game profile

Carnegie

Industrialist empire-building, four-action loop

BGG · boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/310873

Carnegie is a heavy game (weight 8/10). The decision tree is among the deepest in the hobby (9/10), with meaningful long-term planning every turn. Decisions come at a steady pace (7/10) — engaged without being exhausting. There's meaningful but indirect interaction (interaction 5/10) — shared resources, catch-up effects, or watch-and-react moments. Direct attacks are minimal (2/10) — the friction comes from contention, not aggression.

Of every game in our catalog, Carnegie is closest to Galactic Cruise (95% profile match) but scores higher on weight (8 vs. 7).

WeightDepthDensityInteractionConflictNegotiationInputOutputCatch-upThemeEngineNarrative
Solo7/10
Fiddly8/10
Players
2P3P4P1P5+P

The 12-axis profile

Every score is on a 0–10 scale. The rubric and methodology behind these numbers is documented in the README.

Thinking

how much brainwork?
Weight
8
Depth
9
Density
7

Carnegie is a heavy game (weight 8/10). The decision tree is among the deepest in the hobby (9/10), with meaningful long-term planning every turn. Decisions come at a steady pace (7/10) — engaged without being exhausting.

Interaction

how multiplayer is the multiplayer?
Interaction
5
Conflict
2
Negotiation
0

There's meaningful but indirect interaction (interaction 5/10) — shared resources, catch-up effects, or watch-and-react moments. Direct attacks are minimal (2/10) — the friction comes from contention, not aggression.

Luck

where does luck live?
Input
4
Output
1
Catch-up
4

Variance is moderate (input 4, output 1/10). Catch-up is moderate (4/10).

Experience

how does it feel?
Theme
6
Engine
8
Narrative
4

The theme provides flavor (6/10) but the experience is mostly mechanical. The engine-building arc is strong (engine 8/10) — early-game investments pay off in explosive late-game turns.

Variance is moderate (input 4, output 1/10). Catch-up is moderate (4/10).

The theme provides flavor (6/10) but the experience is mostly mechanical. The engine-building arc is strong (engine 8/10) — early-game investments pay off in explosive late-game turns.

Games like Carnegie

Ranked by weighted Euclidean distance across the 12-axis profile, using the default research-weighted lens. Click any game to see its full profile.

Frequently asked

Answers derived directly from Carnegie's 12-axis profile.

Is Carnegie good solo?
Carnegie works well solo (solo 7/10), though the multiplayer is where the design shines.
What player count is Carnegie best at?
Carnegie is at its best at 2P, 3P, 4P; with 1P also strong; 5+P is the weakest count.
Is Carnegie a heavy game?
Yes — Carnegie is a heavy game (weight 8/10). Expect a serious rules teach and a multi-hour first session.
How much luck is there in Carnegie?
Carnegie has moderate variance (input 4/10, output 1/10).
Is Carnegie confrontational?
Carnegie is largely non-confrontational (interaction 5/10, conflict 2/10) — leans toward parallel play.

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