In my world I have some special rules. One of those says that games are a form of art. They are a form of art that spans the disciplines. Games may be constructed on a basis of languages, mathematics, the arts ... almost anything. So I feel justified in saying that the Princes of Florence, a game about masterpieces, is itself an artistic masterpiece.

That is not to say that it is a game for everyone. Traipsing through the art galleries of Europe I don’t know how many million of paintings, worth millions themselves, were nothing more than a poor excuse for kids playing with artistic implements in my opinion. Still even if it isn’t my very favourite game, it is a beautifully designed game that always takes my fancy.

What I like so much about Princes is the combination of elements. At its heart it is a mathematical return on investment game. If you like to know a game first then please read http://www.boardgamegeek.com/thread/79193 and it’s subsequent chapters. The article is comphrehensive, authoritative and describes the game from a viewpoint of several hundred games. But if you like to discover the game then you will eventually come to the same conclusions. And like it or not the game demands you count your returns carefully.

But on top of the mathematical heart is a beautifully crafted theme with seamless transition across the different parts of play, and an ambience not encountered in more than a handful of games. Thematically this game is perfect and the aesthetic design and construction of the components supports that. I love the board and the building and landscapes that must be locked together like a jigsaw puzzle. Truly a classy production.

And the mechanics are largely flawless. . Some player positions may give a slight advantage to one player over another in some circumstances, but these are minimal in my opinion. Every piece has its price and any predispositions towards strategies that a player might map out in advance can be countered by bidding the price higher. You must make people pay the right amount for pieces, and ensuring the price is paid no one strategy is ever dominant. In this the game balance is perfect, every piece is up for auction and you only miss out because you don’t pay enough

And this in turn is why an experienced player will most often win. If a player gets multiple jesters at a moderate price of say 500-800 then often they will be unstoppable. But make the player pay 1000-1200 and the return on the investment is much lower and that strategy may not work. But there are a variety of strategies and the more you play it, the more you will enjoy it. Replay ability is off the scale, you won’t get bored anytime soon.

Princes is a work of art, a masterpiece of construction with thematic excellence. It’s not a game for everyone and if numbers are not your thing don’t expect to love it. But even the mild mannered mathematician will get a buzz out of this, and the competitive streak in you will force you to stay in the bidding for those precious items. I can never go past it.