7 Wonders: Cities (New Edition)

The debt tokens and the option to copy a neighbor's city card have completely changed how our group drafts. We've played base 7 Wonders for years and this expansion finally makes the black cards feel worth chasing instead of an afterthought.

The new black cards add a nice layer of scheming to our three-player nights, especially the ones that let you buy influence in a rival city. Took one game to learn the debt symbols, but after that it slots right in with the base set.

The new city cards finally make the gold economy matter — I actually found myself hoarding coins just to buy a crucial alliance at the right moment. Blends seamlessly into the base game without dragging out playtime.