It is a time of unrest in 1920s Europa. The ashes from the first great war still darken the snow. The capitalistic city-state known simply as “The Factory”, which fueled the war with heavily armored mechs, has closed its doors, drawing the attention of several nearby countries.
Scythe is an engine-building game set in an alternate-history 1920s period. It is a time of farming and war, broken hearts and rusted gears, innovation and valor. In Scythe, each player represents a character from one of five factions of Eastern Europe who are attempting to earn their fortune and claim their faction's stake in the land around the mysterious Factory. Players conquer territory, enlist new recruits, reap resources, gain villagers, build structures, and activate monstrous mechs.
Each player begins the game with different resources (power, coins, combat acumen, and popularity), a different starting location, and a hidden goal. Starting positions are specially calibrated to contribute to each faction’s uniqueness and the asymmetrical nature of the game (each faction always starts in the same place).
Scythe gives players almost complete control over their fate. Other than each player’s individual hidden objective card, the only elements of luck or variability are “encounter” cards that players will draw as they interact with the citizens of newly explored lands. Each encounter card provides the player with several options, allowing them to mitigate the luck of the draw through their selection. Combat is also driven by choices, not luck or randomness.
Scythe uses a streamlined action-selection mechanism (no rounds or phases) to keep gameplay moving at a brisk pace and reduce downtime between turns. While there is plenty of direct conflict for players who seek it, there is no player elimination.
Every part of Scythe has an aspect of engine-building to it. Players can upgrade actions to become more efficient, build structures that improve their position on the map, enlist new recruits to enhance character abilities, activate mechs to deter opponents from invading, and expand their borders to reap greater types and quantities of resources. These engine-building aspects create a sense of momentum and progress throughout the game. The order in which players improve their engine adds to the unique feel of each game, even when playing one faction multiple times.
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"A game that I immediately wanted to play again, despite the fact that the first game took over two hours. The theme, mechanics, and components all come together to create something pretty amazing." [SGOYT]
"Even in a golden age of board games where so many publishers and creators are making quality games Scythe stands out as a benchmark in board game design." [SGOYT]
"The Rise of Fenris is one of the most significant expansions I’ve seen in quite a while. It adds gameplay and depth to a game that was already a classic." [SGOYT]
"It was amazing. One of the best board game experience I've ever had (although I don't have loads of experience in board games since I only discovered it hardly a year ago). The only downside is now I…" [SGOYT]
"With the help of the ScytheKick app, I can play against multiple Automas and the app takes care almost everything! Kudos to the developers! Someday, I`ll try a solo session with 6 hostile Automas. :)…" [SGOYT]
"I believe I have two favourite factions now: Polania Republic and Togawa Shogunate. Of course, this can change in the future, I still need to try out the Clan Albion. The Invaders from Afar is yet an…" [SGOYT]
"I missed the Encounter-related ability of Polania but that`s okay, I still managed to win this round. Somewhen, in the near future, I need to face the Automa on Normal difficulty, just need a couple …" [SGOYT]
"I know, I have to play other factions as well, so I promise I`ll choose another faction during the next session. Anyway, I feel the Resolution module gives a huge variety to the game. And the airship…" [SGOYT]
"The Wind Gambit is a great addition to the base game. I love the airships, how they drifted above the war-torn land and how they provide more versatility to the game. Furthermore, the Resolution modu…" [SGOYT]
"As I play the game more and more, I like it more and more. I believe my favourite faction is Polania Republic right now. I like with them I can choose two options from Encounters. Oh and more thing: …" [SGOYT]
"I`ve enjoyed so much this in solo, I`ve already pre-ordered The Rise of Fenris expansion which will be released in Hungary next month. Well, I believe I have two favorite solitaire board games now. A…" [SGOYT]
"Loads of new content for Scythe. My feeling after one solo campaign playthrough (against one Automa) is that Rise of Fenris would be more fun with three or more players. So next time I might play a…" [SGOYT]
"Great game. Great components and very thoughtful design. The artwork is gorgeous and the automa is pretty painless. The movements are becoming more second nature which allows me to focus on my game …" [SGOYT]
"Great first game. Automa runs smooth and feels quite a lot like playing against a human opponent. So far I would recommend it just to play solo. Great components too." [SGOYT]