I’m glad you brought this game to my attention, I was ignoring it for a couple of years since I wasn’t a fan of its art but found out it’s a super fun game! I’m excited for the upcoming Awaken Realms edition.
My family is from Puerto Rico, so I remember being very excited that one of the hottest games at the time was about Puerto Rico, then I played it... mechanically it was very interesting. It one of the first games I played with individual player boards, there were certainly earlier designs with this feature, but most of what I had played at the time were games with central boards or play areas. The setting though was pretty tough for me to swallow at the time. It bothers me less now, probably because I am just so used to it, and I even still own San Juan as well as other Andreas Seyfarth designs. But let’s just say my family was not too thrilled the first time we got it to the table. My feelings toward Puerto Rico the game mirrors the feelings that many of the Puerto Rican’s I know have about the island itself... complicated. It is a great design, and I still think people should play it, but we should also continue to encourage publishers to be thoughtful and well researched when choosing their settings and themes.
@@Neon_Gorilla as I said my feelings are complicated. I was happy to hear about the adjustments to the setting, but I was very disappointed in how Jason Perez was treated and then the AI Art situation on top of that in the new edition. Because of the way things have turned out, I am more forgiving of the original edition then the current products. All this being said, I still think people should play whatever version they can get ahold of, and there is nothing wrong with that. I myself still play Puerto Rico every few years, but I am still hopeful that there will be more games about the island that offer a richer cultural perspective than what we have had thus far.
@@Naledgeizpwr yeah from my little research the mechanics dont seems like something that is representative of PR. Have you heard why Awaken Realms decided to go with a professor at University of Puerto Rico rather than Jason as a cultural consultant?
@@Neon_Gorilla it is all speculative, but my guess is financial reasons. They probably had a zoom call for a few hours to go over things with this professor, where brining Jason in would probably mean name on the box and possible royalties instead of a one time fee. Only the parties involved really know the situation though. At minimum hopefully this special edition has a better rulebook than the last edition, but all the typos they have put out give me pause.
As someone who watches tons of board game related videos from a lot of different content creators, I must say, the way you make your videos is very informative and engaging, not to mention entertaining. This was a great video.
I don’t think “toxicity” is how I would describe take that / confrontational euros but I’m happy you got your first taste of German euros (one of us lol). I wouldn’t call Puerto Rico a true German euro but it deff takes a lot of influence from that genre for a hybrid style euro. Some German euros I highly recommend checking out are Santiago, Shark, Tigris & Euphrates, Chinatown, and of course every Splotter game, especially Food Chain Magnate, Bus, The Great Zimbabwe, etc.
@@CardboardHunter thanks for the recommendations. I will stand by toxic as a hyperbolic description of your motivations through out the game which could be also described at “cut throat” or the more mundane and boring description of “this game has more take that than usual”:)
The interaction in Puerto Rico is the poster child for the mantra “don’t do something that will help other players more than it will help you.” IMO, it’s not take that or toxic intentions. like many euros, it’s a game of “points per action.” But one mistake can certainly derail your strategy. And other players will punish you for your bad play. I personally view “take that” as direct targeting of one other player. And Puerto Rico isn’t quite that.
@@douglestarge5865 yea that’s actually very fair for this game. Kinda like how Agricola is a bit aggressive for a modern euro but can’t really compare to the take that / cut throat mechanics of an actual German style euro.
Puerto Rico is a great game and still holds its own after so many years. It's indeed a "German" euro, meaning a game with simple rules, basic components, high interaction, yet very deep. How many pages does the manual take? 4? 5? How long does it take to teach it? 10 minutes? Games like that (simple rules, quick to teach, hard to master) were common some time ago. Now they are becoming rarer...
Puerto Rico is one of the most interactive games I've ever played where you don't directly do things to other players. If you are not paying close attention to what the other players are doing, you won't do well. Those few small little restrictions on the actions completely change the game. If everyone could ship anything, or trade anything, the game would be fairly boring. It's one of those rare games where you sit there, absolutely silent, heart racing, hoping that no one notices the thing you desperately need before your turn comes around again. Despite the theme, it's definitely a game that's worth trying for people who like interaction and tension in their euro games.
@@Neon_Gorilla It's also worth noting, I've only played it at 4 players, so I don't know what the 2 player experience is like, but with 4, you absolutely have players which are more or less at your mercy, and players who have more or less of an opportunity to stop you dead in your tracks. If the theme were something different (like sending robots out to mine asteroid fields for your space station), I would likely have it as part of my collection, but I'm not willing to overlook the slavery problem, so it's not one I will ever own. I've only played the original version, so I don't know if there is any meaningful difference in the other editions, or if it's just a reskin.
I might just try Puerto Rico 1897 now one day 😂 brought you A game on this video as always. Looking forward to the next games on the list. Barrage has been a hit!
This was my entry into Euro games, and learing how a machanically well desiged gsme can be so much fun even with the nasty plays you can make to block other players.
@@Neon_Gorilla Looking it up on BGG, there are much fewer games with the "follow" mechanic than I thought there would be. This is probably the best one for player interaction, regarding having something important to do every turn, and requiring you to pay attention to everyone else at the table to understand if you need to block an action or let someone else take it for you. Race for the Galaxy is an interesting one, you have some of the cuthroat to that one. But I think every turn you are super invested in PR, and the turns move really quickly. So it feels like there is more interaction compared to other games that move slower, Twilight Imperium for example.
I used to play this all the time back in the day and now I want to play it again. The evil grimace you get when ganging up with the other players to brutalize the leader was so satisfying it was guilt-inducing.
Wow! Perfect timing for the deluxe version that's being release. Gamefound has a Special Edition for this game right now! The Merchant's Pledge is $146.00
I’ve only played this once and I have the 1897 version. It is so awesome and this has just motivated me more to get it to the table. I really wish it had a solo mode because my wife is not into it lol
Never played it, but it seems devious for a Euro. Depends on the player group, but could be fantastic fun. I am following the new AW campaign. In the end I did not back Castles of Burgundy, This sounds a bit more fun. I am not really a dice person/gamer. So maybe this one can be part of the collection. Especialy because this one is a looker, compared to the old version.
IF dice was your deciding factor in castles I would encourage you to give it another look...really wonderful game and dice roles do matter but their is mitigation and options at every roll. It ranks above this for me. I do recognize this could easily be ranked above CoB for the right gamer.
I found 1897 on clearance, I just need to give it a try. My wife isn't a fan of the look of it, which makes it a little hard er to get out. Thanks for another great video that gives me the drive to finally get a game off the shelf of oppourtunity. Also how do you feel about the deluxe special editions? I know there is a Puerto Rico hitting Gamefound in a few days.
From what I can see on the page right now it looks great. The building UI is non existent in out copy so I am constantly looking in the middle of the book to get a full overview of the building. There is no reference on the tile so that will be nice. I think if this is your game you will want it because even this very recent remake looks aged. Also tiles slide on all the boards and I am a huge sucker for dual layer boards to that may seal the deal.
@@WatchersPod got it, everyones gaming experience is different and in mine this is the most I have ever been able to alter another persons game in a Euro, I am sure there are others this is just a notable example in a sea of multiplayer solitaire that the modern euro has turned into.
@@Neon_Gorilla 1)The estates 2)El Grande 3)Hansa teutonica 4)Container 5)Most Splotter games. 6)Any Doam which is also Euro like eclipse 7)Citidels 8)Modern Art 9)Santiago 10)Bohnanza 11)Chinatown That’s just some.
This is a game where seats around the table really matter. The player to the left of the most inexperienced has a massive leg up. In other words it is arguably more important that the person to your right is the worst player than you being the best player to have the best chance to win.
I know it plays differently but i just backed Harvest Golden Edition.....do I need another 100 bucks farming themed game 😢😢😢😢 Never play Puerto Rico but it looks also mid weighted
You didnt really provide a conclusion... Do you recommend the game? How does it stack up against other modern Euros? Must-have? 9/10? What do you think?
@@pedropepe90908 this was on purpose…I was trying to provide what is interesting about it so you can decide if it is for you. This game is particular relies on your game group and if they enjoy the aspects I described. I think if you and your group enjoy “take that” you will like this. It isn’t really comparable to any modern euros I have played. I personally enjoy it enough to own it. I admire the design and will play it with any who ask.
@@Neon_Gorilla Thanks for the response! I appreciate the impartial approach! But I also am curious about your personal opinion as well and I bet some of your regular viewers would as well!
Puerto Rico is interesting in that to play optimally, you're not analyzing what is the best option to advance your own board but what minimizes advancing your opponent's boards. It's a pretty good game but I find that the fixed turn order and general gameplay is a bit old fashioned at this point.
I went into playing trying to answer if it was old fashioned or not. I could not point to it being an aged design because I could not find a game that iterated and innovated to produce a better Puerto Rico. It is still a pretty unique design. I do agree that the player in front of you has a tone of influence in your game and you hope the person in front of them are actively working to foil thier plans so they can't focus on messing you up.
I managed to (finally) find a corrected copy of Puerto Rico 1897 earlier this year (potential buyers: look up the thread about this on BGG). I've only played it twice now, but really enjoyed it as I practically require that my games are interactive, and strongly lean towards games that have teeth. My regular group was divided on this latter aspect, and so I acquired its close cousin "New Frontiers" (a Race for the Galaxy / Puerto Rico hybrid set in space). It's significantly friendlier, so people enjoy the feeling of building up their their space-faring civilisation even if they don't win, while using Puerto Mechanics. I'm keeping both in my collection as the core mechanics are strong and I can tailor the feeling to my group at a given time.
It’s complicated because the original called workers colonists and during the time period colonists were clearly not working the fields. So it was a game that was not historically correct
@@Neon_Gorillathey were ruled by the colony. Like the US was once. It's a stretch to make issues from this game, and it's certainly not as big a deal as it is being made out to be. Puerto Rico is still under US rule today but the people aren't considered US citizens, with none of the rights granted from citizenship, which is more egregious than a potential optic of a board game theme imo. Thanks for taking the time to respond
You trying to click-bait me, bro? I'll allow it.
He ain’t ready for Lifeboats 😅
@@CardboardHunter oh I am
@@TabletopTurtle correct
I’m glad you brought this game to my attention, I was ignoring it for a couple of years since I wasn’t a fan of its art but found out it’s a super fun game! I’m excited for the upcoming Awaken Realms edition.
yeah the more I look at the teaser for the AR edition I don't know how I don't back it
My family is from Puerto Rico, so I remember being very excited that one of the hottest games at the time was about Puerto Rico, then I played it... mechanically it was very interesting. It one of the first games I played with individual player boards, there were certainly earlier designs with this feature, but most of what I had played at the time were games with central boards or play areas. The setting though was pretty tough for me to swallow at the time. It bothers me less now, probably because I am just so used to it, and I even still own San Juan as well as other Andreas Seyfarth designs. But let’s just say my family was not too thrilled the first time we got it to the table. My feelings toward Puerto Rico the game mirrors the feelings that many of the Puerto Rican’s I know have about the island itself... complicated. It is a great design, and I still think people should play it, but we should also continue to encourage publishers to be thoughtful and well researched when choosing their settings and themes.
@@Naledgeizpwr thank you for sharing your experience, do you think the re-theme does enough to redeem it for you?
@@Neon_Gorilla as I said my feelings are complicated. I was happy to hear about the adjustments to the setting, but I was very disappointed in how Jason Perez was treated and then the AI Art situation on top of that in the new edition. Because of the way things have turned out, I am more forgiving of the original edition then the current products. All this being said, I still think people should play whatever version they can get ahold of, and there is nothing wrong with that. I myself still play Puerto Rico every few years, but I am still hopeful that there will be more games about the island that offer a richer cultural perspective than what we have had thus far.
@@Naledgeizpwr yeah from my little research the mechanics dont seems like something that is representative of PR. Have you heard why Awaken Realms decided to go with a professor at University of Puerto Rico rather than Jason as a cultural consultant?
@@Neon_Gorilla it is all speculative, but my guess is financial reasons. They probably had a zoom call for a few hours to go over things with this professor, where brining Jason in would probably mean name on the box and possible royalties instead of a one time fee. Only the parties involved really know the situation though. At minimum hopefully this special edition has a better rulebook than the last edition, but all the typos they have put out give me pause.
Keep these coming. Love your insight, class, sarcasm, and quality. Outstanding
@@chaps5970 thanks Chaps, appreciate you watching
As someone who watches tons of board game related videos from a lot of different content creators, I must say, the way you make your videos is very informative and engaging, not to mention entertaining. This was a great video.
I really appreciate the high praise…I try
I don’t think “toxicity” is how I would describe take that / confrontational euros but I’m happy you got your first taste of German euros (one of us lol). I wouldn’t call Puerto Rico a true German euro but it deff takes a lot of influence from that genre for a hybrid style euro. Some German euros I highly recommend checking out are Santiago, Shark, Tigris & Euphrates, Chinatown, and of course every Splotter game, especially Food Chain Magnate, Bus, The Great Zimbabwe, etc.
@@CardboardHunter thanks for the recommendations. I will stand by toxic as a hyperbolic description of your motivations through out the game which could be also described at “cut throat” or the more mundane and boring description of “this game has more take that than usual”:)
The interaction in Puerto Rico is the poster child for the mantra “don’t do something that will help other players more than it will help you.” IMO, it’s not take that or toxic intentions. like many euros, it’s a game of “points per action.” But one mistake can certainly derail your strategy. And other players will punish you for your bad play. I personally view “take that” as direct targeting of one other player. And Puerto Rico isn’t quite that.
@@douglestarge5865 yea that’s actually very fair for this game. Kinda like how Agricola is a bit aggressive for a modern euro but can’t really compare to the take that / cut throat mechanics of an actual German style euro.
@@douglestarge5865 I play to hurt others, rubbin' is racing :)
Puerto Rico is a great game and still holds its own after so many years. It's indeed a "German" euro, meaning a game with simple rules, basic components, high interaction, yet very deep.
How many pages does the manual take? 4? 5? How long does it take to teach it? 10 minutes? Games like that (simple rules, quick to teach, hard to master) were common some time ago. Now they are becoming rarer...
Not enough credit is given to its simplicity
Man, I didn't knew my favorite game was already out and I wasn't aware of it.
Lol
Puerto Rico is one of the most interactive games I've ever played where you don't directly do things to other players. If you are not paying close attention to what the other players are doing, you won't do well. Those few small little restrictions on the actions completely change the game. If everyone could ship anything, or trade anything, the game would be fairly boring. It's one of those rare games where you sit there, absolutely silent, heart racing, hoping that no one notices the thing you desperately need before your turn comes around again. Despite the theme, it's definitely a game that's worth trying for people who like interaction and tension in their euro games.
very well said
@@Neon_Gorilla It's also worth noting, I've only played it at 4 players, so I don't know what the 2 player experience is like, but with 4, you absolutely have players which are more or less at your mercy, and players who have more or less of an opportunity to stop you dead in your tracks. If the theme were something different (like sending robots out to mine asteroid fields for your space station), I would likely have it as part of my collection, but I'm not willing to overlook the slavery problem, so it's not one I will ever own. I've only played the original version, so I don't know if there is any meaningful difference in the other editions, or if it's just a reskin.
I might just try Puerto Rico 1897 now one day 😂 brought you A game on this video as always. Looking forward to the next games on the list. Barrage has been a hit!
@@stormburns I am glad you like kicking my ass in Barrage :). I can’t get enough of it.
This is my top game. I have no words how good this game is. I don’t win that often but the meta game and toxicity is highly addictive.
If you have the right group this is quite the chess match
First time coming to your channel. You did an excellent job. I'll definitely be checking out your other video.
@@_The_Rake thank you and welcome!
This was my entry into Euro games, and learing how a machanically well desiged gsme can be so much fun even with the nasty plays you can make to block other players.
have you come across a more interactive euro, I have had trouble thinking of even one that is close
@@Neon_Gorilla Looking it up on BGG, there are much fewer games with the "follow" mechanic than I thought there would be. This is probably the best one for player interaction, regarding having something important to do every turn, and requiring you to pay attention to everyone else at the table to understand if you need to block an action or let someone else take it for you. Race for the Galaxy is an interesting one, you have some of the cuthroat to that one. But I think every turn you are super invested in PR, and the turns move really quickly. So it feels like there is more interaction compared to other games that move slower, Twilight Imperium for example.
same
I used to play this all the time back in the day and now I want to play it again. The evil grimace you get when ganging up with the other players to brutalize the leader was so satisfying it was guilt-inducing.
yeah early lead is not the target you want
Wow! Perfect timing for the deluxe version that's being release.
Gamefound has a Special Edition for this game right now!
The Merchant's Pledge is $146.00
:) th-cam.com/video/zMF_NlIgcOs/w-d-xo.html
I’ve only played this once and I have the 1897 version. It is so awesome and this has just motivated me more to get it to the table. I really wish it had a solo mode because my wife is not into it lol
If there was solo there would be nobody to be toxic towards :)
Thanks for the overview of this classic game I have never played. :)
@@Fissi0nChips you are welcome, thanks for watching
Do you have to allow the other players to see your board? Is it in the rules?
everything but points is open info, oddly enough you see someone take points they just hide them after that.
Never played it, but it seems devious for a Euro. Depends on the player group, but could be fantastic fun. I am following the new AW campaign.
In the end I did not back Castles of Burgundy, This sounds a bit more fun. I am not really a dice person/gamer. So maybe this one can be part of the collection. Especialy because this one is a looker, compared to the old version.
IF dice was your deciding factor in castles I would encourage you to give it another look...really wonderful game and dice roles do matter but their is mitigation and options at every roll. It ranks above this for me. I do recognize this could easily be ranked above CoB for the right gamer.
I found 1897 on clearance, I just need to give it a try. My wife isn't a fan of the look of it, which makes it a little hard er to get out. Thanks for another great video that gives me the drive to finally get a game off the shelf of oppourtunity. Also how do you feel about the deluxe special editions? I know there is a Puerto Rico hitting Gamefound in a few days.
From what I can see on the page right now it looks great. The building UI is non existent in out copy so I am constantly looking in the middle of the book to get a full overview of the building. There is no reference on the tile so that will be nice. I think if this is your game you will want it because even this very recent remake looks aged. Also tiles slide on all the boards and I am a huge sucker for dual layer boards to that may seal the deal.
Even going by calling high interaction/conflict game as “toxic”, this game is not toxic.
I sold it for not having enough interaction.
Toxic is satire and a nod to both the games history and take that game play…sorry that did it come through for you
@@Neon_Gorilla I understand it’s satire. All I was saying it’s not that toxic. I.E. it’s not that interactive. At least not enough for me to keep it
@@WatchersPod got it, everyones gaming experience is different and in mine this is the most I have ever been able to alter another persons game in a Euro, I am sure there are others this is just a notable example in a sea of multiplayer solitaire that the modern euro has turned into.
@@Neon_Gorilla
1)The estates
2)El Grande
3)Hansa teutonica
4)Container
5)Most Splotter games.
6)Any Doam which is also Euro like eclipse
7)Citidels
8)Modern Art
9)Santiago
10)Bohnanza
11)Chinatown
That’s just some.
@WatchersPod thanks for the suggestions
This is a game where seats around the table really matter. The player to the left of the most inexperienced has a massive leg up. In other words it is arguably more important that the person to your right is the worst player than you being the best player to have the best chance to win.
Yeah I have heard stories of a group of 4 playing 4 games rotating who was on their left
We definitely saw it in our group. @@Neon_Gorilla
I know it plays differently but i just backed Harvest Golden Edition.....do I need another 100 bucks farming themed game 😢😢😢😢
Never play Puerto Rico but it looks also mid weighted
Also, would you choose this game over Castle of Burgundy? Thank you
You didnt really provide a conclusion... Do you recommend the game? How does it stack up against other modern Euros? Must-have? 9/10? What do you think?
@@pedropepe90908 this was on purpose…I was trying to provide what is interesting about it so you can decide if it is for you. This game is particular relies on your game group and if they enjoy the aspects I described. I think if you and your group enjoy “take that” you will like this. It isn’t really comparable to any modern euros I have played. I personally enjoy it enough to own it. I admire the design and will play it with any who ask.
@@Neon_Gorilla Thanks for the response! I appreciate the impartial approach! But I also am curious about your personal opinion as well and I bet some of your regular viewers would as well!
@@pedropepe90908 thanks for your feedback!
Puerto Rico is interesting in that to play optimally, you're not analyzing what is the best option to advance your own board but what minimizes advancing your opponent's boards. It's a pretty good game but I find that the fixed turn order and general gameplay is a bit old fashioned at this point.
I went into playing trying to answer if it was old fashioned or not. I could not point to it being an aged design because I could not find a game that iterated and innovated to produce a better Puerto Rico. It is still a pretty unique design. I do agree that the player in front of you has a tone of influence in your game and you hope the person in front of them are actively working to foil thier plans so they can't focus on messing you up.
@@Neon_Gorilla Empires of the Void 2 and Reavers of Midgard do things with the follow mechanic
Try Carnegie. Very similar feel of interaction as Puerto Rico.
I will look at it now, thanks for the recommendation!
I managed to (finally) find a corrected copy of Puerto Rico 1897 earlier this year (potential buyers: look up the thread about this on BGG). I've only played it twice now, but really enjoyed it as I practically require that my games are interactive, and strongly lean towards games that have teeth. My regular group was divided on this latter aspect, and so I acquired its close cousin "New Frontiers" (a Race for the Galaxy / Puerto Rico hybrid set in space). It's significantly friendlier, so people enjoy the feeling of building up their their space-faring civilisation even if they don't win, while using Puerto Mechanics. I'm keeping both in my collection as the core mechanics are strong and I can tailor the feeling to my group at a given time.
I will have to check it out, but yeah I like the teeth
I skipped this game for a while as well. It was a good game.
That is how I would probably describe it…it’s good and worth playing with the game group being the biggest determination on how “good” it is.
It's theme isn't complicated, people would rather ignore the fact that stuff like that happened.
It’s complicated because the original called workers colonists and during the time period colonists were clearly not working the fields. So it was a game that was not historically correct
@@Neon_Gorillathey were ruled by the colony. Like the US was once. It's a stretch to make issues from this game, and it's certainly not as big a deal as it is being made out to be. Puerto Rico is still under US rule today but the people aren't considered US citizens, with none of the rights granted from citizenship, which is more egregious than a potential optic of a board game theme imo.
Thanks for taking the time to respond
@@nipzie That is incorrect. All persons born in Puerto RIco are given US citizenship at birth