Anachrony

Worker placement where you borrow from your own future and pay for it later.

3.9/5

Players1-4

Play time90-120 min

WeightHeavy

Ages14+

Check price on AmazonAffiliate link · supports the site, costs you nothing extra

The verdict

A gorgeous, brain-melting puzzle that earns its #61 spot if you've got the table space and the patience. Not the one you pull out for casual game night.

Best for: Heavy-Euro players who want a time-travel optimization puzzle and don't mind a long setup.

The full review

What it is

Anachrony is a heavy worker placement game set on a dying Earth, four factions racing to escape an incoming asteroid. You power up exosuits, send pilots into a toxic wasteland to mine, recruit, and build, then juggle two separate worker pools. The hook is time travel. You can borrow workers, water, or suits from your future self right now, which is a thrilling little cheat until the bill comes due.

The catch

Here's the honest part. That borrowing creates paradoxes you have to resolve later, and the whole thing is a constant optimization puzzle stacked three layers deep. Real players warn it can drag in the mid-game and overstay its welcome at four. Turn order matters a lot, since going last with scarce action spaces stings. New folks struggle, and the game quietly rewards whoever has played it most. Teaching runs about an hour.

Who it's for

So who's this for? People who love a brain-burner and don't flinch at a long teach or a table you can't see across. The components are stunning, the crystallized water tokens and slotted minis are the real deal, and the replay value runs deep through optional modules. If you want something light and breezy, keep walking. If you want to outsmart your own timeline, it's worth the climb.

What other players say

This write-up is grounded in real reviews and player discussion, not just one opinion. A few worth reading:

Anachrony

What it is

The catch

Who it's for

What other players say

More from the shelf

Wingspan

Azul

Catan