As the saying goes… traditions are just experiments that worked. And Resafa feels like one of those classic Euro games that ran a successful experiment a long time ago and decided, “Yep, this is it. No need to reinvent the wheel.” It knows exactly what it is, sticks to its strengths, and delivers a solid, efficiency-driven experience. But in a sea of well-oiled, cube-pushing machines, does it do enough to stand out?
The game gives you just three rounds, which means exactly 18 actions. That’s it. No endless engine-building, no room for indulgence- just 18 carefully planned moves. That may sound like quite a bit but because of the action cards and the round structure, you will see each card three times at the most. In this unforgiving economy, each card you play is as valuable as a drop of water in a desert and you don’t want to waste a single one.
I’ll provide a little more context. You start with six dual-sided cards that dictate all your actions. The game unfolds over three rounds, each divided into two phases. In the first phase, you play three cards; in the second, you use the remaining three. Yada yada, the moral of the story is that every card must be used wisely. If you plan to specialize and score big in a particular zone, your strategy needs to be set in stone from the very start.
The tension reminds me of The White Castle, where the fun isn’t so much in amassing resources as it is in squeezing every ounce of efficiency out of a limited number of turns. If you flounder, you’re going to feel it. For example, in the solo game, I tried various focused strategies across five games. The rulebook says a score of 150 is “okay”. The highest I scored was 120. It’s an exercise in controlled precision, and if that kind of gameplay speaks to you, you’ll probably have a great time.
One of the more interesting dilemmas in Resafa is the choice between grabbing immediate bonus cards for quick resources or saving up for the more powerful special cards. It’s the age-old conundrum: do you take the quick fix or hold out for long-term gains? The special cards feel like they’re worth it, but you can’t get them all. Which ones do you gun for? Does this dictate what the rest of your actions should be, to maximize your powerful card potential? That’s the big question. Either way, it’s a compelling decision space.
Let’s take a closer look at a few of the main actions. First I want to talk about the Trade action. This pick-up-and-deliver mechanic deserves a special mention because, frankly, I thought I was done with that mechanic after Devir’s Sand. But here, it actually works. And that’s because it’s far from being the whole enchilada. It’s a well-crafted piece of a broader puzzle. It takes a little work to earn but you get a satisfying payout that makes your effort well worth it.
Then there are the canals. The way the Canal action works in this game forced me to unlearn basic physics. They don’t have to visually connect in a way that makes any logical sense, which means I had to stop trying to interpret them like a normal human being and just accept the rules as written. Mechanically, it works. Intuitively? Absolutely not. It’s a minor mental hurdle, but one that makes the canal mechanics feel not quite as smooth as the rest of the game.
The canals are arguably the most interactive element in Resafa, and a fair bit more interactive than a lot of modern Euros. It’s not full-blown warfare though. Often, merging your canal with an opponent’s can net you just as many if not more points. However, whether you choose to pursue the winding paths of the canals or the more straightforward avenues of trade, the lesson seems pretty clear: commit to one, because half measure will only leave you with half the payoff.
And then there’s the art. While not everyone will fall head over heels for its nostalgic, early-2000s Euro charm, I find a peculiar comfort in its retro aesthetic. Would I have been more enamored with the game if it had different artwork? Maybe. But a fresh coat of paint wouldn’t change the fact that Resafa is a mechanically sound, well-designed Euro with solid, dependable mechanics.
I came into Resafa as a Suchy noob, half expecting fireworks to accompany his signature mechanical flair. Initially, I found a game that was good and reliable, yet not quite the “wow” factor that would make me drop everything and shout “revolution” from the rooftops.
But here’s what’s interesting to me: over the past few weeks, this game has been living rent free in my mind. What started out as a beige Euro, has gradually unfurled into a subtle, clever puzzle. The mental effort required to master the special card tracks and card market became addictive, and with each play, my appreciation for its understated brilliance grew.
The depth in Resafa isn’t screaming at you on the first play…it’s more of a whisper that grows louder the longer you spend with it. Things like flipping trading tiles or focusing on collecting more scarab trading posts may seem small at first, but can make a big difference in your score.
I do have a soft spot for the weird and unconventional in my games, and while Resafa isn’t the wild eccentric of the board game world, it is refreshingly pure in its approach. Its card play is the heartbeat that keeps you coming back for more, making sure each session is a delightful brain teaser.
So, while Resafa may not set the world ablaze with revolutionary mechanics, it executes its tried-and-true formula with excellence. It respects the traditions of the Euro genre and offers a tight, compelling action economy. It’s not reinventing the wheel, but it’s as dependable as a trusty camel in a sandstorm…steady, unpretentious, and…something else. Idk, I’ve never actually been on a camel in a sandstorm.
Andy