Complements on your presentation, and effort you put into the videos. I appreciate your level headed reviews. I'm used to others who have the experience and insight, but are biased to where the games are not fairly reviewed. Your information helps guide my next purchase. Thank you
I like this format better than your usual. I don't really like long descriptions of rules; I much rather like personal impressions of a players experience with a game - what they liked or didn't like about a game.
Thank you for this video. I don't think you needed to have both presenters talk about each game, but it was still more information from two perspectives so it was still good. Keep up the good work.
Excellent, really enjoyed this episode. I agree with a previous post that there is a lot of potential in this format for the two of you. I always appreciate your professionalism and clarity, and I think this vid succeeded in adding a more personal, charasmatic element without detracting at all from the aforementioned qualities. Hard to argue with your top 10, and you've inspired me to take a closer look at Firefly, River Dragons, and Dungeon Roll. I'm no business analyst, but you seem to inspire loyalty quite naturally and if you can solve your U.S. distribution dilemma in a cost-effective way it may be worth your while. Thank you for your passion and generosity of thought. I'll keep watching for sure.
I always enjoy watching your well produced videos. Great commentary and I love to see both of your different and honest perspectives on games. Over the past year I have purchased many games, and it's is amazing to watch this "Top 10 games" video to find out I only have one on the list. With that said, just picked up Firefly this weekend and played it 3 times already. A great, fun game with tons of theme. May have to check out Hive and King of Tokyo. Thanks again for the videos!
I recommend King of Tokyo, there is not anyone in my gaming group that does not like it. There are now 2 expansions for it (one Halloween-themed). I even created my own gigantic monsters for it too. Its the kind of game we end our gaming nights with, not too complicated so no brain-wracking at the end of the evening, but still deep enough that it feels like a complete game and not a filler.
Thanks. We wanted to play around with something a bit more conversational, and I think it turned out well. We'll definitely keep this format in mind for future specials (which we'd like to do a few more of per year), though I don't think we'll be incorporating it into our main videos. It rapidly becomes unnatural for the scripted portion (rules summary), which we've really found works best delivered straight to the camera. Unless we decide to overhaul the series entirely and drop the rules descriptions, we'll be keeping this kind of setup for special occasions.
I love King of Tokyo, played it in my gaming group and also introduced it to my nephews and they loved it. I think what is great about it (even without the expansion) you can have fun, because there are multiple ways of winning, whenever a game ends, I always wish I could play again, just to get revenge or topple the current "king." Plus the cards/powers are awesome and fun. Great game.
Absolutely agree... I bring out King of Tokyo with everyone who visits and it has had a 100% success rate - everyone loves it. Last played it with myself, the wife, and 3 of my wife's female friends (none of which had ever played anything other than Monopoly or Trivial Pursuit) and by the end of the first game they were ALL clamoring "one more... and one more... and one more".
I recommend King of Tokyo, there is no one in my gaming group that does not like it. I even created custom monsters for it. Hive, I have a friend who kept asking me to play, he seems to absolutely love it but I haven't gotten around to playing a game with him yet.
So, I am a state side viewer and wish that this company was also stateside. I'd like to buy games from a company who supports such a fantastic team of game reviewers. However, shipping over the border doesn't make too much sense. I appreciate the clear spoken and passionate reviews. One more reason to listen to my wife's desire to move to Canada. :) Oh, and I completely agree about Firefly. Played it for the first time last Friday. My brother and I got lost in the sandbox. Then completed the 3 stages of goals in 5 minutes because of all of the building up we did prior. Tons of fun!
I think I want almost all these games for my group. Also is so great having Canadian women reviewing tabletop games. Most of the gaming industry is so male dominated so it is great having you two. This woman gamer, who has a mostly women gaming group really appreciates it.
Thanks! We've both met a large number of awesome women gamers (both here in Canada and abroad), and are happy to do our part to help represent the women in our hobby. - Kaja
I'm not sure how someone couldn't love Galaxy Trucker, but what I love about this video is lighter haired female's Canadian accent. I get a kick out of Canadian accents much more than any others (well maybe Indian, but that's for a different reason).
Cześć! Given its popularity, it's pretty likely we'll be reviewing Eldritch Horror. We've already shot our videos for January and February, but you can look for it later this year. - Kaja
I am getting back into table top gaming after a very long time. This video is going to help me very much with the decision to pick up a game. What do you think of Talisman??? BTW, I really enjoyed watching you ladies become some enthusiastic about gaming. I can see your passion shine when speaking of the games. This is very refreshing to see.
My opinion on Talisman it is at times either a very fun game or very frustrating game, it depends on the dice you rolls, but is a classic. However, a friend of mine made quite a few modifications to his game that makes some of the issues disappear (while creating new ones) so like other games, house rules can make the game pleasant to your gaming group. If you are interested in Talisman, check Relic, the mechanic is nearly identical but the thematic is Warhammer40k (Relic is another name for a Talisman, get it?). It has some things that it does better than Talisman, some things it does worse.
Imho i get the feeling that you may have played these games maybe once compared to other top 10 like dice tower and rahdo, honestly they sound as though they know what they are talking about not just reciting a script written for them.
You're welcome to prefer other top 10s over ours, but I did want to clarify that the Top 10 is completely unscripted, and there's no reciting going on. We do script the gameplay walkthroughs in our regular episodes because there is so much information to pack into
I find Dice tower's reviews very boring, and poorly done. I cannot stand watching a 55min review on a top ten list by 3 guys. Granted they are usually spot on with the review, but the path they take us on could be better done; and much shorter. I enjoy starlite's reviews but they haven't hit all my wants, or some of the games I own, such as Zombicide. (hint hint).
StarlitCitadel Not that you need my approval, but I found this response to be admirable. Your writing/skills are exemplary, as was the attitude in response to an immature comment. I just found you guys on here, I look forward to your other videos. Keep having fun and good luck, thanks for your time.
To each different audiences different shows, I believe it is a good trifecta of review shows, Starlit Citadel for the quick/depth review, Dice Tower for the very in-depth/long review and Shut up and Sit Down show for the quick and funny reviews. When I am trying to get a new game and I can't play it, I rely on these three to kinda know what I am getting into. StarlitCitadel Thanks!
Really enjoying the episode, but comparing Goblins Inc. to Galaxy Trucker and RoboRally make me want to avoid it like the plague. Not a good way to sell that game, haha!
It really is like Galaxy Trucker though. Its got effectively the same ship/robot building rules as galaxy trucker..but with a different conflict resolution system. And since the biggest part of galaxy trucker is the ship design it is the closest to accurate comparision.
Riley Crowder That's fair enough but it doesn't sell me on the game. I hate Galaxy Trucker so I imagine I'd probably hate Goblins Inc. I know a few people who feel the same! That's all I meant.
***** Personally I don't think it's a great idea to lie about games and just tell them they're for everyone. Honesty is better. Lots of people find galaxy trucker a lot of fun and goblins inc will likely appeal to those people. People who don't like it though might still be interested because the destruction of the robots is handled by the players instead of a game mechanic, so people who don't like galaxy trucker might like that. If that doesn't appeal to you though then you don't have to buy it. No one is forcing you.
hello. Considering the nature of board games, what is the average play time does a game in your collection gets in its life time? I have games that just become collectibles. And not be played. They are like all the StarTrek miniatures I collected over the years that sit in a box somewhere gathering dust. I'm am asking because I'm a person who gets bored with something I do not have the hand in creating. I spend more times thinking about games rather than playing them.
weyun5yt You can also consider the time played per game for a more detailed analysis. If two games are of the same price and features same level of replayability, the one with the longer play time is a better investment due to lower $ investment/hour.
I have looked for an excuse to buy cosmic encounter for over a year. But there's one thing but still bugs me with the rules. That is, you can't choose who you want to attack. That's for me is a huge flaw in a game like this. Almost like a gamebreaker. Having that rule in the game have made me don't wanna buy it. Everyone speak this game up to the stars (pun intended) but i really don't understand what the fuss is all about. Doesn't it feel weird not to be able to choose who you are attacking?
I think that that's a really important part of the game, actually. It forces you to choose how you will interact with everyone in the game. You can't pick one person and blast them into oblivion. It forces you to negotiate, to make and break alliances, and to constantly adjust your strategy. It's also evens the playing field a bit - the random element makes it so your plans have to be dynamic. A brand new player to the game won't get completely smashed by a more experienced player's more honed strategy, because there's always that element of randomness. It can feel a bit weird as a mechanic to begin with, but I think without it the game wouldn't be as fun.
It balances the game because different aliens are strong at different times of the game. I would play it a few times - you'll probably recognize why that rule is there and that it isn't a bad thing at all.
Don't do it! Cosmic Encounter isn't worth it. I find it gets very stale after a few plays. You'll be very excited to use your alien power, but at some point, it's just about who has the Zaps and frustration about unbalanced powers. I'm sure there are some sets of starting powers that lead to a balanced game, but it just devolves into one player running away with it and having an overwhelming power. If you must play it, don't worry about the random attack mechanism. You will never win or lose by eliminating a player... it just comes down to how many times you can be on the right side of a battle and get your tokens on other planets... it's not a direct conflict game where you are trying to gang up on the other guy.
Good video but one critique. The uptick at the end of many of the statements sounds like you're not convinced of what you're saying. Phasing sentences as question is not good (and so, like, 80s)?
I don't understand how you guys get groups of people over to play board games often... My group of friends likes going out to do things and my family only gets together for holidays. We usually spend most of the time catching up and if we play something it's a tired and true card game or dominoes...
Generally, we find gaming specific friends. You can hit up local meetups, see if you can find a gaming group via Board Game Geek or see if there are local gaming clubs or stores around. It's harder to convince non-gamers to become gamers, but it does happen.
The 2012 review was better. Better talk to the camera and each present one game. This ''dialog'' is just the two of you agreeing with each other and tends to become very boring and like your pitching a sale in stead of recommending a game. Pleas do the 2014 like you did the 2012
Yes, Joanna & Kaja are gamers. Joanna writes, directs and acts in Standard Action a webseries based around Pathfinder and D&D. Kaja has been a lifelong gamer and often kicks our ass when we play in-store.
TheGreatHamEl I know that. Women also play video games. But look at G4 TV. They often use really attractive women to host their shows and pretend like they know about games when they have never played them in their lives. They do it just to try and increase viewership. (I know these girls actually play these board games though)
Complements on your presentation, and effort you put into the videos. I appreciate your level headed reviews. I'm used to others who have the experience and insight, but are biased to where the games are not fairly reviewed. Your information helps guide my next purchase. Thank you
You do a nice job doing tight and thoughtful reviews. I like the fact that you typically talk about both good and bad points of each game.
I like this format better than your usual. I don't really like long descriptions of rules; I much rather like personal impressions of a players experience with a game - what they liked or didn't like about a game.
Thank you for this video. I don't think you needed to have both presenters talk about each game, but it was still more information from two perspectives so it was still good. Keep up the good work.
they probably only needed one to talk about a game unless they had a difference of opinion.
this channel becomes one of my favorites pretty fast...great videos
Excellent, really enjoyed this episode. I agree with a previous post that there is a lot of potential in this format for the two of you. I always appreciate your professionalism and clarity, and I think this vid succeeded in adding a more personal, charasmatic element without detracting at all from the aforementioned qualities. Hard to argue with your top 10, and you've inspired me to take a closer look at Firefly, River Dragons, and Dungeon Roll. I'm no business analyst, but you seem to inspire loyalty quite naturally and if you can solve your U.S. distribution dilemma in a cost-effective way it may be worth your while. Thank you for your passion and generosity of thought. I'll keep watching for sure.
This is a great episode! I feel like future episodes should be more conversational like this one! Keep up the great work!
I always enjoy watching your well produced videos. Great commentary and I love to see both of your different and honest perspectives on games. Over the past year I have purchased many games, and it's is amazing to watch this "Top 10 games" video to find out I only have one on the list. With that said, just picked up Firefly this weekend and played it 3 times already. A great, fun game with tons of theme. May have to check out Hive and King of Tokyo. Thanks again for the videos!
I recommend King of Tokyo, there is not anyone in my gaming group that does not like it. There are now 2 expansions for it (one Halloween-themed). I even created my own gigantic monsters for it too. Its the kind of game we end our gaming nights with, not too complicated so no brain-wracking at the end of the evening, but still deep enough that it feels like a complete game and not a filler.
I really like the format of this video. Seems a lot more natural with you not trapped behind a table and the more unscripted opinions.
Thanks. We wanted to play around with something a bit more conversational, and I think it turned out well. We'll definitely keep this format in mind for future specials (which we'd like to do a few more of per year), though I don't think we'll be incorporating it into our main videos. It rapidly becomes unnatural for the scripted portion (rules summary), which we've really found works best delivered straight to the camera. Unless we decide to overhaul the series entirely and drop the rules descriptions, we'll be keeping this kind of setup for special occasions.
Nice! I own Tzolk'in and King of Tokyo... love them! :D
Surprised about River Dragons. I'm going to have to look into this game again. Great vid as always. Thanks :)
OMG! Kaja, I'm impressed, you pronounce Niche correctly, I hate it when people pronounce it "Nitch" :)
Great choices! You got some of my favourites in there :)
I love King of Tokyo, played it in my gaming group and also introduced it to my nephews and they loved it. I think what is great about it (even without the expansion) you can have fun, because there are multiple ways of winning, whenever a game ends, I always wish I could play again, just to get revenge or topple the current "king." Plus the cards/powers are awesome and fun. Great game.
Absolutely agree... I bring out King of Tokyo with everyone who visits and it has had a 100% success rate - everyone loves it. Last played it with myself, the wife, and 3 of my wife's female friends (none of which had ever played anything other than Monopoly or Trivial Pursuit) and by the end of the first game they were ALL clamoring "one more... and one more... and one more".
This whole video is one of them politely putting down the other one's choice in the most passive aggressive display of sportsmanship.
Ha, I used to want to be an Air Force pilot when I was kid, mainly because of the X-Wing novels.
Thanks for the video. I'm on the edge for Hive and KoT. You may have pushed me over.
I recommend King of Tokyo, there is no one in my gaming group that does not like it. I even created custom monsters for it. Hive, I have a friend who kept asking me to play, he seems to absolutely love it but I haven't gotten around to playing a game with him yet.
TheMarsCydonia King of Tokyo is even better with the first expansion
So, I am a state side viewer and wish that this company was also stateside. I'd like to buy games from a company who supports such a fantastic team of game reviewers. However, shipping over the border doesn't make too much sense. I appreciate the clear spoken and passionate reviews. One more reason to listen to my wife's desire to move to Canada. :) Oh, and I completely agree about Firefly. Played it for the first time last Friday. My brother and I got lost in the sandbox. Then completed the 3 stages of goals in 5 minutes because of all of the building up we did prior. Tons of fun!
I think I want almost all these games for my group. Also is so great having Canadian women reviewing tabletop games. Most of the gaming industry is so male dominated so it is great having you two. This woman gamer, who has a mostly women gaming group really appreciates it.
Thanks! We've both met a large number of awesome women gamers (both here in Canada and abroad), and are happy to do our part to help represent the women in our hobby.
- Kaja
StarlitCitadel If ya'll ever come to an event in Ontario please promote it on your social media :).
A great show. Thank you. I love the reviews.
The persistant looping music in this. Guitar chord 1 x 4 over and over, guitar chord 2 x 4 over and over back to guitar chord 1.
Great vid, SC, Hive looks mega fun and addictive!
I'm not sure how someone couldn't love Galaxy Trucker, but what I love about this video is lighter haired female's Canadian accent. I get a kick out of Canadian accents much more than any others (well maybe Indian, but that's for a different reason).
Is that a She Hulk necklace Joanna is wearing?!
Yes it is!! Well spotted. :)
Starlit always does a good job.
For some reason I feel like I got to see the real Kaja, not game reviewer Kaja, which was nice.
This could be an expensive video to watch.
Great vid. X-wing looks really good. Thanx for the vids ladys.
You guys are great!
Hi, love your reviews. Just wanted to ask if will you be reviewing Eldrich Horror anytime soon?
Pozdrowienia z Polski ;)
Cześć! Given its popularity, it's pretty likely we'll be reviewing Eldritch Horror. We've already shot our videos for January and February, but you can look for it later this year.
- Kaja
keep inspiring girls! :)
I just bought dungeon roll after your review
I am getting back into table top gaming after a very long time. This video is going to help me very much with the decision to pick up a game. What do you think of Talisman??? BTW, I really enjoyed watching you ladies become some enthusiastic about gaming. I can see your passion shine when speaking of the games. This is very refreshing to see.
My opinion on Talisman it is at times either a very fun game or very frustrating game, it depends on the dice you rolls, but is a classic. However, a friend of mine made quite a few modifications to his game that makes some of the issues disappear (while creating new ones) so like other games, house rules can make the game pleasant to your gaming group. If you are interested in Talisman, check Relic, the mechanic is nearly identical but the thematic is Warhammer40k (Relic is another name for a Talisman, get it?). It has some things that it does better than Talisman, some things it does worse.
Talisman is really old, perhaps you may want to play something a little less luck dependant.
suggestions?
Relic is a retheming and update of Talisman. If you can find it, the World of Warcraft Adventure Game is much better in that group.
Great Job.
Imho i get the feeling that you may have played these games maybe once compared to other top 10 like dice tower and rahdo, honestly they sound as though they know what they are talking about not just reciting a script written for them.
You're welcome to prefer other top 10s over ours, but I did want to clarify that the Top 10 is completely unscripted, and there's no reciting going on. We do script the gameplay walkthroughs in our regular episodes because there is so much information to pack into
I find Dice tower's reviews very boring, and poorly done. I cannot stand watching a 55min review on a top ten list by 3 guys. Granted they are usually spot on with the review, but the path they take us on could be better done; and much shorter. I enjoy starlite's reviews but they haven't hit all my wants, or some of the games I own, such as Zombicide. (hint hint).
StarlitCitadel Not that you need my approval, but I found this response to be admirable. Your writing/skills are exemplary, as was the attitude in response to an immature comment. I just found you guys on here, I look forward to your other videos. Keep having fun and good luck, thanks for your time.
To each different audiences different shows, I believe it is a good trifecta of review shows, Starlit Citadel for the quick/depth review, Dice Tower for the very in-depth/long review and Shut up and Sit Down show for the quick and funny reviews. When I am trying to get a new game and I can't play it, I rely on these three to kinda know what I am getting into. StarlitCitadel Thanks!
After watched your video, I want to buy Tzolk'in, River Dragons and Cosmic Encounter. You make me poor, haha.
But those are all great games!!
Really enjoying the episode, but comparing Goblins Inc. to Galaxy Trucker and RoboRally make me want to avoid it like the plague. Not a good way to sell that game, haha!
It really is like Galaxy Trucker though. Its got effectively the same ship/robot building rules as galaxy trucker..but with a different conflict resolution system. And since the biggest part of galaxy trucker is the ship design it is the closest to accurate comparision.
Riley Crowder That's fair enough but it doesn't sell me on the game. I hate Galaxy Trucker so I imagine I'd probably hate Goblins Inc. I know a few people who feel the same! That's all I meant.
***** Personally I don't think it's a great idea to lie about games and just tell them they're for everyone. Honesty is better. Lots of people find galaxy trucker a lot of fun and goblins inc will likely appeal to those people. People who don't like it though might still be interested because the destruction of the robots is handled by the players instead of a game mechanic, so people who don't like galaxy trucker might like that. If that doesn't appeal to you though then you don't have to buy it. No one is forcing you.
Just one correction... King of Tokyo is a Yatzee mechanic dice game not a push your luck game.
Don't you push your luck by staying in Tokyo?
John Pappas Yes, whether or not to stay in Tokyo is the "push your luck" mechanic, for sure!
Perhaps a Push Your Luck game with a Yatzee mechanic?
hello. Considering the nature of board games, what is the average play time does a game in your collection gets in its life time?
I have games that just become collectibles. And not be played.
They are like all the StarTrek miniatures I collected over the years that sit in a box somewhere gathering dust.
I'm am asking because I'm a person who gets bored with something I do not have the hand in creating. I spend more times thinking about games rather than playing them.
so $4~10 return on investment per play...
weyun5yt You can also consider the time played per game for a more detailed analysis. If two games are of the same price and features same level of replayability, the one with the longer play time is a better investment due to lower $ investment/hour.
I love HIVE, but comparing the game to chess, and finding it more engaging is a bit bizarre I think ... :)
I have looked for an excuse to buy cosmic encounter for over a year. But there's one thing but still bugs me with the rules. That is, you can't choose who you want to attack. That's for me is a huge flaw in a game like this. Almost like a gamebreaker. Having that rule in the game have made me don't wanna buy it.
Everyone speak this game up to the stars (pun intended) but i really don't understand what the fuss is all about.
Doesn't it feel weird not to be able to choose who you are attacking?
I think that that's a really important part of the game, actually. It forces you to choose how you will interact with everyone in the game. You can't pick one person and blast them into oblivion. It forces you to negotiate, to make and break alliances, and to constantly adjust your strategy. It's also evens the playing field a bit - the random element makes it so your plans have to be dynamic. A brand new player to the game won't get completely smashed by a more experienced player's more honed strategy, because there's always that element of randomness. It can feel a bit weird as a mechanic to begin with, but I think without it the game wouldn't be as fun.
It balances the game because different aliens are strong at different times of the game. I would play it a few times - you'll probably recognize why that rule is there and that it isn't a bad thing at all.
Don't do it! Cosmic Encounter isn't worth it. I find it gets very stale after a few plays. You'll be very excited to use your alien power, but at some point, it's just about who has the Zaps and frustration about unbalanced powers. I'm sure there are some sets of starting powers that lead to a balanced game, but it just devolves into one player running away with it and having an overwhelming power.
If you must play it, don't worry about the random attack mechanism. You will never win or lose by eliminating a player... it just comes down to how many times you can be on the right side of a battle and get your tokens on other planets... it's not a direct conflict game where you are trying to gang up on the other guy.
Good video but one critique. The uptick at the end of many of the statements sounds like you're not convinced of what you're saying. Phasing sentences as question is not good (and so, like, 80s)?
At first I thought she said Firefly was very fetish. well WELL!
I don't understand how you guys get groups of people over to play board games often... My group of friends likes going out to do things and my family only gets together for holidays. We usually spend most of the time catching up and if we play something it's a tired and true card game or dominoes...
Generally, we find gaming specific friends. You can hit up local meetups, see if you can find a gaming group via Board Game Geek or see if there are local gaming clubs or stores around. It's harder to convince non-gamers to become gamers, but it does happen.
Why do so many people say 'euro' game as if that's some kind of drawback or embarrasment?
I'm bewildered as to how anyone can enjoy playing King of Tokyo. It's just Yahtzee with awful added components. It's shallow and uninspired.
The 2012 review was better. Better talk to the camera and each present one game. This ''dialog'' is just the two of you agreeing with each other and tends to become very boring and like your pitching a sale in stead of recommending a game. Pleas do the 2014 like you did the 2012
I felt they weren't even talking, instead just using sign language the entire video
Joanna's hair is very pretty in this one.
what a bad list for 13. I think they should review games released on this year and not the prior.
is it me or those girls are really gorgeous? … i should go to the Boardgame pub more often …
Does Kaja still have a boyfriend? LoL :-/
You guys actually play these games? Or are they just using pretty girls to lure us geeky dudes who actually like this stuff?
Yes, Joanna & Kaja are gamers. Joanna writes, directs and acts in Standard Action a webseries based around Pathfinder and D&D. Kaja has been a lifelong gamer and often kicks our ass when we play in-store.
*****
...Pardon me?
TheCanon66 That's a pretty backwards mindset; board games are accessible and played by both genders.
TheGreatHamEl
I know that. Women also play video games. But look at G4 TV. They often use really attractive women to host their shows and pretend like they know about games when they have never played them in their lives. They do it just to try and increase viewership. (I know these girls actually play these board games though)
TheCanon66
Who on G4 doesn't play games?