BoardGame Verdict
91

In Kemet, players each deploy the troops of an Egyptian tribe and use the mystical powers of the gods of ancient Egypt along with their powerful armies. This acclaimed strategy game focuses on aggressive gameplay and frequent combat, rewarding players who engage in battle for control of Egyptian territories.

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91

The Verdict

based on 22 reviews

Positive 0%
Encourages and rewards aggressive combat and constant player interaction.
Strategic and diverse power tile system allowing for varied and evolving playstyles.
Tactical card-driven combat system reduces randomness and emphasizes player decisions.
Generally well-balanced strategies despite a multitude of choices.
High-quality components and evocative ancient Egyptian theme and artwork.
Can present a steep learning curve and initial intimidation for new players due to numerous power tiles and iconography.
Prone to analysis paralysis, particularly when players are evaluating the many power tile options.
Game length can occasionally extend beyond advertised times, especially with new or indecisive player groups.
100
There Will Be Games, Iain McAllisterArticle

“It wants you to be aggressive and fast, and every design decision is tuned towards making that happen, to encouraging you to engage and fight. This is not a game for those who don’t want those things, but I personally love it for that.”

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100
BoardGameCo, BoardGameCoVideo

The reviewer considers Kemet: Blood & Sand an absolutely favorite game, praising its design and the highly desirable power tiles that offer significant strategic depth and an engaging gameplay experience.

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95
ProZD, BoardGameBollocksVideo

The reviewer enthusiastically recommends Kemet as an epic, tense, and highly enjoyable war area control game, praising its combat mechanics and the vast array of power tiles that ensure unique gameplay experiences every time.

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95
Tim Chuon, Tim ChuonVideo

The reviewer considers the original Kemet his favorite board game, praising its streamlined and elegant design, though he found the Blood and Sand edition to be a disappointing update that overcomplicated the core experience.

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95
3 Minute Board Games, J Carmichael and S RodgersVideo

The reviewer highly recommends Kemet, praising its immediate combat encouragement, unique combat system, and replayability through varied power tiles, making it one of their favorite war games despite minor rule clarity issues.

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95
That's What Jenni Said, JenniArticle

“OUI OUI OUI: I LOVE THIS GAME. I MUST HAVE THIS GAME.”

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95
Off The Shelf Board Game Reviews, Jason PeacockVideo

The reviewer highly recommends Kemet, describing it as a must-buy for any collection due to its engaging combat, the constant encouragement to attack, and the strategic depth offered by diverse power tiles, which ensure varied gameplay.

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90
BoardGameBollocksVideo

The BoardGameBollocks reviewer considers Kemet a classic and highly enjoyable area control war game that remains relevant, praising its strategic depth in balancing different victory point paths, despite minor criticisms regarding battle victory point conditions.

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90
Shut Up & Sit Down, QuinnsVideo

The reviewer enthusiastically recommends Kemet, highlighting it as an entirely awesome, beautiful, and intelligent wargame that provides constant fun and a demanding, competitive experience in a relatively short playtime.

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90
Meeple Mountain, Andrew LynchArticle

“Kemet: Blood & Sand is a terrific revision and a great game. If you’re at all interested, I highly recommend it.”

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90
Legendary Tactics, Board_Game_FanaticVideo

The reviewer expresses a strong positive opinion about Kemet's first edition, highlighting it as a great area control game that they genuinely enjoy and are considering keeping in their collection.

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90
The Giant Brain, Iain McAllisterArticle

“Kemet is the sort of game I think designers should play. It takes the core of ‘armies on maps’ games, ramps up the pace and gives you hard but understandable choices every turn.”

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90
925 Gamers, 925 GamersVideo

The reviewer highly recommends Kemet: Blood and Sand, praising it as an exceptionally fun and replayable "dudes on a map" game with outstanding production quality, deep gameplay mechanics, and tactical combat that appeals to a wide audience, despite minor imperfections.

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90
I Slay the Dragon, Jason MeyersArticle

“Kemet really succeeds in creating a fresh experience, but it also requires a different mindset coming into. With that perspective Kemet is a grandly unique design worthy of the gods themselves!”

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90
Cardboard Rhino, Lenio PapVideo

The reviewer praises "Kemet: Blood & Sand" as a highly improved and immersive experience, noting its fluid gameplay, intuitive rules, enhanced replayability, and stunning new art and miniatures, which elevate the game to the epic level it deserves.

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90
Board of it, Board of itVideo

The reviewer highly praises Kemet: Blood & Sand as a phenomenal "dudes on a map" game, recommending it to a broad audience for its engaging combat, varied power tiles, and overall fun experience, despite minor issues with board setup for lower player counts and game length fluctuations. It is considered one of the best war games available today.

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90
Board Game RundownVideo

The reviewer highly praises "Kemet: Blood and Sand" as a satisfying and aggressively-driven "dudes on a map" game that encourages constant player interaction and offers engaging strategic depth through its power tiles and diverse victory conditions.

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85
Board Game AuthorityArticle

“Overall, despite that I had more negatives listed, the positives still outweigh the negatives in gameplay, interaction, and most of all fun. This is not a game for those who do not like the battle aspect of the game, but if you like a game that oozes with a mythic Egyptian theme, perhaps, you might still like this game.”

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85
Bumbling Through Dungeons, MARK WILSONArticle

“Kemet: Blood & Sand offers an engaging and highly combative experience that, while not reaching transcendent epic status, surpasses most games in its genre due to its unique blend of constant warfare and strategic tile-based mini-games.”

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85
The Dice Tower, Jason PeacockVideo

Jason Peacock provided a positive review of the Egyptian-themed area control board game Kemet, highlighting its engaging gameplay and theme.

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85
Rahdo Runs Through, Rahdo (Richard Ham)Video

Rahdo praises Kemet as a very clever and well-designed tactical skirmish game that feels distinct from typical war games, likening it to a fast-paced 'King of the Hill' deathmatch. Although it is not his personal preferred style of game, he acknowledges its innovative mechanics and strong appeal for players who enjoy that type of experience.

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83
Play Board GamesArticle

“Kemet is a fun, balanced area control game. It scales well, looks great and has a cool theme. You are encouraged to be aggressive.”

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