The Cartaventura series of games takes you back to a period of history to relive the lives of a specific person from that period and rewrite their story by making your own decisions and choosing your own actions.
Growing up, I always enjoyed choose your own adventure books, so when I came across this concept as a card game, I couldn't resist giving them a try.
First Impressions
I was initially surprised at how small the box was, for some reason in my head it was a much bigger game but with just a deck of story cards, I'm not too sure why I thought it would be larger. The blurb on the back of each era, gives very little away as to where the stories can go, so unless you know that particular point in history and the life the chosen person led, there's no clue as to where you might go. That being said, I'm glad it didn't give anything away as it made the game more exciting not knowing what was coming up. Upon opening the box, the cards inside are of a really good quality, they are nice and sturdy and have a lovely smooth finish to them. Depending on which era you go for, the cards may be wrapped in plastic or in a paper band. It's really nice to see the transition away from plastic with the newer renditions being created.
Game Play Overview
The Cartaventura games are narrative adventures, meaning that you'll read the text on a card, resolve the effects, make some choices and progress the story. Depending on the choices you make, the line the story takes will differ and generally there will be 5 different ways to end the game. There's not necessarily a win or lose scenario, however there are definitely better outcomes that you're aiming for in each of them and worse one's that you're trying to avoid. As you're playing there are 4 different types of cards that you may come across; Urgent cards (denoted by a lightning bolt) which must be fully resolved when revealed, Action cards (denoted by a cog) which will be placed around Map cards (denoted by a map symbol) based on the compass and numbers shown on the map card or as directed by another card. Lastly, there are object cards (denoted by a hand) which get placed in front of the players and can be used at a later point in the game (or may never be needed depending on which path you take). The cards all explain how much to read, what your choices are and what else you need to do and when you reach the final card, it makes it clear that the game has come to an end and gives you a resolution.
Pros and Cons
This is a great game to relax with whilst sipping on a nice hot coffee. It certainly isn't a heavy weight game and whilst it can be played with up to 6 players, we've found that it generally works best as a solo game or with 2 players. As I mentioned previously, the card quality is really good and I found that it was not only a fun light weight game, but also provides a mini history lesson in the box and shines the spotlight on some prominent historic figures who get lost amongst the crowds. Plus with 5 different resolutions and several ways of getting to each, you can play the game several times trying different combinations and revealing new cards.
Final Verdict
Overall, I've really enjoyed trying out several of the Cartaventura series of games. I personally find them quite relaxing and feel they are a great solo game for taking to a coffee shop and watching the world go by. If you're looking for a meatier game or one to play with a group, you probably want to look at another game, but for those quiet alone downtimes, I highly recommend popping this game in your bag and taking some time to unwind.
In conclusion, we would rate this game an 8.9/10
If this sounds like a game for you, you can pick up your very own copy of it here:
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