for 2-5 players. The app version of Concordia does away with this, immediately providing your total score as well as where you’ve placed against your opponents. When you understand what goals they are pursuing, you can adapt your strategy, to either outpace them, or focus elsewhere.

The digital implementation pops up a helpful summary of the map-specific rule changes when you launch a game on a new map.The authentic feel of the board game, along with the intuitive UI makes it the perfect addition to your gaming collection! If those are the chief criticisms I can level against it, though, the game is doing quite well for itself. This running tally is in contrast to the physical game where VP are not tallied until the very end of the game leaving you in suspense as to how well you and your opponents are doing however the inclusion of a toggle option to provide this information throughout will suit some players and can be a big aid for beginners learning how to play and score well.