Deus Board Game

Despite the rather "blah" artwork on the front of the box, this game is definitely one of the best! It's a shame because I think that as a society, we all tend to judge a "book" by its cover. Don't do that here! The game is surprisingly easy to understand (despite being a little frightening in terms of sheer quantity of pieces) and is very satisfying both in terms of strategy and engine-building.Perhaps the thing that makes this game unique and exciting is that aside from the tableau that each player creates in front of him/her self, there is a game board that evolves over time. The pieces on the board are added and moved based on the cumulative effect of the cards in the tableau. There are many decisions to be made and an assortment of strategies that can be used to achieve the most victory points.Admittedly, the resources are not very creative. They are simply colored wooden discs. Even changing their shape would have gone a long way to making them a little more exciting looking. And the boards which come together to form the overall playing surface could have been more colorful. But, these things are superfluous and nit-picky when you consider the game as a whole. Yes, they could have made a great game even better, but at the risk of raising the price, I don't mind. The price that I paid for this game makes it a literal "steal"and gives it a very high fun to cost ratio. If you were on the fence about deciding whether or not to purchase this gem, debate no longer. It really is a great addition to a gamer's library.

Deus is an excellent civ-building game that (for me) is very, very close to replacing the classic 7-Wonders. Deus does everything 7W does, only better and with a much deeper strategy. Like 7W, Deus uses a tableau system to build up your civilization. What more, like 7W, Deus is a VERY simple game to learn; but unlike 7W, is hard to master. Unlike 7W, Deus uses an actual board for your tableau AND an actual game board (randomly set, hex-like tiles) which adds another level of strategy. Unlike 7W, Deus is set in only in a slightly mythological (the game has gods) Greco-Roman world.In Deus you have only have two actions (yes, only 2!) you have to worry about: Play a card, or DISCARD your hand! Yep, that's it. You play cards (which are divided into 6 different spheres (science, production, ocean/sea, etc) to build your Civilization (along with various resources). Each card allows you to build a specific building and gives you a special power that is triggered once the card is played. What's cool about the card play is that card powers (from the same sphere) can 'stack' and build on each other.For example, whenever you play a science card, you get to build a science building and then activate the card's special power. If, later in the game, you play a SECOND science card, you build a second science build then place the second card above the first science card you played earlier. Then, you activate BOTH science cards (in order from bottom to top) special powers!! It's really cool and allows clever players to chain powers from specific spheres and create incredible power combos that can give you money, VPs, and so forth! It's extremely well designed!You can also choose to simply discard all or part of your entire hand (called an offering)! By doing so, you can invoke one the god's special powers! Each of the 6 gods has a special and unique power, most of which allow to gain additional resources that you can use to replenish your tableau for future turns. Rounds are quick and there's usually (AP players beware) very little downtime.And then there's a game board that adds another whole level of strategy! Each hex/tile has 5 random resources spaces and one barbarian tribe (worth VPs to whomever conquers them!), so building placement for resource production is key to victory! But you also have to watch what other players are doing, as they may choose to muscle their way by placing building in hexes you wanted and steal a valuable hex away from you!And then there's a military aspect (and sphere of cards) that add a minor (but potentially annoying) 'take that element.' Players can build armies and send them out across the land (oddly, military units count as buildings-that can move! Strange, but it works) to crush barbarian tribes for VPs, or attack other players buildings for gold (NOTE: the building is NEVER destroyed, you just steal some of the players gold, with 2 gps being the average lost). This part of the game can be divisive to those who dislike warfare in their games, but most of the gamers in my group had no problem with it.And then there are special Temple Cards that only score at endgame, and reward players for having certain buildings (sets or sheer numbers), having the most resources of each type and so forth. Thus, rewarding long term planning!My only complaints with the game (and hence the lost of one star) are: 1) So-so production quality. The artwork is ok, but not great, especially when compared to other Civ building games; 2) Like all card-driven games, Deus can be VERY random and frustrating. Card draw WILL make or break you in this game. The 'offering' mechanic of discarding your and helps a lot, but even with that, you can draw one bad hand of cards after another.Nevertheless, if you didn't like 7-Wonders, or are tired of that game, give Deus a spin! You won't be disappointed!!

The game is very good, for this price you'll receive a well designed card management game.My problem was that in my copy I receive 1 black boat less, and the support mail address of Asmodee doesn't answer. You are aware.

The components on this game are amazing. The tile art seems to be a bit updated too. Of all the pictures online, the different resouce spaces are cleancut lines. The art on these is a little more jagged and broken up, which makes the board blend together much better.

This version has 3 cards that has no cost which is a misprint.

Good strategic engine builer. Recommend to anyone who has been playing these games for a little while. Begginers certainly can pick up quickly, but more experienced games will pick it up quicker.

Love this game. I really enjoy the resource management and engine building aspects of Deus, only downside is a the luck of the draw but much of that can be mitigated through good strategy. Can't wait to play it again.

GOOD GAMEPros:Sleek, streamlined rulesVery easy to learnPlenty of depth to exploreCool board lets you see your kingdom expandSacrifice system is forgiving but doesn't make the game too easyCons:Some very minor issues with component colorizationLuck of the draw can hurt you