“Hey, they released a new 7 Wonders ? In the basement of the palace, where Cannes has been hosting its other festival since Thursday, the box ofAkropolis and its décor inspired by ancient Greece remind anyone who knows it of Antoine Bauza’s “most awarded game in the world”. But the comparison stops there. If it is only that of the Toulouse author Jules Messaud (his second only) has also just won the Grail of the Croisette: the Golden Ace for the “best game of the year” 2023. And, cocorico , it is a 100% French title, illustrated by Pauline Detraz and published by Gigamic.
Given this Thursday evening, the supreme reward of the largest French-speaking fun festival, it’s not nothing! SO 20 minutes wanted to test. And with one of the jury members please. Influencer and content creator Marie Giordana, alias Marie.grd.jeux, talks about it: “In terms of mechanics, it’s not a revolution”. But “everything is very well done, down to the equipment” and “the illustrations are very clear”, she adds.
Building ancient cities “harmoniously”
The goal: to recreate old cities with neighborhoods to pick and nest according to strict specifications. “Actually, the rules are very well done. You have to build harmoniously”, continues the specialist, behind the scenes of the Cannes International Games Festival which opens to the public until Sunday on the Croisette and which presented four awards in total on Thursday evening (read below).
The dwellings, in blue, are to be connected to each other, and “the more neighbors there are together, the more points there are”. The markets, yellow, must be located without competition nearby. Red, the barracks are necessarily on the outskirts “to defend well”, unlike the purple temples, which must be completely surrounded “in order to have as many faithful as possible”. There are only the “garden” pieces, obviously in green, that can be placed without constraint.
The three-sided bricks also have “quarry” spaces, necessary to obtain stones essential for certain pickaxes. “It’s a matter of strategy. To have certain quarters which bring you more points, you must use one to three of these small cubes. We have a stock to manage that we can replenish by building high up,” explains Marie Giordana. Because Akropolis is played in 3D. Layered bricks pay even more. Without forgetting certain districts which also earn stars, multipliers of the points obtained by color.
100 points for a first and a “nice progression curve”
You follow ? “In one game, we are already beginning to understand the strategies to be put in place. You have to rack your brains a bit. The more games we play, the more we progress,” she continues. You have to do calculations. And the good ones. “If you put your temple brick here, it’s more interesting for you,” breathes Marie Giordana, fair play.
When the three nominees in the queen category of the best game of the year were announced a few weeks ago *, the jury, which includes the actor Vincent Dedienne in its ranks this year, had praised “the simple rules and without exception” of Akropolis, its “solo mode” and or several up to four players but also its “beautiful progression curve”.
So much the better. 20 minutes finished the game with 100 points. All round. And far from the 144 of the specialist. “Don’t worry, 100 is fine for a first,” she reassures. Phew, honor is saved.