City of the Living
- Players
- 2-4
- Best withThe player count this game plays best at.
- 3 players
- Play timeHow long a full game runs once everyone knows the rules.
- 60 min
- AgeThe minimum age printed by the publisher.
- 13+
- ComplexityHow demanding the rules are, from 1 (very light) to 5 (very heavy).
- 2.5 / 5
- Year
- 2013
About the game
City of the Living reimagines Reiner Knizia and Sebastian Bleasdale's Prosperity with a zombie-survival twist, as players rebuild civilization after the dead have risen. Players invest in energy and ecology infrastructure, balancing capital growth against rising pollution across seven in-game decades. Tiles drawn from a shared deck trigger income, research, and prosperity scoring, while players use their two actions per turn to buy tiles, advance research, or reduce pollution. The leader who best balances economic growth with ecological responsibility by game's end wins.
Hobbli's Notes
This is a clever thematic reskin of the well-regarded Prosperity, adding a fun zombie apocalypse veneer to what is fundamentally a tight economic-ecological balancing game. The tension between short-term capital and long-term pollution consequences gives it real strategic teeth despite its accessible presentation. Reiner Knizia's fingerprints are clear in the elegant, interlocking scoring systems. It rewards players who enjoy planning several turns ahead in a euro-style economic engine.
What we like
- Elegant, interlocking economic and ecological scoring systems.
- A thematic zombie reskin adds fresh flavor to a proven design.
- Rewards long-term planning and balancing multiple resource tracks.
- Reiner Knizia's design pedigree shows in tight game balance.
Keep in mind
- The abstract underlying economic engine may feel dry despite the theme.
- Moderate downtime as players resolve tile effects each turn.
- Limited direct player interaction compared to more combative games.
Who it's for
Good for euro-strategy fans aged 13+ who enjoy economic and resource-balancing games for 2-4 players.
