77

The Pillars of the Earth is a worker placement and card drafting game based on the bestselling medieval novel by Ken Follett. Players immerse themselves in the experience of building a cathedral over six rounds by managing resources and deploying craftsmen.

77

The Verdict

based on 15 reviews

Positive 0%
Mixed 0%
Clever bag-draw master builder placement mechanism
Meaningful trade-offs between resources, gold and victory points
Simple to learn and plays tightly
Beautiful board and art
Limited variability and replay value
Dry theme, disconnected from the mechanics
Weaker at two players
Dated feel and swingy random events
90
InferredThis reviewer didn't give a numbered score. We read the review and inferred a 0–100 score from what they said. Did we get it wrong? Please report it, we'll fix it.
The Dice Tower, The Dice TowerVideo

“So final opinion for me, two spires up, very much a good game. I think you should hunt it down.”(14:14)

90
InferredThis reviewer didn't give a numbered score. We read the review and inferred a 0–100 score from what they said. Did we get it wrong? Please report it, we'll fix it.
Haystack Games, Haystack GamesVideo

“So awesome game really really love this would definitely recommend it if you enjoy those types of games it is somewhat in-depth if if you haven't played a lot of games in the past but definitely definitely enjoy this game really really fun would highly recommend pillars of the earth”(7:54)

90
StatedThis reviewer gave their own score. We only converted it to our 0–100 scale.
Topping the Table, Jamie HopkinsArticle

Thus, the sentiment is undeniably clear, ‘The Pillars of the Earth’ deserves hearty recommendation—it achieves a winning combination of intellectual challenge and visual gratification...

87
StatedThis reviewer gave their own score. We only converted it to our 0–100 scale.
Zatu GamesArticle

“Has The Pillars of the Earth aged well? It's an emphatic yes from me, despite some misgivings. It shines at four players, not so much at two. I can forgive the bland components.”

80
InferredThis reviewer didn't give a numbered score. We read the review and inferred a 0–100 score from what they said. Did we get it wrong? Please report it, we'll fix it.
ProZD, ProZDVideo

“I still think this is a very, very good game. If you're a fan of the book, I think you should definitely check it out because it's very solid and it's not hard to learn.”(14:47)

80
StatedThis reviewer gave their own score. We only converted it to our 0–100 scale.
Meeple Mountain, Abram TowleArticle

“The Pillars of the Earth felt surprisingly contemporary given its release date. Constant weighing opportunity cost, and determining the relative value of each victory point.”

80
InferredThis reviewer didn't give a numbered score. We read the review and inferred a 0–100 score from what they said. Did we get it wrong? Please report it, we'll fix it.
Jesta ThaRogue, Jesta ThaRogueArticle

“I really enjoyed The Pillars of the Earth. It's pretty basic as far as a game goes but what it does it does well.”

80
InferredThis reviewer didn't give a numbered score. We read the review and inferred a 0–100 score from what they said. Did we get it wrong? Please report it, we'll fix it.
BoardGameBollocks, BoardGameBollocksVideo

“Answer that Pillars of the Earth is a simple timeless classic that we keep coming back to again and again and again.”(9:33)

75
StatedThis reviewer gave their own score. We only converted it to our 0–100 scale.
Board Game Reviews by Josh, JoshArticle

“Overall, I give Pillars of the Earth a 7.5/10. The pros that I named definitely outweigh the cons in my mind, and so I plan on keeping my copy of the game. However, the cons are what keep me from playing it more than every few months.”

75
InferredThis reviewer didn't give a numbered score. We read the review and inferred a 0–100 score from what they said. Did we get it wrong? Please report it, we'll fix it.
Tabletop Bellhop, Tabletop BellhopVideo

“Pillars of the earth does feel like one of those older early 2000s euros but there's enough neat little things in there but it's very much a europe you're you're not you don't feel like you're building a cathedral you don't feel like you're involved in the novels”(29:00)

70
InferredThis reviewer didn't give a numbered score. We read the review and inferred a 0–100 score from what they said. Did we get it wrong? Please report it, we'll fix it.
Man vs Meeple, Man vs MeepleVideo

“It's a good game it's a solid game um the mechanics make sense to um to play it just doesn't make sense to the theme for me I guess is what I'm saying so that is Pillars of the Earth um I would highly suggest it if you're into worker placement games give it a shot”(14:36)

70
InferredThis reviewer didn't give a numbered score. We read the review and inferred a 0–100 score from what they said. Did we get it wrong? Please report it, we'll fix it.
Roll For Crit, Roll For CritVideo

“Ultimately I like this game, I would play it again, but it's just not really my kind of thing.”(3:46)

60
StatedThis reviewer gave their own score. We only converted it to our 0–100 scale.
Chairman of the Board, Chairman of the BoardVideo

“It's a fine game, gets about, you know, a six out of ten for me, certainly not bad in any context, but in a gig marketplace that's so saturated this one just doesn't hold up as well as it could.”(14:40)

60
InferredThis reviewer didn't give a numbered score. We read the review and inferred a 0–100 score from what they said. Did we get it wrong? Please report it, we'll fix it.
Rahdo Runs Through, Rahdo Runs ThroughVideo

“It's a really fun fresh Twist on work rep placement even to this day even though worker placement is now probably the number one Euro mechanism there is”(0:55)

55
InferredThis reviewer didn't give a numbered score. We read the review and inferred a 0–100 score from what they said. Did we get it wrong? Please report it, we'll fix it.
Meeple and the Moose, Alex McKenzieArticle

“In the end, The Pillars of the Earth was a fine game to play. We had fun for the two hours it took us to learn and play, but when we were finished, we all agreed that we wouldn't choose to come back to it.”

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