Description

Gameplay Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y1QRR5W2en4

This new edition of Bruxelles 1893 is completed with its Belle Époque expansion, both offered in a single big box. Although it respects the spirit of the original game, this new version of Brussels 1893 has been mechanically, graphically and ergonomically redesigned. Those who love Brussels 1893 will find all the pleasure of the original game, and even more because Belle Époque considerably expands the strategic possibilities, without increasing the length of a game.

In the Belle Époque expansion, players will experience:

New Public Figures and White Works of Art

Blocker Tiles and End Game Goals

Special Actions and a Brand New Material

Bruxelles 1893 is a worker placement game with elements of bidding and majority control. Each player is an architect of the late 19th century and is trying to achieve, through various actions, an architectural work in the Art Nouveau style. The most successful building yields the most points. Each player can also create works of art to increase his score.

The action board is modular, with not every player having access to each action each turn. Some actions cost money – acquiring high-quality  materials, building a level of your personal house, finding a patron, creating a work of art, selling that art for money and prestige – while other actions are free but can potentially cause you to lose one of your workers; these latter actions include acquiring low-quality materials, activating your patrons, visiting the stock exchange, and taking one of the actions with a cost. Once everyone has passed on taking more actions, the round ends and players have an art exhibition during which they can sell works. After this, players receive prestige points or bonus cards based on the symbols they’ve placed their workers next to on the action board.

After five rounds, the game ends and players score bonus points based on their architect level, their bonus cards, how well they’ve completed their work, and their money on hand. The player with the most points wins.

2-5 players

Ages 14+

50-125 minute play time

Card Sizes

106 43.5×67.5 cards

Observations

– Art and theme can be more miss than hit for most people

– Relatively fast playing and doesn’t make you feel bored, even towards the end (90 to 180 minutes with 3 to 4 players)

– A tactical game where you constantly have to reevaluate your plans as they are foiled by others’ actions, as the game takes place on a shared space

– Not an easy game to play, since you have to juggle worker placement, area majority, and auctioning (which work suprisingly well together), but also that I did not get a headache from my 1st time, nor the 2nd (unlike Barrage)

Snappy and Tactical Eurogame Alternatives

– Troyes 

– Ginkgopolis