Giants
- Players
- 3-5
- Best withThe player count this game plays best at.
- 4 players
- Play timeHow long a full game runs once everyone knows the rules.
- 90 min
- AgeThe minimum age printed by the publisher.
- 10+
- ComplexityHow demanding the rules are, from 1 (very light) to 5 (very heavy).
- 2.9 / 5
- Year
- 2008
About the game
Giants transports players to the Golden Age of Easter Island, where rival clans compete to sculpt and transport towering Moai statues to sacred rock platforms. Using worker placement, auction, and pick-up-and-deliver mechanics, players manage their population between sculpting and hauling duties, building paths of pawns and logs to move their statues to the ahus. Special powers from a sorcerer, chief, and mystic tablets add extra layers of strategy. Prestige is earned by erecting the largest, best-placed statues by game's end.
Hobbli's Notes
Hobbli's team finds the Moai transportation puzzle in Giants to be a clever, thematic centerpiece that stands out from typical worker-placement euros. The cooperative-yet-competitive statue-hauling creates interesting tension between players who must rely on each other's labor. It's a mid-heavy game that rewards planning several turns ahead. It may feel a touch dry for players who want lighter fare.
What we like
- Unique statue-transportation puzzle ties theme and mechanics together well.
- Multiple paths to victory through sculpting, transport, or special powers.
- Interesting tension from needing rival players' labor to move statues.
- Solid strategic depth for a mid-weight euro.
Keep in mind
- Downtime can build up in longer sessions with more players.
- Theme may feel like a thin wrapper for the worker-placement engine.
- Not a great fit for casual or family groups.
Who it's for
Best for strategy-minded groups of 3-5 players, ages 12+, who enjoy worker placement and route-building euros.
