The 4 Squares Review - Ankh: Gods of Egypt

The Dice Tower takes a look at Ankh: Gods of Egypt!!!

Intro 0:00
Overview 1:06
Ankh Powers Overview 7:30
Battle Overview 11:35
Gods Overview 19:44
Final Thoughts 23:39
Merge Rule 37:44
Scores 48:47

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[Andy-tdsj]

Here's the bottom line that people are interested in for the triology ranking
_ Zee: Ankh > Blood Rage > Rising Sun
_ Tom: Rising Sun > Blood Rage > Ankh
_ Roy: Blood Rage > Ankh > Rising Sun
_ Mike: Blood Rage > Ankh > Rising Sun

[hwiddack]

I hope there will be another video discussing their experience playing the game without the merging rule.

[relativelyboard]

These 4 square reviews continue to be in a class of their own.

[ralelunar]

Good night, 55 minutes? We are blessed on this Sunday, thank you, fellas.

[robtaylor]

I’m really enjoying this game.
Played it 4 times.
Really like the merging.

[garrettkaida]

The merge is a highlight for me. I've been in first place and last in my several playthroughs. The merged player was a threat so first place cant coast to victory. And as a merged player you have an awesome underdog feel with a partner trying to take out the other players that have been beating you down all game. Ankh is my fav of the trilogy and the merge aspect is one of the reasons.

[ajw]

As someone who plays game at 2 players 90% of the time, I am very intrigued. Sounds cool.

[Spinoguy]

I played 2 games yesterday, both times I was merging, once as my God, the other time as my friends God. Both times we lost, but we were close, within 3 points both times. We gained 25 points in the final round, which was incredible and exciting. It sucked losing pieces, and entire presence on the board, but after I got past that feeling and put myself back into the game and tried to win with my partner, it was a ton of fun and I didn't feel like I wasn't in the game anymore.

[lucky-jayjay]

Regarding merge, I had lots of fun when I was merged with one of my friends and we had to discuss every action. I really don't see that as a problem at all. It simply becomes a cooperative game for 2 players. The fun to be had with that depends more on the players than on the game itself.

[bricelory]

This is an amazingly good game at 2 player I feel. I haven't played it 3-4 yet, but I get the feeling I will like it better than Blood Rage in the end, and a very different experience of Rising Sun.

[dimmok]

We played a four player game recently and it really looked like myself and my merged partner had no chance. Game ended with us in second place only a point behind first.

[MisterChris]

my ks copy is somewhere in transit. and excited to get even more now. thanks for a great review!

[AJ-ncvr]

I really like it at 2.

I struggled on the single time we played it at 4, the 4th player was very far behind, and I had to drop down a LOT of points in the merge. It would have been close, but I was taken completely out of contention. C'est la vie.

The Pharaoh expansion is a lot f fun, but I can see most people hating it. The cards are incredibly powerful, and changes the dynamic of the game completely. I've played it once, and it bordered on anarchy. Loved it :)

[jessicaw]

We mostly play with two players and we LOVE the game! An easy 10/10 for us.

[paveldundr]

Both the review and the discussion here shows that game with such a new mechanic takes some time to grasp and also how different metas are in different play groups - as this game is so new, there is no online play or playing in conventions where people meet up with players coming from different groups and possibly different metagames. I can see how intuitively the merge mechanic feels bad for all the reasons listed in the review but also as many pointed out it seem like an interesting attempt at rubberbanding and to eliminate kingmaking. Seems like effectivness of this mechanic may be tied to how the game is played so it doesn'r work well for certain groups? I'm still waiting for my Kickstarter copy but as I mostly play with my SO I'm so glad my suspicion that this would work well as player game seems to be universaly confirmed.

[stevecollins]

This is my 1st big ks and I'm pumped to get it. Still awaiting my sweet fully loaded last Lang trilogy goodness. Very excited for the figures

[tinomendoza]

I play with my siblings at 3 players and we have just decided to not include the merging of gods and we absolutely love the game. Another house rule is that we added an extra guardian for lvl 1 just so everyone can get at least one guardian. It us one of my new favorite board games

[joeferreti]

The merge is thematic. The gods are fighting for their survival and some are forced to merge just to stay alive (=not be forgotten).
Players should plan with the merge in mind from the beginning.

That said I think there are several things in Ankh that I would want to change by house rules, especially the recruiting of the guardians!
And if it's true that it doesn't break the game to not do the merge (and maybe not even the elimination), then fine, keep it optional.

[bane]

I love the merge . A lot of the games end with a player who has no chance of winning anymore deciding who wins cause he can alter the game . Her it feels anyone can still win .

[ThymeKeeper]

I could speak at length about this game, but I probably shouldn't :). I will just say that it really bogs down at five players. You almost need player elimination to get through a five player game. Merging helps, although I don't LOVE it I also think there can be a reverse runaway winner problem where the last place player in a high player count game can be SO far behind that the merge at least gives them SOME hope. I think Zee may be onto something, although I didn't play it at two. It's probably a 7 for me, but I find it fascinating. The fact that I COULD speak at length about it says a lot. I have been thinking about it great deal.