Beowulf: The Legend

Bid skill cards in auctions that retell the Beowulf legend, and win the fame to succeed him as king.

Designer: Reiner Knizia
Published by: Editrice Giochi
Editions by: Fantasy Flight Games, KOSMOS, Esdevium, Sophisticated Games

Beowulf: The Legend, by Reiner Knizia, plays out the old English epic as a series of auctions: the hero helps the Danish king against Grendel, goes home to become king himself, and meets his end against the dragon. You are one of Beowulf's comrades, trying to become the most renowned warrior and succeed him. In each event, you bid by offering cards that stand for skills such as fighting and cunning, and by pushing your luck on how much to commit. Win the auction and you earn glory, lose and you may pay for it. Not to be confused with Knizia's Beowulf: The Movie Board Game. This one is a lean, sixty-minute fight over fame, best with a full table of five.

Auctions that follow the Beowulf legendBid with skill cards, push your luckReiner Knizia design, best with five

Who it's for

You like auction games with a bit of bluffing, and you want a Knizia design wrapped in a mythic story.

Not for you if…

You want a board-game spectacle or dislike bidding. It is a card auction game, and it works best with more players.

Vibe's take

Tense and bluffy, with a lot of decisions per card. You are always reading what others will commit and deciding when it is worth burning your best cards.