City of the Great Machine Review: Every Move You Make, Every Step You Take, I'll Be Watching You

City of the Great Machine (1-4 players) is a one vs. many strategy game set in a grim universe of technocratic Victorian steampunk. The game features the conflict between the Great Machine, an artificial intelligence network, and an alliance of Heroes. The Great Machine is either controlled by a player or is automated, which completely changes the gameplay.

The Great Machine controls the City built on mobile platforms in the sky. As the Great Machine, the player (or game AI) commands a force of perfected Servants and mechanical Guards. The Great Machine's ultimate goal is to suppress social unrest and complete its grandiose Master Plan to perfect the mankind.

The other players are Heroes working together against the Great Machine to start a revolution. They encourage discontent in the City, enlist the support of famous citizens, and inflame riots. They also attempt to prevent the Great Machine from completing the Master Plan, as it leads to the enslavement of the mankind.

0:00 - Intro
1:38 - Brief Overview
5:20 - Is It Hidden Movement?
6:54 - Wonderful Events
7:25 - Options and Options For The Revolutionaries
8:11 - The Great Machine
11:19 - Randomness
12:22 - Why You Should Grab The Game & Replayability
13:15 - Player Count
14:04 - Final Thoughts & Doggos

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[josephpilkus]

Great video! I picked this up as a solo game, and thoroughly enjoyed it. Having said that, I want to get this to the Gaming Table as a coop using the solo elements for the Great Machine role.

[antoniovistcoatis]

Interesting concept for a game. Thanks for the review.

[browe]

Ha! Doggos stealing the scene during Final Thoughts. 🐶🐕😄

[normstewart]

How does it play solo; the "AI" playing the Machine may leave the best part to the player?

[francopdx]

I don't have much experience with hidden movement games. The only one I can recall is a single session of some sort of Dracula game. I can't recall anything about the gameplay, but I do remember that Dracula was found in the final round of the game (or maybe in the round where they were about to win), which made for a very exciting conclusion.

Anyway, thanks for sharing your thoughts. This game sounds like something I might enjoy. Not interested yet to purchase it outright but will keep an eye out for it in the library of my local game store.

[Deadomen]

This has been in my radar since No Pun Included reviewed it. Seems to be quite fun game 😁 maybe I have to get it even I though I wouldn't get any new games this year...

Did you happen to try the expansions or did I miss that part? Any thoughts about them?

[bgm-]

A very good review! This game has hit a sweet spot for me, surprisingly so. As such, it's quickly climbing into my top ten. Anyway, thanks for pointing out how it's NOT a hidden movement game. I think the incorrect billing as a HM game may've turned some people off.
...
Also, regarding your assesment of how the Great Machine player has little power to upset the Revolutionaries, don't forget it can move Districts around. Doing so at the right time can really mess with the Revolutionaries' plans! (Such as preventing them from cancelling one of your Directive cards by making their movement to the action District too costly).
...
Finally, don't underestimate the information which the event cards enable, about what the Revolutionary players will do on their turn.

[williamkremer]

I sometimes feel Doggos don’t care about board games at all

[mathiasjensen]

The game is very fun. Maybe I'm odd but I don't feel limited in the AI overlord role. Ton of crunchy decisions to make 😁