Throne of Allegoria

Yes, I know: the Deluxe Kickstarter edition, the Queen Edition, is coming out now. But I am an incurable Spielworxx junkie; there was no way I could sleep peacefully with this little Pokémon missing from my collection. And honestly, Throne of Allegoria deserves far more than a footnote simply because it is not the newest shiny edition on the table.

Here, we are medieval feudal lords waiting for the Queen to breathe her last. Until that happens, we do what every respectable group of nobles does: a little mutual slaughter, a little trading, and plenty of intrigue. The heart of the game is hidden bidding, with choices made in secret and their reveal providing the necessary tension.

The interaction is not merely decorative. Players compete, interfere with one another’s plans, and trade at the same time, in a framework that keeps the game lively without making it cumbersome. The mechanisms are cleverly tied together, the structure is well put together, and despite the high complexity rating it has picked up on BGG, it plays very smoothly in practice.

For me, it was a very good experience overall: a lovely, somewhat unfairly overlooked gem that looks good as a presence in a collection, but more importantly holds up at the table. Now that the Queen Edition Kickstarter is coming, go for it without mercy.