In Pax Pamir, players assume the role of nineteenth century Afghan leaders attempting to forge a new state after the collapse of the Durrani Empire. Set during 'The Great Game', this interactive history lesson captures the complexity and tension of Afghan politics where loyalty is fluid and power is constantly in flux.
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The Verdict
based on 26 reviews
“Pax Pamir: Second Edition isn't just a passion project for the designer, but it feels like a passion project for me, as a player. Allow it the time it needs to bloom and you will experience an amazingly exciting and engrossing game that will keep you entertained and continue to teach you new things for a very long time to come.”
“Tabletop Gaming Magazine praised Pax Pamir: Second Edition as an endlessly fascinating game that rewards commitment with immense depth, constantly inviting players to explore its intricate web of alliances and betrayals.”
The reviewer enthusiastically praises Pax Pamir: Second Edition as a near-perfect game and a strong contender for game of the year, highlighting its gorgeous production, engaging alliance mechanics, and evocative yet accessible rules.
The reviewer praises Pax Pamir: Second Edition for its superb components, beautiful artwork, and deep, engaging gameplay that offers significant replayability, despite the potential for analysis paralysis due to numerous strategic choices.
The reviewer considers Pax Pamir: Second Edition a fantastic and deeply thematic game that blew them away with its beautiful presentation, excellent mechanics, and engaging political conflict, despite its inherent complexity and potential for player betrayal.
The reviewer highly praises Pax Pamir: Second Edition as a uniquely compelling and strategically rewarding game that creates dramatic, unforgettable experiences through its intricate design of shifting allegiances and complex player interactions.
“Either way, this is where Pax Pamir announces itself as not only an utter delight to play, but also one of the most important games of the year.”
“Allow it the time it needs to bloom and you will experience an amazingly exciting and engrossing game that will keep you entertained and continue to teach you new things for a very long time to come.”
The reviewer was highly impressed with Pax Pamir: Second Edition, praising its cohesive design where all elements fit together meaningfully and every layer of complexity serves a valuable purpose, creating a compelling and well-integrated experience.
“Pax Pamir: Second Edition offers a deep and engaging gameplay experience. By familiarizing yourself with these core rules, you will be well-equipped to enter the intricate world of politics and strategy, compete for dominance, and emerge victorious in this captivating game.”
The reviewer highly recommends Pax Pamir: Second Edition, praising its exceptional components, strong historical theme, engaging tight scoring, and high player interaction, considering it an amazing and unique blend of tableau building and area control.
“Pax Pamir Second Edition is a wonderful board game that provides a premium experience. From the excellent components to the intricate gameplay to the in-depth information about The Great Game.”
The reviewer highly recommends Pax Pamir: Second Edition, particularly praising its engaging solo mode and challenging bot, and finds the overall solo experience delightful and a 'huge hit'.
The reviewer highly praises Pax Pamir: Second Edition, noting its deep and complex strategic gameplay despite limited actions, and finds both the multiplayer and the challenging solo mode against the Wakan AI to be very satisfying.
Pax Pamir: Second Edition is a highly regarded game within the Board Game Barrage community, consistently appearing in their listeners' top game lists, indicating a deep appreciation for its intricate political gameplay and replayability.
The reviewer found 'Pax Pamir: Second Edition' to be a gorgeously produced, solid, and smooth-playing game that they grew to appreciate and love with each play, highlighting its design and the effective solitaire 'bot' option.
The reviewer highly praises Pax Pamir: Second Edition for its stunning production values and aesthetic, noting that the game is easy to learn yet offers significant depth and an intense strategic experience that is difficult to master.
The reviewer highly praises Pax Pamir: Second Edition as a significantly streamlined and accessible improvement over previous Pax games, making it a truly good and enjoyable experience, despite finding the 5-player game potentially long and the solo variant not to their personal preference.
The reviewer expresses deep admiration for "Pax Pamir: Second Edition," highlighting its beautiful design, tight mechanics, and tactical depth, though noting its learning curve and intense gameplay may not suit all players.
The reviewers express enthusiastic praise for Pax Pamir: Second Edition, highlighting its brilliant design, layered gameplay, and immersive theme, despite initial unexpectedness. They particularly appreciate the high-quality components and anticipate significant replayability.
The reviewer holds Pax Pamir: Second Edition in high regard for its incredibly cohesive design and strategic depth, finding it one of the most strategically rewarding games they've played. However, they note that while they respect and enjoy the game, its complex and sometimes anxiety-inducing nature means their admiration for its design sometimes outweighs their personal 'fun' from playing it.
The reviewer found Pax Pamir: Second Edition to be a fascinating and well-designed game, appreciating its historical theme and dynamic gameplay. However, its complexity and the potential for a late-game scoring card to diminish earlier efforts mean it might not appeal to everyone.
The reviewer praises Pax Pamir: Second Edition as a great game offering fascinating diplomacy, deception, and high replayability, though noting it can be difficult to learn and is not recommended for only two players. They emphasize that the game provides unique stories and experiences every time it is played.
“Bumbling Through Dungeons found Pax Pamir: Second Edition to be a less intimidating and more accessible entry into the Pax series, offering tense and interactive gameplay with a delightful new scoring system that creates shared incentives, despite some situations where player actions might feel constrained.”
“Polygon found 'Pax Pamir: Second Edition' to be distinct from many colonization-era games due to its unique political and historical themes, moving beyond typical 'expand and exterminate' mechanics.”
The reviewer, despite praising the superb components, aesthetic, card play options, replayability, and historical background of Pax Pamir: Second Edition, ultimately found the game itself to be an incredibly frustrating experience due to its scoring system and perceived futility, stating a strong dislike for it.
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If BGV helped you pick your next game, buying through our links helps our small team keep the site running.
