A Pleasant Climbing Puzzle in Tranquility: The Ascent

Climb the mightiest mountain with a careful selection of different terrain types and values with Tranquility: The Ascent.
Hurray for getting more unplayed solo games to my table! Up next was Tranquility: The Ascent, which had a rough final journey with production and fulfillment. Luckily, it arrived recently and I was excited about this twist on the original! Building a mountain and climbing up it seems to be gathering some traction lately… Time for me to get hiking!
Game Overview
Game Name: Tranquility: The Ascent
Publication Year: 2024
Designer: James Emmerson
Artist: Tristam Rossin
Publisher: Lucky Duck Games
Solo Mode: Included in the Base Game
From the foundation of starting cards, a mountain slowly takes shape with lots of different scenes. Values are vital to managing the available cards and also ensuring that the higher values may be placed closer to the peak. With just the right sort of planning, this can be a successful climb!
First Play
November 29, 2024
Complexity
2
Latest Play
November 29, 2024
Expansions
1
Setup Time
5 Minutes
Lifetime Plays
2
Play Time
15 Minutes
High Score
N/A
Game Area
38" x 20"
Low Score
N/A
A Hidden Message
While I perused the rules and made sure I knew what was going on, I came across a nice little message on the back of one rulebook. Quite thematic and wonderfully hopeful!
There wasn’t too much to learn, which was a good thing. It all came down to planning the card placements.
A lot of the ideas from Tranquility were present, only with a few twists. Different terrain cards had to be adjacent in the same row, and card values offered some limitations.
Plus, different modules created variety… To start with, though, I was happy to simply explore the base game!
Planning Placements
I enjoyed the decisions I had with the cards I kept on drawing. Standard terrain cards were pretty easy, although I had to remember how to manage them.
Bridges helped fill in spaces, yet these must be filled over with the correct card before the peak may be placed.
Campfire cards were also interesting: They helped move existing cards around, but the timing was very important.
My only issue was in how the cards were sort of staggered in the main shape. It was pretty obvious, but my mind didn’t recognize which cards were adjacent at times.
Just Shy of the Peak
Not a bad first attempt! This ended up looking like the silhouette of a mountain range, but I didn’t manage to complete the perfect triangle for a victory. Next time!
I used up some useful cards too early, and also got a little unlucky with the way the deck was ordered.
There were fun moments when it all worked out, though! I just forgot that the solo mode recommends playing with an extra requirement regarding a connected green path.
With my lack of skills, though, I enjoyed the simplest version of this puzzle! Just needed to reset and try again…
Lots of Artistic Details
Although these cards showcase a single scene, a lot of hidden elements may be found! Foxes abound, as do mountain goats… Not surprising with that module!
I thought there might be a few more different pieces of artwork than what was included, but no matter. The terrain types are the most important feature.
Not that I struggled to tell them apart, but unique icons or shapes might have helped to nail home that concept.
It was a pretty nice little game, although I missed the simplicity of the original here and there. Still, lots of fun!
Going the Distance and Stretching a Play Area
To be clear, this play area is a little large but not uncomfortable. It got me thinking about my solo table, though, and how I’m becoming less likely to want to stretch too far across it. Left and right are usually no problem since I have a large area, yet leaning across to the point of getting hurt or even having to partially stand up is not so enjoyable.
Actually, as will be seen in a few posts ahead, I switched my lighting to take up some space and block off the far area for gameplay… I simply don’t enjoy when I can’t have the majority of my game components within easy reach. We’ll see if that makes a difference for any games, but only a couple might have issues, if at all! And it’s much cozier to play games!
Session Overview
Play Number: 1 & 2
Solo Mode: Included in the Base Game
Outcome: 1 Win & 1 Loss
I did it! When the cards cooperated with me some more, I found a way to use them all to reach the top. Awesome! There was a moment when I took this photo and had to replace a card, as I had a couple of the same terrain next to each other. Likely an oddity with how I see some of these patterns… I was a little frustrated about how I didn’t see these rows quite as clearly, but this was very satisfying to pick my way up the slopes to the top. Yeah for a victory!
%
1 Play
Affordability
Price & Value
7
Functionality
Challenges & Mechanics
10
Originality
Design & Theme
4
Quality
Components & Rules
9
Reusability
Achievement & Enjoyment
7
Variability
Distinctness & Randomness
4
+ Pros (Positives)
- Every decision feels meaningful with the way cards must be paid and the layout of the mountain requires planning.
- Filling in the full triangle to form a mountain is quite satisfying with the final placement of the top peak.
- Little details bring the artwork to life with adorable animals and other pleasant outdoor features.
- The included modules look rather interesting with unique challenges to increase the difficulty of gameplay.
- It doesn’t take much effort to begin playing and the solo mode offers a few unique twists to work well.
- Incomplete climbs still result in nice maps that resemble mountain ranges so that losses are still quite pretty.
– Cons (Negatives)
- The play area feels a bit on the large side and grows in a vertical direction that can require a bit of stretching.
- Although the card types are easy to tell apart and form distinct rows, it can be hard to see adjacency at a glance.
- Play time moves along quickly, yet planning the rows requires some more involved thinking for a lighter game.
- The luck of the draw is rather pronounced at times, even taking into account the solo ability to redraw a few times.
Victory Conditions
Complete the Map
- Overall Goal Progress 100%
Goals and Milestones
Win at least 1 game with the base game.
Continue the Conversation
What do you think of Tranquility: The Ascent? Do you have any other mountain-related solo games you’re currently playing? Maybe I’ve seen a few more of these lately, but it seems like exploring these vertical peaks is rather popular! I had a nice time and hope to discover what the modules have to offer in the future. Onward and upward with solo games!
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