Patchistory
- Players
- 2-4
- Best withThe player count this game plays best at.
- 4 players
- Play timeHow long a full game runs once everyone knows the rules.
- 120 min
- AgeThe minimum age printed by the publisher.
- 12+
- ComplexityHow demanding the rules are, from 1 (very light) to 5 (very heavy).
- 3.8 / 5
- Year
- 2013
About the game
Patchistory casts players as rival civilizations acquiring historical heroes and wonders through auctions, then overlapping cards on an expanding grid across three historical eras. As your layout grows more sophisticated, card abilities activate to fuel diplomacy, domestic development, war, and production, each offering different paths to victory points. With deep combo potential across eras, the game rewards long-term planning and clever card synergies. It's a weighty strategy title for players who enjoy building an evolving engine over a full civilization's history.
Hobbli's Notes
We find Patchistory's auction-into-tile-overlap system genuinely clever, letting players build unique layered civilizations that create surprising combos each playthrough. It's a demanding, lesser-known design that rewards patient strategy gamers willing to learn its layered systems. Not for the faint of heart given its 2-hour runtime and heavy complexity rating.
What we like
- Rich combo potential from overlapping historical cards across three eras.
- Multiple viable paths to victory through diplomacy, war, or production.
- High replayability due to varied card combinations.
- Rewards long-term strategic planning.
Keep in mind
- Long 2-hour playtime and high complexity may deter casual players.
- Auction mechanic can create early downtime for other players.
- Steep rules overhead for newcomers to civilization games.
Who it's for
Best suited to experienced strategy gamers, ages 12+, in groups of 2-4 who enjoy heavy civilization-building games with auctions and engine-building.
