Courtisans... Earning the Queen's Favour!

Dive into the Renaissance era in this clever card game where you will try to ensure the families you collect are in positive favor with the Queen. You will need to use wit and cunning in this game to come out on top. Will this game become royalty on our shelves, or will it reside with the peasants? Read on to find out more!

I picked up this game after seeing it at several conventions and hearing a lot of people talking about it in the board game groups I am part of. Due to the buzz, I was intrigued to see what this game was all about and what it was offering that was new so I picked up a copy when I saw it next.

First Impressions

Upon receiving the game, I found the box art a little uninspiring, with the artwork not grabbing me straight away due to its more muted tones. The artwork itself is really nicely detailed, though the feel of the front cover is more that of a painting you would pass by in the hallway of someone's home. The lettering used for the title on the front of the box is the same color as that around the edge of the box. This results in your eye being drawn to the edges of the box, as it is the lightest point and fills a larger area than the letters, which is a real shame because when you do look at the lettering, it has some lovely detail. The reverse of the box, however, has a much better layout and appearance, with the blurb of the game in a dark box with white writing and the title of the game in green against the bone color really popping out. There is a nice synopsis of how the game plays and a handy QR code to teach you how to play, which I think is great. I also found the statistics for player count, age range, and play time really easy to read. Inside the box, the components feel very luxurious, with a fabric game mat and beautiful art on the cards with shiny accents, making it a dream to play with. The care and attention to detail in the components was something that is so nice to see.

Game Play Overview

In Courtisans, you will be playing cards to manipulate the families' positions at the Queen's table in an attempt to score the most points at the end of the game based on what each family's position is and how many cards of that family you have in your personal supply.

At the beginning of the game, each player will be dealt two secret objective cards that they will be trying to complete during the game and a hand of three cards. Neither of these should be shown to any other player. Starting with the first player, the game proceeds by players taking turns until the draw deck is empty.

On a player's turn, they must play all three cards from their hand. One card must be played at the Queen's Table, either above or below the table, depending on if you want the family to have positive or negative influence. Another is played in Your Domain, which is in front of you and will be scored at the end of the game, and the last card is played in your Opponent's Domain to be added to their scoring cards at the end of the game. Some of the cards you play have special abilities you can utilize, such as the Spy, who is placed face down instead of face up and cannot be looked at until the end of the game, as well as the Noble, who counts as two cards instead of one. Once all cards are played, the player then draws back up to three cards, and play passes on to the next player.

Once all cards have been played from the draw deck and no players have cards in hand, the game comes to an end. You then work out which families are Esteemed and who has Fallen From Grace. This is determined by the number of cards above or below the Queen's Table. If the total cards below the table for a family are higher than those above, each player with a card from that family gets minus one point per card. If the total cards above the table for a family are higher than those below, each player with a card from that family earns one point per card. If the total cards are the same above and below the Queen's Table, each family card is worth zero points. You then score your secret missions that you have completed, and the player with the most points is the winner.

Pros and Cons

After playing the game a few times, I can see many positives with it. I like how fast it is to set up and get to the table. Teaching the game is easy and straightforward, and the gameplay is smooth, with the game not overstaying its welcome. There are some "Take That" mechanics in the game, with the assassin removing another card in play when played into an area, so if you don't like "Take That" in games, this one may not be for you. On the upside, there are many ways to turn a disadvantage into an advantage later in the game, which keeps it interesting. Another thing to be aware of with this game is that it can be played with two players, though it is best played with three or more, as the player interaction is a bit more interesting and opens up more strategies between the players.

Final Verdict

Overall, I quite enjoyed this game. It was easy to learn, fast to set up, and quick to play, making it a perfect filler game. I can see this game appealing to groups who enjoy faster-paced games or like to start their evening with a starter game before heading into something more heavy. With the simplicity of the rules and the level of strategy it offers, I can see this appealing to many people. So if you are looking for a new game for your group, I would recommend checking this out if you like this style of gameplay.

In conclusion, we would rate this game a 8.4/10

You can watch how it plays and grab your own copy at:

Courtisans

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