- Publisher : Catch Up Games
- Designer(s) : Romaric Galonnier, Anthony Perone
- Artist(s) : Noëmie Chevalier
- Players : 2–5
- Game duration: 20 - 30 Min
- Weight BGG : 1.36
What's this?
Courtisans is a card game where players strive to influence the status of the kingdom’s families to gain the Queen’s favor. Each round, players must strategically play three cards to manipulate the score, either in their favor or against their opponents, while seeking to place their favorites in the spotlight at the royal banquet.
How do you play?
The game is played clockwise. On their turn, each player must play the 3 cards in their hand. These cards are placed face up in three different playing areas, in any order you choose, but one card per area:
- At the Queen’s Table: A card is placed in the column of the corresponding suit, either above or below the game board. At the end of the game, a majority of cards above means that the suit is “IN THE LIGHT”, while a majority of cards below places it “IN DISGRACE”.
- In Your Domain: A card is placed in front of you. At the end of the game, each card from an “IN THE LIGHT” suit is worth 1 point, and each card from an “IN DISGRACE” suit is worth 1 point.
- In an Adversary Domain: A card is placed in front of any opponent. At the end of the game, each card of a “IN THE LIGHT” suit for that opponent earns them 1 point, and each card of a “IN DISGRACE” suit loses them 1 point.
End of Turn: After playing your 3 cards, draw 3 new cards for the next turn.
Courtier Roles: Some Courtier cards have specific roles, represented by an item and an icon.
- The Noble: Each Noble counts as 2 cards at the end of the game, whether in a player’s domain or at the Queen’s Table.
- The Assassin: When you play an Assassin, you can eliminate another Courtier card from the same play area (Queen’s Table or a player’s domain). The eliminated card is permanently removed from the game.
- The Spy: Spies are always played face down and no one may look at them, not even the player who placed them. At the Queen’s Table, a Spy is placed face down in the center of the board, either above or below, without revealing their family. All Spies are revealed at the end of the game and moved to their respective family column at the Queen’s Table.
- The Guard: Guards cannot be eliminated by Assassins.
End of the Game and Scoring: The game ends when the Courtier deck is empty and no player has any cards in hand.
Is it good?
The first thing that strikes you when you place Courtisans on the table is the quality of its material: cards with successful illustrations, embellished with gilding, and a fabric mat (which may need ironing).
To win, you will have to choose carefully how to influence your own family, those of the other players, as well as that of the queen.
The addition of Courtier roles brings an extra dimension of interaction and adds an interesting tactical layer.
Assassins allow for decisive blows by eliminating key cards, while Spies introduce bluffing and surprise.
Managing Nobles, who count double, creates real dilemmas: they are essential for the final count, but their use requires finesse and anticipation.
Finally, Mission cards add a layer of individual strategy, encouraging longer-term choices.
Courtisans is, above all, a party game combining bluffing, diplomacy, light strategy, and twists and turns. Here, interaction takes precedence over control. It’s therefore particularly recommended for those looking for an aesthetically pleasing card game with fast-paced, accessible gameplay, a touch of strategy, and plenty of interaction and deceit.
On the other hand, if you prefer games where planning and mastery of each action are crucial, Courtiers might not fully meet your expectations.
Many thanks to the Espritjeu online store for allowing me to test this game by sending me a copy. To discover their catalog, I invite you to visit their website:
Review Courtisans
Positives
- Beautiful illustrations and careful material
- Simple rules, quick games
- Strong interaction between players
- Bluff, diplomacy, trickery among friends
- Accessible to all types of players
Negatives
- Less strategic multi-player control, more chaotic
- Significant part of chance
- Sometimes requires ironing the carpet (small material detail)
