TRANQUILLITY

30-45m 1-4

ever been conflicted about a game, because I know in my head that there’s nothing bad about the game’s design and it co-ordinates well together, but in my heart I just never had fun with the experience.

The game felt less like playing and more like processing. While options were limited, I could always find a couple of card combos to claw ahead of the group. You’re supposed to play enough tiles to keep you scoring points, but gaining tiles randomly meant that I felt obliged to lay as many as possible to increase my chances of getting tiles I needed, a sentiment encouraged with my experiences of playing with game’s Solo mode, another neatly designed element to the game which still left me feeling ambivalent.

Fundamentally, this is a tile laying puzzle that captures that mechanic as literally as it possibly can. For fans of the genre you’ll find something amusing for a couple of games, but for me there was just something missing to engage my gaming enthusiasm.

PLAY IT?

8+ £26

❚ MAYBE

If you can never have enough tile laying games in your life then this is an easy purchase. But those who are lukewarm on the mechanic will find little of engagement here.

WHAT’S IN THE BOX?

◗ First player marker

◗ 4 Player boards

◗ 12 Modular game

board pieces

◗ 59 Cards (including

Solo variant deck)

◗ 96 Cardboard

Calçada tiles

◗ 34 Cardboard coins

◗ 66 Cardboard

VP tokens

TRY THIS IF YOU LIKED AZUL...

The titan of literal tile laying, Azul’s focus on singular achievements and high production design means that Rossio’s communal tile placement and affordability provides a thoughtful contrast for fans of the former.