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If you venture slightly north of Venice, you will come across a small island called Murano. Famed for its influence in glassmaking and pioneering many techniques that are still used to this day.
In Murano, 2 – 4 players will battle it out to complete glass orders to become the ultimate grandmaster of glassmaking. Designed by Carlo Camarotto & Francesco Testini and published by Matagot. Let’s take a look at how they have brought the history and craftmanship to the table.
A Glass Act
I was pleasantly surprised by Murano. Its not as heavy as some of the other games I play, in fact it’s at the other end of the spectrum. The gameplay is super chilled, but this is not a bad thing. Imagine a calm Sunday session with friends and family and a nice drink to boot. This is where the game takes you. But taking a break from the monotony of hectic day to day life can be a welcome change. But don’t let this fool you, the game still packs enough punch to hold your interest and provide the table with an enjoyable experience.
Right Out Of The Box
The game is almost set up from the moment the lid is lifted. The central game board fills the bottom of the box. There is a central section where all the glass playing pieces are pooled, surrounded by 2 moving rings that will show the pieces that are available for selection that round.
On each corner of the box there are 3 spaces which represent the market area. 4 bonus tiles are laid out with each having a unique icon, and each will have a random effect card dealt below it. Each player gets their own player board, coin supply and 6 random glass order cards in a 2 player game and 5 in a 3-4 player game. These can only be completed in the order in which they are dealt to you. So the set up will not take you any longer than 5 minutes, enabling you to start playing sooner and maximising playing time, which is a definite win-win.
Let's Get Making
Each player in Murano will take turns drafting different coloured glass shards from the central pool, which are shown on the outer rings. Once you have selected your shards, you will have some actions you can complete, you can exchange shards off your board and choose a quarter in which to exchange them that might prove more useful.
You can spend 2 coins and buy the number of shards from the warehouse or sell a shard from your game board to gain 1 coin. All shards that you acquire are stored on your player board which has 8 available slots. Each glass card will have a combination of shards that are required to complete that design.
Once you have collected the required shards you can complete a card, and you will receive coins based on the number of empty spaces on your board. And if you are savvy enough to plan ahead its possible to complete 2 cards in one turn, providing you with a bonus if you do so.
Each design card has a symbol shown in the corner, this relates to the 4 bonus cards in the central area. So, once you have completed one of your masterpieces, the corresponding bonus will be available for you to use at any point during your turn. Once you use it, that card gets moved over to the other side of your board showing it has been used. So, thinking ahead and combining your acquired powers can really maximise your return.
The game ends when the first player has completed all their design cards, each player will then carry on until everyone has had equal turns. The winner will be the player with the most coins and in the case of a tie, the player who completed the least designs.
Let's Shard Some Light
This is an enjoyable game with few components, it wont challenge those of you that rely on heavy games and lots of strategy. But for a quick chilled out game that you can finish in around 30 minutes, that won’t take up loads of table space it’s ideal for a filler game. and I would not hesitate to use this game as an introduction into the hobby.
It's also an ideal game for younger gamers to sink their teeth into offering a few different mechanics on a lighter level. The components are great, and the glass shards feel great in hand and the design cards boast some great artwork of beautiful glass creations. So, if you have had a heavy night of gaming, this will certainty serve as an ideal tonic to level you out. It will certainly be one that stays in my collection.
That concludes our thoughts on Murano Light Masters. Do you agree? Let us know your thoughts and tag us on social media @zatugames. To buy Murano Light Masters today click here!
