@@Neon_Gorilla All joking aside, it is correct to be prejudice against slave masters, tyrants, druggies, alcoholics, and probably all the concepts that end in ism.
I just got Hansa Teutonica to the table a couple times this week after sitting on my shelf of shame for about 2 years because the aesthetics just weren't enough to push it to the top of the list. Now that I've played it i can finally understand why it gets so much praise and look forward to more plays with the extras in the big box
Brilliant game. I bring so many modern games with high budget graphic design to my club that folks who haven't played HT always double-take at the sheer apparent bland/beige-ness of it on my table. Probably half the people who actually play it then go on to purchase a copy - the Big Box is just so much (great) game for the price, and everything from squeeze-to-juice ratio to the overall game length at high player counts perfectly hit the sweet spot.
I played Agricola and Carcassonne once back when I started playing board games, but I finally got back to them recently and they are so good. And I recently played Quest for El Dorado as well, and I get the hype now, too. I definitely got in the mindset of "I'm a more experienced gamer now, so I want more mechanisms and intertwining systems!" But going back to the simple games is so, so nice. I get why people could play these games forever. The depth is built through player decisions/interaction, rather than the discovery of untangling systems.
@@Neon_Gorilla I sit corrected, sir... there are indeed time stamps in the description! Is it "chapters" or something that you see when you scroll the video left and right to certain sections? That was what I was looking for. I wanted to quickly see what games you'd be commenting on (to determine if I wanted to hear opinions on them) and that wasn't easy to figure out. In this era where you have me for about 10 seconds to determine if I'll hit play or keep scrolling, having that info available might mean the difference between watching (and liking and maybe subscribing) and moving on. Thanks for your reply!
I've been playing hobby board games for over thirty years but El Grande passed me by (id heard of it but never played it). I finally played it about a year ago and you are right, it's fantastic- such a great clean design. Hopefully the reprint will introduce it to a new audience to see what all the fuss is about.
Wingspan. I could not care less about the theme. Birds don't interest me, and after a painful experience walking through a parking lot with an angry crow once upon a time, I actively dislike them. Someone at a convention convinced me to play it and... the game is awesome! The engine building is perfect, the round goals and personal goals is just the right level of tense. Gameplay 9/10, Theme 0/10
Wow @neon you’re really making a lot of high quality thoughtful content really quickly now! Thank you 🙏 These are all really solid games. We may not be living in a golden age of board games if some of these did not exist. However, to be contrarian myself, apart from Gaia Project which is a 10 for me and Brass Birmingham, I’d rate the others around 7.x and would have to be in the mood to play them now, and I wouldn’t want to play them regularly again. It’s a good problem to have that we have so many incredible games widely available that anything that isn’t right for our individual tastes doesn’t need to be in rotation. Anyway thanks again for another well written and thoughtful stream. Keep it coming!
Concordia for me. Years back i was watching other boardgaming chanel that used to talk about trading in meditterean as most boring theme. It took me too long to try it, now I love it.
Scythe was definitely one for me. I didn't have any interest when I heard there wasn't much fighting. And one night I had coworkers over to play Blood Rage. One of them brought Scythe and I was a bit irritated because everyone voted for that one. I ended up loving it and owning everything for it! I had the opposite experience with Lost Ruins and Dune. I pushed of playing LRoA but when I finally did I really enjoyed myself. I still prefer Dune Imperium (and Uprising is really great and I'd love to see your thoughts on it). Lastly, Arkham Horror: The Card Game. I finally pulled the trigger when a buddy was getting rid of it in March 2020. I needed a game to quarantine with during COVID 😅 it's now one of my favorite games of all time!
I have a major blind spot on Scythe, does not interest me in the least bit! Which is probably why I need to play it :) I can see scythe, uprising and Arkham all being on a second video.
Power grid won our 2023 board game tourney done similar to march madness. So, you should play it. Even my 8 year old liked it and he almost never likes a game.
I finally played CAstles of Burgundy. I had never avoided it deliberately, but certainly its look put me off seeking it out for years. It's a pretty good game lol :)
It seems to me as I actually play the highest rated games of all time I tend to realize that #1 the polished look and production of games as a marketing ploy are fairly recent and many of the best designs are actually the games that are sitting near the top of the rankings
There is magic in classics, and missed modern games, that get uncovered when playing for the first time, or returned to. The flaws with it can drive ine away over time. Catan and Dominion are two examples. In case of Catan, while a hobbyist tabletop gamer may not own it, it can be a staple with families that do not have a large collection.
@@thegamesninja3119 yeah I do see value in situational games, I do think the real gems are the ones that can be played with anyone and a hobbyist is excited to play. Quest for wi dorado is that for me right now.
This is an awesome idea for a video! Count me in for a collab on part two lol the intro is just so on point and it’s crazy that I’m watching this just hours after playing Quest for El Dorado for the first time and feel exactly as you do.
Let’s think about how to make the collab happen…I do have a list of games I have yet to play that I imagine will go on a future list, power grid, revive, hansa, roll player adventures I could keep going
If I had to rely on a group getting together to play I don't think it would have grown on me as much. I play the digital version alot which is where I learned to love it.
I know that Castle of Burgundy is a good game but it is known to look like shit, the special edition looks great but I'm not going to spend 200 euros on one game.
Good video, anda a great idea. One more vote to Power Grid. Form me the best route and economic family weight game. My other two cents: Race for the Galaxy Tigris & Euphrates BLue Moon Legends
Well that’s it power grid will likely be in the second video :). Blue Moon is new too me, looks would have me pass but in the spirit of this video I think I should probably play it :) thank you for the kind words
Within the past 3 weeks played Dune imperium (uprising), viticultural and Azul to the table for the first time. Was instantly hooked on all of them and had to play them again. Viticulture is probably in my top 3 games now given the ease to teach, length and replayability with different, brain burny strategies
Played with Tuscany once and liked it. Makes it more of a “gamer’s game” but I feel like it’s not as essential as a lot of ppl make it out to be. The simplicity and approachability of base is underrated.
@@Neon_Gorilla poor wording by me. I have only played the essential edition. I mean Tuscany EE is not “a must have” expansion. I’ve seen multiple reviewers say that viticulture is only worth it with Tuscany but I disagree
I had the same moment with Dune Imperium Uprising. I read the books and played the pc games of old with this. The movies reignited my interest in this world. 3 weeks ago I pulled the trigger and bought the game. Top 3 games of al time for me, need more plays with more players to know if it will go for spot number 1
Thunderstone Quest and Bardwood Grove. Both sat on my shelf for months because the "community" keeps poopooing them, but after finally dusting them off they are now my favourite games! They really sing to me. The thing about games, is that we are living in a golden age. So much choice means that there are literally games for everyone out there
You never *need* to have played anything - play what you want - but we have an idea that Games are like Music, or Movies, where you get the experience and then move onto another. You listen to an album, you enjoy it, you move on. But games are not like that. With a board games the game is secondary to the experience of gaming. You can play a game from fifty years ago and it can be a great experience, and you can play the latest kickstarter and it can be great but it is the experience more than the game which you are transacting in. So games do not get old in the same way that albums do. In music, in movies, we experience the thing and then want something more. In games, we get something different with (most) plays. To put another way. There are some albums you might not be into, but you might have heard it when out and had a great time, and that great time was partly the music but it was partly the people you were with, and the good times. Games are those shared experiences, not cardboard and pieces. Nice video.
Thank your for the thoughtful comment. I personally find it helpful to expand my horizons so I can have historical reference when experiencing new games and eventually talking about them with everyone. You hit on an interesting point with many people overlook when talking about how good a game is. The experience is also about the people you are playing with.
You need to play Power Grid. It's a classic and can be amazing. There is so much going on between players in that game, and if you are able to keep a sense of the game state in your head, you can pull off some amazing plays and upsets. I don't love it mainly because of the theme, but every time I've played it, it's been a very rewarding game.
Concordia is my #1 of all time... waiting the right chance to play Concordia Venus. Dune Imperium is my the game I wish I played sooner. As a genre the one I wished I tried earlier is cooperative... now catching up with Gloomhaven with my friends and Earthborne Rangers with my gf. I especially wished I tried cooperative games earlier with my friends, when we were in uni and had a lot more time compared to now, when we are all working...
I watched the same comparisons between LROA, Dune, and Endless Winter. But after owning and playing all three, I would say that Dune just isn't the same as the other two. LROA is seriously fun. The way you can chain together actions is just super satisfying and makes you feel cleaver. IMHO Endless Winter is ok, but it just didn't bring anything new to the table. It just seems like a handful of mechanics thrown together without any real driving direction between any of them. We kept playing it thinking that something would click, but it never did for us. Dune is just a completely different beast. It's just an intense struggle. You can't quietly rack up points. It forces you earn everything you get. Everything is either a race or a battle. Every time we play, everyone is spent by the end of the game. Just a different experience from the other two.
With CoB, everyone says it's 'silky smooth', which is true. However, I can't help but feel this is a consequence of mostly obvious decisions each turn. There are rarely difficult choices, which I very much enjoy. With Concordia, I loved it for 8 or 9 plays and then it dropped off a cliff. I don't love the dependency of getting the right cards to be able to get a decent score. If the timing/turn order doesn't work out for you when it/they appears, it can destroy your scoring potential. It's almost impossible to pivot. I just can't handle that anxiety 😂
interesting, I feel the opposite (which is fine). COB has many good decisions and each turn is a mini efficiency puzzle of you trying to find the best. without turning a die in for workers...the longer the game goes the tougher the decisions are. I think the monastery tiles give a unique direction to each game in addition to the duchy board. I don't think it's the deepest strategical masterpiece but do think it rides the line between simple and crunchy constantly creating tension as other players pick the "best tiles". I see this as a game that asks a player to constantly pivot and do the best with what's left. With all that said I am a big believer in not being able to compare experiences when I don't know your gaming history or proclivities it's just my take. I haven't seen the problem your are speaking of in Concordia but only 6 plays or so in. I find I see the goals I want to go after early and try to collect those cards throughout the game.
Our crossover is Castles of Burgundy. It's one of the few games I've played at a board game night (don't do those often), and loved it, and now own it and still love it. Other games that didn't wow me for a long time based on appearance or whatever, but now I own and love are: Space Base, Red Rising, and Pax Pamir 2nd Edition. In general for me, most dry Euros end up being "meh" for me after I try them, so I've learned that I'm probably never going to enjoy many of the classics I still haven't tried. I think it's resource management and conversion that I just don't find too interesting at the end of the day. There's some games I love that have these elements, but if it's core to the game and particularly tight, not for me.
@@tteshera I tend ti think about these games the same way as you, I have learned that the term “dry euro” shouldn’t be the nail in my interest coffin as I have played many “dry” games that I have enjoyed a lot. I have very much grown up in the FOMO laden KS era of board gaming and fell in love with presentations/components/gimmicks but when I actually compare the mechanics to some of the new stud it seems like many designers are bolting complexity on which ends up making it hard to get to the table. I will probably end up having more net fun with quests for el dorado than many of the more complex games I rate higher.
Did you ever tried Caylus? The granddaddy of worker placement games that still holds up (there's an updated version called Caylus 1303, but I'm talking about the original one)
As a solo gamer, I brushed off Spirit Island despite being voted the top solo game by BGG users. The theme doesn’t appeal to me and I’m intrigued by games where you pick a boss/opponent. I caved and bought the Horizons version so we’ll see if I enjoy it. My FLGS is the Gamezenter (formerly FFG Gamecenter). I walked by Arkham Horror LCG so many times. Finally bought a core set in 2020 and now it’s my favorite game.
BTW, are those other deck builders, even compared to Dominion, really more advanced deck builders, or are they actually primarily worker placement or other genres that use what is actually pretty simple deck building as a relatively minor mechanic?
@@paulhamrick3943 I will say I just played base dominion on its app (which was what I was referring to) and it reminded me just how simple it is. While one of the criticisms of LOA is you don’t see cards enough to consider it a strong deck builder. I think the multi use nature of each card along with the interesting synergies that can be unearthed make for more interesting decisions and card interactions. They are being used to accomplish goals in another game dimension. Once again this is base vs base and I am sure in the myriad of dominion expansions there are many interesting wrinkles added to the card play and understand most people who love dominion don’t really play vanilla and love it for all the additions
Dominion, Burgundy, Concordia and Brass Birmingham are definitely on my list of games I accept are probably really good but I don't really care to buy. But I'd be willing to play it if anyone brought them to a board game night or something.
this is a good question, to be honestI don't have a ton of experience with really great solo deck builders. Many of the best have solo modes. I think imperium series, mage knight and Friday as some of the most well regarded soloish deck builders...I will pin this to see if the community has some ideas for you.
This would probably fit more in the hot takes video, but as you were discussing Birmingham here. For me, I do not think Birmingham is the best “Brass” design let alone the best anything else. I understand why Birmingham is so well liked, but as far as Brass, I think original Brass (Brass: Lancashire now) and Age of Industry are superior. But all three designs offer something a little bit different, and shows how good Martin Wallace is at designing systems that can be iterated on. Catan was also a design I did not play for years. I distinctly remember getting on a bus with my team to drive to the national wrestling championships in 2003 and someone had a Settlers of Catan disc. Our bus was pretty nice and had the capability to play it, so a bunch of the guys did. I thought it looked very boring, but the people playing had a blast. It took me another 4 years to realize they were right.
Yeah I think describing anything as “best” is problematic…I think if you say Brass is awful that is more easily disproven albeit subjective. I haven’t played lancashire, why do you think Birmingham is ranked above?
@@Neon_Gorilla Birmingham was designed for the modern euro game market. It is more open, more forgiving, less interaction, and the interaction is more positive. I think a lot of people find Lancashire frustrating, especially if they are not used to some of the rougher edges that many older designs have. Age of Industry is less about efficiency optimization than Birmingham. The ships are also more relevant than in Lancashire. It is more tactical than both, which is probably part of the reason it never took off like the others. It is also not a looker.
At one point I had two copies of El Dorado, because Vincent Dutrait's artwork in the newer edition is so much better. Regarding Wingspan, I played it because of all the hype it was getting but I actually don't care a lot for it. It's decent, but I think that there are better alternatives
I have the older version but was trying to trade for the newer oh well. I enjoy wingspan for what it is. I think there are better engine builders but nothing that really shows off the hobby is such a well crafted production for new players. I will always use it to introduce certain types of players.
I have enjoyed your video! Very interesting when you talked about dune imperium as I am also recently considering the exact same. Quick qs…now that you have played both lost ruins of arnak and dune imperium, do you think they will both have their space on your shelf or do you think it’s a replacement one over the other? Not sure if you have also tried endless winter but seem nowadays there are less people talk about endless winter. Back to the topic though. The game that I have overlooked intentionally for years is wingspan. I was like what bird tableau building game. There is no way this game any good. I intentionally skip it for years until I played it on bga. Oh my world I love that game. Definitely on my top 15 games of all time now and I love it!
wingspan is a wonderful game and the one that really got me into modern boardgames. I will always have Dune and Arnak on the shelf. There are two very different experiences. Watch my Arnak video if you are interested in my expansion recommendations. I do have endless winter and need to play it again. It felt like a bunch of modules were bolted together rather than a seamless integrated game. Thanks for the kind workds
@@Neon_Gorilla Thank you! I am ordering Dune imperium uprising for my birthday and good to know they both can have their space on the shelve! I love lost ruins of Arnak.
I went years sticking my nose up at Lords of Waterdeep bexause the D&D theme did not interest me. Then my friend Barb made me play it and it turns out to be a pretty solid worker placement game.
@@ShadyNetworker oh it’s been a while but I think we found the card play decisions to be pretty obvious and in result uninteresting. The big decision was the shifter and where you would set it. More broadly I didn’t find the decision space to be engaging at all. Not sure if heavy rain helps that at all. It just seemed like I was constantly doing simple arithmetic and if you could do that the skill gap was fairly narrow. I have been disagreed with this take in the past and may need to revisit.
The 2 games for me are Dominion & Lost Cities. Both box/game art didn’t catch my eye and I ignored both for 3 years. This year I finally played both and think both are fantastic! I only play dominion on steam because it’s cheaper & it’s easy to setup & play with friends who are just video gamers.
@@Neon_Gorilla the nice thing about the digital version is the dlc is a 1 time buy and I can use it both on steam and on my phone when I’m away from home!
Bizarre list. Yes they are all great (except Catan but that's a 90% hit rate & I'd expect 50%). Why would you have thought otherwise? (for a 50% hit rate)
I’m ignorant and ily played a few times, how do you know so early. It would seem to me that the dice have to go in a certain persons direction consistently and would slowly build in their favor if they are lucky. I am a naive though and only played a couple times.
@@Neon_Gorilla When rolling 2 dice, the average results are far more common than the high/low ones. So if a player has control of the middle results like 6,7,8, the win is certain.
yeah I have it and really like it, I just got the expansion as well. I made a video a while back but I really love the multi purpose action/rail tiles. I will say I don't see alot in common with barrage but that doesn't really matter they are all wonderful and have a place in my collection.
@@Neon_Gorilla no its more like a brass extension but i think the comparisson maybe the flow of the uranium and the fact that you can spend a few bucks to use others turbines like using someones conduits. but def closer to brass
@@Neon_Gorilla Intro's strong and well-paced, and the premise of the video presents a question that the general audience finds valuable/relatable. Most people can think of games they wish they hadn't overlooked, or they're capable of feeling FOMO.
@@Neon_Gorilla You can kinda see it looking over the list of your popular videos - "Games yet to hit top 100", "Expansions suck and why", and "persuading my wife" all offer info/storylines that anyone in your target demo can enjoy because it's stuff they haven't seen/thought about before. It's kind of that... Tom Scott energy; where no matter who you are, you can't resist a proposition like: "Why is this basketball spinning at twice the speed of sound?" That said: What the fuck is a castles of burgundy?
Uprising vs original Dune Imperium, it's not simply the case of being a better version. They didn't want to advertise it that way, but it's basically exactly the same game with mechanical errata. Every D:I player I meet that tries Uprising for the first time routinely says, "Ah, they fixed that!". Plus, it's not really Dune without sandworms.
I win like 80-90% of my games against family and friend groups, it is really not as luck-based as many believe. A near "normal" expected distribution of dice rolls is pretty much guaranteed by the end of the game.
@@SamSMBHS But, if you get a bad distribution at the beginning, you are shut off from the rest of the board and it doesn't matter anymore what rolls you get to even out the distribution.
For me the best game I had no interest in was Hanza Tuetonica. Well becuase it's calle Hanza Tuetonica .LOL. and it was very brown looking. BIG mistake. . this game is absolutely amazing. and I wish i had more people willing to give it a try. its so fun, quick and interactive. if you get the opportunity, sit down and join a game of this one.
+1. Really great game. Especially with the alternative maps in the big box. It is possible to get boxed out in some games but it can be an amazing puzzle to solve if you’re willingly to roll with it. Having near perfect information is so refreshing!
i havent played all of these games because for one they take quite a long time to finish, two we love family games. not one for not trying but we tried playing heavy games but not for us because of length and they are not appealing for us
Influencers I watch/read never say, “[popular highly rated game] sucks.” Sounds like you listen to them too much. Rather than that they “looked boring.” Been in this hobby decades and if a game is popular and highly rated on BGG there’s a reason.
Many I have heard say Catan sucks…I think many of these games are polarizing. I have had many people in my comments in the past express hate for Brass and Castles of Burgundy. I agree with you the ratings are there for a reason. With that said some designs and presentations that will eventually fall out of favor(Marco Polo is one that has been sliding in this manner) and some are timeless
@@Neon_Gorilla Thanks for responding, yes, hot games do get tepid, and they come and go now more than they used to. Guess I’m an old timer from when there weren’t as many opinions. Or games! I enjoy your videos very much - keep it up!
A game can be popular and highly rated, but be inferior to many others "below" it. (Obviously some subjectivity applies as with any art) Success on a popularity contest can have more to do with marketing, association, and timing than skilled and artful game composition. Critique with historical understanding is far more valuable. I salute your efforts and motivation behind this video, @Neon_Gorilla Cheers!
I would really avoid thinking any game you haven't played is bad. I've been playing designer games for about 25 years and I won't play Catan because I've probably played it 50 times and at this point the parts I don't like overwhelm the parts I do. Still, I would absolutely encourage everyone to play it at least once. One thing I find very useful about Catan specifically is after a new hobbyist plays it, I ask them what their favorite and least favorite part was, and then give other game recommendations from there. You can easily go from there to Concordia, Valeria: Card Kingdoms, Bohnanza, or Hansa Teutonica based on the answer.
You haven't played Power Grid yet? OMG!? To be fair though, Power Grid is not for everybody. There's a fair bit of math involved. Highly recommend as a great resource management and area control game. Also note that once you have fallen in love with this game there are a number of expansion maps that also come with individual not insignificant rule changes. 3-6 players, technically 2 but don't. Best at 4 players, enjoy.
One of my most played games. If i have to say, i prefer it over the two brasses. I am on your side that it has a bit of math involved wich can produce some rejections but is one of my favorite games for sure.
Of the games mentioned I've only tried Catan and Dune. After giving Dune a shot it didn't cut it for me but I might try Catan again. Haven't played that 1 for a really long time. At the moment I'm more hooked on something epic like Twilight Imperium which I am very much looking forward to playing again. Tried 4th edition with the PoK expansion 3 years ago but haven't played it since unfortunately. In 3 weeks I'll be playing the 4th edition again(finally!) with some friends, no expansion included this time. Another game I would love to try out is Nemesis. Also.. tried the Battlestar Galactica game many years ago. Definitely want to try that one again. 🤔🤗
You should get Dominion with a couple of the newest expansions. It will blow your mind. Compared to just base Dominion, the experience is a hundred times better
Lol people complain about randomness in Catan but insists on putting their settlements on 2s, 3s, 11s and 12s 😅 The game in itself is a masterclass of probability, economics and diplomacy that few games could reproduce, one of the most notables being TI4.
why do you think that more don't recognize dice as a mechanic rooted in mathematics and specifically probability? I wonder if its because an individual play can easily have 2 and 11s as the most rolled result as the sample size is simply not big enough to prove out probability. I have cursed many games of space base where my sons 11/12 strategy has him catapult to the front and win...meanwhile I intelligently build a strategy around 7s and lose. Still a great time just doesn't really feel like regression to the mean is happening do to the relatively few number of dice rolls. I think you might need quite a few games to achieve a normal distribution. Fun to think about either way.
Cthulhu Death May Die. I always looked at it and was like ‘ugh i hate dice chuckers’. Then bought it on sale on a whim and have been scouring the internet for those way too expensive Kickstarter exclusives ever since 🤦🏻♂️🤦🏻♂️🤦🏻♂️
I think Catan for me is suffering from playing it way too much. I still think it is a very interesting game, but I won’t play it without Castles and Knights exspansion. But totally overplayed for me.
@@Neon_Gorilla if you do base game is enough. Ultimate Edition only if you are looking for expansions and that's the cheapest way of getting them. Liking Voidfall and SI make me think it will be a hit for you.
I am always so surprised about how excited people are about Dune: Imperium. I have three issues with it: First is how crucial combat is. There is no path to victory without heavy combat. This surely is a personal issue, I understand, but it makes me always rather play Arnak. Second and third issues are kind of connected. It's the worker placement limitation through the deck and the randomness of the deck. There might be an acton you really want to do - or even a situation, where you are simply locked out of doing something that properly benefits you. At the same time, the cards you can buy might randomly fit into your combo - or just not. In my personal opinion, this makes Dune: Imperium way too tactical for its weight. With the duration of the game I don't want to be this dependent on card pull and I also tend to prefer a more pacifist route to victory - again, that last part is my own problem. Overall, Dune: Imperium often gives me the feeling to have many options that I don't want compared to games, where I have to prioritize and find the most rewarding out of many good actions.
I think your sentiment is shared by others....I will say It reinforces an idea I have been kicking around about game personalities. Do you like games like ROOT, Spirit Island or even TCGs like magic or Pokemon?
"There is no path to victory without heavy combat"... Definitely not accurate. We've had a decent % of plays where the winner had little to no focus on combat.
@@Neon_Gorilla I really like the asymmetry of Root, but I haven't played it enough to be sure to like the game. My co-players were too nice to ever attack, so I don't think it was a very meaningful experience. I like horizons of spirit island, but haven't yet gotten deeper into it - but I would like to. TCGs are something I avoid like the plague, because I easily get addicted to things, but don't have the greatest budget as a student. Overall I really prefer to build things - and I also like to see what I built. Not necessarily as something like a finished object, but in the way that I can do more than I could in the beginning. I am very into euro games and randomness has to be in proportion to the length of the game. I don't like confrontation and will always try to use the most econ focused route possible (because more resources and more actions means I get to play more of the game). If I know a game well enough, I like to innovate. Maybe if you want to create a board gamer personality scale, it should contain some of these factors: Openness to heaviness, RNG, confrontational, innovativeness, maybe tightness. What other factors could you think of? Would be a fun idea for a video.
@@frankjoachim9033 I suppose no path is exaggerated, but I think unless card pull luck influences it, between two equally good players, the one who focuses more on fighting wins. That's not per se bad, I think it's lore accurate for dune. It just happens to not hit my taste. But I think the other criticism is more generally applicable. Although I must admit, taste in Europe often differs from the taste in the US and likely other places too. I am always surprised, when I see reward ceremonies from the US, with games, that are generally considered mid in Europe. The great thing about the hobby is, that you can play what you like, you don't need me to enjoy the game. The bad thing about me is, that I always catch on the excitement against better knowledge and then get disappointed. P.S. How often do you play Dune: Imperium with 4 players? As there is more competition, I can imagine combat is heavily nerfed. But with 2 or 3 players, I find it occupy too much space for my taste.
I will key in on “I like to build things” this implies that you like a somewhat static puzzle that others can’t really interact with. (I know many of these games have light interaction) I think a game like ROOT or even Dune has a dynamic environment that has player continue to adjust strategy and be ok with being thwarted at every turn. I wonder it dynamic game states vs static game states is an accurate categorization… I originally asked the question because a game like dune rewards an intimate understanding of the leaders, cards and their synergies. Like the other games I mentioned they reward players who want to dive into these games to the point of memorizing all the meta elements not just the surface level rules. I think there might be something to both of these categories in understanding the polarizing effect some of these games have in the community. Don’t mind me just thinking out loud.
Deck building is by far my favorite mechanic, and Dominion can be a great one. Concordia is also a terrific game, it definitely rewards good strategy. If you want to try more deck builders, Star Realms is a great head to head 2 player game. Legendary Encounters is an awesome, challenging co-op deck builder (several different themes available), based on Marvel Legendary which is also a ton of fun. Thunderstone Quest is a bigger one, with a little more going on, but the standard game is great (the co-op version is terrible).
@@Neon_Gorilla if you want to try more deck building apps, ascension is super fun and available in the app. I have several sets for the physical game, but play the app way more because it can be a quick solo game. If you ever want to try some more deck builders in person I have a bunch, it's my favorite mechanic.
The Quest for El Dorado is on my board game bucket list, but I'm always reluctant to buy a copy due to the light weight. Does it hold up as something unique/special, or is it likely to sit alongside my other gateway-ish games that I'm perfectly happy to play but rarely get off the shelf (Ticket to Ride, Quacks, Parks...)?
The Quest for El Dorado is worth it. It’s so worth it, it may ruin other deck builders for you as other deck builders fall into design flaws which El Dorado solved. The best part about El Dorado’s design and approach to deck building is that it doesn’t have a huge deck of cards where the market gets refreshed from, where there’s no balance in what cards are drawn. El Dorado has all of its cards available to populate the market from any of the players throughout the game. The reason why this having a huge deck of cards an issue with other decking games is because one or two rounds into the game. The market will consist of terrible cards that no one wants to buy. Then, when someone buys one of those terrible cards and ends their turn, the market is refreshed with an amazing card that now the next player gets to buy without an issue. That feels terrible and is an unsolvable problem with all of these building games that have huge decks. Sure, these games usually have a couple cards that are “always available”, but those cards are also terrible and no one ever buys them because they’re normally always worse.. If you get El Dorado, and I strongly suggest you do, you’ll find that it’s designed so well that you’ll wish all other deck games are designed that well. For a frame of reference, I’m usually a heavy board gamer with playing everything from Pax Pamir and Iberian Guage, to Food Chain Magnate and Clinic Deluxe. El Dorado seems light weight, but that’s only because it’s easy to learn.
Mrsomebunny sums up the deck building component quite nicely. I will add that it does a wonderful job of creating tension with the way the hexes are set up. High value hexes aren’t able to be passed by adding cards up to the sun of the symbols on the hex. You have to play a card that is at least the value of the hex. This creates massive choke points on the map where people get clogged up and that is when you previous card purchases will either bail you out or sink you. There is often a route around but that is another interesting decision for one to make. I would classify this as a simple board game for heavy board gamers if that makes sense. It is a game I actually enjoy and can play with novice board gamers.
I've discovered i dislike light deck building as part of the whole aka D:I and Arnak. At that point you only get the downsides of deck building instead of the upsides (engine/progression). At that point hand management is just the more elegant mechanic. I love Quest for Eldorado and Dominion though!
@@Neon_Gorilla if you do, Mammoth+Rivers is all you need! That's where it shines imo. Also check out the revised rulebook for the variant that reduces workers in era 1
It's fun to have moments like this and realizing you needed those experiences. Catan is an amazing game and the negatives you mentioned are minor when you actually play. The ease of getting into games can be what makes them fun. If you don't have a core group of game friends then the complex games will never be fun because you don't have a way to play them consistently.
Yeahhh if the game ain’t pretty it ain’t going on my shelf. Then again I love a good “ugly duckling” and I like to route for the underdog (in this case: aesthetically pleasing) but if the art AND the theme are complete misses, then it’s hard to want to play a good game, mechanically speaking, that was thrown away on a half baked theme
wait... wait a second.. you said that you played "more advanced deck building things..." so I am guessing that you played basic Dominion with your friend then... ruins, and non-supply cards, and upgraded cards, ect.. ect... ect... you will quickly see that dominion is more complex then these other deck building copies out there... then throw on top of that the layer of complexity of trying to figure out the best way to take 10 random cards and figure out ways to make the best deck with them... then throw on top of that the strategy of trying to alter your strategy based upon the cards your opponents are picking up and may use against you.... and then throw on top of that a layer of strategy of trying to figure out when and what to buy, how best to use your actions, and how best to play your cards and you will quickly see that dominion is far, far, far deeper then you give it credit for... now sir... you might of said this comment as just a beginner board gamer, so I will not hold that against you but please... for the love of god... experience what your talking about before you just assume that your saying is true... isn't that the whole point of this video... you find games you had no idea were going to be this good because you just assumed they were not good... once again you are just saying dominion is simple and not as complexed to other deck building game out there... your assuming something that isn't true again because you played vanilla dominion...
@@Neon_Gorilla so maybe this leads to another video about "10 games that I thought was simple until I dug deeper..." steam has the dominion program with all of the expansions.. and if you pick it up and play against the hardest level you will see quickly just how many points you loose by..
I don’t doubt it gets more complex, I only referenced base game which IS basic deck building. Nearly every deck builder is built on its shoulders. When I reference more complex deck builders I was talking about how many others add more mechanics not just deck building. I don’t appreciate the knee jerk attack you had over your misinterpretation of my video premise…i appreciate your passion just remember there an actual human being that is making these videos for free.
@@Neon_Gorilla yeah I understand as I do the same thing every day, 2 or 3 vidoes... all I was trying to do was give you some info. Wasn't trying to attack you.. maybe you just read it as an attack... sorry to get you all worked up... I was just sharing more info because it didn't seam like you knew much about the game...
LOL sounds like you are very "anti hype" almost all of the games you mentioned (except maybe Catan) are highly regarded as amazing games in the community.
Oh I wouldn’t say that. I fall victim to hype all the time. I would say while rated highly many arented hyped at all any more. Hype is more hotness rather than top 100. These are sort of anti hype. I needed to slow down and not play the most recent KS delivery in order to appreciate a game that is no longer hyped as much. We all have our blind spots
Pandemic I will never ever play purely cos of the title. The lovely Aust Govt has left such a negative association with the very word itself that I will never ever even go near a game with that title. Another game is Ticket to Ride...I work on trains so hell if I'm going to play a game that reminds me of work thanks. El Dorado, I bought mostly to play with my 8yo granddaughter.
@@JacobPorterLadder i think it is tough to call something overrated playing so few times. You certainly may not click with it even after 100 times but with a few more plays especially in person you might come to appreciate the nuances of such a beautiful and even to this day unique design. Getting to know what the buildings do and then getting excited when what you need or hoped for comes out, then the tension when other players are selecting in front of you. The huge point windfalls that come in finishing sections in your dutchy board. Every dutchy board is different presenting a different challenge. It is just one of the great joys I have had in gaming. I play and enjoy both BGA and in person but my favorite games are with my game group.
If you judge a game by its cover, you are prejudice.
@@UnsungRebel73 correct and I am
@@Neon_Gorilla All joking aside, it is correct to be prejudice against slave masters, tyrants, druggies, alcoholics, and probably all the concepts that end in ism.
@@UnsungRebel73 tourism isn’t that bad…really helps local economies.
@@Neon_Gorilla Tourism brings in mass crime legally and illegally.
@@UnsungRebel73 damn
I just got Hansa Teutonica to the table a couple times this week after sitting on my shelf of shame for about 2 years because the aesthetics just weren't enough to push it to the top of the list. Now that I've played it i can finally understand why it gets so much praise and look forward to more plays with the extras in the big box
@@rolf9018 ok you are the second HT vote…ordering now
HT is the best of all of the network builders imo.
It's been too long that I've played this (it was actually one of the first games I've played when starting with this hobby 15isch years ago)
HT is so good. Super interactive and mean. But in a fun way. I’m Bad at it. But still really good.
Brilliant game. I bring so many modern games with high budget graphic design to my club that folks who haven't played HT always double-take at the sheer apparent bland/beige-ness of it on my table. Probably half the people who actually play it then go on to purchase a copy - the Big Box is just so much (great) game for the price, and everything from squeeze-to-juice ratio to the overall game length at high player counts perfectly hit the sweet spot.
I played Agricola and Carcassonne once back when I started playing board games, but I finally got back to them recently and they are so good. And I recently played Quest for El Dorado as well, and I get the hype now, too.
I definitely got in the mindset of "I'm a more experienced gamer now, so I want more mechanisms and intertwining systems!" But going back to the simple games is so, so nice. I get why people could play these games forever. The depth is built through player decisions/interaction, rather than the discovery of untangling systems.
1. The Quest for El Dorado
2. Dominion
3. Catan
4. Castles of Burgundy
5. Barrage
6. Gaia Project
7. Concordia
8. Brass Birmingham
9. Dune Imperium
lol are you spoiling the vid :)
Just trying to help those that are looking for this sort of thing. ❤
Thank you! The video has no time stamps so I had to do the awkward tap through.
@@darth-ludic-rous it does there is some error on TH-cam side, they are in the description
@@Neon_Gorilla I sit corrected, sir... there are indeed time stamps in the description! Is it "chapters" or something that you see when you scroll the video left and right to certain sections? That was what I was looking for.
I wanted to quickly see what games you'd be commenting on (to determine if I wanted to hear opinions on them) and that wasn't easy to figure out. In this era where you have me for about 10 seconds to determine if I'll hit play or keep scrolling, having that info available might mean the difference between watching (and liking and maybe subscribing) and moving on. Thanks for your reply!
El Grande. Originally 1995. Fantastic. (And they just reprinted a new edition).
Oh boy you hit on another one that I have been avoiding and need to play!
@Neon_Gorilla doing "new to you" with classics is a cure for FOMO.
It's amazing, just make sure to play with 4 or 5 for best results.
I've been playing hobby board games for over thirty years but El Grande passed me by (id heard of it but never played it). I finally played it about a year ago and you are right, it's fantastic- such a great clean design. Hopefully the reprint will introduce it to a new audience to see what all the fuss is about.
@@Pengi_SMILES funny the reprint got me interested:)
Deus and Elysium were hanging out in my shelf of shame. Finally got to play and really enjoyed both.
Sometimes there are some treasures sitting in that shelf if shame
Wingspan. I could not care less about the theme. Birds don't interest me, and after a painful experience walking through a parking lot with an angry crow once upon a time, I actively dislike them.
Someone at a convention convinced me to play it and... the game is awesome! The engine building is perfect, the round goals and personal goals is just the right level of tense. Gameplay 9/10, Theme 0/10
I love this take...
I'm a simple man.
I see a passionate gamer talk about games.
I subscribe.
@@MetalChillSpine I hope you mean this video/channel :) if so welcome aboard!
@Neon_Gorilla do you have other social pages I cam follow?
@@MetalChillSpine nothing i maintain at this point other than a sub stack should be in the description
same for me)
Thank you
Wow @neon you’re really making a lot of high quality thoughtful content really quickly now! Thank you 🙏 These are all really solid games. We may not be living in a golden age of board games if some of these did not exist. However, to be contrarian myself, apart from Gaia Project which is a 10 for me and Brass Birmingham, I’d rate the others around 7.x and would have to be in the mood to play them now, and I wouldn’t want to play them regularly again. It’s a good problem to have that we have so many incredible games widely available that anything that isn’t right for our individual tastes doesn’t need to be in rotation. Anyway thanks again for another well written and thoughtful stream. Keep it coming!
Thanks grok, yeah a few on this list are staples for the rest of my bg career…but others are situational or at least a good reference.
Concordia for me. Years back i was watching other boardgaming chanel that used to talk about trading in meditterean as most boring theme. It took me too long to try it, now I love it.
yeah more and more I am trying to look past the theme to unearth some gems and its working
I discovered Samurai many years after I bought it. It's great.
I hadn’t ever heard of it until now, thank you for sharing!
Scythe was definitely one for me. I didn't have any interest when I heard there wasn't much fighting. And one night I had coworkers over to play Blood Rage. One of them brought Scythe and I was a bit irritated because everyone voted for that one. I ended up loving it and owning everything for it!
I had the opposite experience with Lost Ruins and Dune. I pushed of playing LRoA but when I finally did I really enjoyed myself. I still prefer Dune Imperium (and Uprising is really great and I'd love to see your thoughts on it).
Lastly, Arkham Horror: The Card Game. I finally pulled the trigger when a buddy was getting rid of it in March 2020. I needed a game to quarantine with during COVID 😅 it's now one of my favorite games of all time!
I have a major blind spot on Scythe, does not interest me in the least bit! Which is probably why I need to play it :) I can see scythe, uprising and Arkham all being on a second video.
Power grid won our 2023 board game tourney done similar to march madness. So, you should play it. Even my 8 year old liked it and he almost never likes a game.
This is an overwhelming recommendation in these comments, I have a feeling it will be on the next episode if this video
In the era of Brass, water was not 100% healthy but due to the alcohol beer was. Workers were paid in beer alongside a very base wage.
But why can you use your own beer off network how does it get to the workers! Why don’t the iron or coal workers drink beer ;)
Great Idea for a video.
@@whiskeygamesnerdstuff789 thank you
Dude just wanted to say great job keeping up the hard work on the channel. It is absolutely growing and its a testament to your hard work. Keep it up
Thank oodles I appreciate the continued support
I finally played CAstles of Burgundy. I had never avoided it deliberately, but certainly its look put me off seeking it out for years. It's a pretty good game lol :)
It seems to me as I actually play the highest rated games of all time I tend to realize that #1 the polished look and production of games as a marketing ploy are fairly recent and many of the best designs are actually the games that are sitting near the top of the rankings
There is magic in classics, and missed modern games, that get uncovered when playing for the first time, or returned to. The flaws with it can drive ine away over time. Catan and Dominion are two examples.
In case of Catan, while a hobbyist tabletop gamer may not own it, it can be a staple with families that do not have a large collection.
@@thegamesninja3119 yeah I do see value in situational games, I do think the real gems are the ones that can be played with anyone and a hobbyist is excited to play. Quest for wi dorado is that for me right now.
This is an awesome idea for a video! Count me in for a collab on part two lol the intro is just so on point and it’s crazy that I’m watching this just hours after playing Quest for El Dorado for the first time and feel exactly as you do.
Let’s think about how to make the collab happen…I do have a list of games I have yet to play that I imagine will go on a future list, power grid, revive, hansa, roll player adventures I could keep going
Aw man you're making me think I need to give brass another go 😂
If I had to rely on a group getting together to play I don't think it would have grown on me as much. I play the digital version alot which is where I learned to love it.
The original Brass was ugly as sin, but the reprints are a work of art
I know that Castle of Burgundy is a good game but it is known to look like shit, the special edition looks great but I'm not going to spend 200 euros on one game.
Fair…it is on BGA so you could play and not have to own a shitty looking game 😉
You said “Contrarian “. Liked & Subscribed! 😃
@@dmcharlie1083 that seems like a conformist action but I will allow it :) welcome aboard!
Good video, anda a great idea.
One more vote to Power Grid. Form me the best route and economic family weight game.
My other two cents:
Race for the Galaxy
Tigris & Euphrates
BLue Moon Legends
Well that’s it power grid will likely be in the second video :). Blue Moon is new too me, looks would have me pass but in the spirit of this video I think I should probably play it :) thank you for the kind words
Within the past 3 weeks played Dune imperium (uprising), viticultural and Azul to the table for the first time. Was instantly hooked on all of them and had to play them again. Viticulture is probably in my top 3 games now given the ease to teach, length and replayability with different, brain burny strategies
+1 on viticulture
Viticulture goes from a solid 8 to a 10 with the addition of Tuscany and Visit from the Rhine Valley. Probably my favourite worker placement game!
Played with Tuscany once and liked it. Makes it more of a “gamer’s game” but I feel like it’s not as essential as a lot of ppl make it out to be. The simplicity and approachability of base is underrated.
@@Thirftstorekeeper I have only played with the essential edition which I believe has some of Tuscany but could be remembering wrong
@@Neon_Gorilla poor wording by me. I have only played the essential edition. I mean Tuscany EE is not “a must have” expansion. I’ve seen multiple reviewers say that viticulture is only worth it with Tuscany but I disagree
I had the same moment with Dune Imperium Uprising. I read the books and played the pc games of old with this. The movies reignited my interest in this world. 3 weeks ago I pulled the trigger and bought the game. Top 3 games of al time for me, need more plays with more players to know if it will go for spot number 1
Thunderstone Quest and Bardwood Grove. Both sat on my shelf for months because the "community" keeps poopooing them, but after finally dusting them off they are now my favourite games! They really sing to me. The thing about games, is that we are living in a golden age. So much choice means that there are literally games for everyone out there
I think that is totally true.
Cascadia. I finally bought it and it's pretty good and chill.
That is a sneaky good one
You never *need* to have played anything - play what you want - but we have an idea that Games are like Music, or Movies, where you get the experience and then move onto another.
You listen to an album, you enjoy it, you move on.
But games are not like that. With a board games the game is secondary to the experience of gaming. You can play a game from fifty years ago and it can be a great experience, and you can play the latest kickstarter and it can be great but it is the experience more than the game which you are transacting in.
So games do not get old in the same way that albums do. In music, in movies, we experience the thing and then want something more. In games, we get something different with (most) plays.
To put another way. There are some albums you might not be into, but you might have heard it when out and had a great time, and that great time was partly the music but it was partly the people you were with, and the good times.
Games are those shared experiences, not cardboard and pieces.
Nice video.
Thank your for the thoughtful comment. I personally find it helpful to expand my horizons so I can have historical reference when experiencing new games and eventually talking about them with everyone. You hit on an interesting point with many people overlook when talking about how good a game is. The experience is also about the people you are playing with.
You need to play Power Grid. It's a classic and can be amazing. There is so much going on between players in that game, and if you are able to keep a sense of the game state in your head, you can pull off some amazing plays and upsets. I don't love it mainly because of the theme, but every time I've played it, it's been a very rewarding game.
Yeah I’m looking at it right now…defenders of the wild just got here…the internal struggle is real
By the way defenders of the wild needs an insert if you are interested…there was no deluxe version and reasonably priced
@@Neon_Gorilla ill have to look into that one, at first glance it looks super cool.
@@MarkBlasco reading the rulebook now…looks promising
The way the 2 parts of the game fit together is really clever. Another dry game but deservedly a classic.
Inis is one of my favorites now. It’s awesome!
Concordia is my #1 of all time... waiting the right chance to play Concordia Venus. Dune Imperium is my the game I wish I played sooner. As a genre the one I wished I tried earlier is cooperative... now catching up with Gloomhaven with my friends and Earthborne Rangers with my gf. I especially wished I tried cooperative games earlier with my friends, when we were in uni and had a lot more time compared to now, when we are all working...
@@stefanopaolini6117 yes co op is something I waited on quite a bit…Earthborne will likely make this list someday. Not particularly interested yet.
I watched the same comparisons between LROA, Dune, and Endless Winter. But after owning and playing all three, I would say that Dune just isn't the same as the other two. LROA is seriously fun. The way you can chain together actions is just super satisfying and makes you feel cleaver. IMHO Endless Winter is ok, but it just didn't bring anything new to the table. It just seems like a handful of mechanics thrown together without any real driving direction between any of them. We kept playing it thinking that something would click, but it never did for us. Dune is just a completely different beast. It's just an intense struggle. You can't quietly rack up points. It forces you earn everything you get. Everything is either a race or a battle. Every time we play, everyone is spent by the end of the game. Just a different experience from the other two.
@@jamesking3488 that is a good way to put it. I also think the low point winning threshold really jacks up the competition level
With CoB, everyone says it's 'silky smooth', which is true. However, I can't help but feel this is a consequence of mostly obvious decisions each turn. There are rarely difficult choices, which I very much enjoy.
With Concordia, I loved it for 8 or 9 plays and then it dropped off a cliff. I don't love the dependency of getting the right cards to be able to get a decent score. If the timing/turn order doesn't work out for you when it/they appears, it can destroy your scoring potential. It's almost impossible to pivot. I just can't handle that anxiety 😂
interesting, I feel the opposite (which is fine). COB has many good decisions and each turn is a mini efficiency puzzle of you trying to find the best. without turning a die in for workers...the longer the game goes the tougher the decisions are. I think the monastery tiles give a unique direction to each game in addition to the duchy board. I don't think it's the deepest strategical masterpiece but do think it rides the line between simple and crunchy constantly creating tension as other players pick the "best tiles". I see this as a game that asks a player to constantly pivot and do the best with what's left.
With all that said I am a big believer in not being able to compare experiences when I don't know your gaming history or proclivities it's just my take. I haven't seen the problem your are speaking of in Concordia but only 6 plays or so in. I find I see the goals I want to go after early and try to collect those cards throughout the game.
Our crossover is Castles of Burgundy. It's one of the few games I've played at a board game night (don't do those often), and loved it, and now own it and still love it. Other games that didn't wow me for a long time based on appearance or whatever, but now I own and love are: Space Base, Red Rising, and Pax Pamir 2nd Edition. In general for me, most dry Euros end up being "meh" for me after I try them, so I've learned that I'm probably never going to enjoy many of the classics I still haven't tried. I think it's resource management and conversion that I just don't find too interesting at the end of the day. There's some games I love that have these elements, but if it's core to the game and particularly tight, not for me.
@@tteshera I tend ti think about these games the same way as you, I have learned that the term “dry euro” shouldn’t be the nail in my interest coffin as I have played many “dry” games that I have enjoyed a lot. I have very much grown up in the FOMO laden KS era of board gaming and fell in love with presentations/components/gimmicks but when I actually compare the mechanics to some of the new stud it seems like many designers are bolting complexity on which ends up making it hard to get to the table. I will probably end up having more net fun with quests for el dorado than many of the more complex games I rate higher.
Did you ever tried Caylus? The granddaddy of worker placement games that still holds up
(there's an updated version called Caylus 1303, but I'm talking about the original one)
This is another one that I am currently judging as looks too boring for me to try which probably means I should try it :)
On my list of not played is, Agricola, Caverna, Gaia Project, Quest for Eldorado, Taj Mahal, and quite a few more
That is the beautiful thing about this hobby always more to play!
6 of them are on my wishlist. Brass especially.
All of them are essentially classics
As a solo gamer, I brushed off Spirit Island despite being voted the top solo game by BGG users. The theme doesn’t appeal to me and I’m intrigued by games where you pick a boss/opponent. I caved and bought the Horizons version so we’ll see if I enjoy it.
My FLGS is the Gamezenter (formerly FFG Gamecenter). I walked by Arkham Horror LCG so many times. Finally bought a core set in 2020 and now it’s my favorite game.
I’m scared to fall down the Arkham horror hole. Re: spirit island, love it, diving into defenders of the wild right now which has some similarities
BTW, are those other deck builders, even compared to Dominion, really more advanced deck builders, or are they actually primarily worker placement or other genres that use what is actually pretty simple deck building as a relatively minor mechanic?
Fair, I misspoke, more advanced “game”.
@@paulhamrick3943 I will say I just played base dominion on its app (which was what I was referring to) and it reminded me just how simple it is. While one of the criticisms of LOA is you don’t see cards enough to consider it a strong deck builder. I think the multi use nature of each card along with the interesting synergies that can be unearthed make for more interesting decisions and card interactions. They are being used to accomplish goals in another game dimension.
Once again this is base vs base and I am sure in the myriad of dominion expansions there are many interesting wrinkles added to the card play and understand most people who love dominion don’t really play vanilla and love it for all the additions
Dominion, Burgundy, Concordia and Brass Birmingham are definitely on my list of games I accept are probably really good but I don't really care to buy. But I'd be willing to play it if anyone brought them to a board game night or something.
Sounds like a good video, games I would play but don’t want to own
Are there any 1 player board and or card building games to try?
this is a good question, to be honestI don't have a ton of experience with really great solo deck builders. Many of the best have solo modes. I think imperium series, mage knight and Friday as some of the most well regarded soloish deck builders...I will pin this to see if the community has some ideas for you.
@@Neon_Gorilla thanks for the reply and pin, I feel a really good way to learn a game to be able to teach it to others is to be able to play it solo.
For Northwood is a fun solo trick taking game. It might scratch that itch a little?
I’m excited to try Mr. President - The American Presidency 2001-2020 this weekend.
@@jangofoutsthat one is sitting in my shelf now
Love Concordia and Brass: Birmingham, but it will probably be Power Grid, yes. ;-D Thanks for this video!
appreciate the appreciation!
Really good video
Glad you enjoyed it
This would probably fit more in the hot takes video, but as you were discussing Birmingham here. For me, I do not think Birmingham is the best “Brass” design let alone the best anything else. I understand why Birmingham is so well liked, but as far as Brass, I think original Brass (Brass: Lancashire now) and Age of Industry are superior. But all three designs offer something a little bit different, and shows how good Martin Wallace is at designing systems that can be iterated on.
Catan was also a design I did not play for years. I distinctly remember getting on a bus with my team to drive to the national wrestling championships in 2003 and someone had a Settlers of Catan disc. Our bus was pretty nice and had the capability to play it, so a bunch of the guys did. I thought it looked very boring, but the people playing had a blast. It took me another 4 years to realize they were right.
Yeah I think describing anything as “best” is problematic…I think if you say Brass is awful that is more easily disproven albeit subjective. I haven’t played lancashire, why do you think Birmingham is ranked above?
@@Neon_Gorilla Birmingham was designed for the modern euro game market. It is more open, more forgiving, less interaction, and the interaction is more positive. I think a lot of people find Lancashire frustrating, especially if they are not used to some of the rougher edges that many older designs have. Age of Industry is less about efficiency optimization than Birmingham. The ships are also more relevant than in Lancashire. It is more tactical than both, which is probably part of the reason it never took off like the others. It is also not a looker.
@@Naledgeizpwr you had me at more interaction, I enjoy that aspect so I may need to try it
At one point I had two copies of El Dorado, because Vincent Dutrait's artwork in the newer edition is so much better.
Regarding Wingspan, I played it because of all the hype it was getting but I actually don't care a lot for it. It's decent, but I think that there are better alternatives
I have the older version but was trying to trade for the newer oh well. I enjoy wingspan for what it is. I think there are better engine builders but nothing that really shows off the hobby is such a well crafted production for new players. I will always use it to introduce certain types of players.
I have enjoyed your video!
Very interesting when you talked about dune imperium as I am also recently considering the exact same. Quick qs…now that you have played both lost ruins of arnak and dune imperium, do you think they will both have their space on your shelf or do you think it’s a replacement one over the other?
Not sure if you have also tried endless winter but seem nowadays there are less people talk about endless winter.
Back to the topic though. The game that I have overlooked intentionally for years is wingspan. I was like what bird tableau building game. There is no way this game any good. I intentionally skip it for years until I played it on bga. Oh my world I love that game. Definitely on my top 15 games of all time now and I love it!
wingspan is a wonderful game and the one that really got me into modern boardgames. I will always have Dune and Arnak on the shelf. There are two very different experiences. Watch my Arnak video if you are interested in my expansion recommendations. I do have endless winter and need to play it again. It felt like a bunch of modules were bolted together rather than a seamless integrated game. Thanks for the kind workds
@@Neon_Gorilla Thank you! I am ordering Dune imperium uprising for my birthday and good to know they both can have their space on the shelve! I love lost ruins of Arnak.
I went years sticking my nose up at Lords of Waterdeep bexause the D&D theme did not interest me. Then my friend Barb made me play it and it turns out to be a pretty solid worker placement game.
It looks boring to me, I should play it :)
What was the criticism on Heat again?
@@ShadyNetworker oh it’s been a while but I think we found the card play decisions to be pretty obvious and in result uninteresting. The big decision was the shifter and where you would set it. More broadly I didn’t find the decision space to be engaging at all. Not sure if heavy rain helps that at all. It just seemed like I was constantly doing simple arithmetic and if you could do that the skill gap was fairly narrow. I have been disagreed with this take in the past and may need to revisit.
The 2 games for me are Dominion & Lost Cities. Both box/game art didn’t catch my eye and I ignored both for 3 years. This year I finally played both and think both are fantastic! I only play dominion on steam because it’s cheaper & it’s easy to setup & play with friends who are just video gamers.
I will probably give dominion a go in steam eventually, lost cities is another one I have largely ignored
@@Neon_Gorilla the nice thing about the digital version is the dlc is a 1 time buy and I can use it both on steam and on my phone when I’m away from home!
@@Triston_Yocom that is sweet!
Bizarre list. Yes they are all great (except Catan but that's a 90% hit rate & I'd expect 50%). Why would you have thought otherwise? (for a 50% hit rate)
The idea that it’s bizarre is funny to me….
Great video! If you want a training partner for Gaia Project in BGA let me know.
Let’s do it, what is your name on there I will friend and start an asynchronous game to start
@@PavelAlba sent
I REALLY don't like Cataan. You already know who will win a few turns in, after which its just a long slow death.
I’m ignorant and ily played a few times, how do you know so early. It would seem to me that the dice have to go in a certain persons direction consistently and would slowly build in their favor if they are lucky. I am a naive though and only played a couple times.
@@Neon_Gorilla When rolling 2 dice, the average results are far more common than the high/low ones. So if a player has control of the middle results like 6,7,8, the win is certain.
consider nucleum. its like barrage and brass (two of my favorite games) had a baby lol. just a blast.
yeah I have it and really like it, I just got the expansion as well. I made a video a while back but I really love the multi purpose action/rail tiles. I will say I don't see alot in common with barrage but that doesn't really matter they are all wonderful and have a place in my collection.
@@Neon_Gorilla no its more like a brass extension but i think the comparisson maybe the flow of the uranium and the fact that you can spend a few bucks to use others turbines like using someones conduits. but def closer to brass
yeah that is true
Video's popping off; nice
I honestly can’t ever predict which ones do. This is a surprise,
@@Neon_Gorilla Intro's strong and well-paced, and the premise of the video presents a question that the general audience finds valuable/relatable. Most people can think of games they wish they hadn't overlooked, or they're capable of feeling FOMO.
I actually almost scrapped this completely after first pass at the rough cut. Show what I know
@@Neon_Gorilla You can kinda see it looking over the list of your popular videos - "Games yet to hit top 100", "Expansions suck and why", and "persuading my wife" all offer info/storylines that anyone in your target demo can enjoy because it's stuff they haven't seen/thought about before. It's kind of that... Tom Scott energy; where no matter who you are, you can't resist a proposition like: "Why is this basketball spinning at twice the speed of sound?"
That said: What the fuck is a castles of burgundy?
@@Nevakanezah_ castles is like ROOT if you were only playing by yourself, and rolled dice for assymetric powers bonuses and points…
Uprising vs original Dune Imperium, it's not simply the case of being a better version. They didn't want to advertise it that way, but it's basically exactly the same game with mechanical errata. Every D:I player I meet that tries Uprising for the first time routinely says, "Ah, they fixed that!". Plus, it's not really Dune without sandworms.
@@Kumagoro42 fair
Thanks for the video. Interesting thoughts.
thanks for the appreciation
Dune is #3 for me not sure which of the Two is number one lroa or endless i love both
I think dune has a deeper and more varied meta game but I have fun with all
Hey Neon Gorilla! For future vids like this, could you add chapters? Thanks!
They are already in the description not sure why they are not segmented on the timeline.
@@Neon_Gorilla So they are! Thanks 🙏
Catan is German Monopoly. Bad dice rolls early? 1.5 hours of sitting around twiddling your thumbs.
Yeah I am not sure about the follies of the dice since I have barely played it. I have enjoyed my little time with it against my better judgment:)
@@carpzero1 House rules with Welfare aka Pity resources fixes that.
@@bettydingus3318 If you have to have house rules to make a game playable, the game is not a good game.
I win like 80-90% of my games against family and friend groups, it is really not as luck-based as many believe. A near "normal" expected distribution of dice rolls is pretty much guaranteed by the end of the game.
@@SamSMBHS But, if you get a bad distribution at the beginning, you are shut off from the rest of the board and it doesn't matter anymore what rolls you get to even out the distribution.
Great Topic btw
Thank you
For me the best game I had no interest in was Hanza Tuetonica. Well becuase it's calle Hanza Tuetonica .LOL. and it was very brown looking. BIG mistake. . this game is absolutely amazing. and I wish i had more people willing to give it a try. its so fun, quick and interactive. if you get the opportunity, sit down and join a game of this one.
@@chadikewood2342 this has recently come on my radar as well. You just convinced me thanks!
Total agreement here
+1. Really great game. Especially with the alternative maps in the big box. It is possible to get boxed out in some games but it can be an amazing puzzle to solve if you’re willingly to roll with it. Having near perfect information is so refreshing!
i havent played all of these games because for one they take quite a long time to finish, two we love family games.
not one for not trying but we tried playing heavy games but not for us because of length and they are not appealing for us
Any games you have played that surprised you like this?
Influencers I watch/read never say, “[popular highly rated game] sucks.” Sounds like you listen to them too much. Rather than that they “looked boring.”
Been in this hobby decades and if a game is popular and highly rated on BGG there’s a reason.
Many I have heard say Catan sucks…I think many of these games are polarizing. I have had many people in my comments in the past express hate for Brass and Castles of Burgundy. I agree with you the ratings are there for a reason. With that said some designs and presentations that will eventually fall out of favor(Marco Polo is one that has been sliding in this manner) and some are timeless
@@Neon_Gorilla Thanks for responding, yes, hot games do get tepid, and they come and go now more than they used to. Guess I’m an old timer from when there weren’t as many opinions. Or games! I enjoy your videos very much - keep it up!
@@bettydingus3318 appreciate the kind words!
A game can be popular and highly rated, but be inferior to many others "below" it. (Obviously some subjectivity applies as with any art) Success on a popularity contest can have more to do with marketing, association, and timing than skilled and artful game composition. Critique with historical understanding is far more valuable. I salute your efforts and motivation behind this video, @Neon_Gorilla
Cheers!
@@Bob_Co as always thanks Bob!
I would really avoid thinking any game you haven't played is bad. I've been playing designer games for about 25 years and I won't play Catan because I've probably played it 50 times and at this point the parts I don't like overwhelm the parts I do. Still, I would absolutely encourage everyone to play it at least once. One thing I find very useful about Catan specifically is after a new hobbyist plays it, I ask them what their favorite and least favorite part was, and then give other game recommendations from there. You can easily go from there to Concordia, Valeria: Card Kingdoms, Bohnanza, or Hansa Teutonica based on the answer.
@@twentysides I don’t think any game is bad just looks boring or have heard about its flaws
You haven't played Power Grid yet? OMG!? To be fair though, Power Grid is not for everybody. There's a fair bit of math involved. Highly recommend as a great resource management and area control game. Also note that once you have fallen in love with this game there are a number of expansion maps that also come with individual not insignificant rule changes. 3-6 players, technically 2 but don't. Best at 4 players, enjoy.
@@grantfraser5430 yep it’s current collecting dust, you are the second vote on power grid, maybe that’s my next I waited to long game!
One of my most played games. If i have to say, i prefer it over the two brasses. I am on your side that it has a bit of math involved wich can produce some rejections but is one of my favorite games for sure.
Love your content, but I wish you would drop the background music in the beginning. It's hard to concentrate on what you are saying :)
@@KimDahl77 sorry
Of the games mentioned I've only tried Catan and Dune. After giving Dune a shot it didn't cut it for me but I might try Catan again. Haven't played that 1 for a really long time. At the moment I'm more hooked on something epic like Twilight Imperium which I am very much looking forward to playing again. Tried 4th edition with the PoK expansion 3 years ago but haven't played it since unfortunately. In 3 weeks I'll be playing the 4th edition again(finally!) with some friends, no expansion included this time.
Another game I would love to try out is Nemesis. Also.. tried the Battlestar Galactica game many years ago. Definitely want to try that one again. 🤔🤗
I wish I could be hooked to TI4 nobody to play with :(
Camel up
It is a betting game with a race
I have the card version but never played it.
You should get Dominion with a couple of the newest expansions. It will blow your mind. Compared to just base Dominion, the experience is a hundred times better
I think my next move is the app, I think expansions might be on there but not sure
@@Neon_GorillaI think they are but personally I am not a fan of the app, it just goes by too quickly
First time viewer here, amazing content! Music is a bit too loud for my ears.
Thank you and I agree the music was a tad high in the intro
If you are talking Network building and Route building, venue definitely need to get into Age of Steam.
I was trying to separate train games/18xx into a separate category but definitely know I need to play it no matter the context
Lol people complain about randomness in Catan but insists on putting their settlements on 2s, 3s, 11s and 12s 😅
The game in itself is a masterclass of probability, economics and diplomacy that few games could reproduce, one of the most notables being TI4.
why do you think that more don't recognize dice as a mechanic rooted in mathematics and specifically probability? I wonder if its because an individual play can easily have 2 and 11s as the most rolled result as the sample size is simply not big enough to prove out probability. I have cursed many games of space base where my sons 11/12 strategy has him catapult to the front and win...meanwhile I intelligently build a strategy around 7s and lose. Still a great time just doesn't really feel like regression to the mean is happening do to the relatively few number of dice rolls. I think you might need quite a few games to achieve a normal distribution. Fun to think about either way.
For me it was Viticulture!
+1 on viticulture
Cthulhu Death May Die. I always looked at it and was like ‘ugh i hate dice chuckers’. Then bought it on sale on a whim and have been scouring the internet for those way too expensive Kickstarter exclusives ever since 🤦🏻♂️🤦🏻♂️🤦🏻♂️
I am right there with you, I thought I was above CMON games and had a blast playing it. I am looking forward to dear of the unknown.
I think Catan for me is suffering from playing it way too much. I still think it is a very interesting game, but I won’t play it without Castles and Knights exspansion. But totally overplayed for me.
That happens for sure…the timeframe in which I have played the game has a real effect on how I might review it
Agricola. Art is ugly, I don't care about Uwe as a holy grail designer, etc.
Played it a few weeks back and LOVED it.
I need to play it again my wife HATED its aesthetic and refused to play it after a couple times but this was years ago.
Biggest regret for me was Mage Knight 😂
Concordia is my favorite, have not tried Barrage yet though!
I need to try mage :(
@@Neon_Gorilla if you do base game is enough. Ultimate Edition only if you are looking for expansions and that's the cheapest way of getting them. Liking Voidfall and SI make me think it will be a hit for you.
Thoughts on Gaia Project compared to Terra Mystica?
Gaia was my first of the three, I am actually more inclined to try age of innovation next through.
I just can't grasp the thought of playing a racing game in turns, sorry...
That is a funny concept when you think about it
I am always so surprised about how excited people are about Dune: Imperium. I have three issues with it: First is how crucial combat is. There is no path to victory without heavy combat. This surely is a personal issue, I understand, but it makes me always rather play Arnak. Second and third issues are kind of connected. It's the worker placement limitation through the deck and the randomness of the deck. There might be an acton you really want to do - or even a situation, where you are simply locked out of doing something that properly benefits you. At the same time, the cards you can buy might randomly fit into your combo - or just not.
In my personal opinion, this makes Dune: Imperium way too tactical for its weight. With the duration of the game I don't want to be this dependent on card pull and I also tend to prefer a more pacifist route to victory - again, that last part is my own problem.
Overall, Dune: Imperium often gives me the feeling to have many options that I don't want compared to games, where I have to prioritize and find the most rewarding out of many good actions.
I think your sentiment is shared by others....I will say It reinforces an idea I have been kicking around about game personalities. Do you like games like ROOT, Spirit Island or even TCGs like magic or Pokemon?
"There is no path to victory without heavy combat"... Definitely not accurate. We've had a decent % of plays where the winner had little to no focus on combat.
@@Neon_Gorilla I really like the asymmetry of Root, but I haven't played it enough to be sure to like the game. My co-players were too nice to ever attack, so I don't think it was a very meaningful experience. I like horizons of spirit island, but haven't yet gotten deeper into it - but I would like to. TCGs are something I avoid like the plague, because I easily get addicted to things, but don't have the greatest budget as a student.
Overall I really prefer to build things - and I also like to see what I built. Not necessarily as something like a finished object, but in the way that I can do more than I could in the beginning. I am very into euro games and randomness has to be in proportion to the length of the game. I don't like confrontation and will always try to use the most econ focused route possible (because more resources and more actions means I get to play more of the game). If I know a game well enough, I like to innovate.
Maybe if you want to create a board gamer personality scale, it should contain some of these factors: Openness to heaviness, RNG, confrontational, innovativeness, maybe tightness. What other factors could you think of? Would be a fun idea for a video.
@@frankjoachim9033 I suppose no path is exaggerated, but I think unless card pull luck influences it, between two equally good players, the one who focuses more on fighting wins. That's not per se bad, I think it's lore accurate for dune. It just happens to not hit my taste. But I think the other criticism is more generally applicable. Although I must admit, taste in Europe often differs from the taste in the US and likely other places too. I am always surprised, when I see reward ceremonies from the US, with games, that are generally considered mid in Europe.
The great thing about the hobby is, that you can play what you like, you don't need me to enjoy the game. The bad thing about me is, that I always catch on the excitement against better knowledge and then get disappointed.
P.S. How often do you play Dune: Imperium with 4 players? As there is more competition, I can imagine combat is heavily nerfed. But with 2 or 3 players, I find it occupy too much space for my taste.
I will key in on “I like to build things” this implies that you like a somewhat static puzzle that others can’t really interact with. (I know many of these games have light interaction) I think a game like ROOT or even Dune has a dynamic environment that has player continue to adjust strategy and be ok with being thwarted at every turn. I wonder it dynamic game states vs static game states is an accurate categorization… I originally asked the question because a game like dune rewards an intimate understanding of the leaders, cards and their synergies. Like the other games I mentioned they reward players who want to dive into these games to the point of memorizing all the meta elements not just the surface level rules. I think there might be something to both of these categories in understanding the polarizing effect some of these games have in the community. Don’t mind me just thinking out loud.
Deck building is by far my favorite mechanic, and Dominion can be a great one. Concordia is also a terrific game, it definitely rewards good strategy. If you want to try more deck builders, Star Realms is a great head to head 2 player game. Legendary Encounters is an awesome, challenging co-op deck builder (several different themes available), based on Marvel Legendary which is also a ton of fun. Thunderstone Quest is a bigger one, with a little more going on, but the standard game is great (the co-op version is terrible).
I think I bought the star realms app at some point…maybe I should dig it up
@@Neon_Gorilla if you want to try more deck building apps, ascension is super fun and available in the app. I have several sets for the physical game, but play the app way more because it can be a quick solo game. If you ever want to try some more deck builders in person I have a bunch, it's my favorite mechanic.
And Sentinels of the Multiverse
The Quest for El Dorado is on my board game bucket list, but I'm always reluctant to buy a copy due to the light weight. Does it hold up as something unique/special, or is it likely to sit alongside my other gateway-ish games that I'm perfectly happy to play but rarely get off the shelf (Ticket to Ride, Quacks, Parks...)?
The Quest for El Dorado is worth it. It’s so worth it, it may ruin other deck builders for you as other deck builders fall into design flaws which El Dorado solved. The best part about El Dorado’s design and approach to deck building is that it doesn’t have a huge deck of cards where the market gets refreshed from, where there’s no balance in what cards are drawn. El Dorado has all of its cards available to populate the market from any of the players throughout the game.
The reason why this having a huge deck of cards an issue with other decking games is because one or two rounds into the game. The market will consist of terrible cards that no one wants to buy. Then, when someone buys one of those terrible cards and ends their turn, the market is refreshed with an amazing card that now the next player gets to buy without an issue. That feels terrible and is an unsolvable problem with all of these building games that have huge decks. Sure, these games usually have a couple cards that are “always available”, but those cards are also terrible and no one ever buys them because they’re normally always worse.. If you get El Dorado, and I strongly suggest you do, you’ll find that it’s designed so well that you’ll wish all other deck games are designed that well.
For a frame of reference, I’m usually a heavy board gamer with playing everything from Pax Pamir and Iberian Guage, to Food Chain Magnate and Clinic Deluxe. El Dorado seems light weight, but that’s only because it’s easy to learn.
Mrsomebunny sums up the deck building component quite nicely. I will add that it does a wonderful job of creating tension with the way the hexes are set up. High value hexes aren’t able to be passed by adding cards up to the sun of the symbols on the hex. You have to play a card that is at least the value of the hex. This creates massive choke points on the map where people get clogged up and that is when you previous card purchases will either bail you out or sink you. There is often a route around but that is another interesting decision for one to make. I would classify this as a simple board game for heavy board gamers if that makes sense. It is a game I actually enjoy and can play with novice board gamers.
I've discovered i dislike light deck building as part of the whole aka D:I and Arnak. At that point you only get the downsides of deck building instead of the upsides (engine/progression). At that point hand management is just the more elegant mechanic.
I love Quest for Eldorado and Dominion though!
Funny enough I've enjoyed Endless Winter the most from the 3 because the deck building was the strongest in it.
It has been so long on EW, I remember enjoying it but felt overwhelmed by all the modules. I need to break it out again.
@@Neon_Gorilla if you do, Mammoth+Rivers is all you need! That's where it shines imo. Also check out the revised rulebook for the variant that reduces workers in era 1
It's fun to have moments like this and realizing you needed those experiences. Catan is an amazing game and the negatives you mentioned are minor when you actually play. The ease of getting into games can be what makes them fun. If you don't have a core group of game friends then the complex games will never be fun because you don't have a way to play them consistently.
Totally agree…I would like to think I would have many more heavy play if I had the group.
Yeahhh if the game ain’t pretty it ain’t going on my shelf. Then again I love a good “ugly duckling” and I like to route for the underdog (in this case: aesthetically pleasing) but if the art AND the theme are complete misses, then it’s hard to want to play a good game, mechanically speaking, that was thrown away on a half baked theme
@@scatter_brain yeah I tend to agree, but have been proven wrong and found enjoyment in “dry” or “ugly”.
Het>>Rallyman>>>>>>El Dorado, and i like El dorado.
I am assuming you mean Heat is the best. My family bounced off that one hard
@@Neon_Gorilla I love it, play El dorado once. It was ok.
wait... wait a second.. you said that you played "more advanced deck building things..." so I am guessing that you played basic Dominion with your friend then... ruins, and non-supply cards, and upgraded cards, ect.. ect... ect... you will quickly see that dominion is more complex then these other deck building copies out there... then throw on top of that the layer of complexity of trying to figure out the best way to take 10 random cards and figure out ways to make the best deck with them... then throw on top of that the strategy of trying to alter your strategy based upon the cards your opponents are picking up and may use against you.... and then throw on top of that a layer of strategy of trying to figure out when and what to buy, how best to use your actions, and how best to play your cards and you will quickly see that dominion is far, far, far deeper then you give it credit for... now sir... you might of said this comment as just a beginner board gamer, so I will not hold that against you but please... for the love of god... experience what your talking about before you just assume that your saying is true... isn't that the whole point of this video... you find games you had no idea were going to be this good because you just assumed they were not good... once again you are just saying dominion is simple and not as complexed to other deck building game out there... your assuming something that isn't true again because you played vanilla dominion...
Deep breath… thanks for the algorithm help tho
@@Neon_Gorilla so maybe this leads to another video about "10 games that I thought was simple until I dug deeper..." steam has the dominion program with all of the expansions.. and if you pick it up and play against the hardest level you will see quickly just how many points you loose by..
I don’t doubt it gets more complex, I only referenced base game which IS basic deck building. Nearly every deck builder is built on its shoulders. When I reference more complex deck builders I was talking about how many others add more mechanics not just deck building. I don’t appreciate the knee jerk attack you had over your misinterpretation of my video premise…i appreciate your passion just remember there an actual human being that is making these videos for free.
@@Neon_Gorilla yeah I understand as I do the same thing every day, 2 or 3 vidoes... all I was trying to do was give you some info. Wasn't trying to attack you.. maybe you just read it as an attack... sorry to get you all worked up... I was just sharing more info because it didn't seam like you knew much about the game...
LOL sounds like you are very "anti hype" almost all of the games you mentioned (except maybe Catan) are highly regarded as amazing games in the community.
Oh I wouldn’t say that. I fall victim to hype all the time. I would say while rated highly many arented hyped at all any more. Hype is more hotness rather than top 100. These are sort of anti hype. I needed to slow down and not play the most recent KS delivery in order to appreciate a game that is no longer hyped as much. We all have our blind spots
@@Neon_Gorilla we all definitely do!!! LOL, awesome channel :)
Thank you Noe!
Pandemic I will never ever play purely cos of the title. The lovely Aust Govt has left such a negative association with the very word itself that I will never ever even go near a game with that title. Another game is Ticket to Ride...I work on trains so hell if I'm going to play a game that reminds me of work thanks. El Dorado, I bought mostly to play with my 8yo granddaughter.
What an interesting idea for another video, “games I will never try” :) thanks for watching
@@Neon_Gorilla What a great idea lol. I must admit, never seen one of those kinds of videos. You never know, it could end up going viral :-)
Nah, CoB is overrated. It's a good game but nothing special to me
how many times have you played?
@@Neon_Gorilla like 2-3 times on BGA and I thought it was very Okay.
@@JacobPorterLadder i think it is tough to call something overrated playing so few times. You certainly may not click with it even after 100 times but with a few more plays especially in person you might come to appreciate the nuances of such a beautiful and even to this day unique design. Getting to know what the buildings do and then getting excited when what you need or hoped for comes out, then the tension when other players are selecting in front of you. The huge point windfalls that come in finishing sections in your dutchy board. Every dutchy board is different presenting a different challenge. It is just one of the great joys I have had in gaming. I play and enjoy both BGA and in person but my favorite games are with my game group.
Inis is one of my favorites now. It’s awesome!
Inis is one of my favorites now. It’s awesome!
I need to try it…maybe next video :)
Inis is one of my favorites now. It’s awesome!
I need to try it