Review: Khora is (relatively) fast for a European-style board game


Khora: Rise of an Empire made its debut this week at the Gen Con board game convention and in select retail stores. I’ve had the game in my hands for a few weeks now, and it’s definitely growing on me. For a European-style middleweight game, it certainly has its charms, especially as a two-player experience. But, as a narrative experience, it is extremely bland.

On Khora, players take on the role of the first Greek city-states vying for glory. For the uninitiated, it could be a disconcerting experience at first. The game only lasts eight rounds, but each round is divided into seven different phases. You will draw cards, roll dice, take optional actions (but only if you can based on the roll of the die), and “waste” your population in ways that only an ancient totalitarian state is capable of. But the game flows well and that repetition helps to quickly become familiar with its many systems.

Khora cards come in different sizes.  There are also tiles.  They have a pictorial artistic style.

Photo: Charlie Hall / Polygon

At the limits of the game, those same systems work to effectively evoke a model of the ancient world. I especially like that its population can never exceed a certain number. Long ago, cities could only grow so much before the technological and political limitations of the time held them back. The same goes for the troop levels in the game. In this way, the designers are using modern knowledge of historical periods as creative constraints, both in their design and as an inspiration for the strategies of the players at the table.

However, those strategies are quite prescriptive. Each of the city states within the box has a fairly transparent optimal strategy. The main way to earn victory points in the game is through exploration, represented by a field of tiles on the main game board. It’s a race to grab those tiles, which gives the game a touch of solitaire.

Players spend drachmas to upgrade their city, and drachma is obtained primarily through action tokens. There are many types of action tiles, which helps speed up the game. Curve balls come thanks to event cards. They basically act like a changing weather, creating global effects that all players have to deal with. Again, everything is pretty standard stuff for heavy European-style games. But it feels snappy, and the posted 75-minute playtime seems achievable.

The best part of the game is that it can accommodate two players. The two-player games of this type and the production value are precious. It feels like a perfect thing to pitch when a lot of people are still stuck at home. Iello’s graphic design is top-notch, with clean and consistent iconography that helps speed up the game. It even has a nice package that has all the bits right where you need them, allowing you to quickly get the game to and from the table.

My only major complaint is that Kora it has very little to say about early Greece. There is also very little drama. Yes, we are putting our army at risk and killing soldiers, but for what? Some chips? The art is well executed, realistic and painterly at the same time, but it is also painfully vanilla. In a crowded market, there really is nothing that stands out.

If you are looking for another two player game for your collection, or have a group of hungry gamers looking for some games at night, Khora: Rise of an Empire It is worth your attention. It is now available in select retail stores.

Khora: Rise of an Empire was checked with a copy of the retail game provided by Iello. Vox Media has affiliate associations. These do not influence editorial content, although Vox Media may earn commissions for products purchased through affiliate links. You can find Additional information on Polygon’s ethics policy here.



Khora: Rise of an Empire

Prices taken at the time of publication.

• 2-4 players, over 14 years old

• Playing time: 75 minutes

• Type of game: European strategy

• Category: Simultaneous turn, competitive game

• Similar games: 7 Wonders


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