Origins: First Builders Review

boardgamequest.com:

We review Origins: First Builders, a dice worker placement game published by Boards and Dice. In Origins: First Builders, players will be using dice as workers to try and build up their empire.

They came from the stars. Who exactly? Well, the Builders from out there in the galaxy. They’ve pointed to a star cluster, but we’ve been unable to spot it in the night sky while their motherships hover above our humble villages. The resulting illumination nearly blinds us if we look up for too long.

They chose us. Why exactly? We originally thought it was because of our connection to this earth, to the rich soil, the fertile valleys, and rivers. Or maybe because we have deeply rooted rituals that delight them. But rumors reach our ears that it may be due to our limited capacity for advancing our civilization beyond the hunting and gathering we enjoy so much. Yet we ask ourselves, do we really need parlors and temples to be better humans?

The Builder’s influence spreads. And now they are ready to influence you, too. Origins: First Builders is a dice placement and euro civilization game designed by Adam Kwapiński and published by Board & Dice. One to four players can become an Archon to assist alien races in bettering humanity’s prospects.

Players begin with a leader, called an Archon, one of each resource type as well as a palace and agora building. They draft two starting dice from a pool of color and value options. The five main color types utilized during play are blue, orange, purple, red, and yellow. These colors are important in all decisions made throughout.

The mainboard features five distinct areas that are all influenced by the sixth main area, which features encounter sites connected to a uniquely colored mothership