Publisher: Renegade Games
Designer: Adam McIver
2-4 Players
Playtime: 45 Minutes
Ex Libris‘ first edition is loved by a small group of fans who enjoy worker placement games mixed with the fantastical and comfy nature of libraries. Now, Renegade Games is making the experience more accessible with a fresh coat of paint in Ex Libris Revised Edition.
A Brief How To Play
To set up Ex Libris, players will place the town board in the center of the table and place the Diviner’s Hut (Location 1) below it. The remaining location tiles are shuffled and made into a deck. Library tiles are then dealt two to each player, starting with the last player and proceeding in reverse order. Players choose one library tile to keep and one to discard. Each player takes the special assistant indicated on their library tile and two general assistants of their chosen color. Six category cards are then shuffled and one is placed face-up on the “Prominent Work” section of the town board and another on the “Banned Book” section. Every player gets a secret focus for the game. The book cards are shuffled and each player gets a hand of book cards. The remaining cards go into two equal stacks within reach.
The game unfolds in several rounds, each with four phases: Preparation, Placement, Resolution, and Cleanup. During Preparation, location tiles are revealed, and cards may be dealt based on the location’s prep instructions. In Placement, players take turns placing assistants on public locations or their library tiles, activating effects. Some effects happen instantly, while others occur during the resolution phase. In the Resolution phase, locations are resolved, and delayed effects occur. Cleanup involves making a permanent location, discarding others, and returning assistants. The game continues until the endgame trigger is reached, after which players score points based on alphabetical order, shelf stability, category majorities, banned books, categorical variety, and secret focus.
Of course, this summary heavily simplified the rules. Click here for a PDF of the rules. Please note that these rules are for the first edition of the game, and while the experience is mostly the same, there are some slight changes to the number of cards in hands, decks, etc.
Pacing and Interactivity
Sometimes Ex Libris feels a little clunky, but the pacing is solid throughout the game. In fact, the gameplay moves along surprisingly quickly for a worker placement and set collection game. The setup actually feels longer than the game itself. The locations are well-balanced and allow players to fill their shelves quickly as the rounds progress. Players who prefer to be methodical and feel rewarded for tons of thinking might be disappointed at how much Ex Libris borders on being casual. It’s not quite lightweight, but doesn’t have the depth or playtime of heavy or even medium-weight games. Players need to be fine with quick rounds and a playstyle that prioritizes instant shelving rather than long-term effects.
Ex Libris isn’t a very interactive game, but it also isn’t just a bunch of players playing solitaire and building bookshelves. Worker placement is just as important as set collection, and placing assistants on locations gives players the opportunity to block out other players. It’s not completely cutthroat, but anyone who has played Azul will have an idea of what to expect.
Replay Value
Even if the game goes quickly, there is still a lot of player agency. The locations are varied and there are many approaches to every session. The game’s locations will appear in a different order every time, forcing some variety in strategy and approach. The rules for scoring, such as banned books and individual player objectives allow for variability in games too. The end result is a game that has just enough variability to make it replayable, but there isn’t so much that games feel random and incoherent.
Theme and Components
The library in a fantasy world theme fits well enough, with art that is whimsical and colorful to back it. The art looks nice, but this game’s gameplay could work with many other themes. Ex Libris isn’t like Robo Rally where it makes perfect sense to be programming robots, or Anna’s Roundtable which perfectly translates Fire Emblem‘s tactical strategy battles onto the tabletop.
Still, there are little touches that make sense when marrying the theme to the gameplay. The worker placement is essentially sending assistants to get books for the players. Players getting locked out of locations or books can be translated to their assistants missing out on the collection they were sent to gather. Still, the boards and art add tons of flavor through art and text, making the theme easier to imagine while playing.
Ex Libris Is Great For Fans Of…
Set collectors and worker placement fans alike will find some value in Ex Libris. Players who like open drafting games will also enjoy Ex Libris. The theme of collecting books for a library is also appealing to bibliophiles, and for some, the theme on its own will carry the experience.
Ex Libris Revised Edition
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Pacing and Interaction
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Replay Value
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Theme & Components
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Enjoyment
