As you adventure into a temple, or ruins, looking for lost treasure, can you figure out how to get it. Or will your nemesis get in the way? That’s the promise of the campaign game of Relics of Rajavihara. It doesn’t really deliver on all that theme, but does it matter? Is Relics of Rajavihara a good enough puzzle experience without that theme?

How To Play – Relics of Rajavihara

The concept of the game is not too challenging. On floor one, you push around blocks to get it so you can reach up to the treasure. It is kind of a sliding puzzle as you push those blocks around.

You pick the level you want to play, generally playing in order, and set-up the board so that the crates, at least for the first floor, are all in the right spot. Then using your adventurer meeple, you move the crates around. You can push them, for whatever level you are on. That can cause them to drop or move around the board. But be smart about how you do it, once it goes down a level, it can never go back up. And if you push it to the edge, it can’t go away from the edge. Basically you can only push it from an available side.

If you make it to the treasure or your goal, you win. If not, reset the board and try the puzzle again.

You can see more of how to play below.

What Doesn’t Work?

Firstly, each puzzle is a single solution. There might be ways to get to that solution, but once you solve it, you solve it. You can maybe try and optimize the number of moves, but that isn’t the point of the game. It is to solve the puzzle. So the game is limited on how often you can play it. There are 50+ puzzles in the core box. That is a lot of content, but once you are done, you likely will be done with the game.

Also, how well are the components needed for this game? I find myself looking at the card that tells me how to set things up to start to figure out the puzzle. Once I get a good idea, I’ll mess around on the board. Now, sometimes I’ll do both, start to mess around on the board and consider the card when I feel I messed up. But is this production needed for the game?

Mainly, when I stack crates five high and remove from the bottom is that the best way to do it? Now, sometimes I will remove from the top if everything is the same crate type. It is the same thing, but sometimes it isn’t an option. So I’ll be removing it from the bottom of the pile.

What Works?

I talked about the production and if it is needed. But I will say, the production is great. The quality of everything is amazing from the insert, to the blocks, the gems, the meeples, and especially the game board. It all works together to make it easy to play. And it is fun to play around with that toy factor.

Also, the puzzles are well done. How you set them up is clear and while most don’t take too long, 10 minutes maybe if you have to reset once or twice, there is variety in what you do. Setup for each level is fast, so the balance and ratio of time in what you are doing is right.

Add in that as you progress you unlock new things. So I mention crates, and they are what you get at floor one. Floor two offers new pieces that you add in to the game. Same with floor three and floor four, so the challenges escalate as you play. I appreciate that, I also find that first floor was easy to pick-up and set down, as you add in more, it takes longer to get back into that puzzle mindset. That is in a good way.

Who Is This For?

Firstly, I think it needs to be someone who is fine with playing a game and moving on from it. I have played it over several evenings or days. So it isn’t a one sitting and done game like Unlock or Exit. But when you finish, you pass it on to someone else. And for some people, they want a game that will sit on the shelf for ages, even if they aren’t playing it because it is playable and a “new” experience when they play it.

Also, this is a solo only game, but that is only kind of true. It can be a joint effort to solve the puzzles. But probably one person is going to be better at solving the puzzles than another person and end up being the one who does solve them. But it makes the game one that you can pass between people because of the time and speed.

I think mainly this is for someone who wants to solve puzzles. If that element of gaming is what you love, you will enjoy it.

Final Thoughts on Relics of Rajavihara

This is an odd game, meaning, I get why it won’t be for everyone. It is not super cheap, nor super expensive, but you only play it a limited number of times. I talk on my stream about how it is a game that I’d give away versus sell. If someone I know wants it, it is worth it to me to pass it on to them. Or it is a game that I sell for cheap because of the limited replayability. I consider it like the Unlock games that way.

On the flip side, I really enjoy solving the puzzles. Some of them take longer as I get my brain into it. Some of them are harder for me for some reason as I play them, even in the middle of it. But each is fun to do, and a challenge. And I like this sort of puzzle. I have previously mentioned it, but it reminds me of a game from Windows 95 or 98, Chip’s Challenge. That didn’t have the 3D aspect to it, but it is a sliding puzzle as well. And I really liked that game.

So for me, this is a game that is worth the cost. And when I am done, I won’t mind passing it on to someone else. Hopefully they get as much fun from it as I do and can also pass it on. And I think most people, if they can play it for a low enough cost, will enjoy it. The cost is just the barrier of entry to worry about for some people.

My Grade: B
Gamer Grade: B
Casual Grade: B+

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