Villages of Valeria brings the charm of a small village growing in a fantasy world. Each player starts with a deck of cards representing resources, buildings, and adventurers. Instead of a traditional deck, the game uses an open drafting mechanic: at the start of each round, all cards that can be chosen are displayed to everyone. This allows you to plan your moves ahead of time and compete for desired cards.

The Follow mechanic is what gives Villages of Valeria its unique character. When a player takes an action—such as Tax, Harvest, Develop, Build, or Recruit—every other player has the opportunity to repeat the same action but receives reduced rewards. This creates a gameplay rhythm where observing and anticipating opponents’ choices are crucial. For example, if someone decides to Recruit, the others can follow by paying an extra gold to attract an adventurer, but they don’t receive the extra gold the first player got.

Managing your hand of cards is essential. You must decide when to discard to gain resources, when to use cards as buildings, and when to hold cards that can become resources later. The balance between keeping cards in the deck and using cards in hand defines your strategy.

Tableau building happens when you place resource or building cards into your village. Each building provides benefits and victory points, while resources fuel your actions. The ultimate goal is to be the first to have 10 buildings or adventurers in your village, making you the capital of Valeria.

With 1 to 5 players and a duration of 30 to 60 minutes, the game blends speed with strategic depth. The BGG rating of 6.97 suggests the game has potential but may require some learning time. If you enjoy card games with tactical decisions, have a taste for fantasy themes, and don’t mind watching and following others’ moves, Villages of Valeria is a fun pick for your game nights.