Inis 3rd Edition Review – Clash of Clans

A thick fog blankets the sea as your people journey to a new home. Set in ancient Celtic times, you play as the leader of several clans, competing to establish dominance and become the High King of a newly discovered island near Ireland. Will you be defeated by rival leaders, or will you guide your clan with skill and strategy? That’s the challenge presented in Inis, a board game from Kolossal and Matagot. Asmodee USA provided me with a copy for review, so join me as I explore the untamed lands of Inis.

What Is Inis?

Inis is a board game where 2 to 4 players compete to control areas and build settlements on a newly discovered island off the coast of Ireland. Players act as clan leaders, and a typical game lasts between one and two hours.

In each round, players first draft four cards, then play them during the next phase. The game finishes when a player achieves the most victory conditions, which I’ll explain shortly.

How To Play Inis

In the game Inis, the first step is drafting cards. Players take turns choosing one card at a time from a limited stack of action cards. Because you always draw from the same stack each round, it’s important to carefully select cards that will help you succeed in the next phase of the game.

Drafting Is Different

What really struck me about this game was its approach to drafting. If you haven’t played a card drafting game before, here’s the basic idea: you’re given a hand of cards, you pick one to keep, and then pass the remaining cards to the next player.

So, you just keep choosing cards, then passing, choosing and passing… it’s a slow process of collecting cards as the pile gets smaller and smaller, until finally, there’s only one card left for you to grab!

In the game Inis, everyone begins with four cards. You’ll pick one to keep, then pass the remaining cards to the next player. After that, you’ll choose two cards to keep in total, and you even have the option to discard the card you originally selected!

Season Phase Brings It Home

Once the initial setup is done, you’ll use cards to move your groups across the board, discover new areas, and try to fulfill the requirements for winning the game.

As I play, I’ve found these awesome cards that give me huge advantages. I can even play some of them at almost any time – kind of like interrupting my opponent, which reminds me of ‘instant speed’ cards in Magic: The Gathering. Plus, the land itself can give me bonuses, which is pretty cool!

How Does It Feel To Play Inis?

This game feels completely different from anything else I’ve played. It’s hard to describe exactly how, but ‘different’ is the best way to put it after trying it out.

I was new to the game Inis, having never played it before. This edition seems to just update the card designs, with the core rules remaining the same as far as I could tell.

The biggest takeaway is that it just feels different. As I mentioned earlier, the process is unlike anything you’re used to, and I think the changes are great. They give you a lot more flexibility as you revise and improve your work with each draft.

As you play and especially towards the end of a draft, you’ll start to have specific cards you’re looking for. Being able to adjust your strategy as you go really changes the whole experience.

Controlling areas and engaging in battles feels unique in this game. You have to carefully manage your cards as a limited resource – you can even discard one to defend against an attack. This means you’re constantly weighing the risks and rewards of every encounter.

Overall, this game is challenging enough to engage experienced players, but it manages to do so without being overly complicated or difficult to understand – a common pitfall when trying to surprise seasoned gamers.

Inis – Final Thoughts

Inis is a truly captivating game, and it features some of the most beautiful artwork I’ve ever seen in a board game. In fact, the art was what originally drew me to the older versions of the game.

The game can be a little complex at times, making it tricky to figure out your next move, but that complexity helps create a strong sense of playing as a Celtic clan venturing into uncharted territory.

If you enjoy lengthy but not endless games and are looking for a unique take on card drafting, you should definitely consider checking out Inis. However, if you already own an older version of Inis, upgrading to this third edition isn’t essential.

We received a copy of Inis from Asmodee USA, the game’s publisher, for the purpose of this review.

2026-03-22 19:50