Archaeology: The New Expedition is a push-your-luck, set collection game.

Title: Archaeology: The New Expedition

Year Published: 2016

Designer: Phil Walker-Harding

Publisher: Z-Man Games

Players: 2-5

Game Time: ~20 mins

Set-up Time: ~3 mins

Ages: 10+

Theme: Egypt (Possibly in the late 1800s, the early 1900s)

Mechanisms: Push your Luck, Set Collection

How to win: Make the most money by selling sets of treasures to the Museum.

Game Description

You are an archaeologist working the dig sites of the Egyptian desert. Search for the right pieces to complete torn parchments, broken pots, and other priceless artifacts. Explore an ancient pyramid in the hope of uncovering a huge stash of treasure! Trade shrewdly at the local marketplace to increase the value of your collection. Sell your treasures to the museum at just the right time for maximum profit.

But beware, the desert also has its dangers! A devastating sandstorm can throw your expedition into disarray, and cunning thieves lurk around the dig site ready to steal your prize discovery!

Set Up, Game Play & Game End

Archaeology: The New Expedition Round-Up

The game is very simple…

You draw a card and deal with it. The only card you draw that adds any rules complexity (if you can even call it that) are the sandstorm cards which only add an extra set of rules that you complete once each, then continue as normal.

The hardest part of this is slowing the players down, making sure the ‘Use your tent?” and “Discard cards” portion of the Sandstorm resolution is done in turn order. Initially, it doesn’t seem to matter but it can change what you might do and which cards you might discard…

Oh well.

Once you’ve dealt with your drawn card then you have a few simple yet interesting choices.

If you have maps do you use them? Each Monument works differently but most reward you for hoarding more than one Map card. However, if someone takes the ‘lower’ options of the Monument you could miss out.

When trading with the Market are you taking what you need, are you giving away stuff you might need later or even worse, giving away cards other players need.

Then, do you sell partial sets or hold on to them for a bit in the hope you get a full one?

Sense says hold on to them but what if a Sandstorm comes and ruins your hand?

Do you have a tent? Then maybe you’re safe… maybe. If you have half a good hand and half junk then you can take the hit…

So each part of the game is simple but each comes with several things to consider.

Archaeology: The New Expedition Rating

A very fun light game with enough tension to keep you thinking without making you uncomfortably nervous!

I give it 7/10

Archaeology: The New Expedition First Impressions November 2016

You collect and play cards in sets and these sets, once placed, can’t be added to or stolen from so your cards are safe from Sandstorms and Thieves… Is the set worth as much as it could be?

Do you hold onto 4 of a kind hoping for a 5th? What if a sandstorm comes, do you have cards to discard? Should you use your tent?

Every turn is tense until you finally use your tent, or the allotted number of Sandstorm cards runs out then you either submit or relax…

It’s a fun quick-playing game that has the downside of needing different deck setups for each player count from 2 to 5, then this deck needs SERIOUS shuffling…

Harder to set up than games like No Thanks! and Dodekka.

But, cheap, small, fun, I like it.

Jesta ThaRogue