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Description
In this latest collaboration between Bruno Cathala and Ludovic Maublanc, players must buy the favor of the gods in their race to be the first player to build two cities in the Ancient Greek island group known as the Cyclades.
Victory requires respect for all the gods - players cannot afford to sacrifice to only one god, but must pay homage to each of five gods in turn. Each turn, the players bid for the favors of the gods, as only one player can have the favor of each god per turn - and each player is also limited to the favor of a single god per turn.
Ares allows the movement of player armies and the building of Fortresses.
Poseidon allows players to move their navies and build Ports.
Zeus allows his followers to hire priests and build temples.
Athena provides her worshipers with philosophers and universities.
Apollo increases the income of his worshipers.
Year Published
2009
Transcript Analysis
Browse transcript mentions, sentiments, pros/cons, mechanics, topics, quotes, and references.
Total mentions: 8
This page: 8
Sentiment:
pos 7 ·
mix 0 ·
neu 0 ·
neg 1
Showing 1–8 of 8
Video mep4iOjUgEY
Unknown Channel game_review at 1:08 sentiment: positive
video_pk 12553 · mention_pk 36623
Click to watch at 1:08
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- Modular board allows varied setups and replayability
- Three-metropolis win condition improves pacing and balance
- Heroes are baked in with two special abilities, adding tactical depth
- Printed priestesses on the board provide income bonuses and flavor
- Overall production and rules updates enhance the classic experience
Cons
- Box insert design is awkward and lid won't close easily
- 2D meeples/standees and faceless minis feel less thematic than original minis
- 2D buildings can clutter the board and reduce visibility during play
Thematic elements
- mythology-driven conquest, bidding for divine favors to shape conflict
- Ancient Aegean archipelago with mythological gods and island-city building
- mythic, god-pated strategic conflict with modular island maps
Comparison games
- Kickstarter edition (3D buildings and expanded components)
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Area Control — Players place control tokens on unoccupied land areas and deploy fleets to adjacent seas to expand influence.
- Auction / bidding for God's favors — Players bid gold for Gods; highest bid secures the God, but ties force elimination from that God and a redraw for another option.
- Heroes and creature integration — Heroes provide special abilities and can be sacrificed to facilitate metropolis building; creatures grant enhancements or effects.
- Metropolis building and victory condition — Win by controlling three metropolises at the end of a cycle, driving strategic competition and targeting.
- Modular board setup — The map is assembled from islands on modular tiles, allowing randomized layouts per game and per number of players.
- Sea and land battles — Combat occurs via ships in sea spaces and land battles; dice add to attack strength, with outcomes including retreats and potential repeats.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- The modular board is the standout feature for this one.
- Three metropolises to win makes the game fairer and balances pacing.
- This is a must-have classic that every discerning gamer should own.
- My number one game of all time just got better.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video vqVopDUaDVI
Cardboard Herald interview at 33:50 sentiment: positive
video_pk 12488 · mention_pk 36420
Click to watch at 33:50
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- Strong thematic integration with Greek mythos
- Engaging player interaction and conflict
Cons
- Complex rules can be daunting for new players
Thematic elements
- divine influence and naval/land conquest
- Ancient Greece/Cyclades mythological milieu
- mythic with godly intervention
Comparison games
- Shadows Over Camelot
- Five Tribes
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- area control / fleet/colony expansion — Compete for island control and resources
- Auction/bidding with coins — Players bid to activate gods or actions and influence outcomes
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- gaming is social relations
- solo variants are house rules
- my games are my games
- it's not a competition with myself
- i'm designing the games i want to play myself
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video S-oEoLZMKGE
Cardboard Herald top_10_list at 28:49 sentiment: positive
video_pk 11588 · mention_pk 34056
Click to watch at 28:49
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- innovative auction mechanic that reshapes how you win areas
- enjoyable mix of negotiation and control
Cons
- auction could feel opaque to new players
- balance between factions can be uneven
Thematic elements
- auction-based control with island conquest
- ancient Aegean archipelago overlapped with mythic powers
- mythic, negotiation-driven
Comparison games
- Ethnos
- Inish
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- area control with dynamic islands — control of regions yields points and affects gameplay flow
- auction/bidding — players bid for control of regions and capabilities
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- Diplomacy by email explicitly by email
- i don't want to sit at a table with you and play that game
- it's such a minimalistic game where the players themselves drive all of the fun and interaction of the game
- it's the first time in a game where i felt incentivized for certain strategies to die
- a box of cardboard chits that does everything that i want a game that is full of Twilight Imperium-esque plastic armies marching across the board
- there's room for betrayals, there's room for deal making
- the apex of like pure dudes on a map area control games
- my blood rage to me is where area control was starting to get played with
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video UIU74i2IfK4
Adam's Board Game Wales general_discussion at 6:20 sentiment: negative
video_pk 10636 · mention_pk 31358
Click to watch at 6:20
Overall sentiment (raw)
negative
Pros
none
Cons
- Didn't enjoy it
- Played with good group but still didn't work
Thematic elements
- Mythological conflict
- Ancient Greece
- Thematic
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Euro-hybrid gameplay — Combination of euro and conflict mechanics
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- It wasn't just the hundred sort of best designed games this was the hundred games that I feel that I'm particularly sort of connected to
- The games that have a place in my heart really games that I've got a lot of nostalgia for
- It felt a bit like doing a roll and write game but without all of the sort of convenience
- I wish I still had castles of burgundy and notre dame
- The main thing that got in the way for me was all the iconography
- I do use board games as an escape from screens and technology
- I really like the production of cockroach poker
- I found it was a game where I could see the ending coming and then someone would just go and there we go we've got another 20 minutes now
- It feels like something other than a board game
- The decisions you make in the game are very very slight
- Right up my alley
- I do really like push your luck
- That's my favorite game
- Abyss is my second favorite game
- I love pekka pig
- I just think it's ugly
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video EIh3kL_dYIA
Unknown Channel top_100_list at 11:58 sentiment: positive
video_pk 7780 · mention_pk 22960
Click to watch at 11:58
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- Engaging mythic theme and auction-driven tension
- Deep strategic choices with modular play
- Beautiful, thematic presentation
Cons
- Combat can feel swingy
- Steep learning curve for new players
Thematic elements
- Gods auction/bidding drives empire expansion and city-building
- Ancient Greece on a stylized board featuring gods and city-building elements
- mythic-epic
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- area control / city-building — Control tiles on the map to build metropolises and gain power.
- auction/bidding for gods — Players bid resources to gain the favors of Greek gods to unlock actions.
- combat resolution via dice — Dice-based combat that supports tactical combat decisions.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- the Minis for the first edition of this game were really really terrible they were absolute dog
- we just put up with the ship Miniatures and we just good afternoon our own ball sack
- this for us is the best solo game ever created in major night
- Mage Knight never ever gets old there's always something new to discover in this game
- it's number four on this list
- it's the greatest party game ever made hands down
- the theme dead on and the action selection mechanism
- the possibilities are literally endless in Pitch car
- you could teleport directly into someone's backyard give them a good old spanking
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video sEmzNSQVaTI
Unknown Channel top_100_list at 18:05 sentiment: positive
video_pk 2010 · mention_pk 5721
Click to watch at 18:05
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- Rich theme with a robust auction mechanic
- Strong strategic depth without heavy combat focus
- Works well with expansions like Titans and Hades
Cons
- Player interaction can hinge on timely bidding and careful observation of opponents
Thematic elements
- Auction-driven empire-building under the gaze of Olympian gods
- Ancient Greece with mythological influences
- Mythology-forward, with godly bidding and epic decisions
Comparison games
- Titans expansion
- Hades expansion
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Auction / bidding for gods — Players bid for the favors of gods to gain military and economic benefits.
- Card-driven actions — Athena, Poseidon, Zeus, and other gods influence bids and actions.
- City/metropolis control — Control two metropolises through building and strategic placement.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- this is an absolutely astonishing achievement the bloku designers came up with the idea himself
- it's replaced crocodile for us
- you really should get hold of this one
- the greatest real-time game ever made and made even better by the new iteration
- Seven Wonders is one of the greatest board games card games ever made
- Obsession is without doubt one of the finest board games that we've played for a very, very long time
- Cyclades is the complete package
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video yWkcbRRoh9g
Unknown Channel top_10_list at 13:07 sentiment: positive
video_pk 1599 · mention_pk 4653
Click to watch at 13:07
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- Unparalleled auction mechanic
- Strong area control and thematic cohesion
- Rich expansions (Titans, Hades expansions)
Cons
- Can be long to teach
- Some players find it highly variable depending on the setup
Thematic elements
- mythology, gods granting actions
- Ancient Greece with mythic overtones
- dudes-on-the-map with auction-driven tension
Comparison games
- Small World
- Power Grid
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Area Control — Acquiremetropolises and influence the map.
- Auction system — Players bid for gods to grant actions; being outbid has consequences.
- Mythological creatures / powers — Hire creatures with game-changing abilities.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- karuka takes the best elements of coconut and caram and blends them into a dexterity game that is based on snooka hence the term karuka
- Mage Knight is essentially a deck building game as you level up you'll be adding cards to your deck
- Twilight Imperium fourth edition goes head-to-head with its previous incarnation
- it actively encourages you to get stuck in and have a tear up Straight Out The Gate
- Monikers SL thumbs up is one of the if not the best party game that you can get today
- Station 4 is an absolute Masterpiece of a design
- Cyclades has got everything that I need in a Bard game it's got the area control dudes on the map sort of [__] it's got the auction system which is unparalleled
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video Tzbh-pGi_iY
Sawdust Buzz analysis at 0:00 sentiment: positive
video_pk 879 · mention_pk 2513
Click to watch at 0:00
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- Strong Greek myth theme with deities and monsters
- Tense, well-integrated auction mechanic
- Smooth core rules that scale with expansions
- Expansions (Monuments, Titans, Hades) add depth without breaking core feel
- Clear path to victory via Metropolis with multiple routes
Cons
- Combat system feels dated and somewhat random
- Expansions can make the game unwieldy and harder to teach/new players
- Full expansion load-in can overwhelm players and slow play
- Turn-order and monster timing can cause missed opportunities for desired monsters
Thematic elements
- Greek myth and mythological creatures; bidding for favors of gods to gain military and economic power
- Ancient Greece, Cyclades archipelago
- Mythic, mythological clash with gods and monsters
Comparison games
- Rising Sun
- Cry Havoc
- Kemet
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Area Control — Players build structures and move armies/fleets to exert influence and push toward Metropolis.
- Auction / Bidding — Players bid resources to gain access to deities that provide powers and abilities.
- Combat resolution with dice — Troops/fleets clash and are resolved via dice, adding randomness to battles.
- Monsters / one-shot abilities — Mythic cards or monsters can be purchased and stay in play for rounds, providing powerful effects.
- set collection / resource management — Philosophers and other tokens are collected to enable Metropolis and build capabilities.
- Variable player powers via deities — Choosing a god (Ares, Zeus, Poseidon, Athena, etc.) alters costs and available options.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- the auction system is absolutely stellar
- Bruno Cathala's genius
- this is one of the greatest games ever made
- the simplicity and its smoothness
- it's still being supported
- if you like auctions and area control, Cyclades is fantastic
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Transcript Navigation
Showing 1–8 of 8