Thanks for the breakdown! Keep 'em coming!! Can you lock your camera's focus during these talking head segments? As you move boxes around and gesticulate, your focus shifts. Cheers!!
The thing that makes slay the spire the board game so amazing is the cooperative mode. Not only does it implement the feeling of the video game perfectly but it improves upon it. Cooperative mode allows creating combos together. Figuring out which lane to kill first. And then overall is just a banger of a time. For me the biggest downside is how long it takes to complete a full run but every minute is worth it to me.
I'm pretty sure that Unconscious Minds will be in my top ten new to me this year. It's currently on my table while I read the rule book, and I'm hoping to get it played this weekend.
Agreed. If the plan is to play true solo, you should 100% let the computer do all that upkeep and overhead (like shuffling 100 times) for you. However, if you want to have a blast with some friends this is a HUGE hit
Alex, I've wanted Skyrise for a long time, based solely on the look of it. I have no idea how it plays, but it just looks cool. Glad to hear you like it, and that gives me some more motivation. It's weird, but in the old days I would just buy games based on the way they looked on the shelf. Later, I've gotten into reviews, and reviews, and recommendations, and more reviews... I wish I had just bought the game and gave it a try, with zero input. Grin.
Right now, one of my hit of 2024 is Chants for the Old Ones. It's a classic workers placement + deckbuilding combo but the vibe of it is great, the art fantastic, with interesting small tactical adjustments, and variable victory conditions. Really having fun with it.
Rome: Fate of an Empire somehow has stolen my heart this year. It had no business being as great as it is, and while I know it's only a small solo experience, it lived up to the potential and hype for me. I'm getting some of the thrills Mage Knight delivered in a more accessible form, but with an theme and engine that fit my tastes better. I hope they make more content for it.
2024 has been great. And fun to hear your list. So far , the games that have impressed me are Inventions, Men Nefer, Unconscious Mind, Minos, and Daitoshi
You're great at videos and I always get so many new ideas and game from you, and I don't mean to sound rude because again I love your content, but if you could just hold your excitement just a bit and talk slower you would help us non native speakers out there. Again, great content. Loved your Grimcoven review, helped me decide to finally back it!
I'm loving hara kiri. it's permanently set up until I finish the campaigne. I dont think it counts because it's second edition but I got townsfolk tussle last week and that game is amazing
Not a fan of lists for the year this early. I felt the same with the 2024 v 2023 crowd funding video. Wait a bit closer to year end. Feels like being first is more important than the list.
I'm currently obsessed with LotR: Duel for Middle Earth. Just discovered the fan-made solo version which (IMHO) should have been included in the game proper. Good pick!
I have an all-in copy of Primal. I unboxed it… and I still haven’t played it. It’s on my pile of shame. I need to sit down and learn it one of these days.
Skyrise is such a strange game for me. I love it...? But I don't want to...but I do...XD Due to its easy to learn/teach hard to master -ness, I think it is one of the most played game this year!
I never would have guessed I hadn’t played a single game on your list! Maybe I should go back to obsessively backing every moderately interesting crowdfunding campaign with the fervor of an addict with a severe case of FOMO…. Nah, 2021 can stay in 2021 😅😅😅
100% i can't watch videos that don't show any components or gameplay (B-roll), I just skip through to see the names of stuff b/c it's easier to look it up online and look at stuff myself...
The real draw of Slay the Spire is to play it cooperatively. Yes it is a great implementation of the video game, but the video game didn't have multiplayer.
I haven't played as many 2024 releases as I did 2023 releases last year but here's my list and ranking so far: 1. Inventors of the South Tigris 2. Windmill Valley 3. Ezra and Nehemiah 4. Sankore: The Pride of Mansa Musa 5. Shipwrights of the North Sea Redux 6. Draft and Write Records 7. Flatiron
I purchased Confusing Lands based on this video. I think it is a cute game but not a game that I will keep. The iconography is weird and too many rules to memorize the scoring conditions.
Does Primal: The Awakening beat Marvel Champions as your number one boss battler of all time? Keeping in mind 1-2 player, ease of play, accessibility and overall experience.
So for me I'd say Marvel champions is the game I'd play more often. It's so much easier to get out and play and easy enough to get new players into it (my wife won't play primal but loves marvel champions) That being said, primal is the better game imo. For marvel I don't feel like I need to mix up the decks very much (I'm not a super hardcore min maxer, that's kinda why I like it). But for primal I feel like if you aren't mixing up your deck then you're going to struggle. Each character plays very differently and each character can be set up in very different ways giving you a lot of different ways to play. Then you have equipment choice - do you go for abilities that compliment you or elemental weaknesses? So even before fighting a monster you have lots of choices to make. Fighting the monster is also more interesting. Firstly, the behaviour cards. They can make or break your turn and it's up to you (usually) when you trigger them. First playthrough you trigger everything to learn what they all do. Second time you learn what you should and shouldn't trigger. Secondly is the zones. It's not much but setting your partner up to attack the monsters weakspot is really satisfying while hiding in a bush to let your partner distract the monster so you can pop out later to smack them is always fun. Monsters have 4 levels to them so you can always adjust to your preference of difficulty. But I find that once I understand a monster I end up tweaking my deck and equipment to counter it and then I up the difficulty once I get too good at that particular monster
You have interesting opinions to share. Is there some hidden benefit to speaking so rapidly as to slur your phrases and individual words, including your name? Even captions have a hard time interpreting you correctly? Not that this fact says a lot.
Makes me wonder of the filming date. I have had Unconscious Mind for over a month now in the US. Elder Scrolls won't be delivering until at the earliest December but likely January 2025. Unconscious Mind is fantastic! I have been impressed by Skyrise as well; the deluxe edition is very nice. I would also add Dune War for Arrakis as an all star (and Tanares ultimate since it came this year but I know it doesn't count)
Your top 10 games lists are always super weird for me. The games get worse and worse the further up the list I go. Like every single time. I like games that design with purpose and you seem to like really contrived ideas or games based of IPs.
Usually with you on IPs, although slay the spire is very well designed. I also think Primal was very well thought out, a lot of time went in to making that game a good experience rather than just pumping it out there for a money grab.
Nope, it's not going to be a 2024 release. Maybe few backers in specific region(s) might get it towards the end of December but that remains to be seen.
Opinion= show footage of the games as you're describing them. We can't get a sense of what you're talking about without seeing it. I like you channel. But I move on from your videos when I don't see the games.
Wow, Primal? I bounced so hard off that. Hated it solo and just strongly disliked it 2p. On paper, it should have been exactly my kind of game, but I found the turns limited due to small hand size, the combos rewarding but very rarely able to actually trigger, and the game itself just painfully fiddly. I can see why people might like it, but I had the exact opposite experience to you. I would probably call it my biggest disappointment of 2024.
I recently bought a board game table in anticipation to Ender Scrolls coming it. I need it to hurry up haha. Also, i just bought Slay the Spire too. Hope that comes in soon.
Calm down. Its his channel so there is his face. He could show pics if he had sone but you could just Listen to his opinion and look the pics up by yourself.🤔
Bro, take it easy on the guy. At least he’s making actual content about something he cares about. If you have an opinion about something he SAYS, then I say go for it, but picking apart his thumbnails? C’mon…
Here's the thing. It's his channel. Want what you just suggested? Find it. This is what he wants to do. He doesn't want to edit 4 hours just for you. Don't rag on youtubers. Find what you want or start your own if it doesn't exist.
Skyrise sucks. Sold it immediately after playing it twice. Actually quit before finishing second game. Awful. Games like this are not in my wheelhouse (Ra, Acquire, etc.). Hate it!
Hey Alex Radcliffe from BoardgameCo! Are you going to do anything on Sea Beasts? Or not because it's not on GameFound? Would like to get your insights!
I think you have an oversight here - the best game of 2024 to me is the Spark of Rebellion Starter Set with Vader v Luke. Yes, it is part of a CCG, but as a stand alone game that starter set is phenomenal.
I would appreciate if there was a picture of the game in progress, so that I can see how the game actually looks like..
Thanks for the breakdown! Keep 'em coming!!
Can you lock your camera's focus during these talking head segments? As you move boxes around and gesticulate, your focus shifts. Cheers!!
The thing that makes slay the spire the board game so amazing is the cooperative mode. Not only does it implement the feeling of the video game perfectly but it improves upon it. Cooperative mode allows creating combos together. Figuring out which lane to kill first. And then overall is just a banger of a time. For me the biggest downside is how long it takes to complete a full run but every minute is worth it to me.
I'm pretty sure that Unconscious Minds will be in my top ten new to me this year. It's currently on my table while I read the rule book, and I'm hoping to get it played this weekend.
It's great :)
So how do you feel about Unconscious Minds now?
Some great choices on here - more than a few that will likely be on our list at the end of the year. Gotta try Confusing Lands.
Thanks for the thoughts on Things in Rings. It convinced me to get it as I love the Button Shy game, Converge, also by the same designer.
It's great :)
A big feature of Slay the Spire Board game is the cooperative multiplayer gameplay, highly recommend 😊
Agreed. If the plan is to play true solo, you should 100% let the computer do all that upkeep and overhead (like shuffling 100 times) for you. However, if you want to have a blast with some friends this is a HUGE hit
Where's Arcs? D:
Alex, I've wanted Skyrise for a long time, based solely on the look of it. I have no idea how it plays, but it just looks cool. Glad to hear you like it, and that gives me some more motivation. It's weird, but in the old days I would just buy games based on the way they looked on the shelf. Later, I've gotten into reviews, and reviews, and recommendations, and more reviews...
I wish I had just bought the game and gave it a try, with zero input. Grin.
Right now, one of my hit of 2024 is Chants for the Old Ones. It's a classic workers placement + deckbuilding combo but the vibe of it is great, the art fantastic, with interesting small tactical adjustments, and variable victory conditions. Really having fun with it.
There are so so so many games now that even reviewer lists of top 10s of 2024 have little to no cross over.
Rome: Fate of an Empire somehow has stolen my heart this year. It had no business being as great as it is, and while I know it's only a small solo experience, it lived up to the potential and hype for me. I'm getting some of the thrills Mage Knight delivered in a more accessible form, but with an theme and engine that fit my tastes better. I hope they make more content for it.
2024 has been great. And fun to hear your list. So far , the games that have impressed me are Inventions, Men Nefer, Unconscious Mind, Minos, and Daitoshi
You're great at videos and I always get so many new ideas and game from you, and I don't mean to sound rude because again I love your content, but if you could just hold your excitement just a bit and talk slower you would help us non native speakers out there. Again, great content. Loved your Grimcoven review, helped me decide to finally back it!
Elite is not upside down anymore. I can finally sleep at night!
I didn’t buy any new games this year which is a first since starting the hobby.
I’m looking forward to my copy of terrorscape in 2025.
I'm loving hara kiri. it's permanently set up until I finish the campaigne. I dont think it counts because it's second edition but I got townsfolk tussle last week and that game is amazing
Not a fan of lists for the year this early. I felt the same with the 2024 v 2023 crowd funding video. Wait a bit closer to year end. Feels like being first is more important than the list.
I'm currently obsessed with LotR: Duel for Middle Earth. Just discovered the fan-made solo version which (IMHO) should have been included in the game proper. Good pick!
Great list, love to see that Confusing Lands made it!
I have an all-in copy of Primal. I unboxed it… and I still haven’t played it. It’s on my pile of shame. I need to sit down and learn it one of these days.
I want to get my hands on Faraway and Spectacular. They sound like games I would really enjoy
Both so fantastic and so easy to play
Consider adding B roll
He’s too lazy to do that. He is about quantity not quality
I'm not ready to make my top 10, but Windmill Valley, Unconscious Mind and Castle Combo are going to be in it.
Unconscious Mind is absolutely that good. Hope you get to play it soon.
Loving Slay the Spire, loving Lord of the Rings: Duel for Middle Earth, but gotta say that Freedom Five so far has been my favorite 2024 game. :)
I agree, Skyrise should go down as a classic.
Two big surprises on this list: that Confusing Lands is on it (I love that game, but no one seems to know it exists) and that Elder Scrolls is so low.
Elder Scrolls gameplay is higher, but I'm hesitant to table it which takes away.
I got my unconscious mind looking forward to getting to the table tonight.
Nice! I'm tabling a friends copy Monday :)
Skyrise is such a strange game for me. I love it...? But I don't want to...but I do...XD Due to its easy to learn/teach hard to master -ness, I think it is one of the most played game this year!
Would you consider on your final frame typing up all the games you just reviewed?
I don't think Primal is as hard to table as it is to store. They should have you fight the box because that thing is a monster.
I never would have guessed I hadn’t played a single game on your list! Maybe I should go back to obsessively backing every moderately interesting crowdfunding campaign with the fervor of an addict with a severe case of FOMO…. Nah, 2021 can stay in 2021 😅😅😅
No Rock Hard 1977? I’ve played it a few times and it is fantastic!
Yeah, I'm even more happy that I backed the Elder Scrolls Betrayal of the Second Era 😊 can't wait for the game to arrive!
It's great :)
@@BoardGameCoBut 100 pages of rules? Really 😅
It would be much better if you would show game components on the table. It is very abstract to hear about games that I haven't played.
100% i can't watch videos that don't show any components or gameplay (B-roll), I just skip through to see the names of stuff b/c it's easier to look it up online and look at stuff myself...
Totally respect that, ultimately as a one man team there's only so much I can do.
The real draw of Slay the Spire is to play it cooperatively. Yes it is a great implementation of the video game, but the video game didn't have multiplayer.
Endeavor Deep Sea and Arcs are top of the top for this year, where are they?!
Arca I haven't played, Endeavor I touch on :)
I haven't played as many 2024 releases as I did 2023 releases last year but here's my list and ranking so far:
1. Inventors of the South Tigris
2. Windmill Valley
3. Ezra and Nehemiah
4. Sankore: The Pride of Mansa Musa
5. Shipwrights of the North Sea Redux
6. Draft and Write Records
7. Flatiron
The Elder Scrolls: Betrayal of the Second Era - Valenwood is an expandion, no?
I purchased Confusing Lands based on this video. I think it is a cute game but not a game that I will keep. The iconography is weird and too many rules to memorize the scoring conditions.
Does Primal: The Awakening beat Marvel Champions as your number one boss battler of all time? Keeping in mind 1-2 player, ease of play, accessibility and overall experience.
So for me I'd say Marvel champions is the game I'd play more often. It's so much easier to get out and play and easy enough to get new players into it (my wife won't play primal but loves marvel champions)
That being said, primal is the better game imo.
For marvel I don't feel like I need to mix up the decks very much (I'm not a super hardcore min maxer, that's kinda why I like it). But for primal I feel like if you aren't mixing up your deck then you're going to struggle. Each character plays very differently and each character can be set up in very different ways giving you a lot of different ways to play. Then you have equipment choice - do you go for abilities that compliment you or elemental weaknesses? So even before fighting a monster you have lots of choices to make.
Fighting the monster is also more interesting. Firstly, the behaviour cards. They can make or break your turn and it's up to you (usually) when you trigger them. First playthrough you trigger everything to learn what they all do. Second time you learn what you should and shouldn't trigger.
Secondly is the zones. It's not much but setting your partner up to attack the monsters weakspot is really satisfying while hiding in a bush to let your partner distract the monster so you can pop out later to smack them is always fun.
Monsters have 4 levels to them so you can always adjust to your preference of difficulty. But I find that once I understand a monster I end up tweaking my deck and equipment to counter it and then I up the difficulty once I get too good at that particular monster
This is funny: aside from spectacular, I have all the games from the left side, and none from the right side 🤣
Hi Alex, where's Andromeda's Edge? There really wasn't much of a competition for this game.
Sadly it wasn't top 10 for me personally
I need to play Skyrise more. The few times we have played, it's been good, not great.
There are some production issues so who knows, but... Innovation Ultimate?
I do love that game
You have interesting opinions to share. Is there some hidden benefit to speaking so rapidly as to slur your phrases and individual words, including your name? Even captions have a hard time interpreting you correctly? Not that this fact says a lot.
Just habit
Makes me wonder of the filming date. I have had Unconscious Mind for over a month now in the US. Elder Scrolls won't be delivering until at the earliest December but likely January 2025. Unconscious Mind is fantastic! I have been impressed by Skyrise as well; the deluxe edition is very nice. I would also add Dune War for Arrakis as an all star (and Tanares ultimate since it came this year but I know it doesn't count)
Arcs number 1 imo
I haven't played it yet :)
I like your list and yout reasoning, but man, you gotta show something besides the box, at least some containments...
Solid list of games but slow down for goodness sakes. What's the hurry?
I need to play them all more!
Is it time to make an updated top 10 favorite gateway games?
I'm always down to do another one :)
Elder scrolls is unlikely to arrive in 2024 so not sure it should be on a list
I have to try Faraway.
Good list, you need to slow down your talking speed a bit, you sound like an auctioneer.
Do you reckon Primal is better than the upcoming Monster Hunter Iceborne?
To me yes
Your top 10 games lists are always super weird for me. The games get worse and worse the further up the list I go. Like every single time. I like games that design with purpose and you seem to like really contrived ideas or games based of IPs.
Usually with you on IPs, although slay the spire is very well designed. I also think Primal was very well thought out, a lot of time went in to making that game a good experience rather than just pumping it out there for a money grab.
You are both probably at very different times in your gaming hobby, not saying either is right just something to consider
Faraway - LOVE !
Yep!
Primal ranked higher than oathsworn? 😅
Oathsworn isn't 2024....and also yes :)
I know oathsworn didn’t come out this year. I’m just surprised that you ranked primal higher than oath sworn in your boss battler rankings
But nice.. :) just means i have to try primal out.
Did elder scroll come out?
Nope, it's not going to be a 2024 release. Maybe few backers in specific region(s) might get it towards the end of December but that remains to be seen.
Oh no! Sorry about that!
I was more worried that i didnt get my pledge level more than what year it came out.
Opinion= show footage of the games as you're describing them. We can't get a sense of what you're talking about without seeing it. I like you channel. But I move on from your videos when I don't see the games.
Wow, Primal? I bounced so hard off that. Hated it solo and just strongly disliked it 2p. On paper, it should have been exactly my kind of game, but I found the turns limited due to small hand size, the combos rewarding but very rarely able to actually trigger, and the game itself just painfully fiddly. I can see why people might like it, but I had the exact opposite experience to you. I would probably call it my biggest disappointment of 2024.
please add b roll
Its obvious you didnt play all the games from 2024. No need yo say it. Rather tell how many you did play
I recently bought a board game table in anticipation to Ender Scrolls coming it. I need it to hurry up haha. Also, i just bought Slay the Spire too. Hope that comes in soon.
Show images/videos from the games. Not your face. It s about games, not you
Calm down. Its his channel so there is his face. He could show pics if he had sone but you could just Listen to his opinion and look the pics up by yourself.🤔
I agree with you Daniel
Many of the videos on his channel are recorded in one shot. That’s the style.😊
Bro, take it easy on the guy. At least he’s making actual content about something he cares about.
If you have an opinion about something he SAYS, then I say go for it, but picking apart his thumbnails? C’mon…
Here's the thing. It's his channel. Want what you just suggested? Find it. This is what he wants to do. He doesn't want to edit 4 hours just for you. Don't rag on youtubers. Find what you want or start your own if it doesn't exist.
Cyberpunk 2077 Gangs of night city with add ons has been the sleep hit for me.
Faraway is not a 2024 game...
Skyrise sucks. Sold it immediately after playing it twice. Actually quit before finishing second game. Awful. Games like this are not in my wheelhouse (Ra, Acquire, etc.). Hate it!
At least you're consistent :)
Hey Alex Radcliffe from BoardgameCo! Are you going to do anything on Sea Beasts? Or not because it's not on GameFound? Would like to get your insights!
Where is civolution
Haven't played it yet
I think you have an oversight here - the best game of 2024 to me is the Spark of Rebellion Starter Set with Vader v Luke. Yes, it is part of a CCG, but as a stand alone game that starter set is phenomenal.
Missing Arcs
Sounded like a hate speach against Patriots.
Agree or leave . So much for democracy
Arcs? Andromeda’s Edge?
Andromeda’s Edge, Arcs and Inventions didn’t pay enough.
Too soon.. views fisher...
I skipped the video because there are no visuals shown of the game, you speak so fast I dont even bother to listen. Sorry :(
It's all good, I appreciate the feedback 🙂
This video is useless without pictures/videos of the actual games.
Useless seems a bit of stretch.
He doesn't even shows each game. Pathetic video. Downvoted.
I think you need to get out a bit more. Talk to some people, smile a bit. It's good for you.