2004 · Ancient

The Downfall of Pompeii

Players control families in a bustling Roman city as Vesuvius begins to erupt. The game splits into a buildup phase, where cards place family members into buildings, and an eruption phase, where omens and lava alter the board and remove pieces. After the first eruption, players may augment placements with additional relatives and use omen effects to remove opponents’ pieces. Following the second eruption, players add lava tiles that eliminate pieces and can block exits, then move two pieces toward the city gates by distances determined by the number of occupants on their starting squares. The objective is to evacuate the most family members before exits become blocked.

groupPlayers

2–4 best 4

schedulePlaying time

45 min

cakeAge

10+

psychologyComplexity

1.8 / 5