City of Iron: Second Edition
- 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.
- 120 min
- AgeThe minimum age printed by the publisher.
- 13+
- ComplexityHow demanding the rules are, from 1 (very light) to 5 (very heavy).
- 3.2 / 5
- Year
- 2016
About the game
City of Iron: Second Edition invites 2-4 players to build a small nation in a steampunk world of machines, magic, and money, choosing from four distinct factions like the industrious humans or clever hogmen. Players produce goods, research technology, recruit mercenaries, and build schooners or airships to expand cities into faraway lands. Deck and bag building combine with area influence and drafting as you balance limited city capacity against the pursuit of advanced structures. Designed and illustrated by Ryan Laukat, this edition streamlines scoring with faction-specific end-game goals.
Hobbli's Notes
City of Iron is a gorgeous, Ryan Laukat-illustrated nation-building game where the deck-building engine and area-influence layer reinforce each other nicely. The asymmetric factions and faction-specific scoring goals in this second edition give it more replay variety than many civ-lite games. It's a great pick for fans of Laukat's distinctive fantasy worlds.
What we like
- Asymmetric factions each offer distinct playstyles.
- Combines deck-building with area influence for layered strategy.
- Ryan Laukat's artwork gives the game strong thematic atmosphere.
- Faction-specific end-game goals add replay variety.
Keep in mind
- Two-hour playtime and moderate-heavy complexity require a committed group.
- Multiple interlocking systems can be a lot to teach newcomers.
- City capacity limits may frustrate players who want to expand freely.
Who it's for
Good for strategy gamers ages 12+ who enjoy nation-building and deck-building hybrids; best in groups of 2-4.
