Uprising: Curse of the Last Emperor

Uprising: Curse of the Last Emperor

CivilizationDiceEconomicFantasy
Players
1-4
Best withThe player count this game plays best at.
3 players
Play timeHow long a full game runs once everyone knows the rules.
240 min
AgeThe minimum age printed by the publisher.
13+
ComplexityHow demanding the rules are, from 1 (very light) to 5 (very heavy).
3.7 / 5
Year
2021

About the game

Uprising: Curse of the Last Emperor is a fully cooperative 4X game set in a dark post-apocalyptic fantasy world, where players lead a heroic faction against two AI-controlled enemies: Chaos and the Empire. Across four chapters, you explore a modular wasteland, expand your territory, exploit its resources, and battle waves of Legions and Hordes. Asymmetric hero factions and a huge variety of random events mean no two campaigns unfold the same way. If the players fail to outscore both enemy factions by game's end, the world is truly lost.

Hobbli's Notes

Hobbli's team is impressed by how much strategic depth Uprising packs into a cooperative 4X framework: the dueling AI factions create real tension without needing a game master. Asymmetric powers and modular setup give it huge replay value, though the four-hour playtime and rules overhead demand serious commitment. This is a heavyweight pick for groups who love ambitious cooperative strategy games.

What we like

  • Deep 4X strategy layered onto a cooperative framework.
  • Asymmetric factions and modular board boost replayability.
  • Tense AI-driven opposition without needing a game master.
  • Strong solo mode for a complex strategy game.

Keep in mind

  • Very long four-hour playtime.
  • High rules complexity and setup overhead.
  • Significant table space and component management required.

Who it's for

Experienced cooperative-strategy gamers (ages 13+) ready for a long, complex 4X campaign with 1-4 players.

Mechanics

Action PointsArea Majority / InfluenceCooperative GameDice RollingModular BoardVariable Player Powers

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