Once building tiles are placed on to your estate, they are given a very nice 3D rendering. In terms of iconography, it’s true to the original and unaltered version. It’s a bit overpowered in my opinion. You can download The Castles of Burgundy for the following platforms: Paul Shapiro is Founder and Editor of Board Game Squad. There’s an interesting conversation to be had about who plays digital board games. Now, enough background about the cardboard version of the game. So far I’ve logged over 400 games … 8 Strategy Tips For The Castles Of Burgundy Read More » That’s the most important thing. It’s a minor tweak that really works. Digidiced, the app developer, re-organized the central game and player boards in such away that is both information-rich and presentable. The use of colors is horrendous. It plays in a relatively short amount of time, at around 30-90 minutes depending on player count. Feature-wise, it’s a pretty standard Digidized implementation of a board game. While playing they aim to build settlements and powerful castles, practice trade along the river, exploit silver mines, and use the knowledge of travelers. The player with the most victory points in the end is the winner. Despite the tiles and territory colors being mostly unaltered, they did add a black border surrounding the estate, between it and the perimeter of the central ring and between tiles. LONG TERM QUALITY - Ravensburger has been making products for the hand, head, and heart for over 130 years. The center ring drops out in a strange mechanical animation, and the new player board takes the previous one’s place. It’s a fantastic implementation that I have a ton of fun playing. That being said, despite my gushing about the board game, it is not without faults. It plays in a relatively short amount of time, at around 30-90 minutes depending on player count. But that’s a bit nitpicky and it certainly doesn’t detract from the game experience in anyway. I both like the inclusion of the original rules and dislike it. This is the benefit digital media. As influential princes, the players devote their efforts to careful trading and building in order to lead their estates to prominence. But again, I nitpick about what is otherwise a great experience. 2-4 players, 30-90 minutes, 12 years and older: Author: Stefan Feld: Illustrators It’s also one of the best board games to casually play online, due to the lack of direct player interaction and the mostly short term decision making. French instructions also included. The game is set in the Burgundy region of High Medieval France. Two dice set out the action options, but the players always make the final choices. HIGH QUALITY COMPONENTS – This board game comes with 164 six-sided tiles, 42 goods tiles, 20 Silverlings, 30 worker tiles, 12 bonus tiles, victory point tiles, playing pieces, dice, game board, player boards. The prospect of being able to play CoB (the Castles of Burgundy) on my iPhone was exciting and I also knew the digitization was an opportunity for the developer to fix some of the things that irked me about the board game version in advance of the release of its 2019 “deluxe” edition. The iconography is only so-so. The ranked game mode allows you play against strangers and vie to be recognized as the best Castles of Burgundy player. You may choose to play with the standard player board layout, play your opponent with random estate configuration but with identical boards, or randomize the estate boards and everyone receives a different board. The Loire Valley during the 15th Century. Overall, much of the look and feel of the game is improved. I think it’s just about the most perfect mid-level Euro game I can conceive of. You can initiate a local game and play against your IRL friends by passing your phone or you may play against three different levels of AI. FUN PLAY EXPERIENCE – In The Castles of Burgundy, players collect game-deciding victory points via trading, livestock farming, city building, or scientific research. One qualm I had with the cardboard version of the game was the chosen color of the tiles. I suppose the intention may have been to establish greater familiarity with those of us who have played the cardboard version of the game, but I question whether that was necessary. You do not feel information overload, yet all the information is available to you at a quick glance (with the exception being the other players’ estate boards which require an extra tap or two). I would have preferred a reference guide that was specifically designed for the mobile version in addition to the analog rules. The effect is greater visibility compared to muted-beige background on the physical player boards. But what else does it have to offer in terms of features? EASY TO UNDERSTAND INSTRUCTIONS – High quality, easy to understand instructions make it easy to start playing right away. The process of setting up the tiles and placing new ones each round is cumbersome and. If you are playing against the AI, you have to sit and watch their turn on your screen via the center ring animation. The Castles of Burgundy, designed by prolific game designer Stefan Feld, is easily one of my favorite board games of all time. GREAT REPLAY VALUE – Playing time is 30-90 minutes, for 2-4 players. As far as other features that are missing, the game seems to be absent the expansion content. There are a few minor things that may cause minor irritation to a seasoned CoB player, but I can see those things being addressed via in-app purchases and app updates. The use of different shades of green is among the most disappointing. How to Play The Castles of Burgundy - No BS Guide - YouTube I may even apply it when I teach the board game version moving forward. I’ll assume it is included, and as a result, will choose “random identical” whenever I play the game on my phone. Since the new deluxe edition went out of its way to include it, it would have been a nice-to-have. The player board options are fine, but I would have liked the ability to self-select my own player board. As with the knowledge tiles, you are able to tap and hold for more information about which each building does once placed onto your estate. This way, you don’t have to go through a long drawn out tutorial in order the get a rules refresher but you have the option of referencing the original rules if your heart desires. Is it hobby board gamers who have want to bring their favorite games along with them on their commute? Each player takes on the role of an aristocrat, originally controlling a small princedom. There is a tutorial that simultaneously explains the game mechanics and how to navigate them within the app experience. You need to either remember what happens when you place each type or reference the rulebook. It’s a beautiful blend of tile placement, set collection, and luck-mitigated dice rolling that’s all wrapped up into one yummy point salad. The game looks and feels good. Ravensburger The Castles of Burgundy Board Game - Fun Strategy Game That's Easy to Learn and Play with Great Replay Value, Perseverance: Castaway Chronicles Preview (Dávid Turczi/Mindclash Games), Podcast: Episode 8 – Online Conventions, Sanctum, and More, Paradise Lost Review: I Got 99 Problems, but Theme Ain’t One. The game is fairly straightforward and simple to learn, but has great depth of strategy. You may touch and hold a knowledge tile for a text description of what it does. The game tutorial is divided into three parts: Frankly, it’s a good model of how to explain the rules of Castles of Burgundy. The players estate boards are loaded into the same screen view. (Note: It’s definitely not necessary as there are other ways to identify the tiles). But unfortunately, Digidiced did not. Online multiplayer modes include a “ranked game” (with push notifications) and a “casual game”. The Castles of Burgundy: The Card Game forces me to play against type and make a lot of short-term decisions. As it turns out, the app developer took a hybrid audience approach, catering to all of them. The goal of the game is to defeat Aaron round to round, so you sometimes have to go for immediate victory points at the expense of your long-term plan. This target audience strongly influences how you would design the game’s tutorial experience. Not only do the colors make the game ugly, but it impacts the accessibility of the game. The building tiles have no uniformed iconography. The game actually permits you to rotate your view because of this, although I’m not sure that there is any real, practical reason for this functionality. In the casual game, you invite your friends who also have the app to play against you online. The theme is almost non-existent and the artwork is as dry and boring as they come. It’s inconsequential, but I approve. Is it the “try before you buy” gamers that want to try a game out before investing in the more expensive tabletop version and inviting friends over? The Castles of Burgundy - General game info. The component quality is merely satisfactory with very flimsy player boards (although, it is sold at a lower price point which may make up for it). on The Castles of Burgundy App Review [iOS/Android/Steam], First, Let’s Talk Cardboard: Background About the Board Game, What I Don’t Like About Castles of Burgundy, the Board Game, The Digital Implementation of The Castles of Burgundy. Rankings are posted on the leaderboard. In-app purchases coming soon Digidiced? Below the three tutorials is a web link to the rules manual (it’s a PDF and requires an active internet connection) for the original analogue game, catering to existing board game players.