If it was a beauty content I finally know what would I pick
Can the mechanics go along with the artistic value?
Flamecraft
Components
Right off the bat, we’re greeted with a sense of quality and organization. Everything inside the box is neatly arranged, with each component having its own designated space. Of course, it’s worth noting that much of this is thanks to the deluxe edition, which I was lucky enough to get my hands on. Because every item has its own box or slot within the insert, there’s virtually no risk of components getting damaged during transport or falling out. The insert is well-designed and secure. There’s also a generous amount of free space left in the insert—hopefully reserved for future expansions. (I’ve already seen that a mini expansion is on the way!)
There are two card sizes:
- Mini European cards – great thickness (0,32mm) and excellent print quality.
- Oversized shop cards – slightly thinner (0,27mm), but with much better graphics.
There are around 160 cards in total (121 mini and 42 shop cards). While you only shuffle them once during setup, they’re used frequently throughout the game, so sleeving them might be a good idea.
While the shop cards don’t reveal much, the dragon cards—which you can draw blindly instead of choosing from the park—can offer a slight advantage. Still, the cards aren’t the highlight of the game.
That title goes to the rest of the components. The resources are beautifully crafted and look like exactly what they represent. The plastic dragons are all unique (though only tokens are included in the regular version). The game mat replaces a traditional board and feels very premium. And the coins—wow. They’re the most beautiful I’ve ever seen in a board game. A solid 10/10.
Set-up
Unfortunately, the game has a long setup time. After rolling out the mat, you need to find the starting dragons and shops, then build the decks for everything. Since each card has a designated spot on the map (just like in the box), setup takes a while. The first time, it took us 10–15 minutes. Subsequent games took around 5–10 minutes, depending on the number of players. You’ll also need a lot of table space—the mat is large, and the oversized shop cards make the game even wider. I can’t recall another game that filled our table this much.
Rules
After all that setup, you might expect a complex game—but that’s not the case. The rules are actually quite simple. For example, you can’t stay in a shop, and you must pay if you visit a shop already occupied by another player. These small rules can influence your strategy, but overall, the game is easy to learn. The end-game conditions might seem vague at first, but they make much more sense after your first playthrough. Turns are taken one at a time, so it’s easy for all of the players to keep track of what’s happening.
Gameplay
The advertised 60-minute playtime is pretty accurate, especially when you include setup. Most of the time is spent deciding which shop to visit on your turn.
In each shop, you have two options:
- Gather resources and use the shop’s ability (if it has one).
- Upgrade the shop using the resources you’ve collected.
As expected, the early rounds are focused on gathering, and later you move on to enchanting. The real fun comes from the evolving board—new shops appear, old ones grow stronger thanks to the dragons left behind, and the special “fancy dragons” you draw shape your strategy. With so many shops and fancy dragons, the game stays fresh even after multiple playthroughs.
There are also Companion cards, which act like one-time-use special powers. These become more useful as you get familiar with the rules and offer a nice catch-up mechanic.
The game supports 1 to 5 players. I’ve played it with 2 and 3 players, and it was definitely better with more. More players mean more interaction, faster resource flow, and quicker shop upgrades. The solo mode doesn’t seem very appealing to me—the shops and fancy dragons are predetermined, which limits variability. I haven’t playtested it, so take that with a grain of salt.
Score
- Overall 9/10 – A great game—cute, simple, yet engaging. I usually prefer more complex and less “cute” games, but if not for the long setup, I’d consider giving it a 10/10.
- Coming back 9/10 – The deluxe edition offers a wide variety of shops and fancy dragons, leading to many possible game scenarios. And yes, I’ll gladly handle those coins again.
- Fun factor 8/10 – Gathering resources and building the city is fun, but since it’s a shared achievement, your enjoyment might depend on how much you value personal progress in games.
Will it stay or go? – Stay, definitely!
