Patrician: Towers of Influence Review

Patrician: Towers of Influence Cover

I'll admit, I am a Michael Schacht fanboy. Coloretto is my all-time favourite game, and I am generally willing to give anything designed by Mr Schacht a try. At the very least I know the games will have few, simple rules, some tight and surprisingly spicy player interaction, and keep the players engaged during their (short) playtime.

And so is the case with Patrician: Towers of Influence, a 2024 reimplementation of the original Patrician, which came out in 2007. I've never played the original, but from what I can gather this looks to be a fairly straight down the line reprint, with the additional expansions thrown in. I'd been keen to get it for a while before my friend bought a copy, which I ended up trading him for.

Now, some thoughts:

PRODUCTION & PRESENTATION

The 2024 Calliope Games version of the game is well produced, with an appropriately thematic board, clear iconography and helpful reference cards, a clear and easy to follow rulebook, and nice quality components (especially the wooden tower pieces).

The art direction is perhaps somewhat less successful, as the game's colours and imagery aren't very evocative or memorable, and it doesn't scream "take me off the shelf and play me now". It is quite understated, and perhaps could have been more vibrant.

GAMEPLAY

The game itself is a very solid mix of area control and set collection, with simple scoring and great flow. Turns are simple and snappy, and the game lasts about 25-30 minutes.

So far I've preferred it most at 3 players, but it also was very engaging and interactive at 5 players.

On your turn you play one of three cards in your hand, place a tower piece of your colour in the city matching the card you play (or 2 tower pieces if the card shows two city icons), then draft the card next to that city and add it to your hand. Simple!

In terms of what you're thinking about, you're decision space is around timing ("do I want to play my yellow now, or wait until there's a better card there?"),, trying to collect the other cards of the same colour so you know you can guarantee a majority in at least one of the towers, and keeping track of the beautiful faces of the patrons so you don't miss out on the surprisingly impactful set collection scoring. The double city cards are very tempting, and keeping track of who has got what is an interesting part of the social dynamics.

I really enjoy the timing considerations, especially when it comes to moving other tower pieces, or when you think you're likely to draw with someone so you want to play alter and be on top instead.

The rules are pleasingly straightforward, and the game is easy to learn, yet they generate lots of meaningful decisions, and foster tense stand-offs and showdowns .I also love how simple the scoring is, and that it happens as soon as a city is complete.

OVERALL - 8.5/10

I think this is an underrated gem of a game, personally. It, much like Schacht's other great title, Iwari, offers an intuitive gameplay experience, with great flow, that powers a very tense and interactive game experience, without feel bad moments.

I wish the game as a product was a little more appealing - offering a more compelling setting/theme, and with more inviting artwork and aesthetic choices. The relative dullness (compared to say something like Abyss or the aforementioned Iwari) of the box, board, and components might stop it from hitting my table as often as I'd like, despite it being one of my favourite games to play. I'm hoping to play it often, and regularly, but it's been somewhat divisive among my regular gaming group, and without a strong thematic presence to help elevate it, I do worry that it might fall by the wayside.

WHO WOULD LIKE THIS GAME?

I'd say this game would appeal to gamers who have previously enjoyed titles such as Iwari, El Grande, Splendor, Tower Up, or maybe King's Road.

It's an entry-level area control game, without combat, but with plenty of tense face-offs. The game's greatest strengths are its excellent flow, tactical decisions, and high interactivity.

I encourage you to give it a try if you get a chance.