1. Constant player interaction
Just because you don't control the tower, doesn't mean that there's nothing to do. This is one of those few turn based games that has almost no downtime what so ever. Some complain that the amount and character of the interaction and negotiation can be harsh, and leave negative feelings. I have yet to experience this personally, and in my opinion it can only become negative for you like this if you let it. Don't be afraid to end negotiations (tower player or not), and remember that you can take any offer you want. It's only a game (although a very good one).

2. Great looking, quality components
The wood pieces, board, and dice are all of great quality. The only place I feel the game is lacking are the ducats. These pieces of paper are just too thin, and I'm always afraid that I'll miscount by missing one accidentally if they stick together. I bought a set of high quality poker chips to replace the paper money, which has made the game even more enjoyable to play.

3. Ability to trade anything
This rule really opens up this game, and allows players to be very creative and flexible with strategy. That start any space card may not be useful to you, but it may be very valuable to another player who's trying to get to a villa to trade in a large order. And knowing this can be very valuable indeed.

4. Mostly simple, elegant rules
Roll the dice, negotiate for good offers, take the action on a building, and make money. For the most part, it doesn't get much more complex than this, although there are lots of important decisions to make. Knowing what things are actually worth in the game is where things can get pretty complex. The only place where the game gets fiddly is with the owner markers and their dependents, the 1 building actions cards. I was confused by the 1 building action cards my first play, and I've seen most other players be confused by them as well.

5. Reading the players is just as important as reading game position
A part of this game is the bluff, and although it isn't as important as it is to the game of poker, it's still significant. It can be very advantageous to bid up the price on something you're not actually interested in. However, then there's the danger the other player 'calling your bluff,' and letting you pay a large sum of money for an action you didn't want in the first place. A good poker face, and the ability to read subtle body cues can be a great asset.

6. It's often not clear who has won until the game is over
Because the money is hidden, and because money changes hands so frequently, it would be extremely difficult to keep count of how much money each player has. By my observations, players often come to a conclusion about who is winning, but this assumption is often wrong when the money is finally counted, suggesting the difficulty in even estimating how much a player has earned in the game after the first couple of rounds. This uncertainty helps keep everyone actively involved in the game until the end.

7. Many ways to get money
six to be exact: large orders, small orders, messages, owner markers, privileges, and of course, trade. This translates into multiple and varied paths to victory. Always a good thing to keep a game fresh.

8. Just enough randomness to create variety without luck controlling the game
The luck of what you get on the dice and cards forces you to have some dependence on other players, and your ability to persuade those players to help you achieve your goals. However, the dependence isn't so great that it is impossible to meet your goals without the help of others, it only takes more time.

9. Well matched theme
Mechanically, the game fits well to theme. I can imagine a bunch of traders/businessmen, riding around in the same cart trying to make as much money as possible, but because only one of the traders can drive at a time, they spend a lot of their time bribing and trying to convince the driver to go where they want. The theme gets a little fuzzy on the special cards. I'm not exactly sure why a park would give me an extra action, or why a restaurant would allow me to trade one good for another good.

10. Appropriate game length
For a game of this depth, one to three hours is right on the mark. When the game ends, I feel like I'm ready for the game to end, without feeling like it had drug on too long. I pack up the game feeling satisfied, even if I was nowhere close to winning.