Alchemy of Alexandria

When the Great Library of Alexandria was burnt to the ground, the science and lore of the ancients was lost to us. The premise of Nejc Mesesnel's game is the discovery of a long-lost tablet from the library that detailed the lost science of alchemy.

There's a solo/solitaire version of the rules but the competitive game of Alchemy of Alexandria is for 2-4 players. You will be playing cards to move a shared Transmutation pawn around the board gathering Aether tokens and elements to try to meet the requirements of your goal cards. Along the way you'll be selling material in the market and you'll be using the money you earn to buy equipment and reagent cards from the market.

With its arcane symbols for the elements, the board may look initially foreboding but the game is actually quite straightforward. You start each round with a bout of card drafting to assemble your hand of five Infusion cards. These each show a direction of movement for the Transmutation pawn, tho' some equipment cards can also contribute to movement. There is competition to collect tokens on the board and to be the first to sell materials in the market but this is a game where players can primarily focus on their own objectives. You always begin your turn with the Transmutation pawn reset at the central location or at the location on which you left your sample token at the end of your last turn. In our plays at Board's Eye View this meant players could usually plan their moves while others were taking their turn, minimising any downtime in the game.

You may not actually turn base metal into gold but Alchemy of Alexandria is a nonethless precious find. Boardgame Shepherd are bringing it to Kickstarter: click here for details of the launch.

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