As others have said, this is an excellent board game. The art is absolutely beautiful, and it is genuinely fun to explore the new sites with their corresponding guardians. The research track is sometimes said to be less fun, and it is more or less buying victory points. However, as an academic, I can really appreciate that thematic implementation of an expedition. The search and discovery it represents, with the magnifying glass going first followed by publishing research, is satisfying along with the research assistants it enables you to recruit along the way that come when you publish your research (i.e. move your journal token up the track). The art in the research track is fun as well, and I think it has Latin notes scribbled in small font along it as well, as the researchers get progressively more excited by their discoveries! I thought this was going to be a downside, but it surprised me in how much I enjoyed the track as a thematic game mechanic.
Two other important notes:
1) With new items and artifacts played out in each game, along with the new worker placement sites and guardians that are randomly laid out each game - the game is highly replayable with lots of variety.
2) The game uses a lot of mechanics, part worker placement, part deck building (with thin decks), part resource management, and part exploration. However, in my mind, I like this a lot as it forces you to not focus too much on just perfecting one particular mechanic or part of your engine and forget what you are playing. By masterfully integrating a number of different mechanics, it allows those mechanics to fade into the background as you focus on thematically running an expedition.
My only negative is that there are a lot of options to choose from, and towards the end game it can invite analysis paralysis that can delay the game. I hope that this goes away with more play throughs. In general, there are enough options and mechanics to choose from each turn that no matter what you do, it will net you points in a positive way with some fun combos to boot. There is just the right amount of randomization and luck to make you feel rewarded with an earned victory when a strategy pays off, and also not feel too bad about it when you don't win.
I look forward to trying the Expedition Leaders expansion soon!
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UNBOXING - Lost Ruins of Arnak from CGE
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From the manufacturer
What is included?
- 6 boards and 110 cards
- 16 worker/research tokens
- 32 site/idol tiles
- 27 guardian/assistant tiles
- 42 research/temple tiles
- 91 resource tokens
- 5 blocking tiles, 15 rival tiles, 10 fear tiles
- 1 player marker
- 1 moon staff
- 1 score pad and 1 rulebook
Expedition into the unknown
Uncover the wondrous mysteries of this lost island
Explore jungles, find artifacts, and discover the Lost Ruins of Arnak! Lead rival expeditions to a newly discovered island. Through a unique combination of worker placement and deckbuilding, each expedition attempts to uncover the island’s secrets.
Decks are small, and randomness is mitigated by the wealth of tactical decisions offered on the game board. With a variety of worker actions, artifacts, and equipment cards, each game is unique, encouraging players to explore bold new strategies.
- Mechanics / Genre: Worker placement & deck building adventure
- Designer: Mín & Elwen
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Play cards to send your workers into the wilds to gather rare resources, discover an ever-changing array of hidden location sites, and defeat menacing guardians that are lying in wait. |
Expand your expedition’s deck with tons of unique items and artifacts that can be used for venturing into the unknown or triggering powerful abilities. Choose your purchases wisely in this micro deck building adventure. |
Gather and stock up on rare and valuable resources to spend on overcoming guardians, traveling up the temple track, and more! |
Research and delve deeper into the mystery and lore of this island’s lost civilization. Will you master its secrets or fall behind your rivals in a bid for fame and fortune? |
From the brand
Who We Are
Established in 2007, Czech Games Edtion (CGE) is dedicated to crafting innovative board games. Our passion for games drives us forward.
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Founded in 2007, Czech Games Edition (CGE) released our first title, Galaxy Trucker by Vlaada Chvátil.
Since then, CGE has published over 40 games and expansions, including Codenames, Alchemists, Tzolk’in, Letter Jam, Pulsar 2849, Dungeon Petz, Space Alert, Last Will, Tash-Kalar, and many others.
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Shop the Codenames Family!
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The Top Secret Word Game
Codenames is a global phenomenon, with over 14 million copies sold! Engaging and fun for the whole family, kids to grandparents alike!
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At CGE (Czech Games Edition), we are the inventors, manufacturer, and publisher of all our games! After design, development, and manufacturing in the Czech Republic, we work with partners to distribute our games worldwide!
Our company headquarters is in Prague, and we have a secondary office in Brno. There, we have a full digital team that works on our apps and digital game implementations for phones, tablets, and computers!
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Compare with similar items
This Item  CGE Czech Games Edition Lost Ruins of Arnak |  |  |  |  |  | |
| Price | — | $38.99 | -6% $37.49 List: $39.95 | -13% $86.99 List: $99.99 | -7% $67.33 Typical: $72.27 | -46% $22.67 List: $41.99 |
| Delivery | — | Get it as soon as Friday, Apr 5 | — | — | Get it as soon as Thursday, Apr 4 | Get it as soon as Thursday, Apr 4 |
| Customer Ratings | ||||||
| Easy to learn | ||||||
| Giftable | ||||||
| Value for money | ||||||
| Sold By | — | Dainty Baby | Gubsters Garage | Amazon.com | Amazon.com | Amazon.com |
| genre | Strategy | Strategy | Party | Strategy, Family | Strategy, Eurogame | Strategy |
| material | Cardboard | Cardboard | Plastic | Cardboard | Cardboard, Cardstock, Wood, Plastic | Cardboard |
| number of players | 1 to 4 | 1 to 4 | 5 | 4 | 1-5 | 5 |
| number of pieces | 362 | 97 | 1 | — | 50 | 1 |
| CPSIA | no warning applicable | no warning applicable, choking hazard small parts | choking hazard small parts, no warning applicable | choking hazard small parts, no warning applicable | choking hazard small parts, no warning applicable | choking hazard small parts, no warning applicable |
| weight | 2.1 kilograms | 1010 grams | 70 grams | 7 pounds | 1 kilograms | 1.54 pounds |
Reviews with images
Top reviews from the United States
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Reviewed in the United States on January 5, 2022
Style: CGE CzechVerified Purchase
I've been looking for games I can play both by myself, and with others. Lost Ruins of Arnak is both a fun game, and visually stunning. I enjoy that there are multiple pathways to winning, and the ease of using the automata rules. There are a lot of little bits and bobs for this game, which I definitely like. The pieces are plastic, but shaped and textured like what they represent, such as gemstones, and ancient tablets. The game also comes with two levels of difficulty, so you can learn on the easier board, and move to the more advanced when you're ready. It's not a beginner game, but there are some excellent how to play videos out there, and one was all I needed to really get started.
Images in this review
Top reviews from other countries
Cory Schlichting
Package arrived with no damage and on time!
Reviewed in Canada on February 8, 2022Style: CGE CzechVerified Purchase
Jaymeen
Excellent game with cool theme
Reviewed in India on August 18, 2023Style: CGE CzechVerified Purchase
Amazon Kunde
Sehr gutes Spiel
Reviewed in Germany on February 21, 2022Style: CGE CzechVerified Purchase
M. M. Cowper
Heavy duty Boardgame - highly recommended
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on August 22, 2021Style: CGE CzechVerified Purchase
