Today we’re diving into “Skyrise.” This is a bidding & area control board game from Roxley Games, a reimagining of the classic “Metropolys.” So, let’s break it down—what it is, what’s good, what’s bad, & if you should pick it up. Let’s get into it.
What It Is
“Skyrise” is a bidding game with a spatial element for 2-4 players, typically lasting around 60 minutes. Players take on the role of architects in a floating city, competing to build structures across sky islands. The game spans two eras, with players placing buildings & collecting tokens to score points. As the game progresses, players bid on districts, attempting to control areas & fulfill secret scoring objectives.
The game comes in two versions: the standard edition & a deluxe edition, which includes upgraded components like dual-layer player boards, plastic districts, & more detailed buildings.
Gameplay Overview
In Skyrise, the goal is to establish yourself as the greatest artisan of your time by winning auctions & strategically placing buildings on various floating islands. As you engage in competitive bidding, you’ll aim to collect tokens & complete wonders to score points. Whoever has the most points by the end of the game will be declared the winner.
To set up the game, place the central island in the middle of the play area, & depending on the player count, arrange the outer islands randomly around it. Each island contains neighborhoods, distinguished by color, where players will bid & place their structures. You’ll also distribute different types of discs—Commission, Wild, Patron, & neighborhood discs—based on player count. Each player receives a set of wooden buildings, scoring discs, & wonders in their chosen color. Additionally, cards such as wonders, panoramas, & secret objectives are shuffled & dealt, providing players with goals to pursue throughout the game.
At the start of each round, players engage in auctions to gain the right to place their buildings in unoccupied neighborhoods. These auctions are central to the gameplay, where players use the numbered buildings from their available supply to make bids. Bidding continues in a clockwise order, with players either outbidding the last placed bid or passing. The player with the highest bid wins the auction, placing their building on the board, flipping it to mark it as constructed, & collecting the corresponding neighborhood disc from the space they claimed.
Discs play an essential role in Skyrise, as they contribute to scoring. There are several types of discs, including neighborhood discs, which match the color of neighborhoods & are placed on tracks on your player board. Each disc adds to your final score. Wild discs can represent any neighborhood color, while Patron discs allow you to secretly examine the value of specific patron tokens on the board, influencing strategy. Commission discs are placed in your Visionary area & also contribute to end-game scoring.
Skyrise is divided into two eras. Once a player constructs all their available buildings during the first era, scoring begins. Players first calculate island control, determining who has the most tall buildings on each island to earn Prestige points. Ties are broken by comparing medium & small buildings. Panorama cards, which reward specific arrangements of structures, are also scored. After this, players choose a wonder card from their hand to use in the second era, with each wonder offering unique abilities when constructed.
In the second era, players unlock a new set of buildings, including their Wonder, which can be used as a powerful bid. Wonders automatically win auctions & trigger their special abilities when placed. Bidding resumes as before, but now with the added strategy of Wonder placement. Players continue to bid, construct buildings, & collect discs until all buildings are placed or no more valid spaces remain.
Once the second era ends, players tally up their scores based on collected discs, controlled islands, & completed panoramas & wonders. The player with the most Prestige points is crowned the greatest artisan of the skies. Skyrise is a game of strategic bidding, tactical placement, & careful management of your resources, rewarding those who can best balance short-term gains with long-term goals.
The Components
The component quality in “Skyrise” is absolutely top-tier, particularly in the deluxe edition. The buildings—whether the wooden ones in the standard edition or the plastic, intricately detailed ones in the deluxe version—look amazing on the table. The dual-layer player boards keep everything neat, & the overall production value, with gold foiling & raised plastic districts, elevates the game’s visual appeal.
The artwork has an elegant Art Deco style that really fits the theme, & the attention to detail across the board makes the game feel premium.
The Good
“Skyrise” excels in accessibility. The rules are straightforward, making it a great choice for players new to the genre, while also offering enough strategic depth to engage experienced gamers. The bidding mechanism is intuitive but allows for plenty of tactical decisions, as you balance your bids with the potential rewards of controlling different districts.
The set collection element & the spatial nature of the game add layers of strategy, making each playthrough feel unique. The game’s two-era structure keeps things dynamic, with different decisions required as you progress. Special abilities tied to buildings in the second era further diversify gameplay, making long-term planning essential.
Visually, “Skyrise” is stunning. The Art Deco style & well-crafted components create an immersive experience, with a real sense of satisfaction as you build out your floating city. It’s a game that looks as good as it plays.
The Bad
While “Skyrise” is polished, there are a few downsides. The biggest critique is the new building numbering system, which creates larger gaps between bid values compared to the original “Metropolys.” Some players find this adds tension, while others prefer the tighter bidding ranges from the original game.
Additionally, while the game offers a lot of variety with its secret objectives & set collection, it might not have the same replay value for those who aren’t as drawn to bidding games. The gameplay can become somewhat predictable after several plays without expansions or additional content.
Finally, “Skyrise” shines with more players, as the area control mechanics & bidding tension are heightened in larger groups. It’s still solid with fewer players, but the game’s excitement & strategy hit their peak at higher player counts.
The Verdict
So, should you buy “Skyrise”? If you’re into bidding games, the answer is yes. “Skyrise” offers a great mix of accessibility & depth, with streamlined mechanics that still provide plenty of strategic decisions. The component quality is top-notch, especially in the deluxe edition, & the game’s visual appeal makes it a showstopper on the table.
For those who enjoyed “Metropolys,” “Skyrise” introduces enough new elements to keep things fresh, though the new building numbering might be a hit or miss depending on your taste. The game also works well as a gateway to more complex area control & bidding mechanics, making it a great addition to game nights with both casual & experienced players.
However, if you’re not a fan of bidding mechanics or prefer heavier strategy games, “Skyrise” might not be the right fit. While it offers depth, it’s still a lighter experience compared to some other area control games.
Final Thoughts
Skyrise is a game that hits a sweet spot between visual appeal, accessibility, & strategic depth, making it a strong contender for any board game collection. One of the first things that stands out is its stunning Art Deco design. Whether you go for the standard or deluxe edition, the attention to detail is impeccable, with the deluxe version offering some seriously impressive components like raised plastic districts & gold-foiled cards. Roxley Games has a reputation for high production value, & Skyrise certainly lives up to that standard.
Gameplay-wise, Skyrise manages to be both simple & deep at the same time. The bidding mechanism is intuitive, but it forces you to think carefully about where to place your buildings, how much to bid, & what areas to prioritize. It’s not just about throwing out the highest number; you have to consider your long-term strategy for controlling districts, collecting sets, & securing bonus points. The game keeps you on your toes, especially with the special features like zeppelins & towers, which factor into secret objectives & make each session feel fresh.
What’s particularly nice is that Skyrise is easy to learn. The rules are straightforward enough for newer players to jump in quickly, but as you play more, the game reveals deeper layers of strategy. There are moments where everything clicks, & you realize just how clever the bidding & area control systems really are. It’s this accessibility that makes Skyrise a great gateway game while still offering enough complexity to keep seasoned players engaged.
The game also does a good job of balancing short- & long-term planning, especially with the introduction of special abilities for each player’s buildings in the second era. These abilities add a lot of variety & make you reconsider how you approach the game. The two-epoch structure adds an interesting dynamic, where you have to carefully manage your resources & plan ahead for bigger plays in the later rounds. There’s always a tension between going all-in on an early district versus saving your best moves for the endgame.
Some people might prefer the tighter, more streamlined mechanics of Metropolys, Skyrise’s predecessor, particularly when it comes to the new building numbering system. While the wider gaps in bid values can create more dramatic decisions, it can also feel like there’s less room for subtle maneuvers compared to the original game. But overall, the improvements—especially the unique abilities & expanded scope—feel like meaningful upgrades.
In the end, Skyrise stands out as a game that both looks amazing & plays really well. It’s fun, it’s strategic, & it works great across a range of player counts. Whether you’re introducing friends to more complex games or you’re a long-time fan of auction & bidding mechanics, Skyrise is worth a spot on your shelf. It might not dethrone the all-time greats of the genre, but it’s a solid, enjoyable experience with plenty of replayability. If you’re into games that combine strategy, aesthetic appeal, & a bit of friendly competition, you’ll likely get a lot out of Skyrise.
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