8.4
rating
Ludopedia
7.4
rating
BGG
Our Verdict
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED
If you enjoy a cooperative challenge with lots of customization and a rich fantasy world, The City of Kings is for you! The variety of scenarios and the complexity of battles guarantee hours of strategic fun.
Highlights
- Exciting exploration and discovery
- Unique and customizable heroes
- Tactical combat without luck
- High replayability with scenarios
Keep in mind
- Requires significant planning
- Steep initial learning curve
- High language dependency
Rules manual not indexed yet
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About the game
What you do in a play session
In The City of Kings, you and your friends embark on a cooperative adventure in a post-apocalyptic fantasy world, where the last known city serves as a refuge against the threats that have decimated life. The mission is clear: explore the ruins, gather essential resources, and face dangerous creatures to uncover the secrets of a world on the brink of extinction. Each player takes on the role of a unique hero, with customizable skills and attributes, allowing for specialization in combat, support, or management. Beyond your hero, coordinating your workers is crucial for gathering materials, which will be traded for powerful items and used to build structures that grant valuable bonuses. Exploration unfolds across a modular board, where each flipped tile reveals new challenges, resources, side quests, and dangers. The game shines in its strategic complexity, featuring a tactical, dice-less combat system where damage is persistent and character customization is key to success. With over 10 million possible enemy combinations, each battle is a unique puzzle that demands cooperation and planning to overcome obstacles and prepare for the final confrontation in Azure Rise. It's an immersive experience blending RPG, exploration, and strategy, ideal for those seeking a deep cooperative challenge with high replayability.
Gallery
Box and component photos
Tap any photo to open fullscreen. Photos submitted by the community or publisher.
Rules videos
Learn by watching before you open the box
In English
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How to pack away The City of Kings: Deluxe / Collector Edition
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How to play The City of Kings
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Frank runs through The City of Kings
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Box of Delights Presents ..... THE CITY OF KINGS
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The City of Kings How to Play
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The City of Kings | Rules Overview
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How to play The City of Kings
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The City of Kings | Solo Setup
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Basic combat - A demo of The City of Kings combat system
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Advanced combat - A demo of The City of Kings combat system
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How to pack away The City of Kings: Adventurer Edition
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Get the Game - The City of Kings
Best player count
BGG community vote
1
BEST
2
BEST
3
REC
4
REC
Soundtrack
Ambience suggested by Melodice
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Mechanics, categories, families and credits
Mechanics
Categories
Families
Publisher
The City of Games
Designer
Frank West
Artist
Miguel Da Silva
Community
Data from BoardGameGeek
Frequently Asked Questions
Quick answers before you buy
What is the average playtime?
A game can vary quite a bit, but expect something between 1.5 and 3 hours, depending on the player count and the chosen scenario.
Is this game difficult to learn?
It does have an initial learning curve. The rules might seem complex at first, but once you get the hang of it, the strategy flows well. It's worth investing a little time in the rulebook!
Does it play well at all player counts?
Yes! It's designed to be cooperative, so it works well solo as well as with 2, 3, or 4 players. The dynamic changes a bit, but the fun remains.
Does it require a lot of table space?
We recommend a generous table size, as the modular board, player components, and game elements can take up a good amount of space, especially during exploration.
Are the components good quality?
Generally, the components are well-praised for their quality and art, contributing to immersion in the game's story and world.
Can I play this game solo?
Absolutely! The City of Kings has dedicated rules for solo mode, allowing you to enjoy the full cooperative experience against the game.
Is there a lot of language dependency?
Yes, the game has a significant amount of text on cards and components. Good knowledge of English or a translated component set is recommended to fully enjoy it.
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