Rival Cities

I was skeptical about how well the rivalry theme would play out, but the escalating trade and influence mechanics really make each round feel tense and strategic. Setup took a bit to get through the rules, but once we started it was well worth the effort.

The tension of managing resources against a faster-growing neighbor is brilliantly captured in the rulebook, and the asymmetric player powers keep every game from feeling the same. After a few rounds, the strategic depth really opened up for our group, making each turn feel crucial.

We’ve spent three evenings on this and the rivalry mechanic is brilliantly tense—every move feels like a gamble between expanding Altona or sabotaging Hamburg. The thematic push-and-pull is so well integrated that even losing feels like part of the story.