This release is a restoration of the Dragonmaster iteration of this game, a reimagining of Coup d’Etat, which in turn was based on a much older and royalty-free game called Barbu (played with a regular deck of cards).
The Italian renaissance setting for this restored version has suits representing a number of powerful families of the time – the Medicis, Sforzas, Orsinis & Borgias – which really works nicely with the richness and intrigue of the game’s feel overall. Indulgence is a trick taking game that pits 3 or 4 players against each other to eke out small victories and rake in florins over a number of rounds to see who comes out on top. 2017’s flourish of trick taking games has shown me that there’s a lot out there to love about this type of game, and how differently it can be approached – which is why I’ve been so delighted with Indulgence, coming out from Restoration Games. I had felt pretty lukewarm on them because of my poor experiences with Tichu, a game that just never really clicked for me. I’ve played a good number of the games featured in this week’s trick taking extravaganza – and the great thing is that it’s led me to understand that I actually really love trick taking games.
