This game reminded me of Castles of Burgundy. You pull tiles to storage, you place tiles from storage, you score for groups, and you get bonuses for things similar to animals in Burgundy.
I think this is a very fair assessment of Queen's Garden. My family sat down to learn the game the other night, and we had to find a video on youtube to really understand the intricacies of the rules. Once we figured it out, it did turn into an interesting game, and we look forward to figuring out the best strategy in future games. It is definitely not a "sit down and play 5 minutes after opening box" type of game - it requires some time to set up and learn, but does feel like a more in depth version of classic Azul.
Our gaming centre had the privilege to get the game from a friend who muled it from Spiele. So far it has been extremely well played, and my personal feel is that this was the game that improved on what Summer Pavilion should have been. The most important change is being able to build your pieces on the board instead of taking a piece, and limiting how many you could take was what made this an instant hit over Summer Pavilion. Summer Pavilion amongst our group fizzled pretty fast when it seemed that players who just grabbed the most of each tile had a very good chance of winning, leaving it to be more of a random game then a light strategy. Don’t be afraid to dive in to it.
Add me to the “this is my fave” crowd. My husband and I left it on one end of the table for a month because we just kept wanting one more quick game. I like regular Azul a lot (even bought the silly giant version) and enjoy the other iterations, but for us, this one smashes them all. Funny how we all have our own itches and scratches, I guess! 😁
I honestly love seeing such a split of opinions on this game. Everyone has different things they want from it, and their comments make it much easier to figure out if it’s for me
I think it's by far the best of the series. I don't want just more of the same. --- and I like Azul so much that I shelled out for the giant version. It's interesting, because Sintra is by far my least liked of the series. We're obviously looking for different things. :)
For some reason, this game felt like I had more options and was less constrained than I was with other Azul games. Looking at both pattern and color + the puzzly nature reminded me a bit of Calico. So I’m on team, this one’s my favorite 😃
Something I have noticed is that the lexicon of the folks at the Dice Tower has really softened over the last few months. Everything is "-ey" or "very X-ish." ie: Euro-y, Azul-ish, etc... I've never been a vocabulary snob , but I think when expressing opinions and in general when presenting something to the audience it's good for listeners to be exposed to a wider variety of words. I say this knowing that Mike and Zee have been known to throw around lavish words and sometimes get poked fun for it. I appreciate it when someone can use a word that is precise in describing something. With that said, keep up the good work.
I get what you're saying, but comparisons to existing things that the audience are likely knowledgeable about is typically going to be much, much more precise and helpful than a "lavish" word could ever hope to be. Mistake me not, for a prodigious vocabulary delivered in an eloquent manner is sublime and an art form unto itself, but one might argue that it runs the risk of serving as obfuscation. That seems to run ever-so-slightly afoul of the Dice Tower's desire to be welcoming to all.
It's been our favourite boardgame AND favourite Azul for a year now. The thinkyness disappears after playing it a few times. I like the original Azul and think it is the best. But after playing it a hundred times or so we were up for a bit more challenge. This one is a real step up and we hardly play the original version anymore now.
My wife and I started playing this one just 3 days ago, absolutely love it. Definitely the most complex of the 4 Azul games, but it is exactly this complexity that makes for so many interesting variations. 10/10!
After a few plays of Azul: Queen's Garden, it is now definitely my favorite of the Azul games. It's a taste of what I see in the other Azul games plus a thinkiness that I really enjoy. The tile placement rules are so fun as you try to think through what will work where, and when to play them. There are only two negatives for me. First, yes, the joker tiles are ugly. Second, there are two shades of purple and two shades of green. They could have easily used, for example, orange instead of light green and maybe brown to replace the light purple. But those things are not enough to dampen the fun I have playing this game.
Thanks for the review - you've expressed exactly my thoughts about this game. I think I'd rather go for Calico instead of this one if I'm looking for a "place color + pattern tiles to score points". Calico is easier to explain and play, while this one feels a bit on the heavier and solo side.
This is my favorite of the Azul games but not necessarily the "best". I don't really know what best is. If you want a simple game the first one is the best. If you want pieces that look like cough drops the second one is the best. I personally like the complexity of this game but it would be the last one I'd use as a welcoming game. The player boards are too thin and feel cheap compared to the other games. I think it plays best with 3. I've had a couple 2 player games where the pieces I needed just didn't come out. 4 was a little too chaotic. If you like the feel of Azul but want a bigger challenge it's a great quick game. P.S. Tom should have taken the light blue bird tile when he was picking light blue, but I'd you're here for a complete rules overview you're probably on the wrong channel.
I’ve already had a chance to teach/play this game with six people and, keeping in mind that this is certainly think-ier than the other Azuls, they’ve all enjoyed it! Will it be my favorite, go-to Azul? Not sure yet, but I’m really enjoying exploring it so far! (I also created a simple solo variant for anyone who might be interested!) 🌷
Azul: Queen's Garden is by far my favourite of the four. But that's because I love think-y, puzzle-y tile-laying games like Calico and dislike the take-that aspect of the original Azul where you can get stuck with a bunch of negative points just based on turn order and other players being mean. Here, because of the slow reveal of tiles for the round, it's more of a push-your-luck mechanism, and if you get stuck with tiles you can't place by the end of the game, it's your own darn fault for overreaching. I also think Queen's Garden is the prettiest of the bunch, although I agree that the two shades of purple are too similar, particularly on the garden expansion pieces.
It's Azul in name but not in spirit. That said, I enjoy the thinkiness in QG because, in the original Azul, I feel as though I'm going through the motions; so much so that I don't really enjoy the experience anymore. Azul: sit up Sintra: crawl Summer Pavilion: walk Queen's Garden: sprinting.
It is definitely “thinkier”. I enjoy it when I want a brain burn but only using an unofficial solo variant. You’re right that it would be so quiet and feel long as a multiplayer.
After 2 plays, I definitely like this one. It is so much crunchier than any other Azul. You don't really worry about negative points until the last round and the scoring is tough as well. Once you grasp that anything less than a group of 3 won't score you will do better. I almost agree that this feels like a different game than Azul.
My favorite is Summer Pavillion while my daughter likes Stained Glass. We think the first one is lacking by comparison. But I don't think I'll buy this one. I watched it played at game group and they had pretty much all the same points about it you made in this video. I'd play it, but it doesn't look like anything I want to buy and teach.
On the contrary - I was hesitant at first too, based on criticism and complaints by reviewers. But we decided to bite the bullet, learn the gameplay rules, and now we cant stop! We LOVE it!! We still play the other 3 Azul’s, but this one is our favorite!
Trying to find a tile laying game to play with my mom. She really likes Carcassonne and Land VS Sea. I thought Azul could be good; but not this one. Any suggestions?
It’s a bit puzzley to put a castle together but not brain-burnery. We use every available tile if we can and the end result is both beautiful and silly. Oh, and it is quite affordable. I spent about $22 here in Canada. I hope you both enjoy it
I was definitely intrigued when I saw it had a weight of 3 on BGG (it dropped a little since). I bought it right away. I have to agree with Tom that it is way more of a think-y game. While it felt and looked like Azul, the overall experience of it was not one of an Azul game. Nonetheless, I enjoyed the game. I will play it again, but not as a quick, light, in-between game as the other 3 are.
A spot-on review. Summer pavilion is the best one in the series, with the 1st one right behind. This new one just felt to us like too much work for too little amount of fun. Not a bad game, but more often than not it will cause some serious AP. Plus, first player has a significant disadvantage in his drafting options.
Had a very similar reaction when we played it at game night last night. Just felt like i was stuck in analysis paralysis the whole game, and wo were the other 3 players. And we're not usually a group that suffers from a lot of that. Not my cup of tea
#3, #1, #4 and then #2. I did not keep 2 or 4. This one has fewer options to pick every turn, and you end up offering boons to other players. I hated having to build my board and the constraints that came with that. The middle wheel was pretty silly as well.
When it comes to the Azul series, it seems like I enjoy the odd numbers better than the evens. My ranking is 1st - Summer Pavilion (3rd in series). 2nd - Azul (1st in series), 3rd - Stained Glass (2nd in series). I have not played this one yet, but I bet it will end up being 3rd or 4th based on the funky scoring and rules.
This is my favorite Azul, yes it is thinky, but also a great puzzle, I hope that this review won’t discourage people from buying it. It is really a great game!
Why would you want to encourage people to buy a game they won't like? Tom made his view clear, now we make our decision. Just because you like it, that does not mean most people will like it. Tom disagrees with you there.
I got this game and like it well enough, but yeah, mostly my attitude is "it's fine." The wheel component and colors of the tiles is just so stupid. Why couldn't they have used two additional colors like magenta and orange or something. It's not like the two shades of green and purple give the game some super stylish look or something. I really don't understand what they were going for. And yes, I agree that the game seems longer and sort of less fun than other Azuls. I need to get a few more plays in to really get a feel for it. It's weird. I liked it, but it didn't feel fun. Is that a weird thing to say?
As a fan of the first three I pre-ordered this game (something I don't usually like to do). Now I am a bit nervous about the purchase but it is already en route and I will get the chance to try it for myself soon enough.
Think of Queen's Garden as The Last Starfighter. You've been monitored while playing the original Azul, Stained Glass of Sintra and Summer Pavilion and the powers that be have determined that you're ready to face the true threat which you've unknowingly been preparing for: butterflies and birds. 🦋 🕊️
There’s so many conflicting opinions on all the Azul games it just makes me confused as to what I should buy lol. I only have the original and it’s expansion
I have the first Azul and Summer Pavilion and like both of them very much. I didn't get Stained Glass of Sintra because I didn't like the fact that you don't accumulate tiles throughout the game and keep them on the board, so the beauty of the game apparently appeals to me. I will be getting this new Azul game, and welcome the fact that it is more of a thinker.
In my mind Azul is supposed to easy to play, family-friendly, slightly abstract game. I think the original Azul and Summer Pavillion are both great and fill that role. I played Azul: Stained Glass of Sintra once, it was okay but I don’t really want to play it ever again. These long stripes you were filling were just unsatisfying to play with and it’s the ugliest Azul, all the added mechanisms didn’t do anything for us. After this review all of my concerns about the newest Azul are confirmed. It’s way too complicated for an Azul game, it’s a visual mess, strays way too far from the formula. This game could have a whole different theme, name and look and people would never guess it’s an Azul game. Tiles having 2 different properties (color AND number) is the wrong direction for Azul.
Wow... this was an Instant Buy for me until today. I love Azul-1 and Azul-3 with #3 being my favorite... and for some reason, not even intersted in #2. I'm now no longer interested in #4. Thanks for saving me some $$ and time. I'll play it at a convention I'm sure someday, but don't need to add to my collection unless I fall in love with it when I play. Someone tell me why I should like Stained Glass of Sintra... doesn't even look like Azul to me.
Sintra is excellent and has more of a classic Azul feel than Summer Pavillion. If you like the “meanness” of original Azul, you’ll appreciate Sintra. If you prefer the “looseness” and solitaire puzzle of Summer, you’ll probably be on skipping it.
I would look at more reviews to make a better decision. It seems like half of Tom's disappointment is how unlike Azul this one is. Kind of expecting one thing and getting another. If it didn't have the Azul branding would the review be different? It's a solid progression from its roots
Yo, please ignore Tom on this one and buy it so it gets an expansion. It's an amazing game it just needs a few plays before you get the hang of it. I'm really disappointed Tom didn't even talk about how the drafting mechanism fixes first player advantage.
@@xxporchyxx Going first is fine because you also go 3rd,4th or 5th. The turns essentially get better until the stack runs out so every position is approximately equal.
Could you explain how the drafting mechanism fixes first player advantage? We are playing it for first time next week and ai am trying to find actual play thrus as the written instructions are unwieldy. Thanks
@@singsongcindy8865 So it fixes FPA because as players pick tiles from the stack of extension boards more tiles come out, and as you pick up the last tile on an extension board it flips over, meaning the future turns have more options and get more tiles than the early turns. At least for a while. Also wanted to add that to teach this game set up the tiles in this formation (where a, b, c etc are different colors and 1, 2, 3 etc. are the values of those tiles): a1 a2 a3 a4 a5 a6 b1 b2 b3 b4 b5 b6 c1 c2 c3 c4 c5 c6 d1 d2 d3 d4 d5 d6 e1 e2 e3 e4 e5 e6 f1 f2 f3 f4 f5 f6 Then you say that on your turn you can pick up as many of you can of one copy of a row or column of this setup (1-6 tiles) from the faceup tiles on the table (where faceup garden extensions count as tiles). Or pay up to one copy of a row or column to place a tile from what you paid of value equal to the amount you paid. This makes the game mechanics more obvious than talking about non-repeating tiles. etc.
I completely agree. This is not a game I would recommend to my friends who like the first Azul. I like Pavilion the most, and this plays similarly to that, but it's not as clean to me. I'd rank it third behind Pavilion and the OG Azul game. This gave me a tiny bit of Calico vibes, and I think I would just play that first.
I love this one but I am not sure where I rank it among the Azul series. It feels a LOT like another pattern/group tile placement game, Calico. And I really like that one too
My favorite of the series, but I still like them all. Thinkier and less lite than the rest, but it is a different game. Harder teach and I agree it's not as intuitive. Has some AP problems, but overall not too "brain burney"
This definitely feels more like older Michael Kiesling games to me, like Java: way too large a decision space for an abstract game for me. I do see the appeal for other players, but for me, the Azul series started with an amazing clear design, and have been becoming worse with each new expansion.
This is the worst Azul for me. Even the split mechanism which is great was ruin by tiles. Usually you could estimate what people will take and think about it what you will take. Here there is no sense in some parts to think because you do to know what tilles will be avaibale. It's more random than it should be.
I was excited for this, but probably won’t get it now. I understand it tho. They have to mix it up somehow. They can’t keep printing the same game over and over.
The answer to why are the wild tiles dull, gray and plastic..... so they can sell you the upgraded tiles kit later. Same reason original Azul had plain red and plain blue tiles.
I didn’t forget to have fun playing the game, I tried and tried and just couldn’t. The draft portion is just too clunky and if you are the one pulling out the tiles from the bag makes it hard to concentrate on your game.
Ironically, we just played the Fast & Furious board game, and found it too thinky for what you're doing in it! It does a good job of making you feel like you're actually doing the crazy stunts, but it's just too heavy for its own good.
Why should they? Summer Pavilion and Queens Garden are both utterly fantastic. Never understood idiotic opinions like yours. Don't like it, don't buy it.
@@milest4214 Hey now, they were just making a light jab, you escalated to name calling for no reason. It's a board game, it's okay to like different things.
I pre-ordered this game solely because of the Azul name, and was devastated when I read the rules. This just isn't an Azul game. It's over-complex and lacks a unique element to make it worth the extra complexity. Also, the symbols instead of numbers on the tiles was a HORRIBLE decision. I'm thinking of just trading it off without even bothering to play it.
@@dereklinnabary5132 compared to many of the most popular games around it is certainly on the lighter side. But when put up against any other Azul game there are far too many qualifiers and special rules to make this a family-weight game. Considering my family already struggles a little with Summer Pavilion, I think this will break them.
Only a fool would play a lesser Azul. Once you've played QG you'll never go back. Great evolution of the game, great continuity with original, terrible review.
@@nakago7 You said it- While QG is certainly more engaging than it's predecessors, it isn't thinky to the point of taught, hand wringing absorption. And while I agree with Tom's passing remarks about the slight thinness of the player boards and the plastic materials they chose for the joker tokens (which are very well produced nontheless) it felt like he was stretching to nit-pick over the thematic sundial gimmick and lack of continuity with previous releases. My group were unanimously of the opinion that the continuity with previous iterations was incredibly strong given the robust forward leap in design that this version has managed achieve; despite the game's solid yet deft step up in complexity it still very much retains that Azul feel. Overall the review left me wandering just what Mr Kiesling could have done to impress Tom. I came away with the impression that had Kiesling simply churned out another slight variation on the existing theme Tom would have been bemoaning his lack of vision. Sorry to disagree with Tom here, but QG is so clearly a formidable success, both as a game in its own right and as an evolution of the Azul series and springboard for its future development, that any serious commentator would be loathe to do otherwise. Still, I guess anyone can have an off day.
Tom's reasons for not liking it very much are the exact reasons why I think it might...might be the best of them.
Yes!!! Go for it!!!
It’s one of my favorite games!
This game reminded me of Castles of Burgundy.
You pull tiles to storage, you place tiles from storage, you score for groups, and you get bonuses for things similar to animals in Burgundy.
I think this is a very fair assessment of Queen's Garden. My family sat down to learn the game the other night, and we had to find a video on youtube to really understand the intricacies of the rules. Once we figured it out, it did turn into an interesting game, and we look forward to figuring out the best strategy in future games. It is definitely not a "sit down and play 5 minutes after opening box" type of game - it requires some time to set up and learn, but does feel like a more in depth version of classic Azul.
Our gaming centre had the privilege to get the game from a friend who muled it from Spiele. So far it has been extremely well played, and my personal feel is that this was the game that improved on what Summer Pavilion should have been. The most important change is being able to build your pieces on the board instead of taking a piece, and limiting how many you could take was what made this an instant hit over Summer Pavilion. Summer Pavilion amongst our group fizzled pretty fast when it seemed that players who just grabbed the most of each tile had a very good chance of winning, leaving it to be more of a random game then a light strategy.
Don’t be afraid to dive in to it.
For me this is the best Azul until now 😎👍🏻 really enjoy it
Add me to the “this is my fave” crowd. My husband and I left it on one end of the table for a month because we just kept wanting one more quick game. I like regular Azul a lot (even bought the silly giant version) and enjoy the other iterations, but for us, this one smashes them all. Funny how we all have our own itches and scratches, I guess! 😁
I honestly love seeing such a split of opinions on this game. Everyone has different things they want from it, and their comments make it much easier to figure out if it’s for me
I think it's by far the best of the series. I don't want just more of the same. --- and I like Azul so much that I shelled out for the giant version.
It's interesting, because Sintra is by far my least liked of the series. We're obviously looking for different things. :)
For some reason, this game felt like I had more options and was less constrained than I was with other Azul games. Looking at both pattern and color + the puzzly nature reminded me a bit of Calico. So I’m on team, this one’s my favorite 😃
Haha, interesting. I feel the opposite. That's why I got rid of it
Something I have noticed is that the lexicon of the folks at the Dice Tower has really softened over the last few months. Everything is "-ey" or "very X-ish." ie: Euro-y, Azul-ish, etc... I've never been a vocabulary snob , but I think when expressing opinions and in general when presenting something to the audience it's good for listeners to be exposed to a wider variety of words. I say this knowing that Mike and Zee have been known to throw around lavish words and sometimes get poked fun for it. I appreciate it when someone can use a word that is precise in describing something. With that said, keep up the good work.
I get what you're saying, but comparisons to existing things that the audience are likely knowledgeable about is typically going to be much, much more precise and helpful than a "lavish" word could ever hope to be. Mistake me not, for a prodigious vocabulary delivered in an eloquent manner is sublime and an art form unto itself, but one might argue that it runs the risk of serving as obfuscation. That seems to run ever-so-slightly afoul of the Dice Tower's desire to be welcoming to all.
@@kattee1956 That last bit reminded me of Chaz Marler's old stuff on Pair of Dice Paradise, very Chaz-ish, methinks is how I'd put it.
It's been our favourite boardgame AND favourite Azul for a year now. The thinkyness disappears after playing it a few times. I like the original Azul and think it is the best. But after playing it a hundred times or so we were up for a bit more challenge. This one is a real step up and we hardly play the original version anymore now.
My wife and I started playing this one just 3 days ago, absolutely love it. Definitely the most complex of the 4 Azul games, but it is exactly this complexity that makes for so many interesting variations. 10/10!
After a few plays of Azul: Queen's Garden, it is now definitely my favorite of the Azul games. It's a taste of what I see in the other Azul games plus a thinkiness that I really enjoy. The tile placement rules are so fun as you try to think through what will work where, and when to play them. There are only two negatives for me. First, yes, the joker tiles are ugly. Second, there are two shades of purple and two shades of green. They could have easily used, for example, orange instead of light green and maybe brown to replace the light purple. But those things are not enough to dampen the fun I have playing this game.
Thanks for the review - you've expressed exactly my thoughts about this game. I think I'd rather go for Calico instead of this one if I'm looking for a "place color + pattern tiles to score points". Calico is easier to explain and play, while this one feels a bit on the heavier and solo side.
This is my favorite of the Azul games but not necessarily the "best". I don't really know what best is. If you want a simple game the first one is the best. If you want pieces that look like cough drops the second one is the best. I personally like the complexity of this game but it would be the last one I'd use as a welcoming game. The player boards are too thin and feel cheap compared to the other games. I think it plays best with 3. I've had a couple 2 player games where the pieces I needed just didn't come out. 4 was a little too chaotic. If you like the feel of Azul but want a bigger challenge it's a great quick game.
P.S. Tom should have taken the light blue bird tile when he was picking light blue, but I'd you're here for a complete rules overview you're probably on the wrong channel.
I love those cough drops!
@@AccioPadfoot12 I just played it yesterday with my partner and our daughter. They are so satisfying!
I'm in the it's the best azul camp.
@@kerryanne I don't mind the wild piece's. the fact that there very different stops players from throwing them in the tower.
@@kerryanne why would you paint them? They represent stone with their grey color.
I liked this game, yeah its thinkier...but, I think its a great addition to the series
I’ve already had a chance to teach/play this game with six people and, keeping in mind that this is certainly think-ier than the other Azuls, they’ve all enjoyed it! Will it be my favorite, go-to Azul? Not sure yet, but I’m really enjoying exploring it so far! (I also created a simple solo variant for anyone who might be interested!) 🌷
I'm interested in a solo variant - please tell me more!
@@lisamarin8836 Me too! Interested in a solo game!
So how do we get this solo variant?
Azul: Queen's Gambit, wait... wrong franchise
Azul: Queen's Garden is by far my favourite of the four. But that's because I love think-y, puzzle-y tile-laying games like Calico and dislike the take-that aspect of the original Azul where you can get stuck with a bunch of negative points just based on turn order and other players being mean. Here, because of the slow reveal of tiles for the round, it's more of a push-your-luck mechanism, and if you get stuck with tiles you can't place by the end of the game, it's your own darn fault for overreaching. I also think Queen's Garden is the prettiest of the bunch, although I agree that the two shades of purple are too similar, particularly on the garden expansion pieces.
It's Azul in name but not in spirit. That said, I enjoy the thinkiness in QG because, in the original Azul, I feel as though I'm going through the motions; so much so that I don't really enjoy the experience anymore.
Azul: sit up
Sintra: crawl
Summer Pavilion: walk
Queen's Garden: sprinting.
Agree with this, the original Azul feels too same-y for me now.
Hey Tom, at 4.51 when you collected light blue but left the light blue bird. I thought you can take it because the other blue bird was a previous turn
It is definitely “thinkier”. I enjoy it when I want a brain burn but only using an unofficial solo variant. You’re right that it would be so quiet and feel long as a multiplayer.
After 2 plays, I definitely like this one. It is so much crunchier than any other Azul. You don't really worry about negative points until the last round and the scoring is tough as well. Once you grasp that anything less than a group of 3 won't score you will do better. I almost agree that this feels like a different game than Azul.
Have it since spiel and I and all friends that played it with me love the game.
My favorite is Summer Pavillion while my daughter likes Stained Glass. We think the first one is lacking by comparison. But I don't think I'll buy this one. I watched it played at game group and they had pretty much all the same points about it you made in this video. I'd play it, but it doesn't look like anything I want to buy and teach.
On the contrary - I was hesitant at first too, based on criticism and complaints by reviewers. But we decided to bite the bullet, learn the gameplay rules, and now we cant stop! We LOVE it!! We still play the other 3 Azul’s, but this one is our favorite!
@@rockspyder3970 I ended up buying it. We still play Summer Pavillion more, but we do get this one to the table.
Trying to find a tile laying game to play with my mom. She really likes Carcassonne and Land VS Sea. I thought Azul could be good; but not this one. Any suggestions?
My mom and I enjoy playing tile games together. The ones currently in high rotation are Cascadia and Castles of Caladale.
@@janemalyon9134 thanks! I haven’t heard of Castles of Caladale. I’ll have to look that up.
It’s a bit puzzley to put a castle together but not brain-burnery. We use every available tile if we can and the end result is both beautiful and silly. Oh, and it is quite affordable. I spent about $22 here in Canada. I hope you both enjoy it
@@janemalyon9134 thanks! Sounds like it could be great!
I would try Summer Pavilion, then. It is a lovely game, and beautiful.
I was definitely intrigued when I saw it had a weight of 3 on BGG (it dropped a little since). I bought it right away.
I have to agree with Tom that it is way more of a think-y game.
While it felt and looked like Azul, the overall experience of it was not one of an Azul game.
Nonetheless, I enjoyed the game.
I will play it again, but not as a quick, light, in-between game as the other 3 are.
A spot-on review. Summer pavilion is the best one in the series, with the 1st one right behind. This new one just felt to us like too much work for too little amount of fun. Not a bad game, but more often than not it will cause some serious AP. Plus, first player has a significant disadvantage in his drafting options.
Had a very similar reaction when we played it at game night last night. Just felt like i was stuck in analysis paralysis the whole game, and wo were the other 3 players. And we're not usually a group that suffers from a lot of that. Not my cup of tea
#3, #1, #4 and then #2. I did not keep 2 or 4. This one has fewer options to pick every turn, and you end up offering boons to other players. I hated having to build my board and the constraints that came with that. The middle wheel was pretty silly as well.
When it comes to the Azul series, it seems like I enjoy the odd numbers better than the evens. My ranking is 1st - Summer Pavilion (3rd in series). 2nd - Azul (1st in series), 3rd - Stained Glass (2nd in series). I have not played this one yet, but I bet it will end up being 3rd or 4th based on the funky scoring and rules.
Great game! It doesn't require that much thought lol.
I really like the hexagon tiles! But this review kind of confirms what I was expecting. That’s why I’m subscribed!
This is my favorite Azul, yes it is thinky, but also a great puzzle, I hope that this review won’t discourage people from buying it. It is really a great game!
Why would you want to encourage people to buy a game they won't like?
Tom made his view clear, now we make our decision. Just because you like it, that does not mean most people will like it. Tom disagrees with you there.
@@donniedeville5102 Tom gave his opinion, I gave mine.
@@donniedeville5102 so just because Tom doesn’t like it, that means that most people won’t?
@@play-it-or-not I like it also, so 2 to 1 against Tom.
I got this game and like it well enough, but yeah, mostly my attitude is "it's fine." The wheel component and colors of the tiles is just so stupid. Why couldn't they have used two additional colors like magenta and orange or something. It's not like the two shades of green and purple give the game some super stylish look or something. I really don't understand what they were going for.
And yes, I agree that the game seems longer and sort of less fun than other Azuls. I need to get a few more plays in to really get a feel for it. It's weird. I liked it, but it didn't feel fun. Is that a weird thing to say?
Tom's wrong here, this is the best Azul yet and isn't THAT thinky.
As a fan of the first three I pre-ordered this game (something I don't usually like to do). Now I am a bit nervous about the purchase but it is already en route and I will get the chance to try it for myself soon enough.
Don't be afraid it's great. A rare airball from DT.
Think of Queen's Garden as The Last Starfighter. You've been monitored while playing the original Azul, Stained Glass of Sintra and Summer Pavilion and the powers that be have determined that you're ready to face the true threat which you've unknowingly been preparing for: butterflies and birds. 🦋 🕊️
There’s so many conflicting opinions on all the Azul games it just makes me confused as to what I should buy lol. I only have the original and it’s expansion
You want Azul: Summer Pavilion, then. It's the next step up from Sintra with enough of a mix of the best of both with a little more pizzazz.
I have the first Azul and Summer Pavilion and like both of them very much. I didn't get Stained Glass of Sintra because I didn't like the fact that you don't accumulate tiles throughout the game and keep them on the board, so the beauty of the game apparently appeals to me. I will be getting this new Azul game, and welcome the fact that it is more of a thinker.
I agree with Tom. This one is like Qwirkle and Calico had a baby, 😂
In my mind Azul is supposed to easy to play, family-friendly, slightly abstract game. I think the original Azul and Summer Pavillion are both great and fill that role. I played Azul: Stained Glass of Sintra once, it was okay but I don’t really want to play it ever again. These long stripes you were filling were just unsatisfying to play with and it’s the ugliest Azul, all the added mechanisms didn’t do anything for us.
After this review all of my concerns about the newest Azul are confirmed. It’s way too complicated for an Azul game, it’s a visual mess, strays way too far from the formula. This game could have a whole different theme, name and look and people would never guess it’s an Azul game. Tiles having 2 different properties (color AND number) is the wrong direction for Azul.
Wow... this was an Instant Buy for me until today. I love Azul-1 and Azul-3 with #3 being my favorite... and for some reason, not even intersted in #2. I'm now no longer interested in #4. Thanks for saving me some $$ and time. I'll play it at a convention I'm sure someday, but don't need to add to my collection unless I fall in love with it when I play.
Someone tell me why I should like Stained Glass of Sintra... doesn't even look like Azul to me.
Sintra is excellent and has more of a classic Azul feel than Summer Pavillion. If you like the “meanness” of original Azul, you’ll appreciate Sintra. If you prefer the “looseness” and solitaire puzzle of Summer, you’ll probably be on skipping it.
I feel this does what the 3rd one does but a lot better
Ignore the review. We've been playing it constantly for three weeks, it's an instant classic.
I would look at more reviews to make a better decision. It seems like half of Tom's disappointment is how unlike Azul this one is. Kind of expecting one thing and getting another. If it didn't have the Azul branding would the review be different? It's a solid progression from its roots
@@bruceulrich1231 Underrated comment. 👍
Tom is so right on this one.
The round scoring being on a spinner is so you can customize where you start on the "during game" scoring. I rather like the customization possible.
where is it in the rules?
@@jaslygod It's not. Why would it have to be? If it were set in stone wouldn't you think it would be labeled as such?
@@KellyUnekis then I don't get why you think it's customizable.
@@jaslygod Great, go split hairs elsewhere then.
@@KellyUnekis sure, my lord.
This is definitely my favorite Azul, I disagree with the dice tower judgement.
Azul was all about being quick, simple and a good gateway abstract for all. Every iteration since has tried to jump the shark and this one goes nuts.
Yo, please ignore Tom on this one and buy it so it gets an expansion. It's an amazing game it just needs a few plays before you get the hang of it. I'm really disappointed Tom didn't even talk about how the drafting mechanism fixes first player advantage.
It feels like Tom only got to play it once before the review. Yeah you definitely don't want to go first in this one you want more options.
@@xxporchyxx Going first is fine because you also go 3rd,4th or 5th. The turns essentially get better until the stack runs out so every position is approximately equal.
Could you explain how the drafting mechanism fixes first player advantage? We are playing it for first time next week and ai am trying to find actual play thrus as the written instructions are unwieldy. Thanks
@@singsongcindy8865 So it fixes FPA because as players pick tiles from the stack of extension boards more tiles come out, and as you pick up the last tile on an extension board it flips over, meaning the future turns have more options and get more tiles than the early turns. At least for a while.
Also wanted to add that to teach this game set up the tiles in this formation (where a, b, c etc are different colors and 1, 2, 3 etc. are the values of those tiles):
a1 a2 a3 a4 a5 a6
b1 b2 b3 b4 b5 b6
c1 c2 c3 c4 c5 c6
d1 d2 d3 d4 d5 d6
e1 e2 e3 e4 e5 e6
f1 f2 f3 f4 f5 f6
Then you say that on your turn you can pick up as many of you can of one copy of a row or column of this setup (1-6 tiles) from the faceup tiles on the table (where faceup garden extensions count as tiles). Or pay up to one copy of a row or column to place a tile from what you paid of value equal to the amount you paid. This makes the game mechanics more obvious than talking about non-repeating tiles. etc.
@@jacobmartin9021 thank you very much for giving this detail on FP and teaching the game. Much appreciated!
I completely agree. This is not a game I would recommend to my friends who like the first Azul. I like Pavilion the most, and this plays similarly to that, but it's not as clean to me. I'd rank it third behind Pavilion and the OG Azul game. This gave me a tiny bit of Calico vibes, and I think I would just play that first.
I love this one but I am not sure where I rank it among the Azul series. It feels a LOT like another pattern/group tile placement game, Calico. And I really like that one too
My favorite of the series, but I still like them all.
Thinkier and less lite than the rest, but it is a different game.
Harder teach and I agree it's not as intuitive.
Has some AP problems, but overall not too "brain burney"
This definitely feels more like older Michael Kiesling games to me, like Java: way too large a decision space for an abstract game for me. I do see the appeal for other players, but for me, the Azul series started with an amazing clear design, and have been becoming worse with each new expansion.
Thanks for the review, Tom. I think I'll pass on this one.
This is the worst Azul for me. Even the split mechanism which is great was ruin by tiles. Usually you could estimate what people will take and think about it what you will take. Here there is no sense in some parts to think because you do to know what tilles will be avaibale. It's more random than it should be.
I was excited for this, but probably won’t get it now. I understand it tho. They have to mix it up somehow. They can’t keep printing the same game over and over.
The answer to why are the wild tiles dull, gray and plastic..... so they can sell you the upgraded tiles kit later.
Same reason original Azul had plain red and plain blue tiles.
This one really didn’t do it at all for me. Azul and, particularly, Summer Pavilion are classics though.
I didn’t forget to have fun playing the game, I tried and tried and just couldn’t. The draft portion is just too clunky and if you are the one pulling out the tiles from the bag makes it hard to concentrate on your game.
Tokyo Drift 🤣
WOW!
This is the first Azul that I’ve got that I’ve got no desire to teach or play. It just seems like maths.
Azul: the Fast & Furious of board game franchises… They should have stopped at the first one.
Summer Pavilion is the best game in the series, and it’s not close.
Don't you mean Ticket to Ride?
Ironically, we just played the Fast & Furious board game, and found it too thinky for what you're doing in it! It does a good job of making you feel like you're actually doing the crazy stunts, but it's just too heavy for its own good.
Why should they? Summer Pavilion and Queens Garden are both utterly fantastic.
Never understood idiotic opinions like yours. Don't like it, don't buy it.
@@milest4214 Hey now, they were just making a light jab, you escalated to name calling for no reason. It's a board game, it's okay to like different things.
I pre-ordered this game solely because of the Azul name, and was devastated when I read the rules. This just isn't an Azul game. It's over-complex and lacks a unique element to make it worth the extra complexity. Also, the symbols instead of numbers on the tiles was a HORRIBLE decision. I'm thinking of just trading it off without even bothering to play it.
I would play it first. It’s really not that complex at all.
@@dereklinnabary5132 compared to many of the most popular games around it is certainly on the lighter side. But when put up against any other Azul game there are far too many qualifiers and special rules to make this a family-weight game. Considering my family already struggles a little with Summer Pavilion, I think this will break them.
Wish I would have watched this before I bought this game. It lacks in the fun department
Pass.
This one is by far the worst of the series.. its awful and probably the only one of the series i would actively refuse to play
After Summer Pavilion I was pretty much done with Azul. Seems to be veering more away from the simplicity of the original.
This one is a pass. Had all previous ones though.
This one seems incredibly convoluted for a tile laying game. Also the design of the tiles with numbers and colours is odd. Definite pass for me
Only a fool would play a lesser Azul. Once you've played QG you'll never go back. Great evolution of the game, great continuity with original, terrible review.
Terrible because you disagree with it?
@@nakago7 You said it- While QG is certainly more engaging than it's predecessors, it isn't thinky to the point of taught, hand wringing absorption. And while I agree with Tom's passing remarks about the slight thinness of the player boards and the plastic materials they chose for the joker tokens (which are very well produced nontheless) it felt like he was stretching to nit-pick over the thematic sundial gimmick and lack of continuity with previous releases. My group were unanimously of the opinion that the continuity with previous iterations was incredibly strong given the robust forward leap in design that this version has managed achieve; despite the game's solid yet deft step up in complexity it still very much retains that Azul feel.
Overall the review left me wandering just what Mr Kiesling could have done to impress Tom. I came away with the impression that had Kiesling simply churned out another slight variation on the existing theme Tom would have been bemoaning his lack of vision. Sorry to disagree with Tom here, but QG is so clearly a formidable success, both as a game in its own right and as an evolution of the Azul series and springboard for its future development, that any serious commentator would be loathe to do otherwise. Still, I guess anyone can have an off day.
@@fredfredrickson5436 perfect comment!
An abstract strategy game that’s on the longer side. Sounds like homework in a box. Pass
No interest at all.
That's a pass from me.