Luthier review

Paverson Games | 1 to 4 players | 12+ | 90 to 150 minutes

In this strategic game, published by Paverson Games, you are taken back to the golden age of classical music in Western Europe. Each player represents a family of skilled craftspeople trying to earn prestige by fulfilling commissions from patrons, organising performances and repairing instruments.

After setting up the game board and player boards, players take turns choosing a location to send their workers to. Think of the salon, where you attract new patrons; the guild, where you get new instrument designs; the stage, where you show off the value of your instruments; the workshop for repairs; and the balcony, where you gain recognition from the elite. In addition, each player has two spaces of their own on their player board: the workbench.

During the activation phase, the locations are carried out one by one. The value of your workers counts here: whoever commits the highest value gets to act first. You can also visit the market to buy or sell resources, or hire helpers who strengthen your actions. Throughout the game you advance on three tracks: performance, craftsmanship and reputation. These tracks give bonuses and help you further in the game.

At the end of each round, the turn order is adjusted, you take back your workers, the market is refreshed and new cards come onto the table. After six rounds comes the final scoring. You earn points for performances, completed commissions, instruments built, personal goals and leftover resources. The player with the most prestige wins.

Impressions

This was one of the games that caught my eye straight away at Spiel Essen last year, so I was very curious to see how it would play. I expected a heavy game, and so it proved. Even so, it is easy enough to learn. The rulebook is clear and the special starter mode guides you step by step.

At its core, Luthier is a worker placement game with an interesting twist. You choose not only where to place your workers, but also at what value. That value determines the order in which actions are carried out. This creates tension, because not everything is available every round. Sometimes things go against you, but that is exactly what makes your choices matter more.

The different locations and progress tracks give you room to choose your own strategy. You can go in different directions, depending on what you want to achieve. The performance locations add an extra layer, because you have to meet certain requirements with dice. So there is a bit of luck involved, but you have plenty of ways to steer it and build a strong strategy around performances.

The theme and the artwork really bring the game to life. Throughout the game you come across historical figures such as Francesca Caccini, Mozart, Leopold II and Queen Victoria, which adds extra atmosphere at the table. The quality of the components is high. Beautiful cards, wooden pieces and even a cardboard conductor's baton that turns out to be surprisingly handy when explaining the game.

The game works well solo too. The solo mode offers an extra challenge and plays smoothly. Luthier is a substantial game with lots of choices. It is less suitable for beginners, but for fans of deeper games it is a fine addition. It is a game you get to know better the more you play it, and one that invites you to bring it back to the table.