I’m not exactly sure why, but the image of Harry Potter pops into my head every time I see this game on my shelf. I suppose that’s because “The Institute for Magical Arts” is all about power stones, portals, ethereal realms, and other goodies you’d expect from magic-themed games. This particular one is for two players and tasks each with getting victory points by acquiring both magical characters and tools via the process of bidding via power stones. When I say bidding, I don’t mean an auction…rather, you’re putting power stones on the cards you want, based on the dice you roll. There’s a lot of content that intertwines itself into a fully fledged game, so it’s best if you watch my video review below to get the full picture. Special thanks to Stephen Finn from Doctor Finn’s Games for providing me with a press copy for review purposes.
The Institute for Magical Arts: 2 Players, Ages 14+, Average Play Time = 30 Minutes
For those who can’t wait to watch the video, I’ll come right out and say that this is one two-player game that you won’t want to pass on, especially if you enjoy moderately strategic games. It’s one heck of a mind game too, especially when you’re assigning actions to dice at the same time as your opponent…only, you don’t know what actions your opponent is taking until you both reveal them at the same time. The art and overall gameplay is pretty good, though I had a tough time fitting everything back into the box after the fact. The price is $29.99 on Amazon (use the search tool off to the right) and $26.95 on the official website as of 7/2/2016…this is fair considering the amount of components you’re getting inside the box. All in all, this one’s a keeper.
Final Verdict: 8/10
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