Blood Rage Review - One Of My Favorite Games Of All Time For 5 Years Running
ฝัง
- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 16 ก.ค. 2024
- BoardGameCo Patreon (Exclusive Content) - bit.ly/3sKcAYf
Twitch: Camp_Coop - bit.ly/3l7nJ14
Our Super Secret Not So Secret Channel - bit.ly/3MEdNbG
Daily Pictures & Stuff! - bit.ly/39GvjNH
In Blood Rage, each player controls their own Viking clan’s warriors, leader, and ship. Ragnarök has come, and it’s the end of the world! It’s the Vikings’ last chance to go down in a blaze of glory and secure their place in Valhalla at Odin’s side! For a Viking there are many pathways to glory. You can invade and pillage the land for its rewards, crush your opponents in epic battles, fulfill quests, increase your clan's stats, or even die gloriously either in battle or from Ragnarök, the ultimate inescapable doom.
Most player strategies are guided by the cards drafted at the beginning of each of the three game rounds (or Ages). These “Gods’ Gifts” grant you numerous boons for your clan including: increased Viking strength and devious battle strategies, upgrades to your clan, or even the aid of legendary creatures from Norse mythology. They may also include various quests, from dominating specific provinces, to having lots of your Vikings sent to Valhalla. Most of these cards are aligned with one of the Norse gods, hinting at the kind of strategy they support. For example, Thor gives more glory for victory in battle, Heimdall grants you foresight and surprises, Tyr strengthens you in battle, while the trickster Loki actually rewards you for losing battles, or punishes the winner.
Players must choose their strategies carefully during the draft phase, but also be ready to adapt and react to their opponents’ strategies as the action phase unfolds. Battles are decided not only by the strength of the figures involved, but also by cards played in secret. By observing your opponent’s actions and allegiances to specific gods, you may predict what card they are likely to play, and plan accordingly. Winning battles is not always the best course of action, as the right card can get you even more rewards by being crushed. The only losing strategy in Blood Rage is to shy away from battle and a glorious death!
BGG Link - boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/1...
TimeStamps:
0:00:00 - Overview
0:06:10 - What I Like
0:10:23 - What I Don't Like
0:11:20 - What I Can See Others Not Liking
0:13:30 - Final Thoughts
0:15:22 - Recommendations
5.0 - My absolutely favorite games. You can pry them out of my cold dead hands.
4.5 - Love this game! At the same time missing something that would make it a 5. Could be hard to table, lacking variability, a little light, etc.
4.0 - Really great game, almost always keeping, although has meaningful complaints as to what takes away from the experience.
3.5 - Really enjoyed, don't love it, may lose out to better games but the idea of never playing again is a bit sad.
3.0 - A good game, would play and suggest with the right people, if I never played it again wouldn't lose any sleep.
2.5 - A game I'd play again , but will never suggest it myself
2.0 - A game I don't want to play again
1.5 - A game I can't find any reason to recommend
1.0 - A game that is just bad.
My Review Board - bit.ly/2Y9PFJF
Explanation of Review Board - • BoardGameCo Review Boa...
Upgrade Your Game At Top Shelf Gamer (Referral Link)
bit.ly/3siD0PL
My Game Table (Non Referral)
bit.ly/3aYUdpp
For media inquiries, please email me at alex@boardgameco.com
For Gamefound inquiries, please email me at a.radcliffe@gamefound.com - เกม
This was the game that really got me and a couple friends into modern board games. Absolutely played the heck out of this game until I eventually sold it as I wanted to use my board gaming time to try new/different games. If they do a 2nd edition, I would love to see Eric steal an idea from Rising Sun and redo the powers and abilities cards to make a core set that goes into every game and then a few additional sets of which you add one to the core set to make each game feel more distinct.
Im a “under 2 year old” Kickstarter/board gamer and I got blood rage because of how long you’ve liked it and how high it’s stayed on your list (and BGG ranking) I thought to myself if it’s high on their list, might not be my number 1 but I imagine I’ll like it a good deal. Also theme is great also miniatures ❤❤
Alex, great synopsis. When you bring out the game for new players, do you advise them about the Loki strategy or do they kind of figure it out on their own and "hate draft" the cards? When I first played BR, the Loki strategy created a runaway leader problem and the rest of the game was a fight for 2nd place. What's your advice for going against someone trying this strategy...not engage them in battle?
Play at .75 speed. It’s very impressive that the guy can speak at such a speed and not need to breath but slowing down a bit would be easier on the listeners.
I still set him on 1.5x speed. It’s nice that TH-cam let’s him talk at the rate that works well for him and we can change it for how we want to consume the content.
Couldn’t get a single thing without playing at .75 ….guess he couldn’t wait to wrap it up and spend all that rage
I love the speed, for once a reviewer I don't have to wait a long time for to say his thing
Agree, perfect speed, in fact I find it soothing, I get restless if people are slow.
This game is at the top of a long list of next round of purchases. Currently playing Cthulhu DMD which has become my favorite thus far. This however looks amazing.
I was super excited when they added this game to boardgamearena. Too hard for me to get area control games to the table so it's super nice to be able to play it online whenever i want for free.
I knew I'd like it since you always talk about how much you love this game. Had a bit of a hard learning curve because i would use my rage too quickly and wouldn't go for rage the 1st round or 2. Once i realized how important gaining rage was, and how important it was to not use it up quickly, I'm much more competitive.
Should I buy it now or wait for the 2nd ed? As eric lang mentioned last year that he's currently making another blood rage
I have been fence sitting on BR as well. For many of the same reasons you stated. This video geeting me hyped to pull the trigger. Then you drop the 2e bomb. So confused, should I wait? I regret somewhat buying Quacks before the big box came out and don't want a similar situation.
I haven't played in years, I looking forward to bring out to the table this year. I've only ever played with another player (2p total), and the game felt a little underwhelming, I don't remember precisely, but at some point in all of the matches we reached a sort of clutch where at the end of the 2nd Era the map became tied and no one could do anything but fight in the center area. I remember thinking that I missed the ability of retiring your soldiers so the enemies could invade you and fight. I may take the game out this wee and read through the manual again, in case I got it wrong all these years ago. Great review, thanks!!!
The figurines are so sick, and i love the mechanic of ragnarok for vp, it's fun and short
Are you competing in this game's tournament at WSBG?
Blood rage is amazing. I will never say no to a game of it. Indeed, as you said, the drafting in this game is great. And when I say "great" I mean excruciating. The manner of cunning battle experiences also makes it great.
One caveat, which I guess is true for many other games as well. It is important that all players will be equally familiar with the cards before playing. Otherwise, those who do not know the cards are up for some really overwhelming surprises.
I can’t wait till you review wonderlands war! It’s like whimsical blood rage lol.
Kept seeing this at Games by James and picked it up. Could say this is the game the got me looking into the hobby more.
It's excellent :)
As a fellow fan of area control, I'm so happy we get to enjoy such a diversity in titles that are immensely replayable yet feel so different, like Blood Rage, Kemet and Inis. I draw no direct comparison between the three, they all deserve a spot on my shelf (and table!). However, I personally find Mezo as a worthy replacement for Blood Rage. It provides the very same experiences you describe without anything feeling "broken". It all makes sense and you get to enjoy even deeper and cleverer play from start to finish. Unfortunately the entry point is broken, with a messy manual that complicates a rather straightforward rule set, and an experience threshold of at least a couple of games. Still, it deserves a second chance given the opportunity to play a conflict heavy area control game with 3-4 players. Or, sometimes, simply giving up and playing Inis FTW! :)
I love Blood Rage and Kemet, they are my top 2 games. I also like Mezo a lot. But I do say it has some broken stuff if you play with all the extra content.
And the worst ofender is that Mezo has things that are broken for being too weak. It definatly makes it a bad experience if you are playing one of the weaker gods against people with the stronger ones.
What do you think about the fan made alternative powers for monsters?
Wich ones?
I think I would like this game as much as yourself if I hadn't played Chaos in the Old World first! However I love the theme and mechanics in Chaos in the Old World a lot more, its such a shame it's out of print now.
You really wanted to say Yggdrasil. Even called the game Yggdrasil at 5:40!
Finally 🎉 thanks! Top 2 game for me too.
Blood Rage is my favorite game of all times! But it has some huge balance problems, specially regarding some of the "Loki cards". I made a whole custom deck to play with my friends adjusting the power level of some cards and adding new cards. I also made a whole crossover expansion to play with stuff from Rising Sun, and two other custom expansions with new types of cards and asymetry for the clans.
My second favorite game is Kemet. But from an objective stand point I think Kemet is a better game as it don't have that many balance issues.
In fact I'm developing a board game related to the first RPG book I published, and the game has severam elements that were based on Kemet. And there is one of the playable races that is inspired in the Loki Strategy hehe
PS: Don't you have the "second edition"? I can see the big golden gods in your table...
Amen!
I love Blood Rage. It’s one of those euro games that proves that You can have a euro game with lots of interaction.
I wouldn't call it a "euro". If anything it's a hybrid.
But i think this distinction between "euro" and "ameritrash" is outdated, as several, if not most, games nowdays have elements that would be considered from both.
I just played the Steam version the other day. I enjoy it but the AI is lacking even on the hardest difficulty, as I win 90% of the time. I need to get this and play in real life :D
I lobe Vikings but mostly I'm playing solo and with my wife. I heard title is not good for 2 players :(
Sadly not the best at 2
I play the digital version of blood rage and it's a blast!
I own digital version its really good, but also i have a boardgame, and let ne tell you there is something magical playing with actual pieces, it is somehow more fun.
My number 1
I'm sorry, 2nd edition? Haven't heard anything about it. Could anyone point me to the source? I know Eric posted recently that he has 2 things in the works for BR, but I don't recall him mentioning 2nd ed.
yeah, I would love to hear more about this
I think he was mixing it with the second KS they did that added some new content.
I have retail copy. Do I need to seek out Kickstarter stuff?
Definatly! There are some exclusive KS monsters that change the game experience.
i love it too i think it doesnt get enough love
Love this game, but I do think Loki is overpowered especially with new players not ready to combat it
Agreed for sure with new players.
People I know that disliked Blood Rage did so because it wasn't what they thought it would be, like say Kemet (which is also AMAZING). Personally, I love it for what it is. It's much more tricksy and encourages experimentation.
Hoping for a KS reprint so much fomo on this one :(
Single player too?
Sadly not
Great game. Almost as good as Rising Sun. ;)
Exactly! I mean...
❤❤❤
:)
I played this wanting to love it but ultimately left disappointed. I can’t put to words why it didn’t work, but everything felt slightly off. A little while later I played Kemet and for me that nailed what I wanted from Blood Rage, everything felt just that little bit more under the player’s control to me. Given the choice of Blood Rage or Kemet for me it’s Kemet every single time.
Glass Animals
Hey Alex, sell me your Boar Clan!
sounds like a simple game, you seem to have to focus at a few things.
I wish they would do a re-print the kickstarter because I would love to get a copy of this game. I haven't bought it yet because I refuse to pay full price for 90% of the game.
IMO the base game has a ton of replay ability and is well worth it. The KS extras don’t add all that much in terms of gameplay.
@@richmondtigers123 how about the expansion Mystics of Midgard, do you have it or think it is worth getting? I have the KS monsters
@@chinheat9565 honestly, the 5th player expansion is my favourite because I like it a lot at 5 too. I have all the expansions, these are my thoughts on the other ones.
The KS monsters are good to change things up but they also add some more randomness. The base game has enough variety in strategies that it’s really repayable on its own.
Mystics of Midgard just gives you another leader essentially, it does very little for the game, it’s closer to a promo than an actually expansion IMO.
The Gods of Asgard again adds some small changes and whilst I can see why you might want to add it it wasn’t a hit with my group.
It’s my favourite game of all time but I don’t think the expansions add a whole lot.
Especially not nearly enough that you shouldn’t buy the game if you can’t get them.
@@richmondtigers123 Great Blood Rage is a great game. I have the 5th player and Gods of Asgard expansions, although I don’t really use them much. I was eyeing the Mystics of Midgard expansion and the additional gameplay options that it might provide, still on the fence.
The Mystics expansion is all You really need. The kickstarter extras seem to be what was left over after they balanced the game. It’s not worth it. The 5th player expansion is good if You have a need for 5 players (it is far better at 4 players) and the Mystics add that extra variaty and umph you want when you have playee the base game a number of times
For me this is probably the most overrated game of all time. It is really not for me, much because of the loki- strategy. In my view, it makes the game a hate-drafting game where you have to focus more on stoppning your opponent than building up yourself and that is not enjoyable for me since it depens upon the whole table having the same mindset for it to work properly..