Teotihuacan: City of the Gods Board Game Review

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Tzolkin was a big miss for me. The gears were an interesting idea, but the game they power was just the usual "get some of these, and some of those, and turn them into VPs, also there's corn". I can't say I've even considered this one for a moment, but it sounds like what I'd expect.

I'm still awaiting a review of Ulama whereby the losing team is sacrificed by decapitation to a Mayan God.

stoic wrote: I'm still awaiting a review of Ulama whereby the losing team is sacrificed by decapitation to a Mayan God.

Lemme +1 that idea - dice worker placement game where you gradually improve your workers, but only score points by sacrificing them and the better workers are worth more. You can go out of your way to sacrifice other people's workers but they get the points for it.

Wonderfully well written review, Michael. Just wonderful. Thanks!

I have mixed feelings about Teotihuacan after some plays of it. My main sticking points

1) building the pyramid is baseline a huge source of points and probably the main thing you need to focus on. 3 of the 9 tech upgrade tiles in the game make it better (and again it's already the best/main thing), and the more of those that are in the game the more linear it gets. If all 3 are in the game is just get resources crush the pyramid as fast as possible and ignore everything else in the game. Failing to do so has resulted in people getting getting annihilated in our games, and no one enjoyed playing it with all 3 of those tiles in. The game gets radically better if you just play with the other 6 tech tiles, but that's a bummer because that is the main source of variable setup in the game out the window. Plus it just seems like real questionable game design for those tiles to be in there in the first place. If your variable setup is the voice between the game being fun or not fun don't have variable setup!

2) the game just seems kinda overwrought and over long for what is essentially get cubes, turn cubes into points. It's an interesting puzzle while you're in it but there's not a lot that sticks with me once it's over. There's nothing nearly as unique or catchy as the gears in Tzolkin.

I went out on a couple of dates with a woman that I respected, but didn't actually like. I didn't dislike her either, I just didn't feel any chemistry. Teotihuacan sounds like a similar experience.

I _LOVED_ Tzolk’in, which, Michael, if you haven’t played you totally should, and I was pretty interested in this. Sounds like it might just be over the line for dryness tolerances.

Terrific review, thanks for doing it.

Out of curiosity, has a game ever evoked a sense of wonder in you? I don’t mean this as a dig, but looking over my collection, I just don’t think that’s a feeling games are suited to create.

Excitement? Satisfaction? Respect? I’ve experienced all of those around the table but not wonder.