Collection Status
Your Rating
Description
In Imhotep, the players become builders in Egypt who want to emulate the first and best-known architect there, namely Imhotep.
Over six rounds, they move wooden stones by boat to create five seminal monuments, and on a turn, a player chooses one of four actions: Procure new stones, load stones on a boat, bring a boat to a monument, or play an action card. While this sounds easy, naturally the other players constantly thwart your building plans by carrying out plans of their own. Only those with the best timing — and the stones to back up their plans — will prove to be Egypt's best builder.
Year Published
2016
Transcript Analysis
Browse transcript mentions, sentiments, pros/cons, mechanics, topics, quotes, and references.
Total mentions: 5
This page: 5
Sentiment:
pos 5 ·
mix 0 ·
neu 0 ·
neg 0
Showing 1–5 of 5
Video xbibw-ZdCko
Board Game Spotlight game_review at 9:01 sentiment: positive
video_pk 12052 · mention_pk 35285
Click to watch at 9:01
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- One of favorite family games
- Played a lot
- Very strategic yet simple
- Great for family
Cons
none
Thematic elements
- Building monuments
- Ancient Egypt
- Mechanically-driven
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Area routing — Boats carry workers to different areas
- cube placement — Unload cubes in areas for points
- Worker placement on boats — Place workers on boats
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- Agricola is one of those games that you just got to have in your collection if you like euro style games
- Porta is one of my favorite underrated games
- Broom service I absolutely love food service one of the coolest mechanics in board games 100 percent recommend this game it is a hoot
- Barron Park is my favorite polyomino Tetris in a board game game
- Orleans is a top 5 game for me period just one of my favorite games to play ever
- Power grid this was the game that got me into board gaming y'all
- Seven wonders this is a modern-day classic
- Betrayal at house on the hill every game is different
- King of Tokyo one of those games that you have to have in your collection
- If you like board games one or percent recommend this game
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video HqEzH5bGrFw
I'm It Board Game Reviews general_discussion at 5:57 sentiment: positive
video_pk 11393 · mention_pk 33508
Click to watch at 5:57
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- Improved on second play
- Game has grown on player
- Strategic depth revealed
Cons
- Lacks color in aesthetics
- Desert theme feels visually muted
- Brown and tan dominated palette
Thematic elements
- Monument building in Egyptian desert
- Ancient Egypt
- Abstract with thematic setting
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Area Control — Compete for monument spaces
- set collection — Collect colored stones to build monuments
- Variable board — Different monument layouts in play
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- love it love it love it
- that's gonna be a real big part of our collection
- Lost Cities is a two-player game it's evil y'all
- happy frustration
- it's kind of funny funny
- i like it better this time
- games have to grow on me
- beautiful game loved it oh man omg
- i love the artwork diverse
- this may be one of our favorites
- we are disappointed
- we didn't build a fort
- what are we doing
- if you ain't have fun what you doing
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video Ilu-sYBgvq4
Cardboard Herald game_review at 0:09 sentiment: positive
video_pk 8327 · mention_pk 24506
Click to watch at 0:09
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- Fast, tense gameplay that remains compelling through a short 30–40 minute window, making it ideal for quick sessions and evenings with friends
- Rich player interaction: opponents’ moves directly impact your own options, requiring constant re-evaluation and adaptive planning
- Physical, tactile components with cubes that feel substantial and give weight to the placement decisions
- Elegant core rule set that is easy to grasp, yet supports deep strategic thought and meaningful decisions at every turn
- Strong replayability through the b-side variants, which offer alternate scoring and layout challenges to refresh tactics
- A compact footprint that travels well and scales nicely from 2 to 4 players, maintaining pace without dragging
Cons
- May feel repetitive after many plays for players seeking long-form, varied euro experiences
- Not ideal for players who crave a heavier statistical planning phase or macro-level strategy
- Cutthroat interaction can be punishing; the game rewards opportunistic disruption, which may be discouraging for some
- While accessible, some players might wish for more unique mechanics beyond the core placement/ship dynamic
- Aesthetic and thematic depth could be richer, given the Egyptian theme; some may view it as a thin veneer over abstract mechanics
- Balance between the A-side and B-side can be uneven depending on player count and round setup, requiring thoughtful setup decisions
Thematic elements
- Architecture, ritual deposition of blocks, and rapid ship-based scoring to crown the most prestigious monuments
- Ancient Egypt, along the Nile with pyramids, burial chambers, obelisks, temples, and ceremonial ships
- Abstract strategy presented through a lively, competitive pousse-rapide where players react to opponents' shifts in plans and timing
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- adjacency_and_proximity_scoring — Points are earned not just for the number of cubes but also for their arrangement and adjacency, with specific emphasis on adjacent cubes of your color and the position of towers like obelisks and temples.
- b_side_variants — Two alternate sides ( Burial Chamber and Pyramid) change scoring priorities and provide different strategic emphases, helping keep gameplay fresh across plays.
- cube_placement — Players place colored blocks (cubes) onto ships and at various site locations, creating potential scoring patterns while also shaping what remains available for others.
- location_activation_order — Each location can only be activated once per round. The order in which locations activate determines how cubes are resolved and where points accrue, adding a timing dimension to each turn.
- market_and_card_effects — The market deck provides immediate effects or one-time bonuses that can alter a turn, unlock powerful actions, or shift endgame scoring, adding a tactical layer beyond the base placement and shipping mechanics.
- opponent_interference — A core thrill is watching and influencing opponents’ plans—players can redirect ships, block opportunities, and leverage others’ moves to maximize personal gain, creating a dynamic, cutthroat atmosphere.
- ship_shipping — Boats must accumulate a minimum number of cubes to depart for a location. When all boats for the round have shipped, the round ends and a new card reveals the boats for the next round, driving forward planning and risk assessment.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- this game is all about seeing what possibilities other people are working towards and counting on whether or not they'll let your own plans go through
- the ability to leverage your opponent's hopes and dreams and bring them crashing down is one of the cornerstones of Imhotep that makes it such a fun and uniquely interactive and cutthroat game
- it's a puzzle that's just as much about figuring out your opponents as it is figuring out what you want to do on your turn
- the quick play and simple structure makes it feel crisp and accessible
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video z3Rid26B1J0
Goodtime Society rules teach sentiment: positive
video_pk 5592 · mention_pk 16634
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- Multiple strategic sites
- Varied scoring mechanisms
- Interesting ship movement mechanics
Cons
- Limited stone storage
- Competitive site placement
Thematic elements
- Monument Building
- Ancient Egypt
- Historical Simulation
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Area Control — Competitive placement of stones at different sites
- ship movement — Ships move to different monument sites
- Stone Collection — Players collect and place stones on ships
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- don't mess with the pharaoh y'all
- gameplay continues with players harvesting stones sailing ships and building monuments
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video MvUAri5EAbw
Pam's Game Design top_10_list at 5:24 sentiment: positive
video_pk 5644 · mention_pk 16749
Click to watch at 5:24
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- Innovative ship-action interaction and take-that twist
- Strong player interaction and tactical depth
Cons
- Take-that elements can be off-putting for some players
- May require careful onboarding for new players
Thematic elements
- building pyramids and obelisks via ship-based resource movement
- Ancient Egypt
- mechanic-driven, interaction-rich
Comparison games
- Baron Park
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- action selection / simultaneous planning — Players secretly choose actions via ships and resolve in order, allowing inter-player interaction and strategic misdirection.
- Take-that style interaction — A ship can be launched to another player's action space, potentially benefiting someone else while hindering the chooser's plan.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- one of the biggest things you know as being a good game designer you want to give players interesting choices
- Gamers or people in general they want to feel rich they want to feel powerful they want to feel smart
- there's value in playing terrible games
- you can create a system that can be re-themed to different things to make more money
- it's like watching film... you break it down to see how they do it
- this is a monumental feat of game design
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Transcript Navigation
Showing 1–5 of 5