Brides & Bribes

In Brides & Bribes, I take charge of a Renaissance Genoese family and try to climb into high society by any available means — preferably by marrying off the lads of my household to the daughters of local nobles. It has that slightly dusty, old-school aura, as though I had found it in an old wooden house, despite being a relatively modern release. I could very easily imagine it as an Avalon Hill game from twenty years ago.

At its core is a hidden worker-placement system: I secretly send members of my family into different areas, and what exactly they went there to do emerges as things unfold. Missions are the more respectable side of the affair, but the system has enough little points and details to become somewhat fiddly.

Interaction is anything but decorative. Alongside advancing my own family, I can sabotage the others, and the game leaves plenty of room for spite, resentment, and murder. This is not a table that will bring out our humanitarian side — and, honestly, that petty Renaissance intrigue is part of its charm.

We had a good time and I would play it again, just not immediately and certainly not with the excitement of a revelation. Still, I keep it high on the shelf: a game that works reliably with five players is always useful, especially when that player count is so difficult to accommodate.