In the expansion review series, we take a look at a game expansion to discuss whether it is a necessary purchase/addition to one’s collection.
This breakdown is for the excellent game Revolution! and the expansions The Palace and Anarchy, from Steve Jackson Games.
Both expansions add new bid boards that offer four new citizens to exploit. Similarly, both expansions allow enough components to add two more players to base Revolution!, though only one of the two expansions should be added during any one game.
The Palace expansion adds a new mini-board to be placed in the center of the main board, giving more options of locations to control. In addition to the extras already mentioned The Palace also adds the orange and purple player colors, thus cementing its place as the best expansion in this reviewer’s eyes. The Viceroy, Messenger, Mayor, and Constable are added to the bid boards to spice up the bidding phase.
The Anarchy expansion also adds a new mini-board to be placed in the center of the main board, which is partly why both expansions can never be used together in a game. Additionally Anarchy adds the gray and black player colors and the Warden, Governor, Heretic, and Anarchist citizens.
In adding and playing these expansions to the base game of Revolution!, I have found that they both add a different layer of strategy to an already excellent game. With The Palace you have more areas to control for VP, which is always nice, and new citizens to hassle to seize that control. Anarchy adds in opportunities for negative VP at the Asylum and Jail, which is amazing, and the Garden for 10 VP per cube instead of majority in the area. I think of the two Anarchy is my favorite to add due to the negative VP areas and The Garden.
Is it necessary to own? If you want to play Revolution! with more than four players, then yes: one of these is necessary to own. Is Revolution! playable without either expansion? Absolutely.
Official recommendation: I highly recommend picking up Anarchy if you are a fan of Revolution! and want to add more chaos (and players) to the party. It offers more gamer-gaming to the base game and has the extra two players. I would also pick up The Palace if not only for the orange and purple player colors. I have both in my box and will only play with either orange or purple, even if we are playing base or with Anarchy. Preferred player color is a security blanket for some of us.
