Last modified December 9, 2025 by Jarjar
Overview
From the author Bitoku (2021) et Men-Nefer (2024) Covenant is a game for 1 to 4 players in which each player leads a dwarf clan that has accepted the pact to reclaim Karrak-sür-Kazar (a very Tolkien-esque name!), the sacred mountain and ancestral home of the dwarves. Over three eras, the clans contribute to the reconstruction of this lost city, once conquered and devastated by dark forces. During their turn, players assign their dwarves to various tasks, allowing them to explore the ancient halls, expel the creatures that have taken up residence there, and construct buildings to restore the once-glorious halls. The clan that accumulates the most glory points at the end of the game is recognized by the monarch and wins the victory.
My first impressions
The game's vibrant colors and cover art immediately caught my eye, and the numerous positive reviews after Essen convinced me to buy it fairly quickly. The game is becoming increasingly difficult to find these days.
Four actions per round, three rounds which only give a total of 12 actions. It reminds me of the game The White Castle, several possible choices, with few actions, you can't be everywhere.
In turn, we have a choice of only four basic actions, but an extremely rich decision-making space around them. You want to upgrade your workers, but the easiest ways to do this (fighting and mining) become inefficient when you don't have space for the resources you gain by performing those actions. So you have to transport and build workshops to free up more space for goods when you fight and mine… It's a rather fascinating, interconnected system. Although the game has a lot of moving parts, it's surprisingly easy to learn (despite a bulky and somewhat disorganized rulebook). It's one of the good games I've played in 2025.
This is a game where you need to find the best combos, making the third round particularly intense. Your four workers start at level 1 but can be upgraded (and/or boosted) to perform more valuable actions. You can add new action slots (tools) to give you more flexibility in your choices and unlock scoring options at the same time. You can improve action slots by adding small bonuses (insets). There are some unusual timing rules (like being able to use certain things immediately but having to wait until the next turn to use others). Some powers are much more exciting than others. The timing for acquiring these more valuable tiles becomes crucial and requires some planning (accumulating resources, keeping a tool available, etc.). I appreciate the end-of-round scoring system, which accumulates, so if you miss out on points in the first round, you can make up for it in the second. So you can imagine that in the third round, you can score a lot of points.
The player aid is well-made, but it's missing a few unexplained icons, forcing us to consult the rulebook to understand them. Speaking of the rulebook, while it's very well illustrated, the rules' structure lacks clarity! It's not always easy to find the explanation of a specific point, as the answer can be almost hidden within the explanation of another action.
The game offers several interesting options, but it suffers from the "you can't do everything" problem. If I try to upgrade my workers, I don't get any inlays. If I focus on inlays, I don't forge enough. If I don't forge enough, I miss opportunities to score points. And if I do forge, I struggle to use tools efficiently. Finding the right balance between extracting enough resources, buying inlays, building forges, and delivering goods is a real challenge.
Every action must be linked to others. If you do something that doesn't trigger another action, you should probably do something else. That's the fundamental principle of the game.
If you enjoy a bit of puzzle-solving, planning, worker and resource optimization, with a fantasy and reconstruction theme, this is a great choice. If you're looking for something more lively, interactive, fast-paced, and social, you should look elsewhere.
SOLO MODE
Easy to learn, easy to manage, and quick to play, you simply discard a card and perform your actions, which are often simplified. You select the locations where you should place your cards by rolling a die; the dice are displayed on the main board.
I tried to make it very easy to manage, but also a formidable opponent to beat. – Author Germán P. Millán
The automaton comes in 3 difficulty modes. It's really there more to circulate the tiles and make life more difficult when building in the mine. When I play, my goal isn't necessarily to beat it, but simply to improve my score.
RULES POINTS
– We start the game with 5 glory points.
– On the mining track, when you pass the small yellow arrow, you collect the adjacent treasure!
TECHNICAL SHEET
Number of games played: 4 (solo and 3 players)
Best player configuration: 2-3
Price paid: $104 CAN (French version)
Level: experienced player (BGG complexity: 3.68/5)
My best score: 78
MY FIRST IMPRESSIONS
I loved :
>> Very attractive visual presentation and illustration on the box.
>> Only 12 actions, you need to plan well, be careful, it's easy to miss a turn.
>> Whatever we do, we will receive more than expected thanks to the numerous bonuses.
>> Several strategies are viable and the era objective scoring system (which accumulates) prevents neglecting the first turns.
>> The theme is well felt, even if it remains within the realm of mechanics.
>> Varied gameplay with these numerous available tiles.
I liked less:
>> If we drag our feet, there's really no way to catch up.
>> The relic trails are small with small markers, easy to lose sight of.
>> When there are several buildings, they can be easily connected
>> Not really any new mechanics were introduced.
Covenant is a very generous and satisfying game that ticks all the boxes for current management games, with a well-integrated theme of rebuilding a dwarven mine and a mechanic rich in bonuses. The depth and numerous ways to score points are particularly appreciated, creating a rich and enjoyable gaming experience.
FUN FACTOR 🙂🙂🙂🙂
