Geek Attitude Games announces card game Bruxelles 1897

Geek Attitude Games has announced Etienne Espreman’s card game sequel to Bruxelles 1893 (2013), Bruxelles 1897. The original Bruxelles 1893 is a critically acclaimed worker placement game taking place during the height of the Art Nouveau movement. Players spend money to collect art, acquire building materials to construct a house, find patrons, and sell art for money and prestige. The worker placement is modular, with elements of worker control and bidding embedded into the structure of the board.

In Bruxelles 1897, the essence of the game is retained, although this card game version is shorter, more streamlined, and some may argue, more elegant. The workers are replaced with a hand of worker cards, each double sided with two money costs, eg. 1/3 or 2/4 francs. The board is now a grid of cards representing actions achievable in the Art Nouveau area.  Players take one of their worker cards, pay whichever cost they select, then replace a card in the grid with their card. By collecting these cards, players can gain art pieces or building materials, build buildings, or hire patrons. The amount of money that was spent is therefore easily seen in the grid, and players gain bonuses at the end of the round for having spent the most money in a column.

Players can also send their workers to the city, which costs no money, but may land that worker in jail. City actions allow players to activate their patron abilities, gain more money, or collect desperately needed art. One final action is to start an exhibition, in which players display their art for points.

The game continues over 4 rounds, after which the player with the most points has best represented the movement, and is declared victorious. Bruxelles 1897 will be available for purchase at BGG Con, November 20-24, and will come to retail early next year.