Aldarra: A 4x Game Like No Other

One thing about me is I love a big box game! From the moment Aldarra arrived at my door, to the first time I unboxed it, I waited patiently continuing to hope today is the day that we get it to the table… Well, that day finally came and I was not disappointed! 

In Aldarra, you’re playing as a faction trying to assert your dominance over the region. At its core, Aldarra is a 4x game, but it is truly so much more than meets the eye! 

Starting off strong, let's talk about the asymmetric factions. Now y’all know I love a good asymmetric game, and Aldarra hits every point on the list! Each faction has their own unique abilities that they can use, including one that allows you to take other players’ units hostage, requiring them to pay you to be able to add them back to their supply. This level of asymmetry is diabolical and I LOVE it!!! 

Beyond these awesome abilities, the production of this game is on a level that I do not see very often in board games. The miniatures are highly detailed, and the upgraded components make the game feel like a true work of art! Table presence is a big selling point to me when it comes to board games, and Aldarra has one of the best, and biggest, table presences in my family’s collection! 

Now onto one of my favorite components of the game… THE MAP! This game map adds another layer of replayability to the game as it can be randomized to a new pattern after each game, or can be placed in a very mindful way. The map also doesn’t need to be in any particular shape, so there is a really fun level of creativity that goes along with setting up the tiles for Aldarra.

When it comes to the gameplay of Aldarra, there are so many things I would love to mention, but I have narrowed it down to the three things that stood out most to me. First up is the building and placement of your units. Each unit type has a specific card that tells you what they do, their cost, and other aspects that help with determining actions such as movement. I really enjoyed the way that the publishers brought these units to life by having each type of unit do something unique to one another, as well as making many of them upgradable, which adds another fun layer to this game! 

Building off of these units, is the combat action and how it is played. The combat action relies heavily on dice rolling, which I love, and some units have stronger dice than others. There are also units that can be pulled into an adjacent territory during battle, or have a special ability they can use within the battle. This battle system is one that my family really enjoyed, and that I would love to see implemented into more games!

lastly, is the mine phase of the game. The map tiles aren’t different just to create a pretty pattern, they each have their own special rules as well. For example, there are crystal deposits which spawn crystals, as well as copper, silver, and gold deposits which can each be mined for their own level of coins. This makes you really have to plan where you will be sending your units for future endeavors, and not just try to spread them across the board. 

I also wanted to note that there is an expansion available for Aldarra titled Savage Skies which adds two new factions, supporting games of up to 6 players! WOW! If you are a fan of Aldarra, or are looking to go all in on the game, make sure to check it out!

Overall, I could talk about this game for hours, but I will wrap this up by saying that this is one of the best 4x games that have made it to my family’s game table! From the level of detail in the miniatures, to the asymmetric factions, and the seemingly endless amount of cards, this game is a real winner! 

Thank you so much to the amazing people over at Sordane Publishing for sending over a review copy of the Aldarra Complete Game Bundle!