Age of Civilization

I like games that do not require a ceremonial setup to create the feeling of a proper game night, and Age of Civilization is exactly that kind of thing: a distinctive, minimalist civ filler. I can explain it in about ten minutes and, before anyone has time to wonder whether they signed up for an epic, we are done in 20–30 minutes.

Its core remains simple, as a filler’s should, but it is not empty. Within that short time there is enough thought to keep the choices from feeling automatic and to stop the game from becoming mere quick administration.

At the table, especially with 3–4 players, it also produces the necessary noise: there is movement, reaction, and the sense that we are playing together rather than each silently playing their own game. With fewer players, I suspect it loses some of that energy and may be slightly disappointing.

If the base game starts to wear thin, the scenarios and small variants are a welcome excuse for some extra fun. And if it seems overly simplistic even for a filler, Age of Galaxy from the same Kickstarter follows a similar pattern but is one click above it. Overall? Not bad at all.