I often find myself playing games at a player count of 2, even multiplayer games such as the forbidden series or Heat: pedal to the metal. I’ve always been quite introverted, so never really went to big gatherings with friends, rather I preferred to see one mate at a time. As I’ve gotten older, I began to experiment being in larger groups. I love the game night I run with some college friends, we mainly play simple party games, occasionally getting to play something more involved. That being said, I reckon my favourite experiences are still the ones where two people can sit at a table and bond over the game in front of them (While casually ruining each other’s plans to win), It feels more intimate, I suppose. I have quite a few two player games, of various genres, but Sobek: 2 players just stands out to me. It checks all the right boxes for a good two player game and almost always gets to the table when we want a game for two.
A tale of two merchants
Two rival merchant guilds find themselves in a bustling market in ancient Egypt, with construction of a temple dedicated to Sobek – an Egyptian god – underway. Merchants are vying for the most valuable goods to collect as a set, while denying the best tiles from their opponent. Along the way, players will enlist the help of the many pirogues and various characters such as scribes, priests and many others. However, each choice comes with corruption, and a greedy merchant will soon find that Sobek will tip the scales by offering his favour to the least corrupt.
Good day for goods
This is a set collection game, where the goal is to sell goods tiles for points. However, goods may only be sold if you have three or more tiles of that type of good. Goods are obtained from the market board: a 6X6 board composed of goods, Sobek statues and characters.
On your turn, you take a tile on the line that the Ankh pawn is facing, moving said pawn to the space where the taken tile was. The pawn is then oriented according to the grey tabs on the tile. This dictates the line of goods available to your opponent. This is where the main source of interaction and tension come from. Often, we will be trying to force our opponent into taking a tile that opens up the most valuable tiles for us, while avoiding giving valuable tiles to our opponent.
The concept is super simple, but extremely strategic. Each option comes with a cost to weigh up, and the obvious move can often turn out to be a blunder. This is a game about making plans and destroying the plans of your (sometimes friendly) rival. There is capability to plan many turns in advance, even planning for when your plans (inevitably) are ruined.
Corruption on the Nile
There are a few more wrenches that the game lobs into the system however. Each tile skipped over with the Ankh pawn is placed on your corruption board. Having the most corruption at the end of the game gives points to your opponent. This is the perfect catch, each decision is not only influenced by the choices that you are offering to your opponent, but are also impacted by how much corruption you are willing to take.
Corruption has the ability to decide the game. In one game we played, the losing player decided to take as little corruption as possible, compared to the other player, who had a mountain of corruption from greedily snatching up all the valuable tiles. At the end of the game, the points from corruption were so big that the losing player ended up winning after the final points tally (Not that I’m bitter or anything).
A vibrant character
To further complicate plans and add variety, there are characters on the board, which are taken face down. These characters allow you to either sell them as part of a set (specific to the goods type indicated on the character), or play their ability, which can benefit you or hinder your rival. This is a nice addition, and offers more strategic flexibility. I especially love that a character can be played (even if the effect cannot be carried out), to stall for a turn and force your opponent to take an undesirable good from the market. It’s a beautifully simple, but fiendish interaction.
Final thoughts
Don’t let my extensive deep dive into the rules fool you, this game is an Egyptian cakewalk to pick up. Despite its simplicity, the game’s strategy and player interaction are through the roof for a pretty small box.
This game can get quite ruthless at times with many ways to mess with your opponents, but it’s not quite as mean as some other ‘take-that games’. I don’t think that the meanness should turn you away, it’s well regulated and controlled to allow for occasional aggressive plays, but nothing too excessive.
That being said, if you can’t handle any ‘take-that’, or prefer to play personal puzzle games, especially with bigger groups of people, you may want to give this one a miss. Those who crave player interaction will be in heaven, however, as it packs a mountain of that into a 20 minute game. This is one that will stay in my collection for a very long time.
Ratings
87/100
Artwork: 3 / 5
Complexity: 2 / 5
Player interaction: 4 / 5
Component quality: 3 / 5
Might like:
- Simple to learn rules
- In depth strategy
- Full to the brim with player interaction
- Fun cartoony Egyptian artwork
Might not like:
- Some take-that and opportunities for mean moves
- Random character draw
- Game can end quite suddenly
