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Reviews (1)
03 Nov, 2016
Great components & clever design
Mare Nostrum is a high quality remake that improves on the original by streamlining game play and adding some new victory conditions. It's a 3-5 player competitive empire building game set in the ancient world featuring civilizations that bordered the Mediterranean Sea; Rome, Greece, Egypt etc
The components are very well made and the legion (army) tokens are evocative of each race which adds a nice touch. The board is attractive and durable. One of the most impressive aspects of the board design is the way certain sections are easily covered up to reduce the playing area. This makes a three or four player game feel like it was designed to be played that way.
It's recommended for 14+ but could suit younger players. The only real complications in the game are abilities of the various leaders (all of whom modify game rules slightly) and the trading phase, since some careful thought is required to mange these aspects of game play. Conflict is simple and easily resolved yet still an important part of the game. It's possible to win without conflict (in three different ways) or through conquest, so will suit various play styles. This is helped by the fact that each race has it's advantages, eg: the Romans get a bonus when attacking and the Greeks when defending. Overall, I would highly recommend Mare Nostrum to both core and casual gamers. It plays quickly, even when learning the mechanics, and is one of those games that you can learn as you play.
The Atlas expansion adds a sixth player (Atlantis) and expands the map slightly. It's worth a look but is not essential.