Since we opened Game Crab Boardgame Cafe, I have been on the fence whether to purchase Citadels or not. After a long internal debate, I decided to take the plunge upon confirmation that the new version contained the Dark City expansion as well. After seeing it ON SALE, all reservations melted away and I came home with my own copy of Citadels.
Now, this is the only game I personally own that can accommodate up to eight players. Part of the reason this game appealed to me was the fact that ALL of my friends can join in, and yet the game would be strategic and fun. It also serves as a nice gateway game to non-gamers.
Playing Time:
So far, we've only tried the five player version of this game, and it runs anywhere from 35-55 minutes from start to finish. After playing other heavy five player games that will take about two hours to finish, this is a refreshing and welcome change. The shortened play time doesn't take anything away from planning strategies (albeit short term) and certainly doesn't take anything away from the fun factor. I rate it a 9/10.
Components:
Being part of FFG's silver line, the game comes in a small box. Inside is a whole bunch of cards, some tokens that look like caramel candy (this serves as the game's gold), a rulebook and a wooden crown. That's it. The rulebook is easy to understand and I was able to get a game up and running in less than ten minutes. I would've been happier to see more love go into the bits and pieces... maybe make the cards sturdier... but since I got it on sale, for the price, I'll rate this a 7/10.
Flow of Play:
Somehow, this game manages to bring together predictability and unpredictability in one excellent package. Predictable because there are times when you can outright deduce which character your opponents will choose, and unpredictable because no matter how right you think you are, there're times when you'll be outright wrong. The game plays fast, with minimal downtime. Will AP players greatly affect this game? Hmmm... maybe. But, even with extreme AP players, this game will still play and flow a heck of alot faster than say Puerto Rico or Race for the Galaxy. So I'll give it a 7/10.
Conclusion:
Citadels is a good game than can be enjoyed by gamers and non-gamers alike. The theme may be a little flimsy, but its there if make an effort to look for it. I personally like how it plays and appreciate the sheer fun the game provides. So, overall, I'll have to give it an 8 out of 10.
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