- Publisher(s) : Blue Cocker Games
- Designer(s) : Jules Messaud, Martin Montergnole
- Artist(s) : Mathieu Leyssenne
- Players : 2
- Playing time : 25 Min
- Weight BGG : 1.83
What's this?
San is a competitive deckbuilding board game designed exclusively for two players, conceived by Jules Messaud and Martin Montergnole , and illustrated by Mathieu Leyssenne . Published by Blue Cocker Games, it offers games of approximately 25 minutes and is suitable for ages 10 and up.
In a cyberpunk universe where two megacorporations vie for control of a sprawling metropolis, players recruit mercenaries, acquire new equipment, and develop their map engine to gain the upper hand over their opponent. San ‘s unique feature lies in its three simultaneous victory conditions : spreading corruption, imposing propaganda, or infiltrating the enemy’s computer system through hacking.
How do you play?
Each round is divided into four phases.
1. Play your cards
The player must play at least one card from their hand.
The game’s main limitation is that a player can only use one type of Mercenary (Corruption, Propaganda, or Hacking) during their turn. However, Equipment cards can be used in any strategy, and Virus cards can always be discarded.
The cards played trigger their effects immediately.
2. Buy new cards
The cards played generate income that can be used to acquire new cards from the river.
The purchased cards go directly to the discard pile and will gradually enrich the deck during subsequent shuffles.
3. Discard the played cards
All cards used during the turn are placed in the discard pile.
4. Reconstructing his hand
The player then completes their hand up to six cards (or more thanks to Propaganda bonuses) before passing the turn to their opponent.
The three paths to victory
One of San ‘s great strengths is that it offers three different objectives that can be pursued simultaneously.
Corruption
The Corruption symbols allow you to corrupt river cards in order to gradually fill your personal area.
These cards also offer a permanent advantage by reducing your progress costs on the Propaganda track while slowing down your opponent.
Propaganda
The Propaganda symbols are used to move your banner along a track made up of several stages.
The further you advance, the more you improve your hand size thanks to the bonuses collected along the way, which significantly speeds up your gameplay. Reaching the final space means victory.
Hacking
The Hacking symbols allow a Virus token to be moved between the two corporations.
By gradually infiltrating your opponent’s systems, you remove their Virus cards and place them back onto their deck, disrupting their play. When the last opponent’s Virus is neutralized, the game is won.
End of game
The game ends immediately when a player fulfills one of the three victory conditions.
Is it good?
Three conditions for victory that put the pressure on
San ‘s brilliant idea , which can be found in some great dueling games like 7 Wonders Duel , lies in its three simultaneous victory conditions . This forces us to constantly monitor three different aspects and keep an eye on our opponent’s progress. This constant tension pushes players to adapt their strategy throughout the game and makes every decision important.
A very successful tactical constraint
The fact that only one color of Mercenary cards can be played per turn adds an excellent tactical dimension. This constraint forces us to think carefully when purchasing cards in order to build a coherent deck and determine which victory condition we want to prioritize. Planning then becomes central, and each new card added to the deck must serve a genuine strategy.
A constant interaction
It’s impossible to play in isolation. Corrupted cards directly influence your opponent’s progress, the Virus track disrupts the enemy deck, and every advance toward a victory condition immediately forces the other player to react. This constant interaction makes the games particularly tense and prevents any feeling of isolation.
A few minor regrets
On the downside, San can sometimes generate slight frustration due to the constant replenishment of the card river, where an element of chance remains unavoidable. The first few games also require a short adjustment period to learn the iconography and effectively manage the three paths to victory.
I also found that the cyberpunk theme faded rather quickly in favor of the icons and card colors. You end up manipulating mechanics more than truly immersing yourself in the game’s world. Finally, in my opinion, it lacks that famous “wow” factor that leaves a lasting impression. Once you commit to one of the three paths (Corruption, Propaganda, or Hacking), you tend to stick to it without really questioning your strategy or adapting to the game’s evolution.
Verdict
Despite these minor reservations, San remains an excellent choice for fans of two-player games. Thanks to its three victory conditions and excellent player interaction, it offers a particularly tense, intelligent, and highly enjoyable tactical duel.
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SAN review
Positives
- Three conditions for victory
- Excellent interaction between players
- Accessible mechanics
- Limited to only one type of Mercenary per turn, very tactical
- Fast-paced and intense games
Negatives
- This theme is ultimately not very prominent.
- The iconography requires some adaptation.
- An element of chance
- Strategies that can become too linear once a path is chosen
