People have a fascination with clocks and watches. Have you ever noticed how the rich and famous always have a designer name attached to their wrists? Maybe it’s the element of luxury. Maybe it the intricacies of the complex movements inside. Whatever the reason clocks require a lot of work.
One of the most famous clocks in the world is located in the European city of Prague. Not only does this clock, tick, tick way but also contains the position of the sun and moon in the sky at at exact time. This medieval marvel has stood the test of time (sorry for that!)
Well one of the most anticipated releases from Essen 2025 is Orloj: The Prague Astronomical Clock. Designed by Abraham Sanchez Hermida and Paloma J. Pascual relatively new names to the sphere. Plus, there is awesome artwork from Jesús Fuentes, Amelia Sales. The latter is artist of On The Origin of Species. Devir will be publishing the game in English speaking countries including the US and UK in the first quarter of 2026.
So what can you expect from Orloj? Well, the designers describe the game as follows:
“Each turn, players will place workers on the clock’s dial to gain resources and perform actions with the goal of building the Orloj calendar. In addition to hiring assistants, during the game, players will construct the apostles’ carillon and develop their knowledge across three tracks where experience will enhance their abilities.”
Orloj, will be a euro-style game with multiple action choices before each player. It’s large board presence and estimated playing time of 60-120 minutes will make it an instant hit with many gamers. I think the artwork and theme has really caught the attention of many people across the world. Stained glass bright colours with spiralling clocks and cogs make for an interesting display.
If you’re looking for a game of your year for 2026 then look no further than being the artist and mechanic of the Prague Astronomical Clock.
