- BGG rating
- 8.8
Machina Arcana: Vivarium
- 1–4 players
- 30–240 min
- 2026
- BGG rank
- BGG #5,869
- BGG rating
- 7.3
Machina Arcana
2014
Rules assistance for Machina Arcana
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 1–4 players
- 150 min
- 13+
- Complexity 3.3/5
For 1 player
Rules assistant for Machina Arcana
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Machina Arcana is a board game released in 2014 for 1–4 players, 150 minutes per game, and ages 13 and up. It was designed by Juraj Bilich and its main mechanics are Dice Rolling, Grid Movement, and Cooperative Game.
Expansions
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About the game
In Machina Arcana, players take on the role of explorers who are investigating an ancient subterranean complex of unknown origin. They face monsters inspired by H. P. Lovecraft's Cthulhu mythos in a steampunk setting. The adventurers collect equipment, interact and utilize their environment, fight monsters, and immerse themselves in the rich narrative elements. The complete story is broken down into different scenarios that represent a self-contained game. All of these scenarios contain chapters, each with its own narration and specifics. The objective of the game is to progress through the tale and face the endgame at the finale of each scenario. The main goal behind Machina Arcana is to provide players with a chilling game that can never be played the same way, mechanisms that enable varying strategies and approaches, and an extensive framework that combines everything smoothly. The game scales by default; there is no need for special conditions based on the player count. As the story progresses, so does your gear. But beware! If you are too slow, horror might very well prevail and devour you whole...
Designers
Publishers
- (Self-Published)
Questions and answers
Machina Arcana supports 1–4 players according to the catalogue. This range comes from the publisher’s listed player count, so the game can be set up for any group size within it. Some setups, rules and scoring details may still vary by player count, so check your edition’s rulebook for the exact configuration.
The listed playing time for Machina Arcana is 150 minutes. This is the publisher’s estimate for a full game. The actual duration depends on the group, the player count and familiarity with the rules: first sessions usually run longer, while experienced groups often finish faster. Setup and teaching time are not included in this estimate.
The catalogue lists Machina Arcana for ages 13 and up. This is the publisher’s recommendation and reflects reading demands, rule complexity and small components rather than theme alone. Younger players can often join with help from an adult, so check the age guidance on your edition and consider your group’s experience with board games.
Machina Arcana has a complexity rating of 3.3 out of 5 from BoardGameGeek players, which makes it a medium-weight game. The rating reflects how much rules knowledge, planning and decision-making a typical game demands. Expect a longer first teach for heavier games, and use a preparation guide before game night.
Machina Arcana belongs to these categories: Fantasy, Fighting, and Dice. Its main mechanics are Dice Rolling, Grid Movement, and Cooperative Game. Categories describe the theme and setting of a game, while mechanics describe what players actually do on their turns. Each mechanic links to a catalogue hub with similar games, which helps when you want something comparable.
The credited designers of Machina Arcana are: Juraj Bilich. These credits come from the published game data and name the people responsible for the game’s design, not its illustrators or publishers. Designer pages on MeepleRules collect other titles by the same designers, which helps when you enjoy a game and want to find similar ones.
The catalogue lists Machina Arcana as a base game. It can be played on its own with the components in the box and does not require any other title. Expansions, if any exist, add new content or rules on top of it and are listed separately in the catalogue with a link back to this base game.