If you squint hard enough, the main board for Board&Dice's Nucleum looks a little like Ticket to Ride (Days of Wonder) on steroids, but beneath that train-like aesthetic lies a complex eurogame full of engine building, resource management and gruelling player interaction. On reflection, and given the game's theme, perhaps Power Grid (2F-Spiele/Rio Grande) and Brass (Roxley Games) would be better points of comparison.
Designed by David Turczi and Simone Luciani, and set in an alternative universe where Germany's industrial revolution was driven by the early discovery of nuclear power, Nucleum challenges players to develop their industries, fighting for trade routes whilst navigating taxing decisions about resource use - especially when the balance of power is at stake.
This is a heavyweight table-hogging game but it excels in replayability, offering a wide range of mechanics to explore, from engine optimisation to managing resources, in a fulfilling yet demanding way. I especially enjoyed the dual use of the domino-like action tiles, whether taking actions from the array or using them to link resource routes on the map. The dual purpose of these tiles adds a rich layer of strategy, letting you plan both your next move and future turns at the same time. The industrialisation theme is strong, immersing players in a world of development and competition. Each playthrough offers fresh challenges, ensuring that no two games feel the same.
Another standout feature is the asymmetry between players, paired with no round-based restrictions on your access to technological upgrades. This allows players to fully maximise their engines. On the downside, the rulebook can be daunting at first, tho' with repeated plays things become more intuitive. The personal player boards, however, are disappointingly fragile. And while nuclear power is presented as a core aspect of the theme, the restrictions on its use feels oddly disconnected from its importance in the game.
Overall, Nucleum is a tough, rewarding game for fans of resource management and strategic depth; just be prepared to wrestle with a complex rules set and the limiting nature of resources.
(Review by Tom Allan)