board games

Brügge

Designed by Stefan Feld, 2013

Plays 2-4 in about 60 mins 

Build your part of the city with cards offering multiple options: houses, patrons, canals, workers, money or combatting the threats. Some area influence, some set collection, plenty of hand management and even a little bit of dice action.

The expansion, Bruges: The City on the Zwin, adds a 5th player plus three  options that I would recommend every time.

Each card has individual artwork by Michael Menzel

I'm very keen on certain board game designers and Stefan Feld is one of the very best. I love his multiple options towards victory, the fact that you remain engaged all the way through his games; it's rare that an early poor decision will preclude you from competing.

Great thought has gone into the dice

There is a large amount of luck involved in Bruges, the card draw may give you wonderful synergies, or may leave you with none. The individual effects of the cards are all tempting but you'll get to use only a few of them so some thought needs to go into optimising your choices. More luck comes with the dice that influence threats, prestige and income as well as canal bonuses if playing with the expansion. I appreciate a bit of luck in board games, life comes with elements of it daily, but despite the amount in Bruges it never feels like you will be destroyed by misfortune. There is much a player can do to mitigate the down sides and enough options on every turn to ensure you remain in the running.

The heart of Bruges captured perfectly

The artwork is attractive, the rules straight forward after a couple of rounds and there is a logical progression throughout; Feld is a master of smooth game player. He has produced heavier or slightly more complex games but this one leaves me with a good feeling once it's over together with a desire to play it again soon.

photos by Schmidt Spiele, chiverskyle,
bkunes, EndersGame, rvlieshout @ bgg

I rate it 9.2 on the horascale.