Board game review: 8-minute Empire

 This is a review on the board game "8-minute Empire".  This game is an "area control" type board game, it is very simple.  The pieces are variously colored cubes for player that represent the individual's armies.  As the name suggests, the concept of the game is to show, in game format, how quickly empires can rise and fall.  This game is capable of accommodating up to 5 players.  Despite its name, each game that I've played lasted about 20 minutes, rather than 8 minutes - this was with the maximum of 5 players however.  The time of gameplay is likely dependent on the number of available players.  

This game was pretty fun.  It is also a good game for people with handicaps or fine motor control issues.  This is because it is easy to place the individual cubes, plus the game board is relatively small, allowing more space to maneuver, not to mention easy storage.  The playing cards are all pictures and symbols, making it simple to understand and accessible for those who cant read, or who struggle to do so.  I have played this game with my 8 year old nieces, and they were able to grasp the concepts well despite the recommended age of 13. My nieces may be an exception however because, in my totally biased opinion, they are more intelligent than the average 8 year old.  

The setup for the game overall is very fast, especially for those who already know how to play.  The same goes for the cleanup of the game.  It is an excellent option for those who have small children, or perhaps persons with handicaps.  The game is fun, and short - similar to games such as risk or Catan, only simplified.  I highly recommend this game, it cost me about 15$ when it was on sale.