Five Tribes - An Introduction

 Five Tribes - An Introduction

Game Specs

• Advertised Player Count: 2-4
• *Actual* Player Count: 2-4, as advertised! The complexion of the game changes with only two players, so some weird stuff sometimes happens with bidding for turn order. But otherwise, it holds up well with only 2 as opposed to 3 or 4 players.
• Playing Time: 40-80 minutes (I think this estimate takes into account the fact that some players will struggle with analysis paralysis)
• Age: 13+
• Premise: Players are moving members of the five various tribes in the game (assassins, elders, viziers, merchants, and builders) from tile to tile in an effort to gain control of the fictional Sultanate of Naqala.

I love playing this game, and I think the weight of the game can fluctuate depending on the skill level of those playing it. I often describe it as being a riff on the game, mancala, picking up and dropping meeples instead of stones. Players will bid on turn order to see who goes first, then each will take a turn choosing a tile from the board, picking up all the meeples on that board, then moving orthogonally from tile to tile, dropping off one meeple as they go until they reach their final destination. That final destination must have at least one meeple on it, and at least one meeple on that space must match the final meeple the player has in their hand. They pick up those meeple(s) that match the one in their hand, then resolve an effect based on the color of the meeple(s).

This, to me, is the kind of game that makes much more sense once you have seen a turn or two played on the board. The reason I say the depth of the game is dependent on those playing it is because it feels somewhat chess-like to me, despite this definitely not being a perfect information game. Players who are more familiar with the impact of different color meeples on the game, who have a stronger grasp of what constitutes a move worth bidding for, and who can see a turn or so ahead elevate the play. But as long as people around the table are all of similar skill levels, the game will always be interesting. There are almost always moves worth making, which I appreciate, and there are quite a lot of ways to score points and win the game. There are, in fact, 8 ways to score points. And that's before factoring in either of the two expansions. I do enjoy the expansions, but also do not think it is strictly necessary that you purchase them just because you enjoy the game. It expands it a bit and adds a bunch of features, but again, you really only *need* them if you're playing the game a lot and just love it.

Not only do the different tribes of Meeples have an impact on the shape of the game, but the Djinn that can be purchased by players also change the course of the game. They give the players different abilities, and the right combination of Djinn can really turn the tide of a game. Especially when you snag some of them early in the game. I appreciate, also, that it's not always clear who is in the lead until the end of the game. So even if you worry you're not doing particularly well, you never know just how points will shake out. For instance, when you clear a tile of Meeples, you place a camel marker of your color on that tile, claiming the tile and any points it is worth. This is one of the ways to end the game: one player places the last of their camel tokens on the map. The other is when there are no legal moves remaining on the board. Anyway, more often than not, other players outstrip me on getting their camels on the board. I've had games wherein I have 2-3 camels on the board, and other players get all 8 of their camels down on the board. But I went in hard at the Market, and the camels I have placed are very valuable. And at the end of the game, I come down with a win. Or I come down with a closer loss than I anticipated. But unlike other games wherein it can become clear early who the winner of the race is going to be, there are enough ways to score points in this one that the end may surprise you may often than not. I really appreciate that feeling of being in it until the end!

Bottom Line: I love the game. I think it's a staple for any game collection, I think it has a really wide appeal, and the combination of player count, ease of rules, and play time make it a great addition to any game night. Do yourself a favor and check it out!