Chronicles of Civilization
The satisfaction of building a thriving kingdom is truly unmatched!
Watching your civilization flourish as farms yield harvests, mines glistening with resources, and trade routes humming with prosperity is all you want to see.
But underneath that triumph lurks the ever-present threat of rebellion, famine, and unrest. One wrong move and your people turn against you, your capital crumbles and your empire fades into dust!
So, which way will your kingdom go?
Chronicles of Civilization is a flip-and-write civilization development game designed by Radek Ignatów. As I write this review on March 19, we’re just a week away from its Kickstarter campaign launch. I had the incredible opportunity to play the game with my team for over a week, and now I’m here to pour all our thoughts into this review. So, get ready!
Questions we had in mind before playing the game:
- Is it a light, casual game, or does it lean more toward deep strategic gameplay?
- How repeatable is the game?
- How much of the gameplay is driven by luck?
Time to find out!
All you need to play the game
The Printables
You need to print 6 sheets in total to play the game for a start, which includes the development cards (2), resource card, map, chronicle card, and the action cards. In the game, you’ll be writing on most of the cards, so it’s a good idea to laminate them beforehand. Since it was my first time playing the game, I opted for a premium laser print to fully appreciate its stunning artwork!
With the prints and lamination taken care of, cut out the 12 action cards.
Lots of meeples and tokens!
The game involves a lot of playing pieces, which can already give you an idea of the depth of the game. You need around 14 meeples, 13 tokens (circular preferable), and 1 D6 die. I had tons of wooden playing pieces at my disposal which complemented the artwork beautifully, so I decided to go with those. Be sure to check out the meeples and player pieces that many game enthusiasts have recommended to me at the end of the article.
With the prints and the playing pieces assembled, set up the game nicely. Here’s how it looked like once I assembled the game components:
My take on the game
The sheer depth!
If I’m being honest, Chronicles of Civilization might just be the most immersive and in-depth print-and-play game I’ve ever experienced! Each and every move that I made in this game had consequences on multiple folds, which created quite an immersive experience. From deciding where to allocate the action cards and how it impacts the chronicle actions, to figuring out how to make the most of your workers and the best strategies for navigating and building on the map- this game really makes you think.Â
You’re simultaneously constructing structures for resources, building settlements, managing relations with both your people and those you share territory with, and more! The game truly made me feel like a ruler- balancing multiple ends not just to grow, but also to keep chaos at bay.
Little to no luck
The only two elements that tease with luck are the action cards you draw, and the dice you roll when you are at war. The 12 action cards aren’t very different from each other, which further reduces the role of luck in the game. The game is entirely strategy-driven, and it has to be the most tactical PNP I played to date.
Repeatable? 10/10
The base game itself is quite repeatable, and there’s even more to explore! To add more to the variation, there are multiple maps and chronicle cards to choose from which will definitely compel you to alter strategies to meet the winning conditions. Although I haven’t tried the other maps or chronicle cards yet, I still find the base game incredibly repeatable.
To top it off, the game offers multiple modes. I tried the solo mode, and now I can’t wait to experience it in multiplayer!
Has rethemes written all over it
The whole time I was playing the game, I couldn’t help but think of the many themes that could be incorporated into the game. Being a fan of Game of Thrones (except for season 8), I felt like I was in one of those situations where I was one move away from anarchy, all while sitting on the Iron Throne in King’s Landing. For some reason, my mind also drifted to Egyptian civilization; maybe it was the pyramid in the game that nudged me in that direction!
Radek, try new themes alongside new maps and chronicle cards! Big please!
Take your time
If it’s not clear enough- to me, it’s not a casual game. For each round of the game, I gave it a clear mind space of an hour, took the effort of allocating a good portion of my gaming table, assembled everything, and gave my full focus to the gameplay. It’s ideal for game nights if your friends are up for in-depth, highly tactical games.Â
Also, give it some time to feel its magic. It may seem overwhelming at first to manage so many moving pieces (literally) in the game, but I can assure you, it’ll grow on you. After a couple of rounds, it started to feel more natural, allowing me to truly tap into my tactical side. The game is highly rewarding if you allocate enough time and space for it.
Watch out!
Other than the prints, there are 27 meeples and tokens in the game; so be delicate! Don’t throw your hands around like my clumsy friend (who shall remain anonymous) did, and ended up having to restart the game halfway through.Â
Allocating enough space should take care of it. That and not frantically moving your hands around!
Aftergame feels
For me, how I feel after finishing a game session is crucial. After seven sessions of playing Chronicles of Civilization, I found myself still immersed in the game. I kept reflecting on how I could have adjusted my tactics, which aspects I may have overlooked or underestimated, and what I could do differently to secure a win next time.
That, and figuring out who to play the game with next time. For me, that’s a win in itself!
T minus 7 days!
I had an amazing time playing Chronicles of Civilization with my friends, kudos to Radek for giving me the opportunity to try the game before the campaign kicks off! Rabbit’s Potion, another masterpiece of Radek, took the PNP world by storm in 2024, and I’m sure that Chronicles of Civilization won’t be any different!
Recommended items
Game Overview
Designer: Radek Ignatów
Artist: Michał Teliga
Number of players: 1 to 3
Difficulty level: Medium to Advanced
Rounds of gameplay needed to learn: 2 rounds
Game duration: 45-60 minutes
Available on: Kickstarter
Theme: Flip-and-Write | Civilization Development
Number of pages and color: 6 (color)
Assembling difficulty level: Super easy. Printing out 6 pages, and cutting out the action cards.
Lamination: Recommended for longevity
Additional elements required: 14 meeples, 13 tokens, and one D6 die.
Time to learn: Within 20-30 minutes
Travel-friendly: 9/10
Shelving friendly: 9/10
Rating from PnP Time: 9/10
Tasliman is a board game developer based in Bangladesh, with the dream of exploring the world of games and introducing it to anyone new to it. He is the founder of Kraftz, a brand that develops board games commercially, as well as with reputed entities like BRAC and The Gates Foundation.
