Settlers: Rise of an Empire from Portal Games has gained the sympathy of many board game enthusiasts. It is no wonder that this universe is constantly being expanded. New elements appear on the market from time to time – smaller and larger additions introducing, for example, alternative civilizations that can be led to victory or other mechanics. This time, however, we will not be talking about an expansion, but about a stand-alone card game set in this world. Are you ready to build not an above-ground but an underground empire? Let’s find out!
First, scout the area
The cover of the game, which is housed in a medium-sized square box, has graphics in a pleasant, fairy-tale style. After opening it, you will find solid cardboard player boards and progress tracks. Inside there are also decks of four levels of mine cards and events. The whole is complemented by several types of paper markers, wooden progress tokens, wagons, cute and shiny gems, as well as a short, concise and very well-written manual.
What should you do to win while playing Underground Empire ? Get as many gems as possible. How to achieve this? There are several methods of obtaining valuable stones. However, before we discuss them, it is worth finding out how to properly start drilling tunnels for a mine.
Hey ho, hey ho, it’s time to go to work!
The game lasts 10 rounds. Their counter are event cards, always revealed at the beginning of the next phase of the game. During preparation, we randomly select the appropriate amount. In addition, we must place progress tracks, mine decks sorted by level, and resources (coins, collapse and machinery markers, carts, gems) on the table. Each player places the surface board in front of them and their token under the progress tracks. The last step in preparation is to draw 8 cards, of which 6 are kept. During the game, the player can have a maximum of 8 cards in his hand.
The tunnels won’t dig themselves!
Each round is divided into an event and mine phase. In the first one, the top card from the stack is revealed. It can have an immediate effect, change the rules of the game at this stage or activate at the end of it.
After learning about the current event, players start building their empire. They do this by playing a card from their hand, after paying its cost. You should start drilling corridors from the rooms on the first level. Only when at least one of them is below the surface can we go deeper, to the mines of levels two, three and finally four. Every time we place a new card, we activate it. We then use the action described there. Sometimes we will have to choose between two available options. After considering the added card, we trigger the domino effect – we activate one adjacent room located on a higher level. We repeat this operation until we reach the surface planchette. Taking one of the three possible actions it offers ends the mine phase.
What actions can we perform to activate the card? Some of them bring us coins and gems. Others allow the player to place machinery tokens or instruct the player to place collapse markers in the dungeon. The deck also contains cards that allow you to draw another room into your hand and move on the progress track. This brings us further profits. After reaching the top, we trigger even more bonuses and can start the hike from scratch in the same place or on one of the two remaining tracks.
The game continues until the event stack is exhausted. Players then take their last turn and points are tallied. They are obtained for the crystals you have. Each full cart is worth 1 point. Coins do not earn points, but they determine the winner in the event of a tie.
Is it worth going a little further?
Underground Empire is a fast, clever and engaging card game. Its great advantage is the variety of paths you can take to victory. The six factions present in it are so different that everyone can choose the one that suits them best and, using its help, explore subsequent levels beneath the surface of the earth. Scots who like to be in each other’s company? Development-oriented Atlanteans? Or maybe crazy and unpredictable, but surprisingly effective Barbarians? Take advantage of their services and get ahead of your competitors, building a real empire.
It is worth noting that there is as much interaction in Fight Empire as in solitaire, but more fun. The game gives us the opportunity to spend time in a very pleasant way. Its rules are so simple that this title will work well both as a light option for advanced players and as a family title with a plus. The first group will certainly be able to notice the multitude of relationships between cards more often, which will allow its representatives to launch powerful combos. However, the second group, even if they do not use the full potential of their mine, will have fun developing it.
We can also play Underground Empire solo. The rules don’t change, which is a pleasant surprise. The gameplay is identical, only our score is compared with the table in the manual, and not with other players.
Balancing on the edge of the pit
During the game, it is extremely important to, on the one hand, obtain money for investments and, on the other hand, obtain gems that will lead us to victory. There is not much time to develop the engine, and knowing the right moment to switch production to valuables is crucial to the success of the entire project. I admit that after only 10 quick rounds I felt unsatisfied. My mine is just starting to prosper, bringing measurable benefits, and that’s where it ends? Fortunately, you can always start another game.
It’s not just gold that glitters
Finally, I would like to draw attention once again to the graphic design of Underground Empire . It is not only colorful, interesting and eye-catching, but also full of funny illustrations and Easter eggs. My favorite graphics include: those with a seeker of worms that closely resemble Pokemon and a picture in which we can see the mythological guide of souls to the underground kingdom of Hades. There are many such tidbits on the game cards published by Portal Games, and although they do not affect the gameplay, for me they are another reason why it is worth playing this card game.
