Lisboa (2017)

Lisboa is considered a challenging but ultimately rewarding 'brain burner' Euro game, with one reviewer ranking it among their top favorite board games of all time. While acknowledging its complexity and the effort required to truly appreciate it, the game is lauded for its fantastic gameplay and beautiful thematic integration.

“It plays smoothly with an incredibly deep and intriguing system to dig into on repeated plays. Lisboa feels both classic in its game mechanics and art, while at the same time fresh and modern in its implementation of theme and design.”

Rahdo and Jen highly praise Lisboa for its brilliant and intricate design, thematic depth, and how it uniquely offers a wide-open sandbox experience while maintaining the high quality expected from Vital Lacerda's games.

“Call me a boot-licking fanboy if you like, but Lisboa is a thing of beauty to this still fairly inexperienced gamer. Its theme is built into the mechanics brilliantly, the depth of the gameplay is so satisfying to explore and the whole thing feels like it was meticulously designed to click together like an intricate puzzle.”

“Board Game Quest considers Lisboa an exceptional game with almost perfect execution, offering incredible depth, challenging strategy, and a magnificent visual design, though noting its complexity can be a hurdle for new players.”

“The game is a wonder of gameplay elements intertwined with the theme. I can say though this is my favorite complicated game!”

The reviewer highly praises Lisboa for its exceptional thematic integration, lavish production quality, and the way its complex rules lead to fantastically interesting and dynamic gameplay, also noting the strong solo variant.

“Lisboa is a complex and initially confusing game that reveals its conceptual brilliance and rewarding depth upon repeated plays, offering a challenging and engaging experience for those willing to master its intricacies.”

The reviewer highly praises 'Lisboa' for its stunning artwork and deep thematic integration, appreciating how the game's mechanics intricately weave into the historical rebuilding of Lisbon, making for a compelling and engaging experience.

The game, while initially daunting due to its heavy Euro design and interconnected mechanics, is highly rewarding and surprisingly quick to play once players grasp its core concepts and appreciate its thematic integration.

“The Tabletop Crier found Lisboa to be a beautiful and deeply interconnected game where every decision matters, creating a tense and rewarding experience that encourages repeated plays despite its lack of clear pivot points.”

The reviewer finds Lisboa to be a rich, beautiful, and elegant heavy Euro-style board game with a ton of strategic depth, making it highly recommended for players who enjoy complex Euro games.

“As all of the complex systems, of which there are many, bleed into one another so smoothly it’s like swimming in lukewarm butter. Creating this incredible machine that you attempt to manipulate in your favour. It’s mind-blowing fun for those with the wallet and the courage to play.”

The reviewer highly enjoys Lisboa, praising its historical theme, balanced gameplay, and the satisfying puzzle of rebuilding the city, despite acknowledging its steep learning curve and potential length.

The reviewer likely finds Lisboa to be a complex and engaging board game that offers a rewarding experience for players, despite its intricate rules or strategic depth.

The reviewer highly recommends Lisboa, praising its deep, rewarding gameplay, strong historical theme that enhances learning, and the streamlined solo mode. She found the game's complex choices tense and rich, making each play a rewarding experience despite its initial learning curve.

“Lisboa is a euro game, but it is one of the more thematic euros I have played, and I love it for that. Everything you do in Lisboa will have an impact somewhere else, creating a rich experience that is worth its weight.”

The reviewer highly praises Lisboa as a very good game, specifically highlighting its strong thematic integration with the historical rebuilding of Lisbon after the 1755 earthquake, which enhances the Eurogame experience. Despite its complexity and heavy nature, the game offers consistently tense and rewarding choices, making each playthrough enjoyable and revealing new depths.