One of the absolutely best games ever made! I’m hoping you are playing with Norwegians? If not, we’d love to play this with you (so you can play with Norwegians 😂)
Hailing from Norway yourselves wouldn’t be colouring your thoughts in any would it? Joking aside, it is a great game, whether it ties in with your particular cultural heritage or not.
AFfO is definitely at the top of my "to buy" list. The price just keeps me from pulling the trigger sooner. Nice to see it's your top game of all time (for now). Also Maggie that snake shirt is on point!
This is such a great demonstration of excellent balance and chemistry between the two of you! Some of the best I've ever seen in terms of sharing the airspace and presenting very meaningful information and balance of your input and feedback. This is simply an incredible video, and I can't wait to see more of your content! Definitely subscribing!
Feast for Odin is a game that definitely intimidated me when I jumped into the hobby about a year and a half ago. I've grown a lot as a gamer since then and now when I see the board, instead of thinking "oh my god what do I do" I think "I can do anything I want!" Its cool to see how I've leveled up as a gamer and I'm definitely going to pick this up and give it a try
Oh this is so awesome to read. I (Maggie here) LOVE that experience of a personal evolution and growth when we suddenly realise we're now much more comfortable (and even excited!) to jump into what we used to find daunting. Thank you for sharing that with us and keen to know what you think of the game when you get to try it! Thank you for this lovely comment 🥰
Yesss! A Feast for Odin is phenomenal. Also, thank you for providing further support to #TeamFeast in mine and Carlo's endless struggle in regards to what the best Uwe game is: A Feast for Odin or Agricola. You're on the right side of history! 😆😝 -Dylann
An impeccable, engaging review of a tremendous game! Kudos! My loyalties will always lie with Agricola, but AFFO definitely vies for my gaming attentions. Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to you both!
You’ve got me extra excited for this game! This has been one my most wanted games for a while but didn’t pick it up because I decided to use it as a reward for myself once I hit my weight goal… I accomplished it last week and ordered Feast the same day! LoL I can’t wait to play it!
Oh wow congratulations! And what a wonderful reward! I hope you enjoy the game as much as we do. Let us know what you think once you get to play it. Thank you for watching and for taking the time to comment and share your awesome win with us! 🥰
Hahah yay! I hope you get to try it!!! We were spending so long thinking about our top 10 that we were like... well this one isn't changing and is the same for both of us! Let's do top 1!!! 😄😄 thanks so much for watching!
Just played again this weekend. I am fully with you! There are many paths you can take and enough you need to consider while also (somehow) managing to feel like a pleasant game. AFFO is both puzzley and fun and it brings great progression and sense of achievement by end game. Looking at your player board at the end when you have covered ALL negative spots is so satisfying!!
Great video! I think the best parts of board games are having interesting decisions to make. This one looks like you have TONS of interesting choices each turn.
Love love love this video! So excited to see it pop up! I love this game as well and would say it is definitely in my top 10! I love the excitement and enthusiasm you both have talking about this game! The sheer excitement from you both made me smile the entire time while watching! I haven’t played this game in awhile but seems its time to break it out over the holidays! And since I am driving to DTW, I will bring this and the expansion (which is still in shrink wrap) with me so we will definitely have a copy to play if there is opportunity. And Maggie I agree with the solo mode! I love how it is simply incorporated! In fact Uwe did something similar with Nusfjord. It is so smart as I don’t think I could deal with a complicated AI with this game 😁. I really appreciate you girls sharing your number 1! Such a great game! I hope you both are enjoying your vacation and holidays! And Congratulations on 9000 subscribers!! So great to see! Very deserving! Love you girls! Merry Christmas!
Hehehe yay! So glad it made you smile and not surprised to hear it is also in your top games, we have such similar taste! Of course that means that we need to hear the rest of your list. What are these other games keeping it out of the top position 🤔 We love Nusfjord too! Thanks for noticing the 9k milestone... we were so excited to see that and couldn't do it without all of the love and support from the joeyfam. Thank you so much for taking this journey with us Darlene, lots of love from Oz ❤
@@ThinkerThemer well that is a great question! I haven’t really ranked my games as I love so many! It’s a beast to get to the table and break down so that keeps it out of my top spot, but I do absolutely love this game. The game in my top spot right now is Great Western Trail 😁.
Still haven't played this one! I've always wanted to but I got the feeling my group would take one look at it and say noooope. Maggie's love of it solo makes me a little more likely to consider it again in the future and you really sold it even more. I feel like I'll definitely look to learn it at a future con!
This is such an amazing solo mode. I feel (Maggie here) Nusfjord is the micro version of this because it feels similar in gameplay, but it's much shorter and focused and Feast is the full saga where you get to pick from a full menu of actions every round. Not for everyone though, so definitely need to gage the group's preferences.🙂
I've played the game 90 % solo, I love it. It's quite relaxing to me. xD And don't be afraid to try to sell it to your group. It LOOKS daunting, but at its core it's actually quite simply (not to get good, but to play). I wouldn't play with higher player count though, it can drag out and it's kinda a pain if all are new. But I've taught one person in a two player game several times and it went well. I've seen people have this at the top of their lists of games they rather not teach, but for me there's MANY medium weight games that are a lot harder to teach and learn.
I got this game a few months ago as chemo done present. I love it! I still wonder how I'm going to fill all those spaces by the end of the game. I was surprised that this was your number one, but it makes sense lol. I play this solo only and made my own solo game for it, I didn't quite like the one in the rule book. I'm happy you made this video I love hearing your thoughts on it.
I have used Feast solo for working on my strategic game play. I love how you can plan out a whole round with an eye out for the next one. I some times set up an occupation card, weapon and artisan shed to get me started on a track.
That is a great idea to choose a combo to see how it plays out!! There is nothing more satisfying than when everything comes together in this game. Thanks for watching Steven and for sharing your thoughts! So glad you love it too! 🥰
Your passion for this game was palpable and I really enjoyed this review because of how much you truly love the game. I had no idea what game you would choose, but I knew it would have polyomino tiles. :) (Confession: I didn't know the word "polyomino" until I started watching your channel). I previously had Feast for Odin on my wish list, and then removed it as it just looked too intimidating. However, this game is going to the top of my wish list based solely on this video. Thanks again for providing outstanding content for game enthusiasts.
We loved making it for that same reason Stephen!! We could talk all day about this game hehe. We also only discovered the real name for tetris pieces during our journey into content creation so probably not long before you 😂 I hope you get to try this one and would love to hear your thoughts on it. I think if you tackle it by just understanding each worker placement spot and how it helps you gain tiles, and then the rules of tile placement (which are far easier than say... Clinic)... it is not as difficult as it looks. Plus, because everything gives you good things... you can jump in but eventually optimise. Thanks for watching as always and for your kind words that really mean a lot to us. Happy holidays 🥰
Great review, as always. So great to see you so excited to discuss all of the moving parts! (I'm almost ashamed to admit that I've never played this...)
This is my favorite Uwe game - and I have loved playing it solo, as well. I don’t have the Norwegians expansion, however. You have intrigued my interest!
Ah yes if you love this game the expansion fixes a bit of balance (by making some strategies more appealing) and the new game board is a great addition as it flexes the worker placement spot tension for player count. Not to mention, even more new tiles 🙌🙌 thanks for watching Sara and glad you are a fan of this one too!
Hello Amy & Maggie Great video as usual. This is one of the classics favoured by many heavy euro-gamers which I have not picked up yet but is always firmly hovering around my wishlist. I think you have finally convinced me to pick this up. Emma & I are going away for Christmas to Emma's parents - they are not really gamers, although they will have a go at Ticket to ride or something - so I think A feast for Odin will be added to my collection in Q1 2022. My most recent purchase was Underwater Cities, we loved this game. Recently we have been enjoying Le Havre & Great Western Trail so I am convinced we will enjoy A Feast for Odin. Have a great Christmas
Ooo yes I think if you and Emma like those games you will enjoy AFFO. If you enjoy the core puzzle of the base game the Norweigians board helps to tighten it up a little at 2p... but you will definitely get a sense of whether it's for you or not! The Islands feel so out of reach when you first start but the learning curve on the game is so satisfying. Have a wonderful Christmas with Emma's parents.. light gaming is better than no gaming 😅😍 Thanks for watching as always!
Currently I am into Fields of Arle and I love Le Havre. Unfortunately I did not have the opportunity to try Feast for Odin but I would love to try it one day soon. Thanks for the great introduction and your enthusiasm.
Such a lovely surprise of a video! Great pick, too! I would be lying if I didn't mention how big of a struggle this game has been for me to figure out. If I were a bigger solo player, like Maggie, I would have tried to puzzle it out and really try to understand it that way. But even with my personal struggles, this game is truly top notch like yall mentioned. And the Norwegians expansion is one of the few expansions I would say is a must for each playthrough. So thanks for another lovely video and happy holidays!
Thank you Ania! We hope you're having a lovely holiday season as well. And hope you're getting to play some amazing games in the meantime if you have a bit of time off 🥰 I (Maggie here) think definitely all the solo time spent with the game has helped me understand how the puzzle works a lot better. I'm still nowhere an expert at it, but I can foresee how income and covering the negative points may play out. Thank you as always for all your support!
Yes! Bought this game for Christmas and am now even more excited to play! Our big hit from last Christmas was Uwe's Bohnanza which we have played incessantly throughout the last year. As someone who has yet to firmly land in either camp I am glad to hear this game works for both Thinkies and Themies.
Haha yes, this absolutely works for us both! Very different to Bohnanza of course, which is also an amazingly fun game. I still can't believe both games are from the same designer! Both great though. Looking forward to your thoughts on Feast when you get a chance to play it! ☺
I couldn’t agree more! AFFO was a Christmas present last year and I played many games of it this year. I remember thinking that there was no way to fill the board and islands, but since you add one more worker each round, the last few rounds can get a lot done. I’ve also really enjoyed Fields of Arle solo, it also is such a satisfying puzzle with various strategies to try. Merry Christmas!🎄🎁
Completely agree with that feeling of "how is it even possible to cover islands as well!" at the start, but the more games of this we played, the more we could start anticipating those extra workers you mentioned that become available towards the end. That and all the additional income and bonus goodies that can come from getting the right islands at the right time. Hope you're having a lovely holiday season and thanks again for watching!☺
Yes it can be hard sometimes to commit to such a big set up and long game but it's sooo worth it once you do 😃 thanks for watching and glad you enjoy this one too!💞
Haha It is amazing! We both fell in love with this game after the first few plays. Looking forward to your thoughts once you get a chance to play it! Thank you for watching and for taking the time to comment!🥰
I want to know now which are your other 9 games both of you ! Really a compelling review it really made me wanna try it out ! I thought about it but was scared indeed with how overwhelming it looked but now I am so motivated ! To do list 2022 : find a way to play a Feast for Odin 🤗 Merry Christmas to both of you and your families !
There are definitely a lot of different ways to get polyomino tiles pieces but it's just a matter of learning how each of those works, and the rules of the puzzle. Would love to teach you sometime at a con if we cross paths! ❤ but hope you can try it either way! Thanks for watching and wishing you a safe and game-filled holiday season ☺
Yeah, the luck in cards seems to be a recurring element with Uwe games. We often end up playing 'around' the cards and not making them a central part of the strategy, which would definitely mean scoring is sub optimal, but there's so much other stuff to do and focus on and I (Maggie here) barely notice! 😅
That's awesome! I wonder if you've had a chance to play it solo yet. (Sorry it's taking us a while to reply to comments at moment). I (Maggie here) absolutely love this as a solo and find it a great way to explore the board and all the different avenues the game has to offer. 🥰
@@ThinkerThemer just played last night and am on my second game of it tonight! It is a wonderful solo puzzle! It took me a while to realize but worker placement is definitely my most preferred / go-to jam as well.
Definitely at the top of my list of games I want to play soon… won’t be at DTW this year but maybe someday in the future I can overlap at a con with you two and get a nice teach-through!
@@ThinkerThemer it is for sure at the top of our travel list! Melbourne specifically too, there are some artists and designers based out of there that my partner and I would love to check out!
Why has it taken me so long to find your channel? I love your videos. It seems like we have very similar tastes in games. I’ll probably be binging your vids for a while. Also love the colorful shirt! Gorman?
Such an amazing solo experience! Completely agree with you on that one. It is my (Maggie here) #1 as well! Thank you for watching and for taking the time to comment! 🥰
So glad you love this game and this designer for sure Feast for Odin is close to top of my list also. But my top is actually Agricola while played 1000+ times i still love that game. Worker placement with extra powers from cards, they tightness of family feeding. For so many years i keep going back to it.
Yes, Agricola is also an excellent game. Amy is not as into it though so I (Maggie here) end up only being able to play it solo on the app haha Absolutely love games that you can keep going back to and it's always a pleasure to experience. Thanks again for watching and for taking the time to comment! 🥰
It absolutely does and it is quite the beast to set up! It's just a matter of learning how each part of the board gives you tiles, and the rules to the puzzle. I think it looks worse than it is but also would work a gamer up to it if they were new at gaming. It both gives Maggie the sandbox feel she loves and me the puzzle to optimise which gives me clear focus. I hope you can try it sometime! ❤
Hello, Amy & Maggie. I am a great fan of Caverna which also appears in your top ten thematic euro list. My question is: what makes you love A Feast for Odin even more? PS: I have followed your channel for nearly a year. Along with SU&SD, you are my two favorite board game channels. Thank you for your accompany through 2021!!
That is some serious company with SUSD 😆 we love them too and thank you for the truly lovely words about the channel (and for watching for so long!) Interestingly, Maggie really loves Caverna but me not so much. I think in general some of Uwe's games are a bit too sandboxey for me but in this case I really love polyomino tiles and the puzzle itself (& starting in negative) really gives me a strong sense of purpose. Neither of us love having to read cards during games so I think that might be what gives it the advantage for Maggie (along with it being her fav solo). Great question! Do you like AFFO?
@@ThinkerThemer Thanks Amy for your really really nice reply! I haven't played AFFO yet. I have been a board game fan only since the first lock down in Paris last year if I don't count for my long-standing hobby in traditional abstract games like Shogi and Go. My budget and time are both limited. So I tend to buy a few highest evaluated games for each genre in order to explore different frontiers of board game.
@@ThinkerThemerhey Amy, I want to ask whether you have received my second reply today about Patchwork and At the Gates of Loyang. I should have successfully sent it but cannot see the reply myself now. Thx!
@@ThinkerThemer I guess that's my problem because I'm not familiar with the messaging on TH-cam. I said yesterday that I now own two Uwe games. The other is Patchwork. After several dozens of games, it appears to me as a metaphor for an individual's life. If I ever buy another Uwe's game, it will probably be At the Gates of Loyang. Rahdo highly recommends it. He finds some of Uwe's later games too sandboxey just like you do. Another reason of my choice is that I am Chinese who was raised in a small town.
Surprised at first, but after your explanations I can imagine it to be great. Never played it, so I can't judge it. But up to now it seemed a bit much... To all of you wish a merry Christmas
@@ThinkerThemer When I saw the start of the video, I was contemplating which game it could be (no clues to be honest). I didn't see this one coming, but in hindsight, I haven't played it, so it's not so much on my radar.
Thanks for the vid! At first, it was a game I don't see myself playing because of its heavier weight and my paralysis by analysis. But I'm finding myself building up toward it after enjoying several of Uwe Rosenberg's games over the past few years. Among them Caverna, Agricola, Patchwork, Bohnanza, Reykholt and Second Chance. A majority featuring worker placement or polyomino tile placing. So it is fate that I must give it a play. I know a friend that has it and really enjoys playing it; just a matter of finding the time in a waning pandemic. As for owning a copy, I'm not sure if just for the solo experience (and I'm more into the lightweight, family-friendly, filler-type games that are approachable to both gamers and non-gamers).
Sounds like you definitely should check it out then, but ideally when you're again able to meet up with your friend who can also hopefully cover the teach of it. If you're comfortable with Caverna and Agricola I think you will be more than fine with Feast. There are a lot of options so analysis paralisis is likely, but hopefully you'll be able to get into it and enjoy the flow and how the game unfolds. Thanks again for watching and for taking the time to comment! 🥰
You’re kidding!! A Feast for Odin is my all-time favorite game as well! ⚔️ Now it would seem silly to make a video about “my favorite board game” when I can just direct people to this video! (I still haven’t gotten the Norwegians expansion but I will soon!) 🇳🇴
Aw this is such a lovely comment 🥰 Thank you for this and thank you for watching and for taking the time to comment. And definitely must check out the Norwegians expansion when you get a chance!
If you haven't yet, you should take a look at the Harvest mini expansion (Mini Expansion #2). Maggie, you may especially enjoy it as it injects some interesting variability into the solo game; the randomized harvest/no harvest years is a really interesting and thematic twist.
I'd really like to play A Feast for Odin. I finally was able to play Caverna last week & have played several of his smaller / lighter games, but this game does look & sound terrific!
For some reason I was quite surprised. I've watched many of your videos until now but can't recall too many references to AFFO. I agree, though: it and Spirit Island compete for my #1 and #2 spots.
Haha very true Tim!! We always knew it would be our number 1 so maybe that's why we've not spoken about it much... it would be really obvious if you got us started talking about it 😂 glad it was a happy surprise though!! Thanks for watching ❤
I was intrigued when I saw the thumbnail. hmm what could they agree on that much? Obviously a Feast for Odin! how could it be anything else? Hopefully I get the chance to play this one day.
😂 it is true we agree on fewer and fewer games these days! But always this one ❤ I hope you get the chance to give this one a go Sarah! Maybe if we can meet at a con ☺
Great choice! Uwe is still my favourite designer - since the launch of Agricola. So many excellent games. I think it's also one of his better solo games, along with Fields of Arle. I only wish he would experiment beyond BYOS.
This is also my favorite game. It's such a great game. So many different choices and options to be competitive. Played it on Christmas eve. Hopefully we can get it to the table again before the break is over but we got a lot for Christmas so maybe during my birthday weekend in early January.
Oh nice! It is a bit of a commitment of time and table space to get the game out, but it's always such a pleasure to get it played. Hope you manage to sneak another game of it in and hope you have an amazing birthday weekend in Jan! 🥰
Great choices! We've not played TMB (for all the reasons you could probably guess!) but I WISH it was more our thing because so many people love it so much!!! Thanks for sharing!
A great choice for best game; it's in my top five! I'd like to make it a tradition to play every year on or about Christmas Eve. For me, it's just that type of experience!
This game has been sitting on my shelf in shrink now for a while :/ I think the size and complexity has been holding me back for playing but maybe its time to break it out over Christmas here. Great review , Thanks!
Oh noooo it's RIGHT THERE!!! 😄😄😄 The holidays is a great time to get it down off the shelf!! It takes a bit of time to run through all the possible worker placement spots but once you step through those and understand the tile placement rules, it's not too bad in terms of difficulty level during the game (just a bit of AP choosing from many appealing options!) Look forward to hearing what you think Trevor, thanks for watching!
You told me this video was coming. I still thought you meant no. 1 for each of you. So Maggie must have made a compromise. Where sits Obsession? But I can see the SOLO-argument. This game I almost bought when Mind Games in the city closed one shop and had it on special. But I didn't get it then. Polyomino - it definitely has more theme than Project L. The pillaging theme - that's one reason I can't play Blood Rage with my wife. I did NOT expect a cross-over by ThemerThinker on a Top-X list on NUMBER ONE! Now I question your name-tag. ;-) Great and surprising episode and have a fantastic holiday.
😂 I promise there was no coercion / convincing necessary! This one is a no brainer for both of us (especially Maggie!!!!) and has been our number 1 for a long time. NOW once you get into the rest of our top 10s... our tastes diverge and I'm sure you might be able to guess some of the others for each of us 😄 I think I could guess yours... I suspect it begins with a G and ends with an O 😂 Happy holidays Ralf ❤
@@ThinkerThemer Spot on. And not a single additional letter in between!! ;-) That's why my Top 10 list would have to start with no.11 - because it is soo niche, which your short try proved as well. (Btw. did you watch Quinns from SUSD on it yet?) Have a great time off.
I'm just getting started with AFFO, but it's already impressing me, and I wouldn't be surprised if it makes it into my top 5. The big question though is, where did you get that great 3D printed insert?? I find the included trays lacking, and would love to upgrade.
Ooo hmm it was a birthday present to Maggie from a friend ... but I think it was purchased on Etsy! It wasn't made to fit the expansion but those extra pieces we keep in the expansion box. It certainly makes set up easier but if I was buying again I'd love one to contain the pieces a bit more. If this box gets tipped on its side it is game over 😂 so glad you are enjoying this one too!!!! Thanks for watching as always ❤
😂😂😂 the only thing hard for us about talking for 30min is not talking for 60min "OK let's try and make this more concise and to the point" "An hour?! Crap" 😅
Yes, it is a bit of a time commitment.😅 There is a 'short' version of the game, but it's still the same length of set up and not much time is saved overall. For a quicker fix I (Maggie here) find I usually take out Nusfjord as the alternative if I'm just after something quicker, but that still gives me that satisfying Euro feel 🥰
Yay so glad you love this one too Don!!! Uwe's other titles are much higher in Maggie's lists than mine interestingly... she is a big fan. This one has the right level of puzzle optimisation for me. Maybe we should try to rank them all 🤔
You two convinced me to play this game, as well as buy it. I played a quick game on BGA then ordered it. I played with my SO on the physical copy and she loved it. It’s been fun exploring all the action, and i love the puzzle of placing things on your board in a efficient manner. How do you keep track of pieces that “test” fit on your board?
The one time I went into the city to meet random people and play games I got pulled into a game of Feast for Odin and stayed there the whole night. Can’t wait for Covid to be over so I can get back out there.
Absolutely. Getting to play with people is such a magical part of this hobby. Hopefully we can find a way to get on top of this pandemic and be able to experience all that the hobby has to offer again. Thank you for watching and for taking the time to comment! 🥰
Definitely check it out if you get a chance. This is a good one to be taught if you get the opportunity, but I believe there is a version of it coming to Boardgame arena as well. So you can always try it online as well. Thanks for watching and for commenting! 🥰
An IAQ for Maggie: Is there another game with a similar solo mode, where there is almost no new rules to learn, and no new AI to maintain? This game is one of the 3 times that I played solo and enjoyed it immensely, but I find it hard to start solo on other games with a lot of new overhead. Thanks for the video!
Nusfjord :) I really dislike running bots so the solo mode in AFFO is great. Mage knight also as a very light "bot" and many coops scale well to 1 player.
I only played AFFO once shortly have it came out. I hadn't played a lot of more complex games at the time. 3 of us were new to the game, and the teach was... not the best teach I've ever experienced :) The person teaching the game crushed the rest of us, so it wasn't the best experience. I should try to get another play of it again.... Maybe when it releases on boardgamearena. I was looking at the bgg forums for the game and Norwegians, and I guess the designer has plans for a lot more: a Danes expansion, a large box they called "Pimp up my Odin" (it's not clear if this is going to contain most content up to the time of release and/or deluxe components), Swedes and Normans. Sounds like Danes should be coming next year, and the rest are still subject to change. A feast of content to be sure! :D
A feast of content indeed! haha And it does sound like it was a less than ideal introduction to the game so hopefully you get another chance to give it a fresh go. Checking out the board game arena version sounds like a solid plan. I've seen screenshots of the Alpha and it looks like they've done a great job with it. I'm definitely looking forward to the Danes expansion whenever it comes out. Another great excuse to get the game out to the table again ☺ Thank you for watching and for taking the time to comment! 🥰
Still haven't been able to play this yet. Really looking forward to playing it someday, as I'm a fan of polyiominal games and this looks like the heaviest of all polyiominal games!
Definitely one to check out. It really is a range of actions to get tiles to try to fill in that puzzle or any other puzzles one commits to along the way 😅Love, love, love this game. Thanks for watching and for commenting☺
Ah yes, Agricola is another excellent game. That one I (Maggie here) have a harder time getting Amy to play with me, so I tend to only be able to play Agricola on app. And definitely agree that Feast can be daunting for newbies. It is quite a commitment so you'd want to be quite comfortable with worker placement and polyomino puzzles, as well as with starting with a lot of negative points! haha Thank you again for watching and commenting! 🥰
I tried this game once a long time ago and couldn’t get the hang of it. Became frustrated and it sat on the shelf unplayed a long time. Recently I tried it again due to Maggie talking about it with Rhado and it’s hit the table several times now. We really love it! And I love it solo too 😙 Hope y’all have an amazing holiday!
Whoohoo!!! So glad you were able to get it back to the table and find the joy in it!!! Once you work out how to get those islands the game really gets going! 🥰 thanks for sharing this and wishing you a wonderful holiday season as well....! Thanks for watching ❤
My Wallet: please...you have more board games than you need. your shelf of shame has grown a bit out of hand. ThinkerThemer: *shows genuine excitement and love for a board game* My Wallet: sigh...so will it be Mastercard or Visa?
Hahaha Sorry to do this wallet! It is an excellent game though. So there shouldn't be any buyer's regret with this one. It can be daunting to set up though, so it does run a high risk of sitting on the shelf of shame/opportunity if not careful 😅
Haha Not sure if you've watched it yet, but it wasn't Dominion. Though Dominion is also an excellent game. It's definitely up there for me (Maggie here). 🥰
We really do love this game. I think the main barrier can be that it looks daunting at first so it may hold people back from trying it. We feel it's a great example of an amazing Euro though 🥰
Great review! I never been a huge fan of rosenburg games, but I can't get over the player board full of negative points. Played it once, solid game but I really didn't enjoy the struggle to get to the positive point. I prefer patchwork which is more straight foreward and the negative points are not printed on the board...
Actually we have some friends that don't like it for the same reason - they really hate starting in the negative! It is so fascinating to us that everyone responds differently to these elements of games. For us it creates tension... like the game is trying to beat you as well as your opponent... but can completely see how it wouldn't be for everyone. Thanks so much for sharing your thoughts on this one and for watching as always ❤
My main gaming partner is a non-gamer who was overwhelmed and eventually disinterested in the vast market of choices in Caverna. She liked Nusfjord a bit more than Caverna, but this seems more like the style of Caverna. Do you have to be already enthusiastic about games to enjoy A Feast for Odin or do you think it does a good job of engaging and feeding that enthusiasm in players who are 'just visiting' board games?
Ooooo... good question Peter. Interestingly, Caverna is not a game for me (Amy) but Maggie enjoys it. Even though AFFO also contains a lot of choices, I find the puzzle really focuses my efforts (more than Caverna and other Uwe games). I would say though that it's still fairly sprawling and could be overwhelming for a less serious gamer. Do you play solo? As Maggie's number 1 solo could that justify trialling it? 😅
@@ThinkerThemer Thanks for the reply! I don't enjoy the idea of solo games (other than mobile versions like Terraforming Mars since they are zero upkeep work), but I hardly need an excuse to keep buying games so AFFO goes on my wishlist!
@@ThinkerThemer Your influence didn't end there... Thanks to you two I just bought Obsession and the two expansions... I think that means I will be playing the solo game just to learn the rules and then bring in the non-gamer players when I'm comfortable.
😬😬 uhm... at least these games have good resale value?? Just in case... lol... But Maggie will be THRILLED to hear about this new acquisition!!!! It is so great to see this game becoming more and more popular, it deserves it! Looking forward to hearing your thoughts on this one too!
One thing we do love about it is it always feels like you could've done better (sometimes a tiny bit...sometimes a lot lol). Glad you love this one too! ❤
I think I'm in the minority of people that really, REALLY doesn't like the art style of the game. Shame cause the gameplay is addictive and fun whne you get your head around all the different ways to score. Also wish it was slightly more interactive but can't complain overall. Fun to play. Just not to look at XD
Yeah, it does have that classic dry euro, Uwe big box look 😅 I (Maggie) do appreciate all the colour on the board and on the individual tiles, but agree that it's not the most aesthetically inspiring game. In terms of the low interaction, also agree that it's very low, mainly just blocking actions, but not much else beyond that or maybe taking a particular jewell of resources from a mountain. I'm usually a big multiplayer solitaire person, so it suits my preferences, but it definitely is a surprise that Amy enjoys it despite the low interaction. I think probably because there's so much going on with the puzzle that it helps keep her attention on something else the entire time. Thank you for watching and for taking the time to comment! 🥰
Thank you! We've got Fields and have only played it 2-player a couple of times and it turns out, it wasn't for Amy. So it's been sitting on the shelf waiting to get some solo attention from me (Maggie here), but I'm ashamed to say I haven't come back around to it. I think because the tile placement is such a loved element for us about Feast, Fields ended up feeling more stripped back and like a more streamlined puzzle, but I do need to jump in and give it more time and attention to have a more informed opinion on it. Thank you for taking the time to watch and comment! 🥰
While I like this game I am bemused as to why so many people really LOVE this game :) . I guess it's because it's not very tight and is quite a sandbox. I also dislike polyominoes but in this game I can brute force the puzzle by having more cash :). Best 1 or 2 player as it is very MPS and long so the extra players add little other than companionship. The theme is strong throughout which do like.
Yeah, I agree with the sandbox feel to the game. I (Maggie here) think that's what I love about it the most, all the possibilities! I know there's always a most 'optimal' spot, but whenever I play I just get swept up into the moment and end up taking whatever action feels like the most fun thing to try then 😅 Thanks for taking the time to comment ☺
We have played Paladins (even though we don't own it!) ... Interesting I (amy) found this one to be a little too much multiplayer solitaire in terms of first impressions but I am keen to play it more and deepen my strategy. Is it in your top games? 😄
Oh wow, of all the games, this is not the one I thought would be your number one. I can see why it is after listening to the video though. It definitely looks overwhelming, that's why I never bought it. Thanks so much for the thoughts as always.
It is definitely quite a commitment to jump in at first, but we both absolutely love it! It feels so big and yet surprisingly balanced. It's a true Euro classic ☺
Oh sorry to hear. It does have a nice solo, but it can be a big commitment to get to the table. It is now on boardgame arena so that might be an option to play it online without the need to do the full in person set up 😊
haha Glad you like it! Not sure if it's meant to be milksnakes specifically. It's a jungle design and I (Maggie here) just fell in love with the colour palette. The snakes kind of made me think of a modern take on Viking-like imagery so I figured it made thematic sense to wear it for this video Thank you for watching and commenting!🥰
Hahaha That's such a great call! (Maggie here) It took me a second and then the thematic reframe flashed across my mind and I went 'yes! that's exactly it!' lol It's the more chill and domestic side and feel of the Viking theme. Love it! Thank you for watching and for commenting and for possibly forever changing the way I think of the theme of Feast in a sentence 😂
Oh yes, absolutely. The base game is solid and has everything we love. I feel the expansion elevates it with more options and some balancing of a couple of areas So it feels like a perfect upgrade, but not essential for a solid great time. 🥰
Thank you! We've actually now been engaged for a few years 😅 so we often use the terms partner and fiancee interchangeably, which can be confusing haha Thank you for taking the time to comment and we hope you're having a lovely holiday season! 🥰
I love how people's tastes in board games differ ;). It's my least favourite big box Uwe Rosenberg game. I consider it to be bloated, unfocused and without any meaningful interaction and with randomness that absolutely doesn't fit the heavy euro like this ;). I always thought that his magnum opus was Agricola (with all of its expansions). A Feast for Odin would probably be a really cool solo puzzle, but I really hated the multiplayer experience.
Jeez this is so negative! A feast for Odin way better than Agricola. Agricola is just a messy game of randomness. Board games have moved way past Agricola
We made a whole channel about how board game tastes differ 😅😂 sorry to hear this one wasn't your cuppa tea but glad Uwe has something for you! Maggie doesn't mind Agricola (I think she prefers Caverna) and neither were for me but keen to try them again! ☺
One of the absolutely best games ever made! I’m hoping you are playing with Norwegians? If not, we’d love to play this with you (so you can play with Norwegians 😂)
This is the content we need 👍👍👍👍👍 (or at least would love to have)
Hailing from Norway yourselves wouldn’t be colouring your thoughts in any would it?
Joking aside, it is a great game, whether it ties in with your particular cultural heritage or not.
Make it a home&away series, why don't you?!
AFfO is definitely at the top of my "to buy" list. The price just keeps me from pulling the trigger sooner. Nice to see it's your top game of all time (for now).
Also Maggie that snake shirt is on point!
Well we're playing with the Norweigians but not THE Norweigians 😎 ❤ so keen for this upgrade so say the word friends and we are there! 🥰
This is such a great demonstration of excellent balance and chemistry between the two of you! Some of the best I've ever seen in terms of sharing the airspace and presenting very meaningful information and balance of your input and feedback. This is simply an incredible video, and I can't wait to see more of your content! Definitely subscribing!
Feast for Odin is a game that definitely intimidated me when I jumped into the hobby about a year and a half ago. I've grown a lot as a gamer since then and now when I see the board, instead of thinking "oh my god what do I do" I think "I can do anything I want!" Its cool to see how I've leveled up as a gamer and I'm definitely going to pick this up and give it a try
Oh this is so awesome to read. I (Maggie here) LOVE that experience of a personal evolution and growth when we suddenly realise we're now much more comfortable (and even excited!) to jump into what we used to find daunting. Thank you for sharing that with us and keen to know what you think of the game when you get to try it! Thank you for this lovely comment 🥰
Yesss! A Feast for Odin is phenomenal. Also, thank you for providing further support to #TeamFeast in mine and Carlo's endless struggle in regards to what the best Uwe game is: A Feast for Odin or Agricola. You're on the right side of history! 😆😝
-Dylann
LOL thanks Dylann (and so sorry Carlos!!!) 😅 at least we all agree on something... Uwe. ❤ thanks for watching!! Happy Holidays friends!
An impeccable, engaging review of a tremendous game! Kudos! My loyalties will always lie with Agricola, but AFFO definitely vies for my gaming attentions. Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to you both!
Thank you Geoff! At least we agree on Uwe 🥰 appreciate the kind words about the review. A safe and happy holiday season to you too ❤
You’ve got me extra excited for this game! This has been one my most wanted games for a while but didn’t pick it up because I decided to use it as a reward for myself once I hit my weight goal… I accomplished it last week and ordered Feast the same day! LoL I can’t wait to play it!
Oh wow congratulations! And what a wonderful reward! I hope you enjoy the game as much as we do. Let us know what you think once you get to play it. Thank you for watching and for taking the time to comment and share your awesome win with us! 🥰
thanks for the good review
Fantastic review and awesome to know what your nr. 1 game is! Really excited for this one!
Hahah yay! I hope you get to try it!!! We were spending so long thinking about our top 10 that we were like... well this one isn't changing and is the same for both of us! Let's do top 1!!! 😄😄 thanks so much for watching!
Just played again this weekend. I am fully with you! There are many paths you can take and enough you need to consider while also (somehow) managing to feel like a pleasant game. AFFO is both puzzley and fun and it brings great progression and sense of achievement by end game. Looking at your player board at the end when you have covered ALL negative spots is so satisfying!!
Totaly saw that one coming! :D
Thanks for the Video
Hahahaha you know us well....! 🥰 Thanks so much for watching ❤
Great video! I think the best parts of board games are having interesting decisions to make. This one looks like you have TONS of interesting choices each turn.
YES and the choices are quite different to each other.... and all rewarding! Thanks for watching Craig and we hope you get to try this one!!! ❤
Love love love this video! So excited to see it pop up! I love this game as well and would say it is definitely in my top 10! I love the excitement and enthusiasm you both have talking about this game! The sheer excitement from you both made me smile the entire time while watching! I haven’t played this game in awhile but seems its time to break it out over the holidays! And since I am driving to DTW, I will bring this and the expansion (which is still in shrink wrap) with me so we will definitely have a copy to play if there is opportunity. And Maggie I agree with the solo mode! I love how it is simply incorporated! In fact Uwe did something similar with Nusfjord. It is so smart as I don’t think I could deal with a complicated AI with this game 😁. I really appreciate you girls sharing your number 1! Such a great game! I hope you both are enjoying your vacation and holidays! And Congratulations on 9000 subscribers!! So great to see! Very deserving! Love you girls! Merry Christmas!
Hehehe yay! So glad it made you smile and not surprised to hear it is also in your top games, we have such similar taste! Of course that means that we need to hear the rest of your list. What are these other games keeping it out of the top position 🤔 We love Nusfjord too! Thanks for noticing the 9k milestone... we were so excited to see that and couldn't do it without all of the love and support from the joeyfam. Thank you so much for taking this journey with us Darlene, lots of love from Oz ❤
@@ThinkerThemer well that is a great question! I haven’t really ranked my games as I love so many! It’s a beast to get to the table and break down so that keeps it out of my top spot, but I do absolutely love this game. The game in my top spot right now is Great Western Trail 😁.
Your channel is amazing! And the quality of your videos is great! I love your set design when you two are talking. Can’t wait to watch more!
Still haven't played this one! I've always wanted to but I got the feeling my group would take one look at it and say noooope. Maggie's love of it solo makes me a little more likely to consider it again in the future and you really sold it even more. I feel like I'll definitely look to learn it at a future con!
This is such an amazing solo mode. I feel (Maggie here) Nusfjord is the micro version of this because it feels similar in gameplay, but it's much shorter and focused and Feast is the full saga where you get to pick from a full menu of actions every round. Not for everyone though, so definitely need to gage the group's preferences.🙂
I've played the game 90 % solo, I love it. It's quite relaxing to me. xD And don't be afraid to try to sell it to your group. It LOOKS daunting, but at its core it's actually quite simply (not to get good, but to play). I wouldn't play with higher player count though, it can drag out and it's kinda a pain if all are new. But I've taught one person in a two player game several times and it went well.
I've seen people have this at the top of their lists of games they rather not teach, but for me there's MANY medium weight games that are a lot harder to teach and learn.
I got this game a few months ago as chemo done present. I love it! I still wonder how I'm going to fill all those spaces by the end of the game. I was surprised that this was your number one, but it makes sense lol. I play this solo only and made my own solo game for it, I didn't quite like the one in the rule book. I'm happy you made this video I love hearing your thoughts on it.
I have used Feast solo for working on my strategic game play. I love how you can plan out a whole round with an eye out for the next one. I some times set up an occupation card, weapon and artisan shed to get me started on a track.
That is a great idea to choose a combo to see how it plays out!! There is nothing more satisfying than when everything comes together in this game. Thanks for watching Steven and for sharing your thoughts! So glad you love it too! 🥰
Your passion for this game was palpable and I really enjoyed this review because of how much you truly love the game. I had no idea what game you would choose, but I knew it would have polyomino tiles. :) (Confession: I didn't know the word "polyomino" until I started watching your channel). I previously had Feast for Odin on my wish list, and then removed it as it just looked too intimidating. However, this game is going to the top of my wish list based solely on this video. Thanks again for providing outstanding content for game enthusiasts.
We loved making it for that same reason Stephen!! We could talk all day about this game hehe. We also only discovered the real name for tetris pieces during our journey into content creation so probably not long before you 😂 I hope you get to try this one and would love to hear your thoughts on it. I think if you tackle it by just understanding each worker placement spot and how it helps you gain tiles, and then the rules of tile placement (which are far easier than say... Clinic)... it is not as difficult as it looks. Plus, because everything gives you good things... you can jump in but eventually optimise. Thanks for watching as always and for your kind words that really mean a lot to us. Happy holidays 🥰
This is my favourite game too!!! Great taste! 😁
And back at you! 😂🥰 So glad you love this one too Danielle!
Great review, as always. So great to see you so excited to discuss all of the moving parts!
(I'm almost ashamed to admit that I've never played this...)
This is my favorite Uwe game - and I have loved playing it solo, as well. I don’t have the Norwegians expansion, however. You have intrigued my interest!
Ah yes if you love this game the expansion fixes a bit of balance (by making some strategies more appealing) and the new game board is a great addition as it flexes the worker placement spot tension for player count. Not to mention, even more new tiles 🙌🙌 thanks for watching Sara and glad you are a fan of this one too!
I've been trying to get a hold of the expansion for months, can't find it anywhere in Sweden.... :/
Hello Amy & Maggie
Great video as usual. This is one of the classics favoured by many heavy euro-gamers which I have not picked up yet but is always firmly hovering around my wishlist. I think you have finally convinced me to pick this up. Emma & I are going away for Christmas to Emma's parents - they are not really gamers, although they will have a go at Ticket to ride or something - so I think A feast for Odin will be added to my collection in Q1 2022. My most recent purchase was Underwater Cities, we loved this game. Recently we have been enjoying Le Havre & Great Western Trail so I am convinced we will enjoy A Feast for Odin.
Have a great Christmas
Ooo yes I think if you and Emma like those games you will enjoy AFFO. If you enjoy the core puzzle of the base game the Norweigians board helps to tighten it up a little at 2p... but you will definitely get a sense of whether it's for you or not! The Islands feel so out of reach when you first start but the learning curve on the game is so satisfying. Have a wonderful Christmas with Emma's parents.. light gaming is better than no gaming 😅😍 Thanks for watching as always!
Currently I am into Fields of Arle and I love Le Havre. Unfortunately I did not have the opportunity to try Feast for Odin but I would love to try it one day soon. Thanks for the great introduction and your enthusiasm.
Ooo I think you will enjoy it if you enjoy those! ☺ thanks so much for watching and hope you get a chance to try this one soon! ❤
Such a lovely surprise of a video! Great pick, too! I would be lying if I didn't mention how big of a struggle this game has been for me to figure out. If I were a bigger solo player, like Maggie, I would have tried to puzzle it out and really try to understand it that way.
But even with my personal struggles, this game is truly top notch like yall mentioned. And the Norwegians expansion is one of the few expansions I would say is a must for each playthrough.
So thanks for another lovely video and happy holidays!
Thank you Ania! We hope you're having a lovely holiday season as well. And hope you're getting to play some amazing games in the meantime if you have a bit of time off 🥰 I (Maggie here) think definitely all the solo time spent with the game has helped me understand how the puzzle works a lot better. I'm still nowhere an expert at it, but I can foresee how income and covering the negative points may play out. Thank you as always for all your support!
Love this! It’s one of the first games I was introduced to and it’s been on the top for me ever since.
Yay! So glad to hear that you love this one too Meaghan! What are your other favourites? ❤
@@ThinkerThemer I’m loving Hallertau since that came out last year. Terraforming Mars is fantastic and I’m enjoying getting in to the Ares Expedition.
Yes! Bought this game for Christmas and am now even more excited to play! Our big hit from last Christmas was Uwe's Bohnanza which we have played incessantly throughout the last year. As someone who has yet to firmly land in either camp I am glad to hear this game works for both Thinkies and Themies.
Haha yes, this absolutely works for us both! Very different to Bohnanza of course, which is also an amazingly fun game. I still can't believe both games are from the same designer! Both great though. Looking forward to your thoughts on Feast when you get a chance to play it! ☺
Fantastic review! Man I really need to play this game.
I couldn’t agree more! AFFO was a Christmas present last year and I played many games of it this year. I remember thinking that there was no way to fill the board and islands, but since you add one more worker each round, the last few rounds can get a lot done. I’ve also really enjoyed Fields of Arle solo, it also is such a satisfying puzzle with various strategies to try. Merry Christmas!🎄🎁
Completely agree with that feeling of "how is it even possible to cover islands as well!" at the start, but the more games of this we played, the more we could start anticipating those extra workers you mentioned that become available towards the end. That and all the additional income and bonus goodies that can come from getting the right islands at the right time. Hope you're having a lovely holiday season and thanks again for watching!☺
What a fantastic choice! I love playing AFFO solo as well.
Yay! Thanks for watching Fred! ❤
Great game, we need to get it back to the table after our initial plays, especially with the expansion
Yes it can be hard sometimes to commit to such a big set up and long game but it's sooo worth it once you do 😃 thanks for watching and glad you enjoy this one too!💞
Just received this game and looking forward to getting it to the table. Amazing that you both agree on the same game!
Haha It is amazing! We both fell in love with this game after the first few plays. Looking forward to your thoughts once you get a chance to play it! Thank you for watching and for taking the time to comment!🥰
I want to know now which are your other 9 games both of you ! Really a compelling review it really made me wanna try it out ! I thought about it but was scared indeed with how overwhelming it looked but now I am so motivated ! To do list 2022 : find a way to play a Feast for Odin 🤗 Merry Christmas to both of you and your families !
There are definitely a lot of different ways to get polyomino tiles pieces but it's just a matter of learning how each of those works, and the rules of the puzzle. Would love to teach you sometime at a con if we cross paths! ❤ but hope you can try it either way! Thanks for watching and wishing you a safe and game-filled holiday season ☺
I agree. Great game for all the reasons you’ve given. The luck of the cards is the only minor negative for us. Pure joy!
Yeah, the luck in cards seems to be a recurring element with Uwe games. We often end up playing 'around' the cards and not making them a central part of the strategy, which would definitely mean scoring is sub optimal, but there's so much other stuff to do and focus on and I (Maggie here) barely notice! 😅
I just cracked this open last night and started reading the rule book! Excited to play it solo.
That's awesome! I wonder if you've had a chance to play it solo yet. (Sorry it's taking us a while to reply to comments at moment). I (Maggie here) absolutely love this as a solo and find it a great way to explore the board and all the different avenues the game has to offer. 🥰
@@ThinkerThemer just played last night and am on my second game of it tonight! It is a wonderful solo puzzle! It took me a while to realize but worker placement is definitely my most preferred / go-to jam as well.
Definitely at the top of my list of games I want to play soon… won’t be at DTW this year but maybe someday in the future I can overlap at a con with you two and get a nice teach-through!
We would LOVE to teach you sometime!!! Maybe Australia's next on your travel list? Mmm?
@@ThinkerThemer it is for sure at the top of our travel list! Melbourne specifically too, there are some artists and designers based out of there that my partner and I would love to check out!
Love that!! Melbourne is definitely the art & food capital (sorrrrryyy Sydney 😆)
@@ThinkerThemer that’s what I’ve heard! Well hopefully we’ll make it out there soon and get some game learning in as well 🥰
A strong foundation for a life of marital bliss!
😍 at least we'll always agree on something 😂 thanks for watching!
Why has it taken me so long to find your channel? I love your videos. It seems like we have very similar tastes in games. I’ll probably be binging your vids for a while. Also love the colorful shirt! Gorman?
From Holland...totally agree! It's on the nummer 1 spot of my top 10 list of solo games (AT Boardgames Solo)!
Such an amazing solo experience! Completely agree with you on that one. It is my (Maggie here) #1 as well! Thank you for watching and for taking the time to comment! 🥰
So glad you love this game and this designer for sure Feast for Odin is close to top of my list also. But my top is actually Agricola while played 1000+ times i still love that game. Worker placement with extra powers from cards, they tightness of family feeding. For so many years i keep going back to it.
Yes, Agricola is also an excellent game. Amy is not as into it though so I (Maggie here) end up only being able to play it solo on the app haha Absolutely love games that you can keep going back to and it's always a pleasure to experience. Thanks again for watching and for taking the time to comment! 🥰
The game looks so intimidating when looking at photos. I just need to jump in and try it.
It absolutely does and it is quite the beast to set up! It's just a matter of learning how each part of the board gives you tiles, and the rules to the puzzle. I think it looks worse than it is but also would work a gamer up to it if they were new at gaming. It both gives Maggie the sandbox feel she loves and me the puzzle to optimise which gives me clear focus. I hope you can try it sometime! ❤
Amy - love what you’re wearing! And Maggie looking good as always! 😍
Hello, Amy & Maggie. I am a great fan of Caverna which also appears in your top ten thematic euro list. My question is: what makes you love A Feast for Odin even more? PS: I have followed your channel for nearly a year. Along with SU&SD, you are my two favorite board game channels. Thank you for your accompany through 2021!!
That is some serious company with SUSD 😆 we love them too and thank you for the truly lovely words about the channel (and for watching for so long!)
Interestingly, Maggie really loves Caverna but me not so much. I think in general some of Uwe's games are a bit too sandboxey for me but in this case I really love polyomino tiles and the puzzle itself (& starting in negative) really gives me a strong sense of purpose. Neither of us love having to read cards during games so I think that might be what gives it the advantage for Maggie (along with it being her fav solo). Great question! Do you like AFFO?
@@ThinkerThemer Thanks Amy for your really really nice reply! I haven't played AFFO yet. I have been a board game fan only since the first lock down in Paris last year if I don't count for my long-standing hobby in traditional abstract games like Shogi and Go. My budget and time are both limited. So I tend to buy a few highest evaluated games for each genre in order to explore different frontiers of board game.
@@ThinkerThemerhey Amy, I want to ask whether you have received my second reply today about Patchwork and At the Gates of Loyang. I should have successfully sent it but cannot see the reply myself now. Thx!
@@simondeqin oh that's weird no I didn't see that comment! Were you recommending them or asking about them?
@@ThinkerThemer I guess that's my problem because I'm not familiar with the messaging on TH-cam. I said yesterday that I now own two Uwe games. The other is Patchwork. After several dozens of games, it appears to me as a metaphor for an individual's life. If I ever buy another Uwe's game, it will probably be At the Gates of Loyang. Rahdo highly recommends it. He finds some of Uwe's later games too sandboxey just like you do. Another reason of my choice is that I am Chinese who was raised in a small town.
Surprised at first, but after your explanations I can imagine it to be great. Never played it, so I can't judge it. But up to now it seemed a bit much...
To all of you wish a merry Christmas
Oo that's interesting! Why was it a surprise? 😄
Wishing you a wonderful holiday season Sebastian ❤
@@ThinkerThemer When I saw the start of the video, I was contemplating which game it could be (no clues to be honest). I didn't see this one coming, but in hindsight, I haven't played it, so it's not so much on my radar.
Thanks for the vid!
At first, it was a game I don't see myself playing because of its heavier weight and my paralysis by analysis. But I'm finding myself building up toward it after enjoying several of Uwe Rosenberg's games over the past few years. Among them Caverna, Agricola, Patchwork, Bohnanza, Reykholt and Second Chance. A majority featuring worker placement or polyomino tile placing. So it is fate that I must give it a play.
I know a friend that has it and really enjoys playing it; just a matter of finding the time in a waning pandemic. As for owning a copy, I'm not sure if just for the solo experience (and I'm more into the lightweight, family-friendly, filler-type games that are approachable to both gamers and non-gamers).
Sounds like you definitely should check it out then, but ideally when you're again able to meet up with your friend who can also hopefully cover the teach of it. If you're comfortable with Caverna and Agricola I think you will be more than fine with Feast. There are a lot of options so analysis paralisis is likely, but hopefully you'll be able to get into it and enjoy the flow and how the game unfolds. Thanks again for watching and for taking the time to comment! 🥰
You’re kidding!! A Feast for Odin is my all-time favorite game as well! ⚔️ Now it would seem silly to make a video about “my favorite board game” when I can just direct people to this video! (I still haven’t gotten the Norwegians expansion but I will soon!) 🇳🇴
Aw this is such a lovely comment 🥰 Thank you for this and thank you for watching and for taking the time to comment. And definitely must check out the Norwegians expansion when you get a chance!
I LOVE A Feast for Odin. It's been in my top ten games since the first time I played it (and the Norwegian expansion elevated it even further for me).
If you haven't yet, you should take a look at the Harvest mini expansion (Mini Expansion #2). Maggie, you may especially enjoy it as it injects some interesting variability into the solo game; the randomized harvest/no harvest years is a really interesting and thematic twist.
I'd really like to play A Feast for Odin. I finally was able to play Caverna last week & have played several of his smaller / lighter games, but this game does look & sound terrific!
Maggie is a huge Uwe fan but for me this one pulls ahead quite a bit 😄 hope we can play it in person with you sometime!!! ❤
For some reason I was quite surprised. I've watched many of your videos until now but can't recall too many references to AFFO. I agree, though: it and Spirit Island compete for my #1 and #2 spots.
Haha very true Tim!! We always knew it would be our number 1 so maybe that's why we've not spoken about it much... it would be really obvious if you got us started talking about it 😂 glad it was a happy surprise though!! Thanks for watching ❤
This has been on my wish list for 4 years. I still haven't played it. I'm looking forward to DTW even more now.
Yessss!!!! Would love to teach you Monica! ❤
@@ThinkerThemer I just did a happy dance!! You are the best!
My Nr. 5 of all time! Great Game!
My Nr. 1 Rosenberg Game.
My Nr. 1 Viking themed Game.
So glad you love this one Rudi... and now we have to ask, what are the other 4? 😄
@@ThinkerThemer 😆
1. Terra Mystica
2. Russian (Ultimate) Railroads
3. Great Western Trail
4. Blood Rage
6. Barrage
7. Paladins OTWK
8. Caverna
9. Madeira
10. Horrofied
...so far!
I'm wating for Obsession...
I was intrigued when I saw the thumbnail. hmm what could they agree on that much? Obviously a Feast for Odin! how could it be anything else? Hopefully I get the chance to play this one day.
😂 it is true we agree on fewer and fewer games these days! But always this one ❤ I hope you get the chance to give this one a go Sarah! Maybe if we can meet at a con ☺
Great choice! Uwe is still my favourite designer - since the launch of Agricola. So many excellent games. I think it's also one of his better solo games, along with Fields of Arle. I only wish he would experiment beyond BYOS.
This is also my favorite game. It's such a great game. So many different choices and options to be competitive. Played it on Christmas eve. Hopefully we can get it to the table again before the break is over but we got a lot for Christmas so maybe during my birthday weekend in early January.
Oh nice! It is a bit of a commitment of time and table space to get the game out, but it's always such a pleasure to get it played. Hope you manage to sneak another game of it in and hope you have an amazing birthday weekend in Jan! 🥰
Great game! My #3 of all time 😊
Oooo... so what is 1 and 2? 😃
@@ThinkerThemer #1 Terraforming Mars
#2 Too Many Bones
A Feast for Odin and TMB are practically tied for how much I like them though 😊
Great choices! We've not played TMB (for all the reasons you could probably guess!) but I WISH it was more our thing because so many people love it so much!!! Thanks for sharing!
Thanks for your enthusiastic and thoughtful review!
A great choice for best game; it's in my top five! I'd like to make it a tradition to play every year on or about Christmas Eve. For me, it's just that type of experience!
This game has been sitting on my shelf in shrink now for a while :/ I think the size and complexity has been holding me back for playing but maybe its time to break it out over Christmas here. Great review , Thanks!
Oh noooo it's RIGHT THERE!!! 😄😄😄 The holidays is a great time to get it down off the shelf!! It takes a bit of time to run through all the possible worker placement spots but once you step through those and understand the tile placement rules, it's not too bad in terms of difficulty level during the game (just a bit of AP choosing from many appealing options!) Look forward to hearing what you think Trevor, thanks for watching!
You told me this video was coming. I still thought you meant no. 1 for each of you. So Maggie must have made a compromise. Where sits Obsession? But I can see the SOLO-argument. This game I almost bought when Mind Games in the city closed one shop and had it on special. But I didn't get it then. Polyomino - it definitely has more theme than Project L. The pillaging theme - that's one reason I can't play Blood Rage with my wife.
I did NOT expect a cross-over by ThemerThinker on a Top-X list on NUMBER ONE! Now I question your name-tag. ;-)
Great and surprising episode and have a fantastic holiday.
😂 I promise there was no coercion / convincing necessary! This one is a no brainer for both of us (especially Maggie!!!!) and has been our number 1 for a long time. NOW once you get into the rest of our top 10s... our tastes diverge and I'm sure you might be able to guess some of the others for each of us 😄
I think I could guess yours... I suspect it begins with a G and ends with an O 😂
Happy holidays Ralf ❤
@@ThinkerThemer Spot on. And not a single additional letter in between!! ;-) That's why my Top 10 list would have to start with no.11 - because it is soo niche, which your short try proved as well. (Btw. did you watch Quinns from SUSD on it yet?) Have a great time off.
I'm just getting started with AFFO, but it's already impressing me, and I wouldn't be surprised if it makes it into my top 5. The big question though is, where did you get that great 3D printed insert?? I find the included trays lacking, and would love to upgrade.
Ooo hmm it was a birthday present to Maggie from a friend ... but I think it was purchased on Etsy! It wasn't made to fit the expansion but those extra pieces we keep in the expansion box. It certainly makes set up easier but if I was buying again I'd love one to contain the pieces a bit more. If this box gets tipped on its side it is game over 😂 so glad you are enjoying this one too!!!! Thanks for watching as always ❤
I thought I was only person who could talk about 1 game for 30 min. Lol 😆 jk. Great overview of your favorite game. Goodluck with numbers 2-10.
😂😂😂 the only thing hard for us about talking for 30min is not talking for 60min
"OK let's try and make this more concise and to the point"
"An hour?! Crap"
😅
@@ThinkerThemer 1 hour sounds perfect friends
I’ve played this one a few times, and whilst I do really enjoy it overall, I never find myself asking to play it because it takes so long!
Yes, it is a bit of a time commitment.😅 There is a 'short' version of the game, but it's still the same length of set up and not much time is saved overall. For a quicker fix I (Maggie here) find I usually take out Nusfjord as the alternative if I'm just after something quicker, but that still gives me that satisfying Euro feel 🥰
Great game!
Isn't it??? 🥰🥰🥰❤
I couldn’t agree more with this choice! This game is amazing. Now I’m dying to hear your thoughts on Le Havre.
Yay so glad you love this one too Don!!! Uwe's other titles are much higher in Maggie's lists than mine interestingly... she is a big fan. This one has the right level of puzzle optimisation for me. Maybe we should try to rank them all 🤔
@@ThinkerThemer That would be a fun discussion.
You two convinced me to play this game, as well as buy it. I played a quick game on BGA then ordered it. I played with my SO on the physical copy and she loved it. It’s been fun exploring all the action, and i love the puzzle of placing things on your board in a efficient manner.
How do you keep track of pieces that “test” fit on your board?
The one time I went into the city to meet random people and play games I got pulled into a game of Feast for Odin and stayed there the whole night. Can’t wait for Covid to be over so I can get back out there.
Absolutely. Getting to play with people is such a magical part of this hobby. Hopefully we can find a way to get on top of this pandemic and be able to experience all that the hobby has to offer again. Thank you for watching and for taking the time to comment! 🥰
Very high on my list of games I still wanna play
Definitely check it out if you get a chance. This is a good one to be taught if you get the opportunity, but I believe there is a version of it coming to Boardgame arena as well. So you can always try it online as well. Thanks for watching and for commenting! 🥰
An IAQ for Maggie: Is there another game with a similar solo mode, where there is almost no new rules to learn, and no new AI to maintain? This game is one of the 3 times that I played solo and enjoyed it immensely, but I find it hard to start solo on other games with a lot of new overhead. Thanks for the video!
It's going on the IAQ list thank you!!! (I'll give her the heads up so she can think of some for you!) Thanks for watching ❤
Nusfjord :) I really dislike running bots so the solo mode in AFFO is great. Mage knight also as a very light "bot" and many coops scale well to 1 player.
That's my favourite too!
Yay! It's truly an amazing game. 🥰
I only played AFFO once shortly have it came out. I hadn't played a lot of more complex games at the time. 3 of us were new to the game, and the teach was... not the best teach I've ever experienced :)
The person teaching the game crushed the rest of us, so it wasn't the best experience. I should try to get another play of it again.... Maybe when it releases on boardgamearena.
I was looking at the bgg forums for the game and Norwegians, and I guess the designer has plans for a lot more: a Danes expansion, a large box they called "Pimp up my Odin" (it's not clear if this is going to contain most content up to the time of release and/or deluxe components), Swedes and Normans. Sounds like Danes should be coming next year, and the rest are still subject to change. A feast of content to be sure! :D
A feast of content indeed! haha And it does sound like it was a less than ideal introduction to the game so hopefully you get another chance to give it a fresh go. Checking out the board game arena version sounds like a solid plan. I've seen screenshots of the Alpha and it looks like they've done a great job with it. I'm definitely looking forward to the Danes expansion whenever it comes out. Another great excuse to get the game out to the table again ☺ Thank you for watching and for taking the time to comment! 🥰
Still haven't been able to play this yet. Really looking forward to playing it someday, as I'm a fan of polyiominal games and this looks like the heaviest of all polyiominal games!
Definitely one to check out. It really is a range of actions to get tiles to try to fill in that puzzle or any other puzzles one commits to along the way 😅Love, love, love this game. Thanks for watching and for commenting☺
Great choice - the game can be quite daunting for newbies. For me it's possibly my second favourite Rosenberg - my #1 is Agricola
Ah yes, Agricola is another excellent game. That one I (Maggie here) have a harder time getting Amy to play with me, so I tend to only be able to play Agricola on app. And definitely agree that Feast can be daunting for newbies. It is quite a commitment so you'd want to be quite comfortable with worker placement and polyomino puzzles, as well as with starting with a lot of negative points! haha Thank you again for watching and commenting! 🥰
I tried this game once a long time ago and couldn’t get the hang of it. Became frustrated and it sat on the shelf unplayed a long time. Recently I tried it again due to Maggie talking about it with Rhado and it’s hit the table several times now. We really love it! And I love it solo too 😙 Hope y’all have an amazing holiday!
Whoohoo!!! So glad you were able to get it back to the table and find the joy in it!!! Once you work out how to get those islands the game really gets going! 🥰 thanks for sharing this and wishing you a wonderful holiday season as well....! Thanks for watching ❤
Number 1 game...need another 10 expansions
Your #1 too Steve?
Monday is a funday
My Wallet: please...you have more board games than you need. your shelf of shame has grown a bit out of hand.
ThinkerThemer: *shows genuine excitement and love for a board game*
My Wallet: sigh...so will it be Mastercard or Visa?
Hahaha Sorry to do this wallet! It is an excellent game though. So there shouldn't be any buyer's regret with this one. It can be daunting to set up though, so it does run a high risk of sitting on the shelf of shame/opportunity if not careful 😅
Have yet to watch the video but I’m guessing Dominion. :)
Haha Not sure if you've watched it yet, but it wasn't Dominion. Though Dominion is also an excellent game. It's definitely up there for me (Maggie here). 🥰
I’ve never heard a bad thing about this game!
We really do love this game. I think the main barrier can be that it looks daunting at first so it may hold people back from trying it. We feel it's a great example of an amazing Euro though 🥰
Great review! I never been a huge fan of rosenburg games, but I can't get over the player board full of negative points. Played it once, solid game but I really didn't enjoy the struggle to get to the positive point. I prefer patchwork which is more straight foreward and the negative points are not printed on the board...
Actually we have some friends that don't like it for the same reason - they really hate starting in the negative! It is so fascinating to us that everyone responds differently to these elements of games. For us it creates tension... like the game is trying to beat you as well as your opponent... but can completely see how it wouldn't be for everyone. Thanks so much for sharing your thoughts on this one and for watching as always ❤
YAAASSSSS amazing game!!
Amazing indeed! Thanks for watching and commenting!🥰
My main gaming partner is a non-gamer who was overwhelmed and eventually disinterested in the vast market of choices in Caverna. She liked Nusfjord a bit more than Caverna, but this seems more like the style of Caverna. Do you have to be already enthusiastic about games to enjoy A Feast for Odin or do you think it does a good job of engaging and feeding that enthusiasm in players who are 'just visiting' board games?
Ooooo... good question Peter. Interestingly, Caverna is not a game for me (Amy) but Maggie enjoys it. Even though AFFO also contains a lot of choices, I find the puzzle really focuses my efforts (more than Caverna and other Uwe games). I would say though that it's still fairly sprawling and could be overwhelming for a less serious gamer. Do you play solo? As Maggie's number 1 solo could that justify trialling it? 😅
@@ThinkerThemer Thanks for the reply! I don't enjoy the idea of solo games (other than mobile versions like Terraforming Mars since they are zero upkeep work), but I hardly need an excuse to keep buying games so AFFO goes on my wishlist!
😂😂😂 ok then our work here is done ✔ 👏 can't wait to hear your thoughts on it...
@@ThinkerThemer Your influence didn't end there... Thanks to you two I just bought Obsession and the two expansions... I think that means I will be playing the solo game just to learn the rules and then bring in the non-gamer players when I'm comfortable.
😬😬 uhm... at least these games have good resale value?? Just in case... lol...
But Maggie will be THRILLED to hear about this new acquisition!!!! It is so great to see this game becoming more and more popular, it deserves it! Looking forward to hearing your thoughts on this one too!
Great game! I'm terrible at it though
One thing we do love about it is it always feels like you could've done better (sometimes a tiny bit...sometimes a lot lol). Glad you love this one too! ❤
I think I'm in the minority of people that really, REALLY doesn't like the art style of the game. Shame cause the gameplay is addictive and fun whne you get your head around all the different ways to score. Also wish it was slightly more interactive but can't complain overall. Fun to play. Just not to look at XD
Yeah, it does have that classic dry euro, Uwe big box look 😅 I (Maggie) do appreciate all the colour on the board and on the individual tiles, but agree that it's not the most aesthetically inspiring game. In terms of the low interaction, also agree that it's very low, mainly just blocking actions, but not much else beyond that or maybe taking a particular jewell of resources from a mountain. I'm usually a big multiplayer solitaire person, so it suits my preferences, but it definitely is a surprise that Amy enjoys it despite the low interaction. I think probably because there's so much going on with the puzzle that it helps keep her attention on something else the entire time. Thank you for watching and for taking the time to comment! 🥰
Hey Girl great review ! Im wondering what you think about Field of Arle ? It's same sandbox feeling as FFO without Tile placement.
Thank you! We've got Fields and have only played it 2-player a couple of times and it turns out, it wasn't for Amy. So it's been sitting on the shelf waiting to get some solo attention from me (Maggie here), but I'm ashamed to say I haven't come back around to it. I think because the tile placement is such a loved element for us about Feast, Fields ended up feeling more stripped back and like a more streamlined puzzle, but I do need to jump in and give it more time and attention to have a more informed opinion on it. Thank you for taking the time to watch and comment! 🥰
While I like this game I am bemused as to why so many people really LOVE this game :) . I guess it's because it's not very tight and is quite a sandbox. I also dislike polyominoes but in this game I can brute force the puzzle by having more cash :). Best 1 or 2 player as it is very MPS and long so the extra players add little other than companionship. The theme is strong throughout which do like.
Yeah, I agree with the sandbox feel to the game. I (Maggie here) think that's what I love about it the most, all the possibilities! I know there's always a most 'optimal' spot, but whenever I play I just get swept up into the moment and end up taking whatever action feels like the most fun thing to try then 😅 Thanks for taking the time to comment ☺
You should give Paladins of the West Kingdom a try, too.
We have played Paladins (even though we don't own it!) ... Interesting I (amy) found this one to be a little too much multiplayer solitaire in terms of first impressions but I am keen to play it more and deepen my strategy. Is it in your top games? 😄
@@ThinkerThemer yes, it's one of my favorites for sure, and the expansion makes it so much better!
Wow, really sold it for me. (When you add the expansion, do the Vikings become Norweeples?)
Ha! Norweeples! love it!.. I (Maggie here) shall refer to them by that name from now on! Thank you again for watching and for your support 🥰
@@ThinkerThemer My copy of A Feast for Odin arrived yesterday. Looking forward to playing it on your recommendation!
WHAT?!?!? It's not Blokus?🤣
Haaaaaaahahahahhaha I do have a slight preference for games that don't threaten my relationship
(Or do I? 🤔 LOL)
Oh wow, of all the games, this is not the one I thought would be your number one. I can see why it is after listening to the video though. It definitely looks overwhelming, that's why I never bought it. Thanks so much for the thoughts as always.
It is definitely quite a commitment to jump in at first, but we both absolutely love it! It feels so big and yet surprisingly balanced. It's a true Euro classic ☺
You have made the correct choice for best game of all time couldn't agree more it's mine (Mike's) as well!
Such an awesome game. Maybe one day we'll get to play this together at a con! Lots of love to you both! 🥰
I would love to play this at one point. Unfortunately my boyfriend doesn't like it too much :(
Oh sorry to hear. It does have a nice solo, but it can be a big commitment to get to the table. It is now on boardgame arena so that might be an option to play it online without the need to do the full in person set up 😊
@@ThinkerThemer yeah, I think I will try it out on BGA at one point. But I seem to struggle a bit to learn complex games online.
Thought it would be Mage Knight 🤣🤣🤣
😅😅😅 Maggie still hasn't been able to teach me... 😕😬 soon?
Is Maggie's shirt covered in milksnakes??? So cool!
haha Glad you like it! Not sure if it's meant to be milksnakes specifically. It's a jungle design and I (Maggie here) just fell in love with the colour palette. The snakes kind of made me think of a modern take on Viking-like imagery so I figured it made thematic sense to wear it for this video Thank you for watching and commenting!🥰
Neilan from Board Game Barrage would be happy
It is such an amazing game. So much in there to love! Not surprised to hear it sounds like Neilan's fav as well ☺
I'm with you, Blood Rage the Tavern Edition is the best game ever.
Hahaha That's such a great call! (Maggie here) It took me a second and then the thematic reframe flashed across my mind and I went 'yes! that's exactly it!' lol It's the more chill and domestic side and feel of the Viking theme. Love it! Thank you for watching and for commenting and for possibly forever changing the way I think of the theme of Feast in a sentence 😂
I see a new video of yours, you receive instalike.
Thank you for your work.
Aww thank you Hannah!!! That means a lot to us and we really appreciate your support 🥰
Isn't the fact that you have different tastes basically your brand :)?
Heheheh it sure is!! But we'll always agree on this ❤
Killer question; would this still be your number 1 game if you didn’t include the Norwegians expansion? 😉
Oh yes, absolutely. The base game is solid and has everything we love. I feel the expansion elevates it with more options and some balancing of a couple of areas So it feels like a perfect upgrade, but not essential for a solid great time. 🥰
Tetris sandbox
And our two loves collide 🤩
Monday's
Fiancée and not partner? Should I congratulate you guys? :D Regardless, Merry Christmas and thank you for the wonderful videos.
Thank you! We've actually now been engaged for a few years 😅 so we often use the terms partner and fiancee interchangeably, which can be confusing haha Thank you for taking the time to comment and we hope you're having a lovely holiday season! 🥰
I love how people's tastes in board games differ ;). It's my least favourite big box Uwe Rosenberg game. I consider it to be bloated, unfocused and without any meaningful interaction and with randomness that absolutely doesn't fit the heavy euro like this ;). I always thought that his magnum opus was Agricola (with all of its expansions). A Feast for Odin would probably be a really cool solo puzzle, but I really hated the multiplayer experience.
Jeez this is so negative! A feast for Odin way better than Agricola. Agricola is just a messy game of randomness. Board games have moved way past Agricola
@@jasong1610 Is your comment less negative 😂😂
We made a whole channel about how board game tastes differ 😅😂 sorry to hear this one wasn't your cuppa tea but glad Uwe has something for you! Maggie doesn't mind Agricola (I think she prefers Caverna) and neither were for me but keen to try them again! ☺