The Ancient World

Red Raven Games, Hobby World, IELLO · Board game · 2014
2–4 · best 4 90 min Weight 2.7/5
7.8 rating Ludopedia
7.0 rating BGG
Buy · from US$ 41.93
7.8 rating Ludopedia
7.0 rating BGG
Our Verdict
RECOMMENDED

A thrilling blend of monster-slaying and empire-building that keeps everyone at the table engaged.

Highlights
  • Satisfying titan combat-mechanics
  • Smoothly integrated engine-building
  • Strongly immersive fantasy theme
Keep in mind
  • Some-reliance-on-dice-luck
  • Requires careful card management
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About the game

What you do in a play session

Get ready for an epic journey where the fate of the world rests on your ability to lead a city-state against colossal threats! In The Ancient World, you aren't just building an empire; you are fighting for survival in a land terrorized by massive titans. The setting is gripping: tribes that once lived in isolation are now coming together under your leadership, hoping to end the reign of terror once and for all.

The gameplay offers a tight blend of resource management and-combat-driven strategy. During your turns, you'll decide whether to invest in your citizens to expand your-city's economy or deploy military cards to take down the titans. Building your Empire is key; as you play Empire cards, you unlock new-abilities, more citizens, and extra wealth, creating a satisfying engine-building feel.

However,-the real endgame revolves around influence. Your success is measured by the tribe banners you collect. You can acquire these through your-empire-building-efforts or by defeating the-titans-themselves. It's a constant tug-of-war between growing your-civilization-and-confronting-the-monsters. If you enjoy games that combine worker placement, card drafting, and set collection within a high-stakes fantasy setting, this-is a must-play! It's fast-paced enough to keep things moving but deep enough to reward clever-planning.

Rules videos

Learn by watching before you open the box

4 videos

Best player count

BGG community vote

2–4 players
2 REC
3 REC
4 BEST

Where to Buy

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Game details

Mechanics, categories, families and credits

Families

Crowdfunding: Kickstarter Game: The Ancient World (Red Raven Games)
Publisher Red Raven Games, Hobby World, IELLO, Schwerkraft-Verlag
Designer Ryan Laukat
Artist Ryan Laukat

Community

Data from BoardGameGeek

3,488owners
875wishlist
148want to play

Frequently Asked Questions

Quick answers before you buy

5 questions
Is the-learning-curve steep?
Not at all! The core-loop is easy to grasp, though mastering the-optimal-strategy takes a bit of practice.
How long does a session last?
Expect around 90 minutes for a standard game-session.
Do I need to know English well?
While the-text is in English, the-heavy-use-of-icons makes it very accessible for most players.
Is there a lot of player interaction?
Yes! You'll be competing for the same-resources and banners throughout the game.
Is it a heavy strategy game?
It's a mid-weight-strategy-game. It's deeper than a party-game but won't-take-all-day to play.

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