Eight-Minute Empire is a little card-driven area control game with a touch of set collection.

But is it good? and how is the digital version?

A quick game that implements the Civilization/Exploration theme using card-driven area control.  Players spread through the map in order to collect points at the end of the game by having majorities in regions and continents.

Eight-Minute Empire Gameplay

In Summary, Eight-Minute Empire is a card driven area control and set collection game where you expand over a map to fight to control territory.

Theme

So this is Germany taking over Europe right? When you play on the Europe map that’s what’s happening 🙂

There a lots of different maps that are fantasy based and I’m not sure what the different player colours are supposed to represent. Every ‘Race/Nation/Country/Empire’ seems to start in the same place and expands outwards.

Doesn’t make sense but also, doesn’t matter.

Components & Artwork

Looks very standard. This was one of Red Ravens first games and their more recent games have more effort put in. I mean, cubes? Standard cubes? What a let down.

Also, never been a fan of the Ryan Laukat art style. Not saying it’s bad, it’s just not for me.

Eight-Minute Empire Summary

Positives

It’s a very fun and simple game to play. Take a card and do the thing on the card while trying to control territories, continents and collect resources. Simple.

Having those 3 targets to score points gives you plenty to think about. But, it’s not overwhelming or too AP inducing because you know you need to spread out and collect resources to score.

The card selection of only being able to take 1 action is really tough. You want to recruit AND move in one turn, but you can’t. You’d love to build a Castle but that’s your whole action for this round if you do. That’s 1 of the 7-13 you’ll take in the game depending on the player count.

It’s nice and tight game, but very fun and it helps that the short play time means it doesn’t out stay it’s welcome.

Negatives

Not a fan of the Red Raven art style.

A game is more than 8 minutes, even digitally. I played three games with five players and t took just under 40 minutes. The first game was a learning game but still…

The physical game components look average. Give me mini meeples rather than cubes!

I’m not sure when I’d play it? I usually prefer my filler games more fun and random rather than this deep.

Summary

I called this “El Grande Light” on the live stream and that’s about right. A card-driven area control game where the card you take lets you do something, but not everything.

For a 15 minute game it’s the perfect game so something so light, but gives you plenty to think about.

Jesta ThaRogue