From the heart of Prague's Old Town, the ancient Astronomical Clock, known as the Orloj, marks the passage of time with its intricate mechanism and enigmatic figures. A marvel of medieval technology that has endured to this day. The astronomical dial, the oldest part of the clock, dates back to 1410, but the game is set around 1865, when the Apostles' Carillon and the calendar, painted by Josef Mánes, were added. From their workshop, each player will construct the zodiac spheres and the months of the calendar, as well as the images of the Apostles. With each piece, you'll be one step closer to completing this masterpiece, a symbol of the city of Prague. On each turn, players will place workers on the clock face to perform one main action and one secondary action, which they can configure based on their skill. Forcing the clock mechanism will allow for greater flexibility in your turn actions, but you'll have to correct any deviations before the rooster crows. During the game, players will also build the Apostles' Chime, expand their workshop, or hire assistants who will provide additional points at the end of the game.

Gameplay Overview

Orloj is a richly thematic heavy euro set around one of medieval Europe's most iconic engineering marvels — the Prague Astronomical Clock. Players compete as master builders constructing the clock's elaborate calendar section, assembling zodiac spheres, month dials, and the Apostles' Walk piece by piece. The turn structure is where the game really shines: you place a worker on the actual clock face, triggering one main and one secondary action whose nature depends on how you've configured your skills — and you can force the mechanism for extra flexibility, but risk accumulating deviations you'll need to correct before the rooster crows. Three skill tracks let you develop your abilities over time, while the Apostles' Chime and workshop expansion provide parallel paths to points. A stunning production with stained-glass-style artwork and a genuinely novel central mechanism, Orloj is one of the most visually and mechanically distinctive heavy euros of recent years.