Review
Khôra: Rise of an Empire
Khôra: Rise of an Empire is a charming, light Civilization game with a racing pace and a much friendlier level of difficulty than Iello’s “expert” label suggests. Its tilt toward military development, however, gives Argos and Sparta a noticeable edge.
- Published
- 2021
- Designer
- Head Quarter Simulation Game Club
- Publisher
- IELLO, BoardBros, Devir
- Players
- 2–4
- Playing time
- 75 min
I came to Khôra: Rise of an Empire expecting something heavier, mostly because of Iello’s “expert” sticker. At the table, though, it felt much closer to a pleasant filler: a light Civ feel, a brisk pace, and constant pressure not to fall behind everyone else.
Its core character is that of a race. You develop your country and try to keep up with events, with the game placing more emphasis on progress and building momentum than on a weighty, exhausting simulation of civilization.
Interaction mainly comes from that shared racing pressure: you watch where your opponents are advancing and try not to lose ground. The issue is that the route toward military development feels disproportionately rewarding, so countries such as Argos and Sparta begin with a serious advantage over the rest.
I would not call it a bad game. It is enjoyable, and I would happily play it again once or twice. Still, without an expansion that levels out this military imbalance, I cannot see it lasting long in my collection or on my table.
Source: BoardGameGeek
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