Underwater Cities: Box Cover Front
Underwater Cities - Underwater Cities, Delicious Games, 2018 — front cover (image provided by the publisher) - Credit: W Eric Martin
Underwater Cities - Punchboard player boards from 2019 Rio Grande Games English 2nd Edition (aka 3rd Printing) - Credit: WBuchanan
Underwater Cities - Point of View II - Credit: cirdan
Underwater Cities - Underwater Cities, Rio Grande Games, 2019 — front cover of the second RGG printing (image provided by the publisher) - Credit: W Eric Martin
  1. Underwater Cities: Box Cover Front
  2. Underwater Cities - Underwater Cities, Delicious Games, 2018 — front cover (image provided by the publisher) - Credit: W Eric Martin
  3. Underwater Cities - Punchboard player boards from 2019 Rio Grande Games English 2nd Edition (aka 3rd Printing) - Credit: WBuchanan
  4. Underwater Cities - Point of View II - Credit: cirdan
  5. Underwater Cities - Underwater Cities, Rio Grande Games, 2019 — front cover of the second RGG printing (image provided by the publisher) - Credit: W Eric Martin

Underwater Cities Review

Get ready to build the underwater city of your dreams in Underwater Cities! With its engaging gameplay, stunning artwork, and endless replayability, this immersive board game is a must-have for any strategy game lover.
  • Gameplay Mechanics
  • Components and Artwork
  • Replayability
  • Overall Enjoyment and Satisfaction
4.8/5Overall Score

Quick Summary

Underwater Cities is a captivating board game that combines engaging gameplay mechanics, stunning components, endless replayability, and an immersive underwater theme. Its strategic blend of worker placement and engine building provides players with a wealth of strategic choices, while the detailed illustrations transport players into a vibrant underwater world. The variable player boards, random elements, and expansions ensure that no two games are alike, guaranteeing an addictive and varied replay value. Overall, Underwater Cities offers a rewarding and satisfying gaming experience that is highly recommended for enthusiasts seeking a strategic and immersive journey beneath the waves.

Specs
  • Number of Players: 1-4 players
  • Playing Time: 90-120 minutes
  • Recommended Player Age: 12 years and older
  • Game Designer: Vladimír Suchý
  • Game Publisher: Delicious Games
  • Game Mechanism: Worker Placement, Engine Building
Pros
  • Engaging gameplay
  • Stunning components
  • Endless replayability
  • Immersive underwater theme
Cons
  • Long playing time
  • Complex gameplay for beginners
  • Expansions can be costly
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Overview

Welcome to the exciting world of Underwater Cities! In this review, we will dive deep into the intricacies of this strategic board game and explore what makes it such a beloved title among gaming enthusiasts. Underwater Cities is known for its engaging gameplay mechanics, stunning components and artwork, endless replayability, and overall enjoyment and satisfaction. So, grab your scuba gear and get ready to explore the depths of this captivating game!

How It Plays

Setting Up

Before diving into the underwater city-building adventure, players must first set up the game. This involves laying out the game board, distributing player boards and action spaces, and shuffling the various decks of cards. Each player will receive their own player board, which they will use to manage resources and track their progress throughout the game.

Gameplay

Underwater Cities is played over several rounds, with each round consisting of various phases. Players take turns placing workers on different action spaces to perform actions such as constructing buildings, deploying submarines, and gaining resources. Choosing the right actions while managing resources and maintaining a strategic balance is crucial to success in the game. Throughout the game, players can create tunnels to connect their buildings, constantly expanding and developing their underwater cities.

Winning the Game

The game concludes after a certain number of rounds, depending on the player count. At the end of the game, victory points are calculated based on various factors, including the number of buildings constructed, the length of tunnels, and completed objectives. The player with the most victory points emerges as the winner, their underwater city reigning supreme.

Underwater Cities is a dynamic and immersive game that requires careful planning, resource management, and strategic decision-making. It offers a rich and rewarding gameplay experience, with each playthrough presenting new challenges and options. So, put on your thinking cap, gather your resources, and immerse yourself in the bustling world of Underwater Cities!

Want to know more? Read our extensive strategy guide for Underwater Cities.

Delve into an underwater world and test your strategic thinking with Underwater Cities, a captivating board game with innovative gameplay mechanics.

Engaging Gameplay Mechanics

The game offers a unique blend of worker placement and engine building, providing players with a wealth of strategic options. From the start, you’ll be tasked with making crucial decisions, such as placing workers on action spaces and managing resources effectively.

Diverse Actions and Abilities

Underwater Cities excels in offering a wide range of actions and abilities for players to utilize. Each action space provides distinct benefits, allowing you to construct buildings, deploy submarines, or gain special abilities. With every turn, you’re constantly presented with new choices, creating a dynamic and engaging experience.

Layered Resource Management

A key aspect of the gameplay lies in balancing your resources effectively. Need to construct a new building but short on steel? Utilize your worker actions to gather resources and fulfill the requirements. This element of resource management adds depth to the gameplay, requiring careful planning and adaptive strategies.

Interactive Player Progression

As the game progresses, you’ll witness your underwater city grow and evolve. Constructing buildings and connecting them through tunnels not only earns you victory points but also unlocks various ongoing bonuses. This interactive player progression keeps you invested and rewards your strategic decisions.

With its engaging gameplay mechanics, Underwater Cities ensures a captivating and immersive gaming experience. The carefully designed actions and abilities, layered resource management, and interactive player progression keep you continually engrossed in the game. And now, let’s dive into the next exciting aspect of Underwater Cities: Components and Artwork!

Underwater Cities - Underwater Cities, Delicious Games, 2018 — front cover (image provided by the publisher) - Credit: W Eric Martin

Stunning Components and Artwork

Underwater Cities not only delivers a compelling gameplay experience but also enchants players with its stunning components and artwork. The visual aesthetics of the game are top-notch, immersing you in the underwater world right from the start.

Detailed and Immersive Illustrations

The game board and card illustrations are beautifully crafted, depicting the vibrant underwater cities and intricate ecosystems. Each card showcases meticulous details, bringing the game world to life and enhancing the overall immersion. Whether it’s the colorful marine life or the magnificent city structures, the illustrations are sure to captivate your imagination.

Addictive Table Presence

Underwater Cities features high-quality components that exude durability and professionalism. The thick, sturdy player boards, well-designed tokens, and chunky resource cubes contribute to the addictive table presence. The sheer tactile pleasure of picking up and handling these components adds to the overall enjoyment of the game.

Functional and Intuitive Design

The game components are not only visually appealing but also designed with functionality in mind. From the clear iconography on the cards and player boards to the well-organized storage solutions, everything is thoughtfully arranged, making gameplay smooth and intuitive. This attention to detail enhances the overall gaming experience, allowing you to focus on strategy and immersion.

With its stunning components and artwork, Underwater Cities creates a visually striking experience that truly enhances the gameplay. The detailed illustrations and immersive imagery transport you into the depths of the underwater world, while the high-quality components and functional design contribute to an addictive table presence. And now, it’s time to dive into the next exciting aspect of Underwater Cities: replayability!

Underwater Cities - Punchboard player boards from 2019 Rio Grande Games English 2nd Edition (aka 3rd Printing) - Credit: WBuchanan

Endless Replayability

Underwater Cities excels in providing players with a wealth of replayability, ensuring that no two games are the same. The game offers a multitude of strategic choices, variable setup options, and a constantly evolving game state, keeping you engaged and eager to dive back in for another playthrough.

Multiple Strategy Paths

Underwater Cities provides a variety of strategic paths to explore, allowing players to approach the game in different ways. Whether you prefer focusing on building a bustling network of tunnels, dominating the ocean with powerful submarines, or constructing a prosperous and well-developed city, the game accommodates different playstyles and encourages experimentation.

Randomized Actions and Cards

The game introduces elements of randomness through randomized action selection and card draw. This ensures that each new game presents different options and challenges, forcing you to adapt and strategize on the fly. The combination of random elements and player interactions keeps the game fresh and exciting, making replayability a rewarding aspect.

Variable Player Boards

One of the standout features of Underwater Cities is the inclusion of variable player boards. Each board grants unique abilities and bonuses, encouraging players to try different boards and experiment with new strategies. The inclusion of variable player boards enhances replayability, as it adds an extra layer of depth and complexity to the game.

New Expansions and Content

Underwater Cities continues to evolve and expand with the release of new expansions and content. These expansions introduce new cards, modules, and gameplay elements, providing even more replayability and ensuring that the game stays fresh and intriguing for enthusiasts. With ongoing support from the publisher, there’s always something new to explore in the depths of Underwater Cities.

With its endless replayability, Underwater Cities offers an immersive and dynamic gaming experience that keeps you coming back for more. The multiple strategy paths, randomized actions and cards, variable player boards, and additional expansions contribute to the game’s replay value, making each playthrough exciting and unique. And now, let’s move on to the final section: Overall enjoyment and satisfaction!

Underwater Cities - Point of View II - Credit: cirdan

Overall enjoyment and satisfaction are the ultimate goals of any board game, and Underwater Cities delivers in spades. This game is sure to leave players satisfied and eager for more, with its engaging gameplay, stunning components, endless replayability, and immersive theme.

Exciting and Engaging Gameplay

Underwater Cities provides a captivating and strategic gameplay experience that keeps players fully engaged from start to finish. The blend of worker placement and engine building mechanics ensures that every decision matters and provides ample opportunities for clever strategies and exciting gameplay moments. Whether you’re constructing buildings, deploying submarines, or managing resources, the gameplay is consistently enthralling.

Detailed and Immersive Theme

The underwater world of Underwater Cities is brought to life through its detailed and immersive theme. The stunning components and intricate illustrations transport players into the depths of the ocean, making every action feel significant and meaningful. The game successfully combines mechanics with theme, further enhancing the overall enjoyment.

Addictive and Varied Replay Value

Underwater Cities boasts incredible replay value, thanks to its multiple paths, variable setup, and expansions. The game never feels repetitive or stale, with each playthrough offering new strategic angles and challenges. The unpredictability of randomized actions and cards ensures that no two games are alike, promising endless enjoyment.

Satisfying and Rewarding Experience

Underwater Cities leaves players with a sense of satisfaction and accomplishment. Constructing a thriving and efficient city, while managing limited resources and navigating the various systems, provides a fulfilling experience. The strategic decisions and choices made throughout the game contribute to a rewarding sense of progress and achievement.

Based on its engaging gameplay, stunning components, excellent replayability, and overall satisfaction, Underwater Cities is highly recommended for board game enthusiasts looking for a strategic and immersive experience that keeps them coming back for more.

Underwater Cities - Underwater Cities, Rio Grande Games, 2019 — front cover of the second RGG printing (image provided by the publisher) - Credit: W Eric Martin

Conclusion

In conclusion, Underwater Cities is a standout board game that encapsulates the essence of immersive gameplay and strategic decision-making. With its engaging mechanics, stunning components, and endless replayability, the game ensures an enjoyable and satisfying gaming experience. Whether you are constructing a network of tunnels, deploying submarines, or managing resources, Underwater Cities keeps you engaged and invested in every decision. The detailed artwork and thematic elements further enhance the overall immersion, transporting players into the depths of an underwater world. All of these factors combined make Underwater Cities a must-have for board game enthusiasts seeking a captivating and strategic gaming experience.

And with that, we conclude our review of Underwater Cities. We hope this review provided you with valuable insights into the game, helping you decide if it’s the right fit for your gaming collection. So dive in, expand your underwater empire, and experience the joy and excitement that Underwater Cities has to offer!

4.8/5Overall Score
Jamie in his proper element: With all of his board games
Jamie Hopkins

With years of dice-rolling, card-flipping, and strategic planning under my belt, I've transformed my passion into expertise. I thrive on dissecting the mechanics and social dynamics of board games, sharing insights from countless game nights with friends. I dive deep into gameplay mechanics, while emphasizing the social joys of gaming. While I appreciate themes and visuals, it's the strategy and camaraderie that truly capture my heart.