Customer Reviews

Pillars of the Earth

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I have played this game several times and enjoyed each game.

To put the game in context:
- Each player is a master builder working on the cathedral at Kingsbridge England in the 1100s.
- Each turn represents about 10 years and their are 6 turns.
- Your goal is to make the greatest contribution to the construction of the cathedral. VPs represent that contribution.

Each turn has three major phases:
- In the first phase, you allocate your workers to producing various resources. You may also hire craftsmen during the phase.
- In the second phase, you allocate your master builder tokens to various tasks and functions. You are limited to three tokens so you must choose wisely. Also the other players are competing for the same tasks and functions.
- The third phase is mechanical and represents the actual actions you planned in the first and second phase. Once you learn the game, the third phase resolves very quickly.

I really like the way the game captures the feel of the book. Also, for an economic and production game, it plays very quickly once you become familiar with the turn flow. The component are of a very good quality.

The only thing I don't care for the randomness in allocating master builder tokens. It makes strategic planning difficult, but that might be an accurate reflection of the medieval world...

This game is a lot of fun and very quick to play (1 hour when you know how to play it).
The only thing I found troublesome was to get the hang of it at the beginning. The mechanics of the game concentrate the strategy in a few moments at the begining of 6 rounds and the rest of the round is an automatic outcome of your decisions as a player. This makes it diffcult to understand where your actions are getting you... So BE PATIENT... The second time you play it, you'll enjoy it a lot more.

Me and my wife have had a great time playing this game. It wasn't to hard to learn how to play. After a few rounds you get the hang of it. There are a lot of different stratgies you can take, which makes the game really interesting.

If you are a fan of the book and like strategy games then you will enjoy this one. It is made up of 6 rounds of 14 steps each. At the beginning of the round you choose resources and craftsmen to use at the end of the round. A lot of the strategy is determining where to place your master builders so that you get the best resources and therefore receive the most kudos for contributing to the cathedral. The first time we played it took us about 3 hours to go through the instructions and firgure out all of the possibilities. It was fun and challenging but further play will determine if this game is a long running entertainer.

This is an outstanding game that plays well with just 2 or up to 4. The rules aren't terribly long, though you'll need a learning game to get a feel for how it plays out. Games take 2 hours or less (certainly less than Monopoly and Risk!). It's fun and a great way to challenge your mind. Great for older kids and definitely great just for adults. I highlyl recommend it!

I don't think I have enjoyed any other game more that this one. It presents a new challenge every time as conditions change, it is complex, definitely a strategy game, and very original.

This game is a blast - it plays just as well with 2 people as it does with 4. So many elements that keep each game fresh. It's a must-have for those who love resource based board games (ie. Settlers of Catan).

Nice blend of strategy and chance. Not too heavy on the strategy for those of us who like to relax and socialize during a board game. It doesn't require a great deal of concentration. Lots of pieces though and some are tiny. Moderately easy to learn. My favorite modern board game so far.