After many months of out-of-print status, Polis returns to store shelves for further glory. Lauded worldwide as an "instant classic", Polis shook the gaming world in 2012 despite being available only in short supply. Now, Mercury Games resurrects this multiple award-winning game designed by Fran Diaz. Returning to the market for the first time in many months, Polis is once again set to challenge new players and delight past fans. Assuming either the role of Athens, leading Democracy, or Sparta, leading Oligarchy, you must expand your Poleis League by bringing other neutral poleis to defend your cause through the use of diplomacy or force, lead your League in a reasonable manner and managing the resources at hand, and all while fighting against enemy hoplites! You may be remembered as a strategos with unlimited prestige or you may be condemned to Ostrakismos for your actions. It's up to you!.
R**R
Five Stars
Great game but so far only played solo, looking forward to my first 2 player game.
C**H
Great game, but you may injure your brain if you're not careful!
This is a great game with a giant BUT.The good part is that you get a lovely intricate game about the conflict between Athens and Sparta. It covers economics, battles, and even cultural competition. The rules are moderately complex but not bad if you're used to more complicated strategy games (think Agricola or Hannibal; if all you know is Risk, don't get this game). It's kinda a Euro wargame, with a bit of luck thrown in. (There are dice rolls for sieging cities as well as random events which have a moderate affect on the course of each game.) It's got a unique and well-designed system that makes more than worth its sticker price.The "but" is that the game is a real brain churner to figure out, even for experienced gamers. On the surface it seems fine, no terribly tricky rules, but actually trying to figure out how to run your city-state without going broke or starving your people is really really hard. I like this game a lot but if you're not prepared for a steep learning curve you may end up hating it.The aesthetics of the game are very nice. A pretty well laid out board which is easy to read, and elegant wooden pieces.
K**N
This is a very good teaching game
This is a very good teaching game; it is resource based, meaning you spend much, much more of your time trying to round up wheat, or grapes and olives to trade for wheat, or silver with which to purchase wheat, or wood to build merchant ships with which to trade for wheat, than you do actually launching phalanx attacks.That said -- it is very much a grand strategy game. You have to do things to be in a position to have the silver to buy the wheat, or to take over a province and pillage it for the wood you need for the navy, etc. And for students of the Pelopennisan Wars (sp) it is invaluable: There is a very good reason Athens attacked Syracuse, against all odds, in real life, and there's a good chance you will too, despite the odds against. (Hint: wheat. Other hint: Safeguard the Pontus.)It's a two-player, quick to learn the rules, fairly quick to set up, a good few hours (2-3) to play, but quite satisfying.
B**S
Haven't played it. Read the rules.
It's interesting. Looks like it would be fun to play
P**N
but some of the same concepts apply - its a good mil-pol game
easier to play than Pericles, but some of the same concepts apply - its a good mil-pol game.
J**.
Five Stars
An excellent two-player game. High re-play value.
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