ريس أركانا

The power system with the essences forced us to plan several moves ahead, and the first game took about 45 minutes once everyone understood how to combine the artifacts and monuments. It’s deeper than a typical card game but still plays fast enough for a weeknight.

The first game with my group had the Alchemist brewing up potions and the Necromancer summoning undead, and the different victory conditions kept everyone engaged. I love how each mage plays so differently.

The card art is beautiful and the theme is evocative, but the game relies heavily on knowing all the cards to play well. After a few rounds, the resource management with the essences started to feel more like busywork than strategic depth.