Twilight Inscription

Well folks, it had to be done. Twilight Inscription, comin' at ya!

A Roll & Write based in the Twilight Imperium universe (designed by James Kniffen and published by Fantasy Flight Games), Twilight Inscription looks quite intimidating at a passing glance. Its detailed player sheets (four per player) can appear overwhelming. But, in reality, this game is very manageable. Once you learn the basics of gameplay (a few simple concepts), you'll be able to apply them throughout the game's intricacies in captivating and engaging ways.

Twilight Inscription advertises 1-8 players, with a play time of 90-120 minutes.

Let's step into the review.

Quality - 9/10 - You can feel it when you pick up the game. You can see it in the dice, the cards, and the player sheets. The game has some weight to it, a certain degree of durability. Yet, it doesn't sacrifice function or ease of handling in doing so. When I played Twilight Inscription for the first time, I was dubious about the chalk markers specifically. I've played plenty of Roll & Writes, using both pencil/paper and dry erase markers/boards. But I did not know of any games that used chalk markers, a bright color on a dark player sheet. After having used them in Twilight Inscription, I have to say, I love them. Not only do they work well, but they seem to stay on the sheet better than dry erase. If your hand bumps an area, it's not going to smudge off the mark. The markers show well on the boards, write precisely, keep for a long time (I have not had any issues since I purchase the game over a year ago), and the manual even has a brief blurb that talks about how to use them (allow a few seconds to dry before erasing, for example). Overall, a great quality in all of the game's components.

Artwork - 8/10 - I've got to say, it's hard for me to buy a game that's ugly. So, it makes sense that this would be another beautifully designed game. The bright colors set against the dark backdrop make for a unique and yet still very useable game. This game does a great job using symbols and board organization to promote ease of play as well. The manual, box, and many of the cards all have art that is unique and represents the Twilight Imperium universe in visually imaginative and stunning ways. Anders Finér, Tomasz Jedruszek, Alex Kim, and Stephen Somers did a good job giving the game a space-like feel without being cheesy or one-dimensional. All-in-all, a beautiful game.

Theme - 8/10 - While I have never played Twilight Imperium and cannot speak to the connection there, Twilight Inscription does just fine standing on its own in its theme. As a player, you'll operate as a specific faction (with 24 available options, each with a unique ability that affects game play in interesting ways) seeking to expand your home and influence throughout the galaxy. You can pursue this goal through paths of navigation, expansion, warfare, industry, or any combination of such. Strategy, war, production, and council events occur, prompting responses and decisions to pursue specific areas while leaving others wanting for more resources. As your faction, you must decide - where can you afford to be stingy? What areas of your empire need more attention? What opportunities exist for the most effective outcomes? Will you spend more time navigating through the galaxy, discovering new planets and the fallen capital city of Mecatol Rex? Will you expand their influence on those other planets, finding and claiming valuable resources? Will you invest in infrastructure and economy, spending resources to gain various assets? Or will you build up the strength of your armies, creating units that will preserve your faction during galactic tension? Twilight Inscription does an excellent job incorporating all aspects of the game in a cohesive and understandable theme.

Twilight Inscription also adds a thoughtful note in the manual that describes how different factions approach exploring the galaxy, through many paths from cooperation to colonialism. The manual makes a note that colonialism exists, but does not glorify it in any manner. In fact, the manual even notes that "invaders and oppressors are described as such". However, the mechanics of the game are designed to allow players to progress and succeed in the game without their faction needing to dominate other peoples. I appreciate and respect this note and approach.

Learnability - 8/10 - The organization of how Twilight Inscription teaches its users to play the game is spot on. Plus, it also includes a "Play as You Learn" manual that walks experiential learners through everything from setup through a fifth round of play, exploring all aspects of the game's functions. The game manual itself starts with setup instructions, then explores fundamental concepts of the game briefly before diving into the different aspects of the game play. Following that, it has a section on a few additional rules, game end criteria, solo/two-player rules, and then ends with a page of clarifications to help answer any questions that might come up as you play. Overall, a very well-designed approach to learning the game. Because of this, it is fairly easy to follow and explore the complexities of the game without being burdened by its vast array of choices.

Weight - 8/10 - The game itself has a decent complexity. Voters on Board Game Geek rate it at 3.2/5 for complexity of learning/play. The rating here of 8/10 is not based on complexity, but on how engaging and manageable that complexity is. With that said, I think this game does an incredible job at starting to explore the difficult side of medium complexity. If you can devote yourself to sitting down and focusing on the initial learn without being daunted by the options in front of you at first glance, I think you'll find it well-worth the time. There is a beautiful balance here between the complexity that some lighter games lack and the accessibility that some heavier games lack.

Engagement - 8/10 - Based on the nature of its function, the game can look intimidating at first glance. Because of this, it doesn't draw in nearly as many people as I believe would enjoy it. However, once I played through this game once, I was instantly hooked, playing seven times over the course of the following few weeks. The amount of options was just the right amount for me to want to keep coming back and trying the game a little bit differently to see if I could get more out of it. It also kept me engaged in the middle of gameplay as well, providing a variety of aspects to focus on or pursue, constantly feeling the need to assess and balance my decisions.

Decisions - 9/10 - Yes and yes. I love the level of player agency in this game. I felt fully in control of how I approached the strategy in this game. Even when events were randomly introduced, their effect on the game was based on how I had (or had not) set myself up to succeed for that event's occurrence. Every choice I made was impactful. Every decision influenced my success or failure. Selecting one course of action led to further developments or opportunities in a way that was both satisfying and alluring. This game is one of my favorites for this exact reason.

Mechanics - 8/10 - Most Roll & Writes I have interacted with have had just a few dimensions of play. Roll (or flip) something, record a selection, repeat. This game had secondary actions as a result of those selections that continued to build on their influence. When you roll the dice, you decide where to record those resources, and those resources in turn give you abilities, opportunities, and benefits that impact not just your score, but your success in gameplay during upcoming events as well. This game very successfully balances engaging mechanics with accessible gameplay.

Solo Play - 9/10 - Twilight Inscription has adapted a solo play version of the game that is an absolute success. At no point did I feel like I was missing aspects of the game. There was no time spent soldiering through work-arounds or managing cumbersome tasks for an Automa. The AI opponent is both low-maintenance and provides just enough unpredictability to be constantly engaging as you pursue your objectives. This game is designed in such a way that makes solo play just as enjoyable as shared play, while still being applicable for both. Not every game has that luxury based on its design, and Twilight Inscription takes advantage of that opportunity in the best ways.

Shared Play - 8/10 - Twilight Inscription is beautiful in that all players are playing the game at all times. Rounds pass without idle time taking turns. Each player is invested in taking the time and care to think through their options, so there is not pressure to hurry with your tasks while others are waiting on you. Even if you finish your tasks before another player, that just gives you the opportunity to assess your overall status on your game boards, strategizing for continued play.

Replay Value - 10/10 - The amount of complexity, the variety of faction choices and corresponding abilities, and the options to pursue in gameplay all contribute to being able to play this game over and over without losing interest or becoming repetitive and dull. It is difficult for me to justify giving a game a complete 10/10 score, but I honestly cannot find anything negative to comment about for this criteria. I'm all in for another play, every time.

Twilight Inscription is beautiful and engaging, its choices varied and impactful. I'm very happy to have stumbled upon it, and know that it will keep coming back to my table again and again.

Overall Rating 4.2/5.0

Keep playing, friends.