Lacrimosa
- 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.
- 90 min
- AgeThe minimum age printed by the publisher.
- 14+
- ComplexityHow demanding the rules are, from 1 (very light) to 5 (very heavy).
- 3.2 / 5
- Year
- 2022
About the game
Lacrimosa places players as patrons funding the final works of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart following his death. The game unfolds across two intertwined timelines: in the present, patrons commission the completion of the Requiem, while in the past, they relive five epochs commissioning compositions, accompanying Mozart on his travels, and gathering resources to support his career. Players work from a small hand of multi-use cards that can serve as actions or resource generators, improving their hand as the game progresses. Success depends on managing finances and relationships across both timelines.
Hobbli's Notes
Lacrimosa is an ambitious euro that ties a present-day framing story to a branching past narrative, giving the historical theme real mechanical weight rather than just flavor text. The multi-use card system, where each card can serve multiple purposes, rewards players who plan resource timing carefully. It's a heavier, denser design, so the dual-timeline structure and rules overhead take real investment to master.
What we like
- Inventive two-timeline structure ties past and present decisions together.
- Rich thematic integration of Mozart's life and body of work.
- Flexible cards that can serve as either actions or resources.
- High replayability from the branching epochs and events.
Keep in mind
- Dense rules and dual-timeline structure create a steep learning curve.
- Long playtime with meaningful downtime between turns.
- May feel overwhelming for players new to heavier euro games.
Who it's for
Experienced euro gamers who enjoy multi-layered engine-building with historical themes, best in groups of 2 to 4 ages 14 and up.
