#17: Lost Ruins of Arnak (Mark's Top 100 2024)

Lost Ruins of Arnak

BoardGameGeek

• rank: 27
• rating: 8.1
• published: 2020
• designers: Elwen & Min

Print Status

• in print

Why It's On The List

• Yes, it's another combination of worker placement and deck-building... but don't let that fool you. The gameplay is well-thought-out, the artwork/graphic design is gorgeous, and there are meaningful timing and resource management choices throughout.

Tips & Tricks:

• Don't lock into a single strategy based on how the last game ended... the game situation can change drastically depending on player choices and the various random decks, so you need to be prepared to react to the game in front of you.
• Sometimes, a card is more valuable for the move icon than the special power - one of the tricks of the game is making sure you realize when that is..
• The double-sided board (bird temple and snake temple) is a really nice touch to vary up play and tactics.

Extras

• The Expedition Leaders expansion is an excellent addition to the game - adding to the variety without overwhelming the game system. The specific special powers of each adventurer are well-balanced.
• I played The Search For Professor Kutil solo campaign twice... and while I think it's excellent, you don't need the campaign to play a really enjoyable solo game with Arnak.
• The Missing Expedition expansion takes the Search for Professor Kutil and turns it up to 11. The campaign can now be played solo or as a two-player cooperative game.
• There is also an extra solo print-n-play file to increase the solo game difficulty.