Galenus

Description

Medicine in Imperial Rome is an art of celebrated advances, an art of showmanship and bitter rivalry. There is one doctor above all others: Galenus. Influenced by the theory of humorism — the idea that all ailments were caused by an imbalance of four fluids: black bile, yellow bile, phlegm, and blood — the writings of this second century Greco-Roman dominated and influenced Western medical science for more than 1300 years and no one dared challenge him. Will you?

Galenus (designed by Harry-Pekka Kuusela) is a worker placement game where you plan to do up to 6 actions and then decide when and how to resolve them. As such, some players can still be planning their actions while you are already resolving them. You can choose to recruit and treat patients — gaining knowledge in one of four humors — publish works based on that knowledge, acquire herbs to aid your work, rejuvenate in the baths, or adopt a new philosophy. At the end of the year you compete in medical contests expending your focus and knowledge to gain reputation. If you publish enough notable works or otherwise make the biggest impact on Galenus, you will earn his respect and enter his inner sanctum.