World Order^*

World Order is a heavy strategy game about 2010s geopolitics for 2 to 4 players aged 14+, where the USA, China, Russia and the EU compete for global influence.

What's it about?

Plan on two to three hours per game. It is 2010. American dominance is fading, Beijing is rising, Moscow is locked in a chess match with Washington, and the European Union is still working out its role. Designers Vangelis Bagiartakis and Varnavas Timotheou build on academic theories of international relations, and the result is a serious, thematic simulation rather than a pure abstract.

What's in the system?

• Deck building: your deck grows and shapes the options you have later.
• Multi-use cards and hand management: most cards can be played in more than one way.
• Area majority: you fight for control of regions on a global map.
• Asymmetric powers: each superpower plays differently.
• Solo mode: playable on your own, too.

How does it play?

There is more than one path to victory:

1. Forge regional alliances.
2. Tie other nations to you through economic dependence.
3. Become the military power nobody wants to cross.

You can mix and match. With a BGG weight of around 3.5 out of 5, this is firmly a game for experienced strategy players, and some cards carry text.

Conclusion

World Order is a treat for anyone who finds geopolitics fascinating and enjoys negotiating, planning and pushing influence around a map. If you want a light family game or have no interest in modern world politics, this long, heavy game is not for you. The BGG community rates it best at four players.