Mark Levensalor

Build cities and monuments! Further scientific developments! Starve your citizens to death!(?)

Civ games meet lucky dice-rolling in Roll Through the Ages. Based on the board game, this game shortens play time dramatically but keeps the “I’m a God” feel of building a civilization YOUR way. A must play, it’s easy to learn and teach while keeping hardcore gamers’ attention. Playing equally well with 2, 3, or 4 players, games are lightning-quick. I rarely play for more than a half hour. Sometimes my friends want to play something a little more involved so we put this aside for a more in-depth game that takes 1-3 hours. Sadly, I don’t get to play this one much.

I gave this a low grade for components because in my set and at least one other I’ve seen the images on the dice rub off easily. You can touch them up with a sharpie, but for the cost I think Gryphon could make them more durable.

Dust Rating: 5
(My own rating system, 1-10, where low numbers are good.)

For those of you new to the genre, deckbuilding games are literally just that. Instead of playing with a set deck of cards, you acquire them from an open pool and make your own deck bigger and stronger. The variety of cards available in this game (which only grows with the expansion and limited edition promo cards) and several different strategies for playing blow the replay factor out of the water. The recent expansion allows for 6 to play, but I still feel 4 is the prime number in this one. Best with a small- to mid-sized group, but still fun with a larger player count.

I do have one hang-up with this game…and it’s a doozy. The first (and, so far, only) expansion to Ascension, titled “Return of the Fallen” (Hello? Transformers?) ushered in a new kind of card. Cards from the expansion are slightly smaller and thinner than those in the base game. It’s not a huge difference, we’re talking a millimeter shorter. It is, however, VERY NOTICEABLE when you try to shuffle the old cards with the new. This makes card sleeves for the entire set pretty much a necessity. Also, the ink used on the newly-printed cards IS ALSO NOTICEABLE, making opaque sleeves (a.k.a.- usually more costly) an investment you will almost certainly make.

PLEASE DON’T GET ME WRONG. This is easily one of my favorite games to play! Anyone with some background in constructable card games will pick this up very quickly. Being designed by former Magic: The Gathering player Justin Gary,the resource management and timing strategies involved will be familiar to a lot of gamers, but the background isn’t necessary. Sit down to play Ascension and you will enjoy yourself…and probably want to start another game immediately! Try closing this box, I dare you.

Dust Rating: 1
(My own personal rating system, 1-10, where low numbers are good.)

Learning this game and understanding it are two completely different topics. My first impression was that each city lacks similarities with the others, but the more I play it the more I realize that is exactly what MAKES this game. Play a different civilization than you did in the last game and your strategy completely changes. If the seven opportunities aren’t enough for you, flip the player cards over for a new experience. This replayability matched with the ability to support a larger group (up to 7, where similar strategy games are played with up to 4, maybe 5 or 6) and still keep the same feel with only 2 or 3 players makes this game a bargain. This box certainly won’t gather dust on a shelf.

Dust Rating: 3
(This is my personal rating system, 1-10, where low numbers are good.)