The day after Rivages hit the Meeple Guild table, I found myself looking up what the title actually meant. For those similarly curious, it turns out to be Middle English from the late 1200s, meaning a bank, shore, or coast—which fits perfectly, as Rivages, from designer Joachim Thôme and Catch Up Games, is all about exploring islands.
As the publisher explains:
“Each player starts with their own map of an island divided into several colored areas. Every turn, they strike out the available symbols from one of the two cards in their hand, check matching fields on their map, then pass the cards along to their neighbor.”
That “use one, pass one” mechanism immediately brought to mind a similar element from 7 Wonders.
“By exploring certain areas, achieving goals on the island, looting treasures, and progressing on their own wisdom tree, players gather valuable parchments. Reaching a boat allows them to move to a new island full of new opportunities.”
Both the cards and the island boards use erasable markers, making the game easily replayable. As you mark off spaces and advance across the island, Rivages takes on the feel of a roll-and-write game—though here, dice are replaced by cards.
On each turn, players have two cards to choose from, and play is simultaneous for all players, from solo up to five. This keeps the game moving quickly—sometimes very quickly. In fact, its greatest stumbling block (albeit a minor one) is that faster players can end up waiting if someone takes longer to decide, since there’s no built-in pause to ensure everyone is ready before cards are passed.
As players explore islands, they trigger ways to collect parchment scrolls. At the end of the game, whoever has the most parchments wins.
Everything about Rivages feels solid. The artwork is pleasant, if not especially eye-catching. The gameplay is enjoyable, though it does echo familiar roll-and-write mechanics and ideas seen in other titles.
What Rivages does exceptionally well is bring all of those elements together into something more satisfying than its individual parts might suggest. It’s easy to learn, plays quickly, and works smoothly with its simultaneous turns.
In the end, Rivages is the kind of game that most players will enjoy—and one that, come year’s end, will likely linger in the Meeple Guild’s collective memory as we assemble our top-five lists for 2025. That alone makes it a highly recommended game.
About Author
Calvin Daniels is a Saskatchewan-born, self-taught journalist. He is currently Editor of Yorkton This Week, with 35-years in the newspaper business.
Rivages Is Just a Fun Game of Exploration
As the publisher explains:
That “use one, pass one” mechanism immediately brought to mind a similar element from 7 Wonders.
Both the cards and the island boards use erasable markers, making the game easily replayable. As you mark off spaces and advance across the island, Rivages takes on the feel of a roll-and-write game—though here, dice are replaced by cards.
On each turn, players have two cards to choose from, and play is simultaneous for all players, from solo up to five. This keeps the game moving quickly—sometimes very quickly. In fact, its greatest stumbling block (albeit a minor one) is that faster players can end up waiting if someone takes longer to decide, since there’s no built-in pause to ensure everyone is ready before cards are passed.
As players explore islands, they trigger ways to collect parchment scrolls. At the end of the game, whoever has the most parchments wins.
Everything about Rivages feels solid. The artwork is pleasant, if not especially eye-catching. The gameplay is enjoyable, though it does echo familiar roll-and-write mechanics and ideas seen in other titles.
What Rivages does exceptionally well is bring all of those elements together into something more satisfying than its individual parts might suggest. It’s easy to learn, plays quickly, and works smoothly with its simultaneous turns.
In the end, Rivages is the kind of game that most players will enjoy—and one that, come year’s end, will likely linger in the Meeple Guild’s collective memory as we assemble our top-five lists for 2025. That alone makes it a highly recommended game.
About Author
Calvin Daniels
Calvin Daniels is a Saskatchewan-born, self-taught journalist. He is currently Editor of Yorkton This Week, with 35-years in the newspaper business.
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