Hello!
Thanks for stopping by! I’m Eliza, and I when I’m not reading or glued to Netflix I love playing board games! I found it hard to build up a collection of games that were really great with only 2 players, so now I’ve found them, I want to share them!
Today I’m reviewing Azul.
This is a game I’ve wanted for so long, because it’s soooo pretty. Look at it….
The basic premise is to tile you mosaic floor in a way that will win you more points than your opponent. Azul is a turn based competitive game that is all about strategy and I absolutely LOVE it. It’s quick, visual, strategy heavy and different every time.
Time to Play: 30-45 minutes
As soon as a player completes a horizontal row, the game is over. That sounds like a short game but it can actually take longer than you’d think, especially if both players are trying to ramp up their score by laying more tiles. Taking my husbands epic Analysis Paralysis into account as usual, we can complete a game in about 45 minutes. I reckon you could do it in 30 easily enough.
Strategy Vs Luck: 75% Strategy, 25% Luck
One of my favourite things about this game is that there are only a few scenarios where luck will completely ruin your game. It’s easy to adapt to the tiles that come out of the bag right up until the last few rounds, and unless you’re on the receiving end of a lot of tiles you can’t place, there are few big surprises during gameplay.
Replayability: 7/10
When you’ve played this game a lot I think you develop a strategy, and if you’re playing with the same person you’ll start to learn how they play. Although, this game does force you to ‘play your own game’ instead of trying to block others. My husband has tried to play by blocking me instead of furthering himself – he lost 😊
Faff Factor: Low
This game is easy to learn, teach, set up and tidy away. You do need a bit of space, so not one you can take to the pub easily, but you can sit side-by-side etc as you’re not hiding anything from each other.
More than 2 Players? Yes!
We’ve played this with 3 and 4 players very successfully. It’s quick to teach to new people and probably has more replayability with higher numbers of players.
Cost: ££ (Under £30)
Azul is currently listed on Amazon under £30 but for a long time it was over £35.
Conclusion: 8/10
I love this game. It’s fresh, pretty and tactical. And I win more often than Paul. Even the cat is a fan.
About the Author:
When Eliza Raine isn't playing board games, she's the author of the debut series; Skies of Olympus. Get the first episode FREE now!
