Res Arcana (2019)

“A remarkably elegant and simple game to learn, Res Arcana reveals itself to gamers through repeated plays, and delivers a rewarding game experience for all levels of player.”

“I will even dare say that this is Tom’s best work. Yes, that includes Race for the Galaxy. Fight me.”

“A stunning design from veteran designer Tom Lehmann full of fresh ideas and brilliant gameplay.”

“Res Arcana offers a captivating blend of strategy, resource management, and magical prowess. With its unique mechanics and dynamic gameplay, Res Arcana promises an immersive and engaging experience for players seeking a rich and strategic board game adventure.”

Rahdo considers Res Arcana to be a near-perfect card-driven engine builder and potentially Tom Lehmann's greatest design, highlighting it as an amazing and highly strategic game with minimal flaws.

The reviewer enthusiastically praises Res Arcana as a perfect gateway game that is deceptively simple yet offers rich strategic depth, high replayability, and excellent production values, confidently recommending it as a modern classic.

“The reviewer considers Res Arcana one of his all-time favorite games, having developed a deep appreciation for its engine-building gameplay over numerous plays, both digital and in-person.”

“It’s a masterclass in elegant game design, and an antidote to all those games that cover the table and fill your brain with fiddly details.”

“That simplicity — that thinness, to use a less generous word — is not only the hallmark of a design that’s been pared down to its barest essence, it’s also the crucial twang that is Res Arcana’s greatest accomplishment.”

Res Arcana offers a highly engaging and efficient engine-building experience with remarkable depth and replayability despite its limited card pool, making for consistently tense and rewarding gameplay.

“So Res Arcana manages to stand out from other similar games through it’s easy to understand rules, excellent artwork and well balanced cards which allow 2 players to have every bit as much fun as a group of 4.”

“This seemingly simple card game from Tom Lehmann – of Race for the Galaxy fame – distills all that makes his tableau builders great into a tight, short game of just 8 cards and a fine number of communal resources. It’s fast, it’s almost always different, and it’s one of my favorite quick tableau builders of recent memory.”