Inventors of the South Tigris
- 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.
- 12+
- ComplexityHow demanding the rules are, from 1 (very light) to 5 (very heavy).
- 4.5 / 5
- Year
- 2024
About the game
Inventors of the South Tigris is set during the height of the Abbasid Caliphate around 850 AD, when 1-4 players compete as innovators in Baghdad's flourishing House of Wisdom, developing clever contraptions to impress their peers. Players score victory points primarily by inventing, building, testing, and publishing devices, while also training craftspeople, developing workshops, researching, and gaining influence with the realm's three scientific guilds. The game combines deck and bag building, hand management, and worker placement into a richly thematic engine-building experience with a robust solo mode.
Hobbli's Notes
Hobbli's editors are impressed by how deeply thematic this Golden Age of Islam setting is woven into the invention and publishing mechanisms, giving it real narrative texture for a heavy Euro. The layered engine-building through workshops and guild influence rewards careful long-term planning. Its high complexity, long playtime, and considerable downtime mean it's best suited to dedicated groups of experienced strategy gamers.
What we like
- Rich Golden Age of Islam theme centered on the House of Wisdom.
- Deep engine-building through inventing and publishing devices.
- Robust solo mode for individual play.
- High strategic depth appealing to veteran gamers.
Keep in mind
- Heavy complexity and long playtime unsuited to casual groups.
- Significant downtime in multiplayer sessions.
- Steep learning curve for players new to heavy Euros.
Who it's for
Best for experienced Euro gamers in groups of 1-4 who enjoy deep engine-building strategy games with a rich historical setting.
