Courtisans Review
Advert: this game was gifted by Hachette Board Games UK, this has not affected our opinion.
We all make mistakes, myself included. One example of my bunkum, was at the UK Games Expo last year. I rushed around press night and stomped the halls with the imprudence that I have enough games and did not need anything new without trying it first. Despite Courtisans being on my list of games to look out for in my UKGE 2024 feature, I didn’t pick up a copy.
Of course, you fast forward a little bit and I play it and want my own copy… only to discover it is sold out EVERYWHERE. Well at Waterstones at least, who had exclusivity of the first printing. It became my most played game of 2024 that I didn’t own. But that has changed and it now sits happily on my shelf, what’s more, I can now share my opinions on it for you!
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Setup
It’s not often I iron my shirts or any item of clothing, but before my first play I found myself compelled to iron the roll-out fabric playmat so it sits nicely on the table. Then, you need to shuffle the main deck of character cards extremely well and remove some cards depending on player count. Finally, deal each player a green and a white secret scoring objective card, et voila! Set up is complete!
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Gameplay
On your turn you will play all three cards in your hand, one to the Queen’s table which will affect influence, one to another player, and one to yourself.
The central Queen’s table (or play mat) is how you will attempt to manipulate the favour of the families. If you place a card above the table, that adds a positive and if you place a card below it adds a negative. When the draw deck of cards runs out the game ends. You will then total the number of cards above and below for each family and work out if they are esteemed or fallen from grace. If tied, they are neutral.
Once favour has been established, you will tally points for the cards in front of you. Players will gain a point per card for esteemed family cards and lose a point per card for those disgraced.
In addition to this, there are a few special types of card that mix things up ever so slightly. The spy is placed facedown and cannot be looked at wherever it is placed until the end of the game. The assassin can kill another card in the area it is played, if played on an opponent, or to the middle, the player gifting it can select the card to be killed. The noble is worth two cards at the end of the game and the Guard cannot be eliminated, so once played they cannot be removed.
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What it’s like
I always appreciate a game with simple yet tantalisingly tricky decisions to make. Courtisans is a prime example of this and is a snappy little game to play. Having three cards in your hand generally means you can plan your turn in advance. Only deviations around the central play mat will add potential curve balls to your plans.
You will also be invested in other player’s turns, looking to see how they influence the market and what they keep for themselves. You’ll also be checking a crappy card hasn’t come your way or a family you are invested in doesn’t fall from favour! Sometimes you will keep an eye for a personal objective, and so Courtisans keeps you engrossed.
I generally prefer Courtisans at a higher player count, but that can make it a little more swingy, in terms of controlling favour. However, it also allows for more allegiances amongst players. This in turn, creates interaction which I think is important for a game of this nature, you want to laugh when another player is handed a card worth negative points and be affronted when it is passed to you instead of someone else.
At two players Courtisans surprised me. It was a slightly different game as there was no choice as to who to give a card to, which made it interesting. I would happily play it at two players, but I do have better that I would rather suggest ahead of it. Therefore, if you only regularly play at two, this may not be for you. I like it at three or more, although when five players are all vying for favours around the Queen’s table it can feel tricky to complete the personal objectives.
The one thing I found difficult both when being taught the game and when teaching the game is explaining why you play cards where. It is so simple, and yet the scoring for me, and other people, can take a game for it to click and make sense. Once it does (and it will after just one play) you’ll immediately want to play again! It’s quick enough that you can and probably will!
The age rating of eight plus feels pretty accurate too.
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Table Presence
The illustrations are cool for each faction, the combination of animal and human are beautifully juxtaposed on each oversized card. Although if anyone wants to willingly collect toad man during the game for its appearance, I would be surprised!
The cards are a really nice quality and feel good in your hand. The iconography of the special cards is also perfectly clear and I appreciate how the character art differs slightly to reflect this too.
The play mat is fine and has a good illustration printed on it, but slightly annoying with its bumps and ripples. Like I mentioned, I actually bothered to iron mine, but every time it is rolled for storage the ends annoyingly curl a little bit.
I can’t comment on the rulebook, it looks fine, but having played it so many times before reading it, I don’t think I can really judge it fairly on this occasion. Call me old fashioned, but I would’ve liked a little score pad in the box. I will also say that Courtisans packs away very nicely.
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What the kids thought
Max (10): It’s a really fun game, I love the way the different cards work and how it is easy to tell which one is which. The art is quite nice and I like the gold shine on the cards. Sometimes it gets a bit mean but it’s kinda part of the game so it’s less annoying.
George (14): It’s a very colourful game. I particularly like mucking people up and passing them negative points. I like the Spy cards as no one knows what they are until the end of the game and they can really make the tables turn. Courtisans is a cool game.
Harrison (16): Courtisans is one of my favourite games with market manipulation. I really like the twist with the hidden information of spies and goal cards. I like how the families constantly change from positive to negative and back again.
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Final thoughts on Courtisans
The visual appeal of the cards with the foil decoration hooked me in, and I was sold after my first game of Courtisans. The simple decision making of playing just three cards on a turn may leave some feeling they aren’t doing enough. However, I respect this beautiful balance of simplicity vs strategy as it is an element that I always admire with board games.
The visual beauty of the game masquerades a malevolent undertone. Being mean and giving cards that will lose players points, or affecting the Queen’s table negatively is a big part of the game. I revel in this, and what Courtisans does cleverly is insures the meanness is contained and, more often than not, not too devastating. Passing a bad card might cost that player two points, negatively affecting a family around the table may cost more. Often though it can be undone, with assassins or other clever placement around the Queen’s table. Those additional powers really elevate the game and help manipulate the meanness!
Courtisans is a really good game that is delightfully smooth to play. With an RRP of £20 it comes in at a pretty good price point considering the price of many games these days! I can see the cost per play coming right down for those who decide to pick up a copy as it will get played often!
Key Facts
Number of players: 2 to 5
Board Game Review Recommended Age: 8+
Publisher’s Recommended Age: 8+
Playing Time: 21 minutes
Setting Up and Take Down Time: 1 minute
Designers: Romaric Galonnier and Anthony Perone
Publisher: Catch Up Games / Hachette Board Games UK
RRP: £20.00
Summary
Courtisans became one of the most played games I didn’t own because it was so enjoyable yet easy to pick up and play with friends at board game meetups. It has just the right dollop of interaction to keep things spicy but friendly. I guess what I am trying to say is that if Courtisans was a snack, it would be Chili Heatwave Doritos!
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Artwork and Components
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Complexity
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Instructions
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Interaction
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Value for Money
Overall
Pros
- Gold foil on the cards
- Offers a platform for fun interaction
- Some of the card abilities
- Offers good bang for your buck!
Cons
- Explaining why you play cards during a teach
- The curling game mat
- The toad character!
- Can be swingy at higher player counts
Need more games?
If you already own Courtisans and enjoy it, or are looking for other inspiration, you might also like these similar games:
- Hidden Leaders
- Night of the Ninja
- Air, Land and Sea
- Kitsu
Buy Courtisans
If you want to buy Courtisans after reading our review click on one of our affiliate links below (note there has been no affiliate links until this point)
Reviewer’s Note
For clarity: we don’t get paid for our reviews. However, we were kindly gifted this game by Hachette Board Games UK. We have tried not to let this affect our review in any way.
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