@@BoardGameCo Not at all, there's no guarantee a person will like a game - nor would I want you to misrepresent your true feelings. I do think the game benefits from multiple plays, but if you don't like your first play why keep playing in the hope it might improve for you? I'm pleased that many gamers are enjoying it.
@@nigelbuckle3759 I personally love this game because of its unique card mechanics that I believe add to the storytelling. It is dripping with theme and as you play your deck and build it, it reveals your nation’s story. A good example is when I played Persia; I started out playing the Lybian tributary, which is strange since in history the Medes nation was conquered first by Persia, but I guess in my game I had alliances with Medes. But it gets better, my first development is Medes tributary, first draw next round. Betrayed Medes, and then I also breakthrough for a tributary; Ionians. So in two turns my the cards have hinted at the type of path Persia has taken in this alternate history, in my head cannon, I’m now on the edge of Turkey, and I’m now facing the Greek bot! Suffice to say, developing my nation to get Persepolis (which I had to look up what it was) Darius I private capital that he established, and instead of trying to break down Greece historically (which he failed to do) using the battering ram, I played Darius I hiding out and using the Persian gold to fill the Greek bot with unrest which I imagine as Persia funding the corruption in the Greece states (which has historical providence in the Peloponnision war). In any case, I just felt that “it being dry” didn’t do the mechanics justice for adding to the story telling aspect. And while not every card translates perfectly with a bit of imagination I think it makes a wonderfully engaging story and game. Thank you Nigel for innovating such a cool game, and BGC for the review.
It’s always interesting how people can have such different opinions and feelings to the same game. I do feel like I’m building a distinct empire each time, and I feel challenged by the game. When to garrison a card? When to just acquire a card and take the unrest it brings, or make a bigger effort to break through. Love the concepts in this game. Guess we can’t always agree, but that’s ok. The variety in games and the different tastes we all have bring a richness to our hobby and that’s a good thing.
Finally a video I disagree with Alex! I thought I’d never see the day. I for one enjoy the hell out of this game. It feels so fresh. Wish it had better quality resource components so I will look for a replacement for that.
I totally agree! I 3D printed the inlay for both games in 1 box with 3d printed exhaust and action tokens. Now that's my no 1 game. It comes on the table every day (solo)... and yes it takes long, but it never feels boring.
Yes, this game is a surprise for me, its a bit long at 2+ hours for 2 players, but it is very thematic and the deckbuilding is extremely good and impactful. Very clever, very flavorful, maybe 20-30 minutes could be cut in between mid game and endgame, but otherwise, this is a solid 1 or 2 players game.
This is one of my favourite games of the year so far. Each civilization feels unique and every single game has been a blast, while trying to work out how to best progress. I think the poor card quality would be a fair criticism but I had no problem with anything else in the game; i even found the rulebook to be easy to follow.
It might mechanically be the best civilization game ever made. Every civilization having a different play speed, mechanical arc, unique ai, possible asymmetric paths to victory, different styles of player interaction and it's all emmaculately balanced ... the game is a triumph. At 2. It's a 1 or 2 player game don't let the box lie to you. It works but all that careful balance goes out the window and it becomes as long and as unbalanced as all those lesser civ games. Really really jaw dropping design work and I can't wait for them to return for voidfall
It's not for everyone but I've really enjoyed the two solo games I've played today, I'll only be playing solo and the AI system works really well, it's a slow burn game for sure, but i found just sitting down at a table and playing a nice relaxing card game for a few hours, very therapeutic, much like playing a city builder on pc like anno, civilisation, settlers or tropico, I do have doubts about group play enjoyment though, lucky for me that will never occur
Every boardgamer out there suggest to play or solo or with two players the 3-4 players will take forever... I don't think or see anyone that want to commit suicide by playing this with more than 2 players... Just like people quit playing more than 2 players mage knight that's crazy as hell just to think about games that takes more then 90 minutes to double the time for every player that's crazyyy... And that's not even TI4 level of craziness of 8 plus hours for 3 or 4 players... No no no just like you said alone for a couple of hours fine but with other people passss
I think the game length is the biggest flaw (compounded by fiddliness of setup and scoring) but I think this review completely glazes over some of the best bits: - this game is exceptionally cheap, at least here in the UK (£20) - there are EIGHT civilizations that (mostly) play very differently, each with different focuses with which cards they generally want to buy from the market I will admit that the Legends box has much better variety in that regard, but the sheer replay value available makes this one worth at least trying for 1-2 players (and yes, the solo AI is surprisingly good, giving you a taste of how every faction plays, even as an Automa) - oh, and I'd suggest watching a gameplay in order to learn how to play, makes the process much easier and the rulebook more of a glossary, which it's actually good at doing
I agree with some of your points, but having to watch a 90min gameplay video shouldn't be a necessity. I have nearly 200 games in my collection and this was the first time I felt I NEEDED a gameplay video to make sense of the rulebook. I still like the game, but its long and dry.
Solo game of the year for me. Yeah, the card backs and tokens seemed a bit lax but it doesn't take away how good this game really is. I would only want to play this solo. It's phenomenal how each of the solo Bots play very similarly to what an actuall player may do. It's not for everyone. Thanks for the review.
Learned to play this at the table with a bad rulebook, but we all enjoyed it. We loved the focus on cycling your deck. of how to go from being Barbarian to Empire. We loved the choice of breaking through or just taking what you can get. Of how unrest gets into and clogs your deck. Definitely not with you on this one and think it is excellent at multiplayer, as well as solo.
I understand if you think it is to little player ineraction in this game. Also if it is "to long" meaning it plans out and then you just use your card engine over a few times to many. But the deckbuilding is very fun and the difference between the civilisations to. The first 3/4s off the game is great for me and it is not that long a game...
Forgot they key part. Thsi is a as few players as possible game. 1-2 players really 83 ok if fast players/non extra extr extra action factions)...@@BoardGameCo
Thanks for your video. After my first play of “Imperium: Legends” I wasn’t happy either. The rulebook sucks, giving you no idea how to really play the game. The game takes forever to finish and my first play took like 4 hours. The errata thing is really bad because the one solo rule that’s missing is key to playing the game solo. But then I played again and this time it was much better. I already had the idea what to do, I knew the rules and I was able to finish under 3 hours (which is still long btw). Normally I would give up, but I had a game like this once in the past. It was “Gloom of Kilforth”. A lengthy card game with complicated rulebook. I hated it and wanted to sell it at one point. And today? It’s one of my favorite games of all time, together with its sequel. That’s why I’m giving Imperium a chance :) I have a feeling that it can become a game I really love :) I just need to give it some time.
I'm in your exact situation! (Solo player) I'll add that if the game doesn't get quicker, I'll have to sell it. Three hours deck builders aren't for me.
Nice review. This is hands down my favourite game this year. Funny how you consider the rules of garrisoning and breaking through unnecessarily complex. I think they are elegant, versatile and necessary mechanisms that make this game stand out. I don't know how else a mechanism to introduce unrest to the deck could be implemented. And the fact that you can garrison a card and later be able to get it back at a convenient time is amazing. The rulebook seemed fine to me. It's the kind of procedural, non-repetitive ruleset that relies on a Glossary. It actually contains all you need to know, but the structure is less common than most of the rulebooks out there. It reminds me of the rulebook for Stellar Horizons.
I made a video on my phone and titled it, “ Alex Radcliffe is wrong.” I showed it to my wife, so it has one view. 😎. Love this for Solo, it offers so much variability, great art, and just enough complexity. Appreciate your opinion, however- as always.
This game plays better each time you play it. I get the feeling that Alex has not really gone in objectively like he normally does. Most of his criticisms are centered around the initial experience which is overshadowed once you learn the game. I agree that the rules were difficult to use at first and that the ideas like "garrisoning" and "breaking through" were concepts used in other deckbuilders. But that is not a negative point to me. I think it is meant to be thematic in the terminology while borrowing from ideas that have been central to the genre. Alex has been a big help for me in the past because of his honest criticism. But no one person can reflect my exact tastes and I wish him the best.
I went in really expecting to love the game. I love deckbuilders, and I'm a huge fan of the art and designer here. My biggest frustration with the game wasn't in the rules but in just not finding any singular aspects rewarding. I'm happy that others are enjoying it. Based on the comments it seems most people love it, but that there are a healthy dose of people who had the same experience I did.
I'm with you completely on this one. I tried it but it was so dry that I couldn't bring myself to table it after 3 plays and would rather spend my time on other games.
Wow I didn't see it coming. I love this game. Such an epic deck builder, the best in years for me personally. But that is the cool thing about board games. Everyone love different stuff :) Great review even when I disagree with your rating ☺️
Totally agree with you. When I first heard about a Civilization deckbuilding game, I was super excited. Maybe a clever and elegant game, I can play with my friends. But than I read the rulebook... oh boy. And a "Civilization" game best played solo, why ? Modern boardgames are becoming more and more solo puzzles instead of social activities, what they used to be and what made them different compare to other media. I really hope this trend of solitaire games will change again.
I love it that games are more and more solo friendly this is the way most of the game should be The game itself can be great with 3-4 players don't get it wrong but it's just too long and only a few nations are actually with take that parts
Maybe I should had mention, I don't want to take any one's solo games away :D. I'm glad you can enjoy this :). But for me personally these games are not boardgames/Social games. And this lowers the amount of new games I can even consider. Even when it has a solo mode, I can tell it is rather without interaction or the solo mode is bad :D. Maybe I am wrong, and there are not so many of them , but my impression is, it's going the wrong direction and resources should better spend in boardgames, which stand out because of there social interaction. Pls don't feel attacked by this , when reading this as a solo player. And consider, that I,m just disappointed about this game, because it has my favourite theme and mechanic (deckbuilding) but is not made for me :D. And sry for my bad eng
@@cruelladevil9022 No worries, I didn’t take it wrong in any way. You feel the way you do and that’s fair. From my position as someone who wants to experience certain games but can’t because in my household I’m really the only board gamer, the options are more limited. To me most of the games aren’t made with me in mind and that’s fine. Most games, as you said, are designed with that multiplayer interaction in mind. So games that are accessible to me always catch my eye. We’re a small but growing sector of the hobby (hopefully).
I am still in the process of reading the rules and I'm super excited to try it out. It looks like it's what I wanted Through the Ages to be. I'm glad you voiced your negative points so I can look out for them. And I hope I disagree vehemently with you 😄
Tried a lot of deckbuilders but found almost all of them too shallow/light, not thematic enough, basically non-interactive. But Imperium for me is the rare gem that completely fits my taste. This is the deckbuilder for me: heavy, long, lots of decisions, great variability and replay value. So maybe because it is so untypical for a deckbuilder makes it the "wrong" game for people who normally enjoy deckbuilders...
Wish I had seen this video before I bought the game... the multiple errors in the rulebook and cards are inexcusable and add yet another level of challenge. I was bitterly disappointed in the game...
After about 12 plays, I do enjoy the game and it is staying in my collection. I will say that it took 1 game to understand it but it really clicked by the 3rd game. Great art although the victory chits are very cheap. I probably will swap out the resources for something more thematic. Each Civ try’s to capture aspects of that Civ in the art but also in their asymmetrical mechanisms like how the Celts cause Unrest, Vikings don’t have a history pile, Arthurians go on quests, and Atlanteans keep getting flooded. I rated it around a 8.0 but dinged the score a bit due to long play time and sleeved cards not fitting in the box. I would never want to play this with 3 players or more….unless everyone was familiar with the asme
I think that's fair. Some games are all about incremental advantages that are difficult to identify as pivotal until you have played a fair amount. How important was that extra card draw that let you dig through your deck one turn sooner? Maybe very important. Maybe the difference between winning and losing, but the first few times you play you wouldn't know that. Also, it takes some effort to thematically reconcile that moment, but it's TOTALLY there. You did something to accelerate the advancement of your nation and now you have a new ability that hopefully will show up soon so you can leverage that advantage...before the Celts force the civilized world into revolt and chaos. It's truly a remarkable design, but yes, there is an opacity related to "good" vs "ok" turns that is only revealed through repeat plays and a commitment from the player to try to identify them.
That's cool. I hope I will enjoy it because I ordered it based on a 3 gameplay video's I saw that intrigued me XD And I'm not very good at reselling my games. I have a whole big box full of (maybe a dozen?) games that I wanted to sell at some point and never did.
Interesting review and I respect that you put out such a negative opinion of such a hyped game. :) I didn't get to play it yet, just read the rulebook so far. I have to say calling it terrible seems like a pretty big stretch - like you said yourself, it is accurate and precise and includes all the concepts necessary to play the game. I agree that it's dry, but if that's reason enough to classify as 'terrible', then I wonder where those half-cooked KS-rulebooks fall on that scale that omit key concepts, bury important rules in footnotes or include no glossary. I somewhat wonder if you went into this with wrong expectations or maybe you played too much Merchant's Cove lately. ;P From all I can tell, this is just a complex game and it's intended to be that way (small surprise given the fact it's a Turczi-design). Definitely not a gateway-deckbuilder. There is a lot going on and for games of that scope it's customary they need a couple of plays to fully understand the intricacies. From what I've seen, it should rather be compared to something like Through The Ages than to any of the easy deckbuilders. One last thing I'd note is that you found it to be very dry - So Very Wrong About Games in their review mentioned specifically that they felt it was possibly the most thematic civilisation game they had played due to how different all the factions felt and how the gameplay was tied to the specific theme. Hopefully I'll get it to the table soon and see in what camp I'll end up. :)
I'll have to rewatch the review, did I call the game itself terrible? Or specific aspects? It would be very unlike me to call a game terrible. This is a 2...a game I don't want to play again. That doesn't mean it's terrible, it means it's a game that isn't for me. The game is well designed, brilliantly so arguably, and yet not a single part of it felt fun. It felt like an excercise in minor optimizations none of which felt engaging.
@@BoardGameCo You said the rules book is terrible and every reviewer out there said the same so don't worry Just like you said it does the job of containing the rules but not the part of transferring them easily to the player
This is one game that could have really used a Playbook to go along with the Rule Book. The Rule book is quite good for looking up things...but it's horrible about showing you how to play the game. A Playbook (ala GMT) would have been useful to just walk through a few turns. I also think it would have been useful to address why Alex didn't care for the game...the playbook could have included narrative about why a particular choice was made on a turn. This could go a long ways towards showing what a player should be considering as they play...remove a bit of the opacity that exists. They are a lot of work to produce, but they are incredibly useful (play books).
An opinion can't be wrong though. People can dislike games that you love. I love this game, and I disagree with his opinion. But he's entitled to them and is definitely not wrong.
@@bridge_full_of_trolls Hi, you may not be familiar with a ":)" which symbolizes playfulness in this context. You can think of it as putting a /s at the end of a statement.
Alex, I love your honesty and I will always listen to you, weirdly your negative review gave me all the information that said I will love Imperium 😂. An informative review is an informative review 😁
Even if the rules books sucks we have playthrough to cover it instead The fact that game itself is dry that the problem Sure it had a lot of decisions but for nothing for vp in the end 🤦
In your opinion, Alex, how do gameplays differ with the same faction over different games? Are you always doing the same thing or are there multiple paths to victory. Out of all the gameplays I still do not get playing tactical against the AI. The AI just puts 5 cards out and either resolves 4 or all 5. You don’t know the cards so from what it seems you cannot anticipate what it does other than that there is a guide in the book which seemingly tells you what the AI faction will focus on. I have heard others say it is a multiplayer solo. To what extend do you agree with other content creators?
Solo depends how much you play and how much effort you it into tracking the bot. Each has its own behaviour chart so you can learn its likely actions. The bots use the civilisation decks so again you can learn them. Also acquired cards go to the top of the bot deck so are played next turn. Yes there are multiple paths for each civilisation, even just using the A or B of the power card. Then factor the random order of the nation cards, the order you develop cards when an Empire, and of course the variable common market cards.
@@nigelbuckle3759, thanks so much for the reply. I was on the fence about this game. I love the art, but was not sure about gameplay. Might get it once it is available again in the Netherlands.
I agree mostly. I didn't like it, I think it is more of a mechanical solo puzzle deck-builder than a typical Civ game. The biggest flaws are that the theme is completely lost in favor of the mechanical benefits of cards, and the scoring system is awful.
The problems with Imperium Classics/Legends really seem to be that it's more a solo game than anything else and that it's more or less just mechanically playing through the deck several times. It's more mechanical than thematic. I also don't like the graphic design of Imperium Classics/Legends, especially the card backs. The artworks are matter of if and how much one likes Mico's art.
I don't think the rulebook is *terrible*, but the setup rules, with all the "Do this, unless you're Utopian, then do this, or unless you're Arthurian, then do this, or unless..." make for a pretty daunting introduction.
@@brandtsanderson4665 Yeah but again it should be part of the actual rule book and not as errata people don't supposed to guess that and go to bgg everytime there is a mistake in the rules Also the solo Ai in the rules it self is a terrible design not to put it separately, thus making people again to go to bgg and print this page again on their own If feels like all and I mean it all of the ux design wasn't actually tested and only the mechanics works which sucks for a game like that, if the experience of the player is not in the center the game is ruined for me at least
@@mabos555 gotcha. I loved it but opinions will vary for sure. I merely wanted to let people know that the missing rule was a simple one. There are so many other games if people don’t enjoy this one they can just move on.
@@BoardGameCo You wasnt that mean or harsh people praise this game for nothing It is a solid game sure and maybe one of the top 10 this year but the journey to actually enjoy it is too long and not worth it
I understand why people like it, but I felt the same way as you. I'll probably give it one more play before deciding for sure, but I suspect I'll be selling this one.
I am really surprised you did not mention the length. It is, in my opinion, way way way too long for what it is. And I completely agree that there are no great moments to bring you back. It’s just 1000 little sub optimizations all stacked up together.
Alex thanks for the review. Its great to get different perspectives on a game. Also great seeing all the comments, your review has certainly inspired community engagement. Not played the game yet but as I live in the Uk and its relatively cheap here I will probably try it
Interesting review. Yes, first time through the game is slow but I've played a few times now and it probably takes 60-90 minutes. I think first time through most games is slow. Unlike you, I do get excited when the right card, or combination of cards come up at the right time. I think I am still learning the various strategies involved but I do feel that I have improved a lot over my first few plays. The rulebook: before buying I had heard that it was terrible. I disagree. It is precise and (generally) clear. It may not be the most 'fun' rulebook out there but it does the job better than most. There is some errata - will be great when that is incorporated into a second printing. The cards are not very good quality and it is one of the few games I have sleeved. I had to trim the sleeves a little to fit the sleeved cards into the insert. Making the insert sections slightly larger (length and width) would be a great idea for a second printing too! So far I've only played two-handed solo and solo mode. I look forward to playing with people. I think my sons will like it. Once you have played a couple of games, the mechanics are quite straight forward - but there is a lot of strategy involved. Anyway, sorry that my post turned into an alternative review.
haven't had the chance to play it yet. To me (by reading the rules) it appears to be very convoluted and not very "smooth" to play (so that you do your thing, then the next players goes so you have time to plan your next stetp etc.). As not even a single reviewer ever mentioned the actually game flow as a negative I assume it propably isn't as bad as I expect it to be. But I suspect if not for the Artwork, this game would've lost a lot of good will. As a comparison: I love *Core Worlds* (which, apparently, no one remembers). It was the only Civ-Deck-Builder before Imperium iirc. But its very "mathy" and has down-time so I could never call it a grandious Deck-Builder regardless of how much I like Civ games.
I like those kind of thinky game .... but as time goes by and family taking a lot of time, I dont feel like siting on a table for 2-3 hours .. just like I loved paladins but the game time was just too much to be enjoyed ... I can leave a game on the table but to put me back into the game where I left it is really tough in these game ... so it was an easy pass for me
@@BoardGameCo vicounts checks all the box that palladins did but under an hour ... this is what I seek in games ... and to replace an old game with a new one, it needs to fullfill what the old one did, but better and in the same timeframe or else I'll stick with the old game
This is quite a surprise to me. I've been following your channel for a while and I feel like we have a lot of taste in common and you've introduced me to some games that have become some of my all time favorites, like Spirit Island, Marvel Champions and Too Many Bones, but also that you didn't quite like Dwellings of Eldervale, which I bought also but sold again after a few plays because I didn't like it. But I bought Imperium Classics and Legends after hearing good things about it on other reviews and it's been a big hit for me. I've been playing it solo mostly and really having a lot of fun with it, it's quite challenging. I agree with some critiques that you said, like the rulebook which very much is terrible like you say and it takes a while to get into the game. And some cards may seem like they not that useful, but after a few games I'm getting the feeling for how to play them. But I don't agree with that it tries to be different just to be different, they way it's designed seems very intentional to me, with the starting cards of each civilization, the cards added from the nation deck before becoming a empire and the cards from development after becoming an empire. For me I do feel like you can get quite a few cool cards to get an edge on your opponents if you play them well and I feel like it's a lot of fun. Then the mechanism of breaking through vs. acquire which you didn't quite like, but to me it's a very tactical choice to either go for the unrest or pay more to leave it, or be able to get a card from the deck above the market. I really like that choice and is interesting and fun for me. Last game I was on the edge of collapse and really had to struggle to go for break through so the card would return to the unrest pile. The design of that is very well thought out. But not every game is for everyone of course. I would say you might give this one another chance, but you probably have a lot of games on your list to get to. Thanks for the review either way!
Great write up! Totally agree about how good the decision making in the game is. Most deck builders comes down to luck, get better cards, get rid of older less powerful cards. This feels so much more strategic and when you do certain actions vs certain nations actually matters
In the 5 years I have been playing boardgames I only got extremely bored twice. Playing this game was one of those times, unfortunately. Too much of the same repetitive actions. Not for me.
Good game but definitely worst rule book I’ve ever read. Not only there are many mistakes (at least in the terrible french version), but what you’re supposed to do is not very clear, especially if you’re not a deck building specialist. I finally made a full game yesterday, and as you explain, once you’ve played a bit it starts to make sense, but still. And I wish it had the rule book of a Stonemaier game. I agree it’s dry. It’s not very immersive, but it should be. I will play more though. I think once you know the different civilizations the game is more enjoyable. Well, I hope so.
sorry, but which artwork? these are just sketches and the whole game looks like a prototype. something is cheeky. and like every game in which the mico did the artwork, an ugly layout is put over it. and yes, the tokens are really ridiculous. but the deckbuilding is not bad :)
I agree with you Alex, I'll skip this one even though I really wanted it The problem with this game for me is not just the rule books and the quality of the component which sucks - my only problem is what you said that all of this cleverness is for nothing for just getting points and beat the automa or another player, and this game is just doing that. I adore deck building games most of my collection is deck building based only... I hate and I'll say it again hateeee games that for solo perspective only are beat your own score or beat the automa, I just don't like vp based games at all and this is the number one reason why I'll skip this game If somehow there will be a bgg varients to just play with objectives in mind and not counting vp at all I'll be all in for that but I don't think it will happen let me know guys if there is such a way to play it without vp at all
You must have a weird collection then because the majority of deckbuilders I can think of off the top of my head are VP-based. xD Also 'beat the automa or beat your own score' is basically the two options you have for solo-modes of competitive games.
@@MaVarcon You really don't know my collection then... The games are : After the virus, hero realms with the campaign, superhot, rune age, Blight chronicles agent decker, Dunguen brawler And soon I'll buy ausonia, the phantom card game, feudila - non of them have vp as a wining conditions Yeah they are mostly campaigns what I mentioned but sorry man for me f@ck vp I hate to play for the vp So yeah my collection is unique since it mostly contains beat the boss games or puzzle games and that's the way I love it For example I have sos titanic, most of the Onirim games, micro city, finished, deep space d6, under falling skies, warps edge Just check me out man non of them are about the vp... I know I'm a bit weird but for me playing for vp is overrated and I'm tiered of playing this way, especially when I'm mostly play solo anyway Give me an objective and variaty, give me a boss to beat, give me missions to finish anything just not the bullshitness of counting scores... I'm not in a tests at university anymore I have two diplomas I had enough scoring in my life don't need it in my games anymore 😁
Wait... amazing card quality great trays and some of the best art ever is now low quality components. 16 ais with multiple levels of difficulty... and not liking vp based games is weird to begin with but two of the factions technically win with their end game conditions which are completely asymmetric to the standard point based factions.... I don't think you're talking about the same game here tbh.
@@82ndmi I've heard from Luke and other guys that the component materials are trash man..the art is great sure but the quality of the cards and tokens are meh first of all Also yeah I don't give a damn about vp games sorry bro I hate that I know about those two factions they are from the legends pack and that's a shame that only two out of 16 are like that we should got at least half of the game like that Don't forget about the rest of the complaints: long game, crappy with errors rule books, and just a dry game to play So yeah the solo is easy to play, and even the art is amazing and the price is great and even the variaty is great but in the end of the day - don't like vp based games that is not wierd at all when you have games like beat the boss, adventure games, missions based, party games just for fun and obviously puzzles games and so on much more - just I like said before vp is a lazy way of decide who to win and I hate that it's too overrated and boring
Thanks for taking the time to review Imperium. Sorry it didn’t click with you.
Thanks for being a prince about it :) I was very much looking forward to this one, I'm happy for you that most people seem to be loving it.
@@BoardGameCo Not at all, there's no guarantee a person will like a game - nor would I want you to misrepresent your true feelings. I do think the game benefits from multiple plays, but if you don't like your first play why keep playing in the hope it might improve for you? I'm pleased that many gamers are enjoying it.
@@nigelbuckle3759
I personally love this game because of its unique card mechanics that I believe add to the storytelling. It is dripping with theme and as you play your deck and build it, it reveals your nation’s story. A good example is when I played Persia; I started out playing the Lybian tributary, which is strange since in history the Medes nation was conquered first by Persia, but I guess in my game I had alliances with Medes. But it gets better, my first development is Medes tributary, first draw next round. Betrayed Medes, and then I also breakthrough for a tributary; Ionians. So in two turns my the cards have hinted at the type of path Persia has taken in this alternate history, in my head cannon, I’m now on the edge of Turkey, and I’m now facing the Greek bot! Suffice to say, developing my nation to get Persepolis (which I had to look up what it was) Darius I private capital that he established, and instead of trying to break down Greece historically (which he failed to do) using the battering ram, I played Darius I hiding out and using the Persian gold to fill the Greek bot with unrest which I imagine as Persia funding the corruption in the Greece states (which has historical providence in the Peloponnision war). In any case, I just felt that “it being dry” didn’t do the mechanics justice for adding to the story telling aspect. And while not every card translates perfectly with a bit of imagination I think it makes a wonderfully engaging story and game. Thank you Nigel for innovating such a cool game, and BGC for the review.
It’s always interesting how people can have such different opinions and feelings to the same game. I do feel like I’m building a distinct empire each time, and I feel challenged by the game. When to garrison a card? When to just acquire a card and take the unrest it brings, or make a bigger effort to break through. Love the concepts in this game. Guess we can’t always agree, but that’s ok. The variety in games and the different tastes we all have bring a richness to our hobby and that’s a good thing.
Yep, I'm glad people are enjoying it, for myself it just had no "fun" moments.
Finally a video I disagree with Alex! I thought I’d never see the day. I for one enjoy the hell out of this game. It feels so fresh. Wish it had better quality resource components so I will look for a replacement for that.
I totally agree! I 3D printed the inlay for both games in 1 box with 3d printed exhaust and action tokens. Now that's my no 1 game. It comes on the table every day (solo)... and yes it takes long, but it never feels boring.
Glad you're enjoying it :) you're definitely not alone :)
Totally agree, awesome game, the components are ... Rubbish. The game should come with sleeves because they are necessary.
Yes, this game is a surprise for me, its a bit long at 2+ hours for 2 players, but it is very thematic and the deckbuilding is extremely good and impactful. Very clever, very flavorful, maybe 20-30 minutes could be cut in between mid game and endgame, but otherwise, this is a solid 1 or 2 players game.
This is one of my favourite games of the year so far. Each civilization feels unique and every single game has been a blast, while trying to work out how to best progress. I think the poor card quality would be a fair criticism but I had no problem with anything else in the game; i even found the rulebook to be easy to follow.
I'm glad your enjoying....for myself I genuinely would not want to play it again unfortunately.
It might mechanically be the best civilization game ever made. Every civilization having a different play speed, mechanical arc, unique ai, possible asymmetric paths to victory, different styles of player interaction and it's all emmaculately balanced ... the game is a triumph. At 2. It's a 1 or 2 player game don't let the box lie to you. It works but all that careful balance goes out the window and it becomes as long and as unbalanced as all those lesser civ games.
Really really jaw dropping design work and I can't wait for them to return for voidfall
Oh I think it's amazingly designed....there are just zero parts of the game that were fun for me :)
It's not for everyone but I've really enjoyed the two solo games I've played today, I'll only be playing solo and the AI system works really well, it's a slow burn game for sure, but i found just sitting down at a table and playing a nice relaxing card game for a few hours, very therapeutic, much like playing a city builder on pc like anno, civilisation, settlers or tropico, I do have doubts about group play enjoyment though, lucky for me that will never occur
Every boardgamer out there suggest to play or solo or with two players the 3-4 players will take forever...
I don't think or see anyone that want to commit suicide by playing this with more than 2 players...
Just like people quit playing more than 2 players mage knight that's crazy as hell just to think about games that takes more then 90 minutes to double the time for every player that's crazyyy...
And that's not even TI4 level of craziness of 8 plus hours for 3 or 4 players...
No no no just like you said alone for a couple of hours fine but with other people passss
@@mabos555 yeah the only 8 hour games I play are wargames, done a few of those at all day events with super size armies, but never with board games
Ya I'm glad people are enjoying it, but sadly not for me.
I think the game length is the biggest flaw (compounded by fiddliness of setup and scoring) but I think this review completely glazes over some of the best bits:
- this game is exceptionally cheap, at least here in the UK (£20)
- there are EIGHT civilizations that (mostly) play very differently, each with different focuses with which cards they generally want to buy from the market
I will admit that the Legends box has much better variety in that regard, but the sheer replay value available makes this one worth at least trying for 1-2 players (and yes, the solo AI is surprisingly good, giving you a taste of how every faction plays, even as an Automa)
- oh, and I'd suggest watching a gameplay in order to learn how to play, makes the process much easier and the rulebook more of a glossary, which it's actually good at doing
The variability is great, if you like what the game is doing. Sadly I really did not enjoy the actual game part of things.
I agree with some of your points, but having to watch a 90min gameplay video shouldn't be a necessity. I have nearly 200 games in my collection and this was the first time I felt I NEEDED a gameplay video to make sense of the rulebook. I still like the game, but its long and dry.
Solo game of the year for me. Yeah, the card backs and tokens seemed a bit lax but it doesn't take away how good this game really is. I would only want to play this solo. It's phenomenal how each of the solo Bots play very similarly to what an actuall player may do. It's not for everyone. Thanks for the review.
Glad you're enjoying it :)
Learned to play this at the table with a bad rulebook, but we all enjoyed it. We loved the focus on cycling your deck. of how to go from being Barbarian to Empire. We loved the choice of breaking through or just taking what you can get. Of how unrest gets into and clogs your deck. Definitely not with you on this one and think it is excellent at multiplayer, as well as solo.
I understand if you think it is to little player ineraction in this game. Also if it is "to long" meaning it plans out and then you just use your card engine over a few times to many.
But the deckbuilding is very fun and the difference between the civilisations to. The first 3/4s off the game is great for me and it is not that long a game...
Yep, the game has a passionate fan base, just not a game for me.
Forgot they key part. Thsi is a as few players as possible game. 1-2 players really 83 ok if fast players/non extra extr extra action factions)...@@BoardGameCo
Thanks for your video. After my first play of “Imperium: Legends” I wasn’t happy either. The rulebook sucks, giving you no idea how to really play the game. The game takes forever to finish and my first play took like 4 hours. The errata thing is really bad because the one solo rule that’s missing is key to playing the game solo.
But then I played again and this time it was much better. I already had the idea what to do, I knew the rules and I was able to finish under 3 hours (which is still long btw).
Normally I would give up, but I had a game like this once in the past. It was “Gloom of Kilforth”. A lengthy card game with complicated rulebook. I hated it and wanted to sell it at one point. And today? It’s one of my favorite games of all time, together with its sequel. That’s why I’m giving Imperium a chance :) I have a feeling that it can become a game I really love :) I just need to give it some time.
I'm in your exact situation! (Solo player)
I'll add that if the game doesn't get quicker, I'll have to sell it. Three hours deck builders aren't for me.
Loved the honest review, thanks as always Alex
Anytime :)
Nice review. This is hands down my favourite game this year. Funny how you consider the rules of garrisoning and breaking through unnecessarily complex. I think they are elegant, versatile and necessary mechanisms that make this game stand out. I don't know how else a mechanism to introduce unrest to the deck could be implemented. And the fact that you can garrison a card and later be able to get it back at a convenient time is amazing.
The rulebook seemed fine to me. It's the kind of procedural, non-repetitive ruleset that relies on a Glossary. It actually contains all you need to know, but the structure is less common than most of the rulebooks out there. It reminds me of the rulebook for Stellar Horizons.
To be clear, I didn't find them complex....but rather unnecessarily complex. Meaning they felt like fiddly versions of established mechanics.
I made a video on my phone and titled it, “ Alex Radcliffe is wrong.” I showed it to my wife, so it has one view. 😎. Love this for Solo, it offers so much variability, great art, and just enough complexity. Appreciate your opinion, however- as always.
This game plays better each time you play it. I get the feeling that Alex has not really gone in objectively like he normally does. Most of his criticisms are centered around the initial experience which is overshadowed once you learn the game. I agree that the rules were difficult to use at first and that the ideas like "garrisoning" and "breaking through" were concepts used in other deckbuilders. But that is not a negative point to me. I think it is meant to be thematic in the terminology while borrowing from ideas that have been central to the genre. Alex has been a big help for me in the past because of his honest criticism. But no one person can reflect my exact tastes and I wish him the best.
I went in really expecting to love the game. I love deckbuilders, and I'm a huge fan of the art and designer here. My biggest frustration with the game wasn't in the rules but in just not finding any singular aspects rewarding. I'm happy that others are enjoying it. Based on the comments it seems most people love it, but that there are a healthy dose of people who had the same experience I did.
I'm with you completely on this one. I tried it but it was so dry that I couldn't bring myself to table it after 3 plays and would rather spend my time on other games.
Yep. I think it's well designed, it just wasn't fun for me.
Wow I didn't see it coming. I love this game. Such an epic deck builder, the best in years for me personally.
But that is the cool thing about board games. Everyone love different stuff :)
Great review even when I disagree with your rating ☺️
Appreciate it :)
Totally agree with you. When I first heard about a Civilization deckbuilding game, I was super excited. Maybe a clever and elegant game, I can play with my friends. But than I read the rulebook... oh boy. And a "Civilization" game best played solo, why ? Modern boardgames are becoming more and more solo puzzles instead of social activities, what they used to be and what made them different compare to other media. I really hope this trend of solitaire games will change again.
As someone who got into board games this past year BECAUSE of solo play options, I would beg to differ.
I can't agree there, I'm happy gamers have choices, not all games will be right for everyone in different ways.
I love it that games are more and more solo friendly this is the way most of the game should be
The game itself can be great with 3-4 players don't get it wrong but it's just too long and only a few nations are actually with take that parts
Maybe I should had mention, I don't want to take any one's solo games away :D. I'm glad you can enjoy this :).
But for me personally these games are not boardgames/Social games. And this lowers the amount of new games I can even consider. Even when it has a solo mode, I can tell it is rather without interaction or the solo mode is bad :D.
Maybe I am wrong, and there are not so many of them , but my impression is, it's going the wrong direction and resources should better spend in boardgames, which stand out because of there social interaction.
Pls don't feel attacked by this , when reading this as a solo player. And consider, that I,m just disappointed about this game, because it has my favourite theme and mechanic (deckbuilding) but is not made for me :D.
And sry for my bad eng
@@cruelladevil9022 No worries, I didn’t take it wrong in any way. You feel the way you do and that’s fair. From my position as someone who wants to experience certain games but can’t because in my household I’m really the only board gamer, the options are more limited. To me most of the games aren’t made with me in mind and that’s fine. Most games, as you said, are designed with that multiplayer interaction in mind. So games that are accessible to me always catch my eye. We’re a small but growing sector of the hobby (hopefully).
I am still in the process of reading the rules and I'm super excited to try it out. It looks like it's what I wanted Through the Ages to be. I'm glad you voiced your negative points so I can look out for them. And I hope I disagree vehemently with you 😄
Tried a lot of deckbuilders but found almost all of them too shallow/light, not thematic enough, basically non-interactive. But Imperium for me is the rare gem that completely fits my taste. This is the deckbuilder for me: heavy, long, lots of decisions, great variability and replay value.
So maybe because it is so untypical for a deckbuilder makes it the "wrong" game for people who normally enjoy deckbuilders...
Glad you're enjoying it :)
Wish I had seen this video before I bought the game... the multiple errors in the rulebook and cards are inexcusable and add yet another level of challenge. I was bitterly disappointed in the game...
Yep, it gets a lot of love but I was not one of those.
After about 12 plays, I do enjoy the game and it is staying in my collection. I will say that it took 1 game to understand it but it really clicked by the 3rd game. Great art although the victory chits are very cheap. I probably will swap out the resources for something more thematic. Each Civ try’s to capture aspects of that Civ in the art but also in their asymmetrical mechanisms like how the Celts cause Unrest, Vikings don’t have a history pile, Arthurians go on quests, and Atlanteans keep getting flooded. I rated it around a 8.0 but dinged the score a bit due to long play time and sleeved cards not fitting in the box.
I would never want to play this with 3 players or more….unless everyone was familiar with the asme
I think that's fair. Some games are all about incremental advantages that are difficult to identify as pivotal until you have played a fair amount. How important was that extra card draw that let you dig through your deck one turn sooner? Maybe very important. Maybe the difference between winning and losing, but the first few times you play you wouldn't know that. Also, it takes some effort to thematically reconcile that moment, but it's TOTALLY there. You did something to accelerate the advancement of your nation and now you have a new ability that hopefully will show up soon so you can leverage that advantage...before the Celts force the civilized world into revolt and chaos. It's truly a remarkable design, but yes, there is an opacity related to "good" vs "ok" turns that is only revealed through repeat plays and a commitment from the player to try to identify them.
That's cool. I hope I will enjoy it because I ordered it based on a 3 gameplay video's I saw that intrigued me XD
And I'm not very good at reselling my games. I have a whole big box full of (maybe a dozen?) games that I wanted to sell at some point and never did.
Interesting review and I respect that you put out such a negative opinion of such a hyped game. :)
I didn't get to play it yet, just read the rulebook so far. I have to say calling it terrible seems like a pretty big stretch - like you said yourself, it is accurate and precise and includes all the concepts necessary to play the game. I agree that it's dry, but if that's reason enough to classify as 'terrible', then I wonder where those half-cooked KS-rulebooks fall on that scale that omit key concepts, bury important rules in footnotes or include no glossary.
I somewhat wonder if you went into this with wrong expectations or maybe you played too much Merchant's Cove lately. ;P
From all I can tell, this is just a complex game and it's intended to be that way (small surprise given the fact it's a Turczi-design). Definitely not a gateway-deckbuilder. There is a lot going on and for games of that scope it's customary they need a couple of plays to fully understand the intricacies.
From what I've seen, it should rather be compared to something like Through The Ages than to any of the easy deckbuilders.
One last thing I'd note is that you found it to be very dry - So Very Wrong About Games in their review mentioned specifically that they felt it was possibly the most thematic civilisation game they had played due to how different all the factions felt and how the gameplay was tied to the specific theme.
Hopefully I'll get it to the table soon and see in what camp I'll end up. :)
I'll have to rewatch the review, did I call the game itself terrible? Or specific aspects? It would be very unlike me to call a game terrible. This is a 2...a game I don't want to play again. That doesn't mean it's terrible, it means it's a game that isn't for me. The game is well designed, brilliantly so arguably, and yet not a single part of it felt fun. It felt like an excercise in minor optimizations none of which felt engaging.
@@BoardGameCo
You said the rules book is terrible and every reviewer out there said the same so don't worry
Just like you said it does the job of containing the rules but not the part of transferring them easily to the player
No, just the rulebook, which is what I was referring to.
This is one game that could have really used a Playbook to go along with the Rule Book. The Rule book is quite good for looking up things...but it's horrible about showing you how to play the game. A Playbook (ala GMT) would have been useful to just walk through a few turns. I also think it would have been useful to address why Alex didn't care for the game...the playbook could have included narrative about why a particular choice was made on a turn. This could go a long ways towards showing what a player should be considering as they play...remove a bit of the opacity that exists. They are a lot of work to produce, but they are incredibly useful (play books).
You know those opinions that are so wrong you never expect to see them? This is one of them ;)
An opinion can't be wrong though. People can dislike games that you love. I love this game, and I disagree with his opinion. But he's entitled to them and is definitely not wrong.
@@bridge_full_of_trolls Hi, you may not be familiar with a ":)" which symbolizes playfulness in this context. You can think of it as putting a /s at the end of a statement.
Alex, I love your honesty and I will always listen to you, weirdly your negative review gave me all the information that said I will love Imperium 😂. An informative review is an informative review 😁
Haven’t played the game yet. But gotta say we tried reading the rule book online and really found it dry. So agree with you on that.
Rulebook alone doesn't make the game :) Might be good for you.
Even if the rules books sucks we have playthrough to cover it instead
The fact that game itself is dry that the problem
Sure it had a lot of decisions but for nothing for vp in the end 🤦
In your opinion, Alex, how do gameplays differ with the same faction over different games? Are you always doing the same thing or are there multiple paths to victory. Out of all the gameplays I still do not get playing tactical against the AI. The AI just puts 5 cards out and either resolves 4 or all 5. You don’t know the cards so from what it seems you cannot anticipate what it does other than that there is a guide in the book which seemingly tells you what the AI faction will focus on. I have heard others say it is a multiplayer solo. To what extend do you agree with other content creators?
Solo depends how much you play and how much effort you it into tracking the bot. Each has its own behaviour chart so you can learn its likely actions. The bots use the civilisation decks so again you can learn them. Also acquired cards go to the top of the bot deck so are played next turn. Yes there are multiple paths for each civilisation, even just using the A or B of the power card. Then factor the random order of the nation cards, the order you develop cards when an Empire, and of course the variable common market cards.
@@nigelbuckle3759, thanks so much for the reply. I was on the fence about this game. I love the art, but was not sure about gameplay. Might get it once it is available again in the Netherlands.
I agree mostly. I didn't like it, I think it is more of a mechanical solo puzzle deck-builder than a typical Civ game. The biggest flaws are that the theme is completely lost in favor of the mechanical benefits of cards, and the scoring system is awful.
Sell your copy to me Alex. I gave mine to someone as a gift, but I really like it, and now I can't find a copy for myself.
The problems with Imperium Classics/Legends really seem to be that it's more a solo game than anything else and that it's more or less just mechanically playing through the deck several times. It's more mechanical than thematic.
I also don't like the graphic design of Imperium Classics/Legends, especially the card backs. The artworks are matter of if and how much one likes Mico's art.
For myself I don't mind solo games, but I didn't appreciate the engine that was happening here.
I don't think the rulebook is *terrible*, but the setup rules, with all the "Do this, unless you're Utopian, then do this, or unless you're Arthurian, then do this, or unless..." make for a pretty daunting introduction.
It’s a great game. Good to hear a differing view though as there will be many that agree with you and this will be informative for them as well.
Also to clarify the solo game has one rule missing and it’s very simple: Unrest cards revealed by the bot go to the Unrest pile
Yep, I've seen a lot of love for it.
@@brandtsanderson4665
Yeah but again it should be part of the actual rule book and not as errata people don't supposed to guess that and go to bgg everytime there is a mistake in the rules
Also the solo Ai in the rules it self is a terrible design not to put it separately, thus making people again to go to bgg and print this page again on their own
If feels like all and I mean it all of the ux design wasn't actually tested and only the mechanics works which sucks for a game like that, if the experience of the player is not in the center the game is ruined for me at least
@@mabos555 gotcha. I loved it but opinions will vary for sure. I merely wanted to let people know that the missing rule was a simple one. There are so many other games if people don’t enjoy this one they can just move on.
Wait...a 5 you don't want in your collection in any way shape or form? 12:50
I’m finding Legends much more fun. I feel like I’m doing a lot more by building large tableaus have me making some crazy combos
Glad you're enjoying it :)
Took you a while! Time to watch and see what we disagree on 👀 haha jk. I’m just excited to hear your thoughts!
Lol I wasn't kind. I appreciate the game, but not for me.
@@BoardGameCo
You wasnt that mean or harsh people praise this game for nothing
It is a solid game sure and maybe one of the top 10 this year but the journey to actually enjoy it is too long and not worth it
I understand why people like it, but I felt the same way as you. I'll probably give it one more play before deciding for sure, but I suspect I'll be selling this one.
I am really surprised you did not mention the length. It is, in my opinion, way way way too long for what it is.
And I completely agree that there are no great moments to bring you back. It’s just 1000 little sub optimizations all stacked up together.
The length didn't overly bother me....except in relation to not enjoying the game. But I only played it at 2.
@@BoardGameCo After having read the rules twice and watched videos, my first game with two players lasted 3.5 hours.
Alex thanks for the review. Its great to get different perspectives on a game. Also great seeing all the comments, your review has certainly inspired community engagement. Not played the game yet but as I live in the Uk and its relatively cheap here I will probably try it
Interesting review. Yes, first time through the game is slow but I've played a few times now and it probably takes 60-90 minutes. I think first time through most games is slow.
Unlike you, I do get excited when the right card, or combination of cards come up at the right time. I think I am still learning the various strategies involved but I do feel that I have improved a lot over my first few plays.
The rulebook: before buying I had heard that it was terrible. I disagree. It is precise and (generally) clear. It may not be the most 'fun' rulebook out there but it does the job better than most. There is some errata - will be great when that is incorporated into a second printing.
The cards are not very good quality and it is one of the few games I have sleeved. I had to trim the sleeves a little to fit the sleeved cards into the insert. Making the insert sections slightly larger (length and width) would be a great idea for a second printing too!
So far I've only played two-handed solo and solo mode. I look forward to playing with people. I think my sons will like it. Once you have played a couple of games, the mechanics are quite straight forward - but there is a lot of strategy involved.
Anyway, sorry that my post turned into an alternative review.
haven't had the chance to play it yet. To me (by reading the rules) it appears to be very convoluted and not very "smooth" to play (so that you do your thing, then the next players goes so you have time to plan your next stetp etc.). As not even a single reviewer ever mentioned the actually game flow as a negative I assume it propably isn't as bad as I expect it to be.
But I suspect if not for the Artwork, this game would've lost a lot of good will.
As a comparison: I love *Core Worlds* (which, apparently, no one remembers). It was the only Civ-Deck-Builder before Imperium iirc. But its very "mathy" and has down-time so I could never call it a grandious Deck-Builder regardless of how much I like Civ games.
I agree with you on the rulebook. I think it was written for robots rather than humans?
I like those kind of thinky game .... but as time goes by and family taking a lot of time, I dont feel like siting on a table for 2-3 hours .. just like I loved paladins but the game time was just too much to be enjoyed ... I can leave a game on the table but to put me back into the game where I left it is really tough in these game ... so it was an easy pass for me
Yep, heavier games have a higher bar for me
@@BoardGameCo vicounts checks all the box that palladins did but under an hour ... this is what I seek in games ... and to replace an old game with a new one, it needs to fullfill what the old one did, but better and in the same timeframe or else I'll stick with the old game
This is quite a surprise to me. I've been following your channel for a while and I feel like we have a lot of taste in common and you've introduced me to some games that have become some of my all time favorites, like Spirit Island, Marvel Champions and Too Many Bones, but also that you didn't quite like Dwellings of Eldervale, which I bought also but sold again after a few plays because I didn't like it. But I bought Imperium Classics and Legends after hearing good things about it on other reviews and it's been a big hit for me. I've been playing it solo mostly and really having a lot of fun with it, it's quite challenging.
I agree with some critiques that you said, like the rulebook which very much is terrible like you say and it takes a while to get into the game. And some cards may seem like they not that useful, but after a few games I'm getting the feeling for how to play them. But I don't agree with that it tries to be different just to be different, they way it's designed seems very intentional to me, with the starting cards of each civilization, the cards added from the nation deck before becoming a empire and the cards from development after becoming an empire. For me I do feel like you can get quite a few cool cards to get an edge on your opponents if you play them well and I feel like it's a lot of fun.
Then the mechanism of breaking through vs. acquire which you didn't quite like, but to me it's a very tactical choice to either go for the unrest or pay more to leave it, or be able to get a card from the deck above the market. I really like that choice and is interesting and fun for me. Last game I was on the edge of collapse and really had to struggle to go for break through so the card would return to the unrest pile. The design of that is very well thought out.
But not every game is for everyone of course. I would say you might give this one another chance, but you probably have a lot of games on your list to get to.
Thanks for the review either way!
Great write up! Totally agree about how good the decision making in the game is. Most deck builders comes down to luck, get better cards, get rid of older less powerful cards. This feels so much more strategic and when you do certain actions vs certain nations actually matters
In the 5 years I have been playing boardgames I only got extremely bored twice. Playing this game was one of those times, unfortunately. Too much of the same repetitive actions. Not for me.
Harsh!
Might be a great game, sadly not for me :)
It's on it's way so I hope I disagree with you.
Lol hope so too :)
Good game but definitely worst rule book I’ve ever read. Not only there are many mistakes (at least in the terrible french version), but what you’re supposed to do is not very clear, especially if you’re not a deck building specialist. I finally made a full game yesterday, and as you explain, once you’ve played a bit it starts to make sense, but still. And I wish it had the rule book of a Stonemaier game. I agree it’s dry. It’s not very immersive, but it should be. I will play more though. I think once you know the different civilizations the game is more enjoyable. Well, I hope so.
Talking so fast dude 😅!
Lol yep :)
sorry, but which artwork? these are just sketches and the whole game looks like a prototype. something is cheeky. and like every game in which the mico did the artwork, an ugly layout is put over it. and yes, the tokens are really ridiculous. but the deckbuilding is not bad :)
I agree with you Alex, I'll skip this one even though I really wanted it
The problem with this game for me is not just the rule books and the quality of the component which sucks - my only problem is what you said that all of this cleverness is for nothing for just getting points and beat the automa or another player, and this game is just doing that.
I adore deck building games most of my collection is deck building based only...
I hate and I'll say it again hateeee games that for solo perspective only are beat your own score or beat the automa, I just don't like vp based games at all and this is the number one reason why I'll skip this game
If somehow there will be a bgg varients to just play with objectives in mind and not counting vp at all I'll be all in for that but I don't think it will happen let me know guys if there is such a way to play it without vp at all
You must have a weird collection then because the majority of deckbuilders I can think of off the top of my head are VP-based. xD
Also 'beat the automa or beat your own score' is basically the two options you have for solo-modes of competitive games.
@@MaVarcon
You really don't know my collection then...
The games are :
After the virus, hero realms with the campaign, superhot, rune age, Blight chronicles agent decker, Dunguen brawler
And soon I'll buy ausonia, the phantom card game, feudila - non of them have vp as a wining conditions
Yeah they are mostly campaigns what I mentioned but sorry man for me f@ck vp I hate to play for the vp
So yeah my collection is unique since it mostly contains beat the boss games or puzzle games and that's the way I love it
For example I have sos titanic, most of the Onirim games, micro city, finished, deep space d6, under falling skies, warps edge
Just check me out man non of them are about the vp...
I know I'm a bit weird but for me playing for vp is overrated and I'm tiered of playing this way, especially when I'm mostly play solo anyway
Give me an objective and variaty, give me a boss to beat, give me missions to finish anything just not the bullshitness of counting scores...
I'm not in a tests at university anymore I have two diplomas I had enough scoring in my life don't need it in my games anymore 😁
Wait... amazing card quality great trays and some of the best art ever is now low quality components. 16 ais with multiple levels of difficulty... and not liking vp based games is weird to begin with but two of the factions technically win with their end game conditions which are completely asymmetric to the standard point based factions.... I don't think you're talking about the same game here tbh.
@@82ndmi
I've heard from Luke and other guys that the component materials are trash man..the art is great sure but the quality of the cards and tokens are meh first of all
Also yeah I don't give a damn about vp games sorry bro I hate that
I know about those two factions they are from the legends pack and that's a shame that only two out of 16 are like that we should got at least half of the game like that
Don't forget about the rest of the complaints: long game, crappy with errors rule books, and just a dry game to play
So yeah the solo is easy to play, and even the art is amazing and the price is great and even the variaty is great but in the end of the day - don't like vp based games that is not wierd at all when you have games like beat the boss, adventure games, missions based, party games just for fun and obviously puzzles games and so on much more - just I like said before vp is a lazy way of decide who to win and I hate that it's too overrated and boring
Well according to bgg there is no way play it without vp at all so a pass for me