Many board games set in Ancient Greece are all about war, but the Greeks had a lot of stuff going on. They wrote plenty of poetry, raced around in their chariots, and also invented the Olympics. For the Gods! is a game all about that classic Ancient Greek hobby of constructing temples, and it's designed to resemble the art that you would find on a piece of ancient pottery.
For the Gods invites players to "Take on the role of seafaring temple-builders in ancient Greece".
The game board is split into five islands, and over the course of the game, players travel between these different areas competing to earn the favor of the gods by building temples dedicated to them.
Rather than utilizing standard components like dice or cards, For the Gods instead relies on stones to enable in-game actions. Stones made of plastic, yes, but stones all the same. At the beginning of each game, you'll shuffle your stones into an opaque bag and draw a handful to determine your future moves.
Different stones have different numbers of pips on them, and you'll need to draw matching sets in order to build your temples. The more matching stones that you get, the higher you'll be able to elevate your temple from the ground. The taller your temple grows, the more the gods, hanging out miles away on Mount Olympus, will be able to see your devotion and shower you with glory (this game's version of victory points).
Each of the gods also has their own stones that you can collect and shuffle into your bag, which you can then use to dedicate temples to them, unlocking powerful actions.
Perhaps the most notable thing about For the Gods is its artistic direction. The game emulates the style of an amphora, a piece of Ancient Greek pottery. From its silhouetted depictions of the gods to the ceramic aesthetic of the game board. You don't have to be an archaeology aficionado to appreciate that the game captures its intended style expertly.
The Kickstarter campaign of For the Gods is currently live. The game costs $66 (£49) and is expected to ship in October.
Whether you're an advocate of Athens or a Sparta stan, you'll be more than welcome on the Wargamer Discord.
For more articles about the divine, check out our selection of six seriously weird Dungeons and Dragons gods.