Steam Time
- 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.
- 90 min
- AgeThe minimum age printed by the publisher.
- 12+
- ComplexityHow demanding the rules are, from 1 (very light) to 5 (very heavy).
- 2.9 / 5
- Year
- 2015
About the game
Steam Time drops players into an alternate 1899 where strange time-and-space phenomena have spurred nations to build steam-driven airships capable of traveling through history. Using worker placement, drafting, and contract fulfillment on a modular board, players travel to past ages searching for crystals, ancient knowledge, and hidden treasures to stay ahead of rival factions. It supports two to four players in about ninety minutes, with each game's modular setup varying the routes and opportunities available. Designer Rüdiger Dorn layers a steampunk time-travel theme over a solidly constructed contract-and-resource euro engine.
Hobbli's Notes
Steam Time offers a genuinely different flavor of worker placement thanks to its time-travel conceit and modular board, even if the underlying systems will feel familiar to seasoned euro players. The contract-fulfillment puzzle is satisfying to optimize turn over turn. Downtime can build up as players plan increasingly complex turns, so it's best with a group that doesn't mind some deliberation between moves.
What we like
- Unique steampunk time-travel theme distinguishes it from typical worker-placement games.
- Modular board setup adds meaningful variability between plays.
- Satisfying contract-fulfillment puzzle rewards careful planning.
- Scales well for groups of two to four players.
Keep in mind
- Notably high downtime as players plan complex turns.
- Worker-placement mechanics can feel somewhat abstract despite the adventurous theme.
- Ninety-minute playtime requires a solid time commitment.
Who it's for
Good for experienced euro-strategy players in groups of two to four, ages 12 and up, who enjoy worker placement with a strong theme.
