Penguin Allies from Imperial Settlers: Empires of the North
Explore islands filled with resources to build up a unique clan in a solo scenario with Imperial Settlers: Empires of the North.
If playing solo games tied to certain seasons is a thing, I seem to be going about it in the opposite format, choosing wintry-themed games to play during the summer! Imperial Settlers: Empires of the North has sat unplayed for a couple of years, and it seemed about time to go back to discovering all of the charming artwork again. Onward with penguins!
Game Overview
Game Name: Imperial Settlers: Empires of the North
Publication Year: 2019
Designers: Joanna Kijanka and Ignacy Trzewiczek
Artist: Roman Kucharski
Publisher: Portal Games
Solo Mode: Included in the Base Game
Scenarios provide the main basis for a clan to meet certain goals and encounter special events over 4 rounds. Actions may be taken and buildings take shape, offering up bonus abilities for a clan. Nearby and distant islands provide chances to grow… With the right resources, of course!
First Play
September 22, 2020
Complexity
3
Latest Play
July 26, 2024
Expansions
1
Setup Time
5 Minutes
Lifetime Plays
8
Play Time
25 Minutes
High Score
52
Game Area
26" x 24"
Low Score
32
Short Solo Scenarios
It might be a positive to some, but this solo mode is based on a small set of included scenarios. Each one is different, yet they don’t create a connected campaign.
I wasn’t drawn to a lot of the others that were very much about conflict, because I was going for a quiet time with the Panuk clan! Penguins were my main concern. Ha ha!
Not that I don’t like this format, yet there wasn’t a lot of variety in gameplay, especially with limited content.
Granted, it’s probably difficult for me to love this one when I own so much stuff for Imperial Settlers!
Starting Fields
The artwork was very charming, though, and I smiled at the little scenes depicted on the cards. Yetis are friends, and penguins are skilled at catching fish in buckets. Ha ha!
I didn’t take too long to get reacquainted with the rules. They’re reminiscent of the original game, but with enough differences to definitely offer a different experience.
Choosing actions on the wheel is a neat mechanic with a lot of options, especially with higher costs to do more.
It was fun to explore this new deck, as I never played the Panuk Clan before. Such a cute set of penguins, though!
Whimsical Artwork
There were lots of surprises, and I laughed out loud a lot! Reindeer apparently do more with their speed outside of the holidays, much to the chagrin of other nearby clans!
I also got a kick out of the frozen T-Rex, still in chase mode after all those years. Run, person, run!
But I took a step back and realized I was very focused on enjoying the art. Gameplay didn’t strike me as something that stood out or offered much in terms of neat elements.
Maybe this one would work better if I didn’t love the original so much with all of its varied content.
Building Up the Area
Some neat synergies still popped up, though! I enjoyed figuring out the best ways to play the Panuk Clan.
Each clan is very different, and that seems to be the most interesting discovery. I didn’t feel the need to try out all of the scenarios with each clan, though. I saw enough!
There were a lot of delightful moments as I imagined what each card actually did, especially with helpful polar bears and penguins all over the place. Teamwork, indeed!
Alas, I think my time with this one is done, but it was a lot of fun to play for a handful of plays. Definitely worth it!
Reimplementations and Standalone Sequels
Some of my collection includes a number of solo games that are built off of original games. Many of them are excellent! It’s an interesting dilemma when it comes to figuring out if they all should stick around, though. This one is an example of a reimplementation: A lot of mechanics are similar, yet it stands on its own as a unique game. Very neat!
For me, though, reimplementations sometimes remind me of the originals I love more than the different system. At times, this is helpful, but it can lead to me sort of pining away for a better experience. Ha! It comes down to the game itself, and there are plenty of times when both remain in my collection. This just likely isn’t one of those cases.
Standalone sequels are another related element. These include series like Kilforth and HEXplore It… Have I gone overboard with too much content? Not sure, but I have a lot of worlds to explore in the future!
Session Overview
Play Number: 7 & 8
Expansion: Empires of the North Japanese Islands
Solo Mode: Included in the Base Game
Play Details: Winter is Coming Scenario
Outcome: 38, 52 (2 Wins)
Success! I quickly got the hang of the cards and made sure to prepare for winter a couple of times. It was fun to find the islands, although it was hard to do much conquering with the Panuk Clan. This island was quite helpful, though, and I managed to turn a lot of stone into victory points. Glad I tried it again after all this time on the shelf!
%
1 Play
Affordability
Price & Value
7
Functionality
Challenges & Mechanics
10
Originality
Design & Theme
5
Quality
Components & Rules
10
Reusability
Achievement & Enjoyment
5
Variability
Distinctness & Randomness
7
+ Pros (Positives)
- Each piece of artwork has lots of details and leans towards the cute and cuddly, especially with the Panuk clan.
- There is a neat learning process to figure out how to best play each clan with their unique deck of cards.
- With a random setup for the action wheel, there are different ways each play can progress with action paths.
- Even though the tableau can get a little large, the play area typically doesn’t spread out too much after setup.
- An included tray for the resources acts as a great storage solution that speeds up setup and makes gameplay easier.
- Playing as a clan usually reveals a few strategies to pursue with their decks, as they all have different card choices.
– Cons (Negatives)
- There is limited variety in the solo game, particularly with just a handful of scenarios and a few clans to explore.
- Clever choices pop up every now and then, but gameplay can feel repetitive without a lot of limitations.
- Sailing to distant islands is often one of the must exciting actions, yet not every clan is equipped to do this a lot.
- None of the scenarios are tied together, which feels like a missed opportunity to encourage multiple plays.
Victory Conditions
Complete the Scenario
- Overall Goal Progress 100%
Goals and Milestones
Complete the Outpost scenario.
Complete the Pirate's Den scenario.
Complete the Winter is Coming scenario.
Continue the Conversation
What do you like about Imperial Settlers: Empires of the North? Do you have a favorite clan or solo scenario? I had a nice time trying out one of the clans I hadn’t played yet, although I definitely have a preference for the original game. That’s a valuable lesson, though, along with the fact that I now know penguins are extremely capable allies. Ha ha!
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