Set in the latter half of the 18th century, Age of Reason (a.k.a. Zeitalter der Vernunft) makes players take on the role of regents for Great Britain, the Netherlands, France, Spain, Prussia, Austria and Russia who want to increase their home country's power in Europe while simultaneously establishing colonial empires in Africa, India and the Western Hemisphere. One country working on its own will not be able to achieve its goals, so players must take part in shifting alliances, with whose help they hope to achieve their plans - or at least stave off direct competition from a potential enemy. While Age of Reason can be played with only two players with the existing rules, the publisher recommends against this.