Game Review: Mosaic

Let’s start with the big statement right off the bat. Mosaic is one of the best games I played in 2022 and I want to tell you why this game deserves to be on your shelf. First, let’s take a look at the design team, the overall gameplay and then talk about the way this game shines.

Mosaic is published by Forbidden Games and is designed by Glenn Drover with graphic design by Jacoby O’ Connor. It plays 2-6 players.

Overview:

In Mosaic players will take turns picking different actions that will build and move their way to victory with their Leaders in tow guiding their decisions. The game is played on a large, impressive board that is the central point of the game and will be where most of the decisions are made. The board is seeded with tiles and set up based on number of players to begin.

Next players will take a Leader with specific abilities and draft out starting Technology cards. Once the game begins there are eight possible action you can take, and each turn you will pick one and follow it through. The game really does well in helping you to build these to gain maximum use of each action when you select them.

The different actions you can take in this game are:

1. Build your production through Technology cards
2. Produce through work one of your currencies to help with future turns
3. Build or move military units on the map
4. Build cities, towns and port cities to give you majority in areas to gain victory points
5. Construct Wonders for influence and VPs
6. Develop your government and earn VPs and special scoring opportunities
7. Tax and Tariff to gain money to replace currencies in the game as needed
8. Spend food to increase your population

The game moves in a way where players are taking these actions and building their own engines through cards that grant lots of different abilities and opportunities. The nine Pillars of Civilization in the game are represented through symbols that you are trying to collect and make the best “Mosaic” of your civilization.

The game continues around until Empire scoring cards are revealed and these will allow each person to score for how well they have build their empire around the different regions. The game ends when the third Empire scoring card is revealed and takes place, and the player with the most VPs is declared the winner!

Impressions:

There is something special about the way this game plays and moves around the table from player to player for me that I haven’t seen done as well for bigger player games like this one in the past. I find myself often playing games with 4-6 players and we all want to play heavy games and Mosaic has been a great answer to that question for our group. This game gives you meaningful, difficult decisions however none of them are super long turns since you only have one action to play and not a bunch to tech tree off of it. I love a game that gives me major and minor choices however this one does not need it-the more you build your empire the more depth your action will have giving you some great choices on the board.

Aesthetically this game is great. We have included pictures of both the deluxe Kickstarter edition and the standard retail edition and they pack a lot of game in the standard edition to the point that the game is similar in box size as some of their other titles like Lizard Wizard and Raccoon Tycoon. The deluxe gives you the full, crazy experience with all the wooden and plastic bits you would expect but the standard is wonderful and plays smooth on the table.

For anyone that has ever wanted to play a Civ game this is your chance to jump in to that world in a way that fits more of an action selection mindset if those are the games you are used to. For me, I love a good action selection game and Mosaic makes that the focus while still giving you everything you are looking for. I love the style of this game and the mechanics fit for someone looking for a game deep on strategy but not analysis paralysis like some other games can be inclined to do in this style.

My game group has gone out and bought this game numerous times as different people had a chance to play it and I would imagine you and yours would be the same. Sometimes we talk about a game right at the point of fever pitch, but I think it is important to go back and review what makes games we like so good. We gave Mosaic our highest award, “Top Shelf Game” as something you need to have in your collection at the end of 2022 and I can say that it stays high up on the list for us. Make sure to check this one out!