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John Clair
United States
Los Angeles
California
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From http://jesterstadium.blogspot.com/2011/10/game-review-citade...
The beauty of Fantasy Flights top selling game, Citadels, is in the player interaction. Players attempt to build the biggest brightest city by collecting money and constructing buildings. At the start of each round a group of character cards are passed around, and each player selects one character face down. Turns then play out based on which player chose which character. The characters that go early have weaker abilities (usually, though it depends on the circumstance) but they can mess with players who chose more powerful characters that take their turn later.
The key strategy to the game is guessing which character each player chose, or will choose, and predicting what decision they will make with that character. This repeated mechanic makes for fabulous mind games and builds in intensity and importance as the game progresses.
A nice element that I've found by playing the game many times, is the ability for a come from behind win. The advantage definitely falls to the players in the lead, which is good. I dislike games where those winning always get screwed so that there's no point to being in the lead except at the last possible moment. However, my dislike is even greater for games where the player with an early lead becomes virtually impossible to beat. Citadels finds a great middle ground. A few well executed masterstrokes from players in the back of the pack can get them right back in it, while a front runner who can skillfully dodge the assassination and theft attempts of those behind him can hold an early lead to the finish.
While the character choosing at the start of each round does slow the game play down, especially if you get players who love to deliberate on every decision, the game is worth it.
One warning; watch out for some of the building cards in the expansion set. Some are great and make the game more fun. Others are way too powerful for no extra cost and add an unwanted layer of luck for those fortunate enough to draw them.
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