Trajan

I do not naturally warm to Mr Stefan’s work; several of his games have struck me as very competent middling affairs. Trajan had its reputation, though, and had been sitting neglected on my shelf. When it finally came down for an exploratory play, it won me over without making a song and dance about it.

At its centre is an altered rondel, and the game builds its tension around that one device. It is not merely a wheel to turn. It sets the pace of the session, asking you to look ahead before committing to the next move.

From there comes a thoroughly satisfying VP salad: substantial, but never clumsy, with its choices feeding back into one another and demanding attention. The interaction is chiefly in sharing that puzzle at the table; you watch the other players’ pace and try not to lose ground, while the rondel itself keeps everyone occupied.

I did not expect a game I had allowed to gather dust to charm me quite so thoroughly, but Trajan emerged from the box with the rare confidence of a design that knows precisely what it is doing. I regret overlooking it for so long; it is the sort of substantial box worth laying out again, even after a tiring Tuesday at work. Quietly excellent.