Origins: First Builders
- 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.
- 120 min
- AgeThe minimum age printed by the publisher.
- 14+
- ComplexityHow demanding the rules are, from 1 (very light) to 5 (very heavy).
- 3.3 / 5
- Year
- 2021
About the game
In Origins: First Builders, players guide an ancient civilization uplifted by mysterious alien Builders, growing cities, climbing zodiac temple tracks, and competing in a military arms race. Worker placement and drafting drive a game where you'll add new building tiles with unique triggered abilities to expand your city. Only your two lowest-scoring temple tracks count toward victory, forcing careful balance across all three paths. It's a meaty civilization-building game with a distinctive sci-fi-meets-antiquity theme.
Hobbli's Notes
The 'you only score your worst two temples' twist is a clever forcing mechanism that keeps players from overspecializing, and the alien-uplift theme gives an otherwise familiar worker-placement/city-building formula a fresh coat of paint. It's a heavier, longer game that rewards players who enjoy tightly interlocking engine-building.
What we like
- Unique 'lowest two temples' scoring twist rewards balance.
- Distinctive sci-fi/ancient civilization theme.
- Deep worker-placement and drafting engine-building.
- Solo mode included for one player.
Keep in mind
- Two-hour playtime and high complexity are a big commitment.
- May overwhelm newer strategy gamers.
Who it's for
For experienced Euro gamers age 14+ in groups of 1-4 who enjoy heavier worker-placement and city-building games with a two-hour runtime.
