Action-Packed and Dynamic

Every turn, you’re faced with a pool of actions, and managing these over the 5 rounds (a total of 15 turns) keeps your brain buzzing. Whether you’re acquiring plots or boosting the cathedral, your choices are versatile and ever-evolving. The dual-action cards, which you exhaust after using, encourage forward-thinking strategy.

The Market Mechanism Shines

The market mechanism steals the spotlight in this game. How your actions influence resource prices adds fascinating layers to your decisions. You plan meticulously, but the shifting market might throw your plans a curveball, blending strategic foresight with on-the-fly tactics. Yet, the game maintains a balance between strategy and unpredictability – it feels well-structured yet organic.

A Focus on Production

The game’s production focus was a wise choice. You’ll specialize in just 3 goods, tailoring your building choices around them. Deciding when to take income, based on market conditions and your production level, adds a delicious layer of tension. The game offers ample decision-making opportunities without overwhelming you.

Strategic Building Placement

The adjacency scoring for building placement nudges you to strategize every move. There’s also some clever in-game scoring involving officials and city goals.

A Coherent Theme

Thematically, Kutna Hora stands its ground admirably. Every action feels justified; nothing seems tacked on at the last minute, and everything fits together seamlessly.

A Minor Quibble

The only real critique we have is how easy it is to get stuck without money during the first half of the game, even if you don’t add a public building to the board in the initial moves. The lack of funds, coupled with low income from your existing buildings, can cost you a full round to catch up. Of course, it’s partly the player’s decisions to blame. Once you grasp how the economy works, you won’t repeat the same mistake in future sessions. Perhaps introducing loans with steep paybacks could alleviate this minor hiccup?

Verdict

In summary, Kutna Hora turned out to be a delightful surprise. With its dynamic gameplay, clever market mechanics, production focus, strategic building placement, and solid thematic integration, it’s a game that stands out. While there’s a slight hiccup in the early-game economy, this is easily overcome with experience. Kutna Hora offers a refreshing and engaging experience for board gamers, and it’s definitely worth a spot in your collection. Don’t miss out on the opportunity to explore the intriguing world of Kutna Hora. – David & Greg

Scratches: 9.0/10