Small correction that only appeared in a footnote, and NSKN acknowledged they missed, is that you always loose your Hero to the bottom on the draw pile when you go on a riad even if you didn't use his ability or not. Also. You may still do actions after a completed raid unless it is the last raid performed. I do agree with you guys that it is very euro but still a tight, nice game. The nice part about spending cards on a person, since they can perform action afterwards, is to make them either loose their hero cards or their boat cards which makes it harder for em to repair/return their boat right away or get a new hero. As an Addition that Tom and Sam mentioned. It's very easy to learn out to none-gamers. The rules is very simple and the mechanics are very easy to grasp. The board is very intuative amd quite beautiful. I've played this with my brother and his friends and they play board games only if I bring em. which is about twice a year. And they grasped the conspect in more or less 1 turn.
I'm a set collection fan which is a large part of this, and it's definitely pretty so I was excited first, but it really doesn't seem like it has any staying power.
What is it about hand management and resource collection that is more "abstracted"? It's no more abstract than unit movement and dice rolling. Sorry, this is a pet peeve of mine. You said more than 3 times at the beginning of the review that the theme is "abstracted", then Sam proceeded to say "but I do feel like I'm a Viking going on raids." In fact, it seems like you like this game and even yet still fall for this common misconception. When people say "this game isn't very thematic", what they often mean instead is "this game implements theme without the use of dice-resolved combat or unit movement."
Most people will probably not "feel like a Viking going on raids" when they play In the Name of Odin. My imagination gets the better of me sometimes, especially when it's a theme I really enjoy. What I truly meant by saying it was abstracted is more that the mechanisms employed do not help the theme take root in my mind. The artwork on the cards and the graphic design of the board are both evocative, though. It has absolutely nothing to do with the fact that dice are not used in combat (gee-whiz...Blood Rage is one of the more thematic games I enjoy and it doesn't use dice for combat, either) and/or unit movement (I don't even understand why/how unit movement could or even should be a factor in determining whether a game is thematic or not). Sorry to have inadvertently pushed your buttons...and thanks for watching!
I don't know if they mean abstracted in the way I would use it, but I tend to use it in the sense that you could have the game be any theme and it wouldn't feel any different. In my opinion, all games are abstracted in the sense that I never feel like I'm doing what the game is doing. In this case, I won't ever feel like a Viking by playing this game. I tend to look at games as almost more of a book or movie in theming. Does it feel like a story I'd see in one of those? If it feels like it could be any theme though, and nothing would change, or I could sea storyline playing out in my head, then I would tend to call it abstracted, regardless of what mechanisms are in the game. I do agree that many people often tend to feel like a game is less thematic without dice for some reason though.
Looks like a fun game. You got me interested in the game. The only negative that it's from nskn games, a few games they have made seemed to be a bit flawed and not tested wel. But i'm certainly gonne check it out.
Looks really good. I want to buy one of the Viking euro's, but have a lot of sorts out which one I want between this, Champions of Migard, and Fire & Axe. I'll probably eventually get at least 2 of them, if not all three, because...well just because.
8 ปีที่แล้ว +1
It was only first impression that we recorded on a video but we really disliked the game :) Champions of Migard is waaaaaaay better!
Odin games this year: In the Name of Odin, A Feast for Odin, Odin's Raven. Mars games this year: Terraforming Mars, First Martian, Martians: A Story of Civilization Did I miss any?
Looking at this I don't see why I would get it when I have Champions of Midgard. I know they are very different games but they look to scratch the same itch. Plus I like the dice rolling.
Was just discussing this recently with the Wurfel team. They didn't like it and felt that theme was really pasted on. So i concluded that Sam wouldn't like it either. Well. You never know :)
Without damning with faint praise, this game is fine. It all works, moving the stuff around is simple and reasonably enjoyable - but it does no more than just be a solid resource management euro. Yes, the varieties of cool stuff cards add variety, but at no point did I feel like my choices were particularly difficult or mattered hugely. Solid and fun but shallow and forgettable.
Why do you compare no player interaction with euro games? I own and play a lot of euro games and all of them have great player interaction. I don't consider the ability to seriously hamper someone else's game as interaction. Eurogames tend to reward players who are good at the game, not good at ruining someone else's game through a random card effect or dice roll. As always, thanks for the review.
I'm really happy you guys liked the game! Thanks for the review and rundown, and see you at Essen, probably - Krzysztof Zięba, author :)
Small correction that only appeared in a footnote, and NSKN acknowledged they missed, is that you always loose your Hero to the bottom on the draw pile when you go on a riad even if you didn't use his ability or not.
Also. You may still do actions after a completed raid unless it is the last raid performed.
I do agree with you guys that it is very euro but still a tight, nice game.
The nice part about spending cards on a person, since they can perform action afterwards, is to make them either loose their hero cards or their boat cards which makes it harder for em to repair/return their boat right away or get a new hero.
As an Addition that Tom and Sam mentioned. It's very easy to learn out to none-gamers. The rules is very simple and the mechanics are very easy to grasp.
The board is very intuative amd quite beautiful.
I've played this with my brother and his friends and they play board games only if I bring em. which is about twice a year. And they grasped the conspect in more or less 1 turn.
Hey Sam and Tom, which of these three are your favorite: In the name of Odin; Fire and Axe; or Champions of Midgard?
I'm a set collection fan which is a large part of this, and it's definitely pretty so I was excited first, but it really doesn't seem like it has any staying power.
small note: Going on a Raid doesn't end your turn.
What is it about hand management and resource collection that is more "abstracted"? It's no more abstract than unit movement and dice rolling. Sorry, this is a pet peeve of mine. You said more than 3 times at the beginning of the review that the theme is "abstracted", then Sam proceeded to say "but I do feel like I'm a Viking going on raids." In fact, it seems like you like this game and even yet still fall for this common misconception. When people say "this game isn't very thematic", what they often mean instead is "this game implements theme without the use of dice-resolved combat or unit movement."
Most people will probably not "feel like a Viking going on raids" when they play In the Name of Odin. My imagination gets the better of me sometimes, especially when it's a theme I really enjoy. What I truly meant by saying it was abstracted is more that the mechanisms employed do not help the theme take root in my mind. The artwork on the cards and the graphic design of the board are both evocative, though. It has absolutely nothing to do with the fact that dice are not used in combat (gee-whiz...Blood Rage is one of the more thematic games I enjoy and it doesn't use dice for combat, either) and/or unit movement (I don't even understand why/how unit movement could or even should be a factor in determining whether a game is thematic or not).
Sorry to have inadvertently pushed your buttons...and thanks for watching!
I don't know if they mean abstracted in the way I would use it, but I tend to use it in the sense that you could have the game be any theme and it wouldn't feel any different. In my opinion, all games are abstracted in the sense that I never feel like I'm doing what the game is doing. In this case, I won't ever feel like a Viking by playing this game. I tend to look at games as almost more of a book or movie in theming. Does it feel like a story I'd see in one of those? If it feels like it could be any theme though, and nothing would change, or I could sea storyline playing out in my head, then I would tend to call it abstracted, regardless of what mechanisms are in the game. I do agree that many people often tend to feel like a game is less thematic without dice for some reason though.
my son can't sleep and is sitting on my lap watching this. he pointed to Sam and said "Is that Maz?".... =)
Looks like a fun game. You got me interested in the game. The only negative that it's from nskn games, a few games they have made seemed to be a bit flawed and not tested wel. But i'm certainly gonne check it out.
Still waiting for the perfect trifecta of zombie vikings fighting Cthulhu old ones on Mars.
Isn't that a QUADfecta: Zombies - Vikings-Cthulhu-Mars ? :) Sounds delicious though!!
Looks really good. I want to buy one of the Viking euro's, but have a lot of sorts out which one I want between this, Champions of Migard, and Fire & Axe. I'll probably eventually get at least 2 of them, if not all three, because...well just because.
It was only first impression that we recorded on a video but we really disliked the game :) Champions of Migard is waaaaaaay better!
Würfel Reviews I was on the fence about this game. Now I know I won't get this game :D. thanks wurfel!
Odin games this year:
In the Name of Odin, A Feast for Odin, Odin's Raven.
Mars games this year:
Terraforming Mars, First Martian, Martians: A Story of Civilization
Did I miss any?
King Odin of Mars
How about Sherlock Holmes themed games this year? I'd need about an hour to type them out.
I just ordered my Consulting Detective copy, are there any more good ones coming out?
Looking at this I don't see why I would get it when I have Champions of Midgard. I know they are very different games but they look to scratch the same itch. Plus I like the dice rolling.
Was just discussing this recently with the Wurfel team. They didn't like it and felt that theme was really pasted on. So i concluded that Sam wouldn't like it either. Well. You never know :)
I'd like to see Sam review Tanks: Sherman vs Panther from GF9
I'd like to review it, but I can't get my hands on it...
I think many people on here will be disappointed that Sam didn't rip this apart for abstracting the theme!
I was in good mood...;)
Friendly reminder to always try to briefly discuss scaling issues. Is it likely good at all player counts or just some? Thanks!
They mentioned that it seems to scale well. Was brief but they did bring it up.
My bad
I don't think you need to do the Raid as your last Action. You can do any number of Actions in any order you like.
I confused it with another game I had recently played...I'm sorry.
Great review, keep up the good work!
Without damning with faint praise, this game is fine. It all works, moving the stuff around is simple and reasonably enjoyable - but it does no more than just be a solid resource management euro. Yes, the varieties of cool stuff cards add variety, but at no point did I feel like my choices were particularly difficult or mattered hugely. Solid and fun but shallow and forgettable.
I actually thought this was the Uwe Rosenberg one with the almost identical name, whoops!
stop, in the name of odin, before you break my heart (8)
I wonder why Tom owns a Monopoly game...
Because his daughters like this version of Monopoly.
Why do you compare no player interaction with euro games? I own and play a lot of euro games and all of them have great player interaction. I don't consider the ability to seriously hamper someone else's game as interaction. Eurogames tend to reward players who are good at the game, not good at ruining someone else's game through a random card effect or dice roll.
As always, thanks for the review.
Well, it depends how broadly you define player interaction.
I enjoy Sam's comments but I wish he would stop trying to teach games when summarizing them.
I personally enjoy the way he summarizes. Keep it up, Sam!
Too sepia for me :(
I liked that :D
I love you Sam but you always sound so winded. lol