Helios

Build temples and cities for the sun god AHAU with glass manastones as currency.

Designers: Matthias Prinz, Martin Kallenborn
Published by: Filosofia Éditions
Editions by: Z-Man Games, Hans im Glück

In Helios you are a high priest of the sun god AHAU, and the power of the sun drives everything you do. You place tiles to build temples and grow your cities, but the raw materials are limited and every piece of temple you add makes the remaining pieces more expensive. Glass manastones are your currency: you spend them on people and on points, so each purchase is a trade between growing now and saving for later. The phase order varies from round to round, and you work with action points rather than a fixed menu. A 2014 build-and-manage game for two to four players, from age 10.

Temple parts get pricier as you buildGlass manastones as currencyPhase order changes each round

Who it's for

You enjoy planning efficient builds under tight resources and like an unusual mythological setting.

Not for you if…

You want direct confrontation or a quick, light pick-up game. This is a planner's game.

Vibe's take

A puzzly build-and-spend game: you juggle scarce materials, rising temple costs and shifting phases, and you are always choosing which investment is worth the price.