Disclaimer: I purchased the game myself, and the opinions expressed in the review are completely my own.
Overview:
Orloj, the astronomical clock in the heart of the ancient city of Prague is the basis of this game, where you take the role of one of the master builders competing to leave your mark on history, by adding the legendary and majestic calendar to the ancient clock.
Rules, Setup & Gameplay
Setting up the game does take a bit of time as various board areas need to be randomly filled by cards and workers, plus tokens need to be drawn from a bag based on player count which then fill the 2 build areas of the calendar area. This will probably mean referring to the rulebook for the first few games but should get easier in time and the more plays you have.
There is also a little bit of set up for each player and their board, but this is nowhere near as intensive as the main board.
The rulebook is extremely well aid out with plenty of pictures, examples and examples of gameplay / turn actions, as well as a decent appendix for things in the game.
The only thing lacking for a game of this type is a detailed player aid, explaining all the different symbols, of which there are a LOT, but thankfully someone has already done one and it has been posted for download on BGG.
When you first see the gameboard, it may look intimidating, but once you get into the swing of taking your actions then the game flows very simply from player to player, with one players actions potentially disrupting those that follow, depending on if they decide to ‘break’ the clock and force it to make more rotations than they are legally allowed to do so based on the position of one of their mastery discs.
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.
You start with a set number of workers, and there are more you can release for use in the game, and the bumping of workers means that you will at times give back workers to other players, and vice versa. You can also pass and recall workers, with the number recalled again determined by your place on a track on the board.
You will also have your own player board to manage and upgrade, where you will gain resources which in turn allow you to pay for / build parts of the clock and place apostles.
Actions taken within the game can at times trigger a series of combo actions, allowing you to do multiple actions during your turn, which as the game goes on can seriously rack up your building actions and points totals.
The game will end when the calendar is completed. The player with the most harmony points will win the game.
Theme:
With every gear, sphere, and zodiac sign you assemble, you will be one step closer to finishing this masterpiece that will mark time in the city for generations.
The theme has been very well incorporated into the game and the mechanisms employed, such as the Apostle gears are a very good addition.
Artwork and Components:
The artwork is very colourful, some may say it makes the main board too ‘busy’ but I quite like the striking presence it makes on the tabletop.
The components are of a very good quality with the playing pieces / meeples all double sided screen printed and very well made.
The cards are of good quality, and as they are handled a lot, I would recommend sleeving them all to preserve their life.
The Good:
The game looks spectacular on the table, the game plays well and there are no major rules issues I can see yet. The components are well made, and the boards are very thick and will prove to be very durable. The designers have really thought about this and it’s one of the best games for these I have ever come across.
The Other:
With a lot of different colours in the game it may prove to be difficult for colour blind gamers (of which I’m one) but the iconography does counter this somewhat, so if you’re unsure of the colour look at the symbols to determine where things go etc.
Final Thoughts:
For me Orloj is going to be an excellent addition to my collection, and one I think my gaming friends will also like. The combo actions as the game progresses will appeal to lots of players of Orloj, and although early turns are over quite quickly, later in the game these can produce multiple combinations of actions being triggered which leads to a feeling of immense gratification and smugness J.
In conclusion, Orloj is an excellent game, and one I hope to get to the table may times to try out all the combinations of actions and outcomes, so if you like worker placement games with the chance to get combos going on your turns, then I suggest you get your ‘hands’ on ORLOJ… while you still have time!
