Eight minutes, my ass

Eight-Minute Empire coming on September 5th

iOS, Android, PC/Mac/Linux •

This might come as a shock to you, but I have a few board games stowed away in my basement that I have yet to play. Actually, it might be a few dozen. Yep, brand new games, still in shrink wrap, just waiting for someone to come and play with them. My basement is basically the Island of Misfit Toys, but without that creepy Charlie-in-the-box. One of the games that remains unplayed is Eight-Minute Empire by Red Raven Games. I think I picked it up because it’s a 4X-style game that plays in slightly longer than eight minutes, but my wife will tell you I picked it up because I have a mental disorder that forces me to continually buy games. Whatever. Anyway, it’s coming to mobile soon so, while my copy will remain in shrink, I might actually get a chance to play it.

Eight-Minute Empire is, as I mentioned, a 4X game that’s been stripped of many of the mechanisms that can make the genre a complicated mess. As such, it boils the 4X gameplay down to area control and set collection. Cards are drafted and contain actions which allow you to spread your empire as well as resources that give points at game’s end. You only get points for resources if you have sets, however, forcing you to choose between actions that propel your armies forward, or resources that can help you score points.

The digital version of Eight-Minute Empire is being done by Acram Digital, who you may remember as the developer behind a slightly more complex euro port, Steam: Rails to Riches. The digital version is releasing on September 5th for iOS, Android, and PC/Mac/Linux. They put out a call for beta testers quite a while ago, but the application is still open. Not sure if they’re still selecting, but it can’t kill you to head here and sign up and see if it goes anywhere.

The digital version will have both solo play vs. an AI and online asynchronous play. It will also have pass-and-play for the three of you out there who look for that sort of thing (I’m one of the three, by the way). I’m not entirely sure, but screenshots seem to indicate that the digital version will also include the Europe expansion, which allows you to play in Europe instead of the generic maps featured in the original game.

Check out the trailer below, and we’ll try and get a review up on September 5th to let you know if Eight-Minute Empire is worth your eight minutes.

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Notable Replies

  1. Avatar for js619 js619 says:

    I’ve never played this one but I’m psyched for the app - the cardboard has pretty good reviews.

    Any word on synch vs asynch? Does it lend itself to asynch? Would answering this require cracking the shrink wrap, @Neumannium?

  2. It will have asynchronous multiplayer.

  3. I’ve played this once on the table, back in 2015.

    I do remember enjoying it, but never got the chance to play it again.

    So I’m definitely looking forward to the app!

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