Empire's End

Reverse-bid your way through famine, floods and barbarians to steer a civilization through its collapse.

Designer: John D. Clair
Published by: Brotherwise Games
Editions by: Lucky Duck Games, Gém Klub Kft., Maldito Games, Broadway Toys LTD, Nice Game Publishing

Your civilization is at the height of its power, and now you have to keep it from falling apart. Empire's End is a bidding game with a twist, in the spirit of No Thanks: each round brings a disaster such as famine, flood or barbarians, and the player who ends the bidding has to take it, which devastates one of their territories. Every catastrophe makes your people wiser and more resilient, though, so suffering has a payoff. Around that sits engine-building, hand management and long-term planning, with several routes to victory and a quick tempo. A game takes about an hour for two to four players, ages 13 and up. Released in 2023.

Reverse bidding decides who takes the disasterEngine-building and long-term planningMultiple paths to victory in a quick tempo

Who it's for

You like bidding games where passing at the right moment matters, and you want an engine under the tension.

Not for you if…

You want a gentle empire builder with no setbacks. Disasters hit hard, and someone always has to eat them.

Vibe's take

Tense and clever, with that No Thanks feeling of not wanting to be the one who takes the blow. Your empire gets tougher with every disaster, so the pain turns into planning.