Ark Nova is still also getting the same criticism. You shouldn't be playing one specific strategy waiting for specific card types to combo. That's not how pro players win games. You play opportunistically what comes your way because synergy in ark nova and in this game Rats is so minor that you hurt yourself if you only wait for the combos. Terraforming Mars though, you really need those synergies to have a chance, which is why i love ark nova and hates Terraforming Mars
@@MattWGAllanabsolutely not true. I can look at stats on boardgamearena and my own anecdotal experience its not one to one. I cite a classic example during a high level tournament, my opponent literally picked up all of the primate synergies. Each primate he played, he got 2 points, a cross, and free action card slide, and 2 bucks. And he lost because I was able to claim all of the conservation projects before he could because he had too much primate synergy and nothing else.
@@12345678abracadabra conservation projects are a card synergy. Your ability to play them is entirely determined by the cards you're drawing and playing and when you're drawing and playing them. Also, a better player will generally beat a worse player and conservation projects are essential, but the luck and timing of card draws and the river is a massive part of who will win given equal skill. It's like every other tableau builder in this regard. I'm not saying it's bad, I'm just saying that it has the same pitfalls all tableau builders do.
I completely agree with the OP. Like him, I hated Terraforming Mars and while I wouldn't give Ark Nova a 10, I felt it improved a lot on many of the games it borrowed from. It's not about the synergistic card play though (the synergies are what make these games fun). Chris has already articulated quite well the issue many people have with TMars. The synergies in Ark Nova didn't feel so conditional. However, Underwater Cities is still my favourite of these sorts of games.
@@DTWendy Wendy, please tell me you and Chris are doing the review for Nucleum, my tastes usually align with you two. Do you know when that review will be out?
@@mattschwenk7000 I belive I'm the only one what has played Nucleum int he office sofar. It will be reviewed, but we do not have a date for it yet. Sorry I don't have more details.
It was the perfect comic editing if after adding the point-5 at 21:26, when Tom said: ...but only if..." - you been added a smaller font 2 between the dot and the 5 to make it 8.25 after all... And speaking of "after all", Tom said "I give it a 8.5 but only if.." - so... Another comic opportunity was to simply remove the point-5 back right after adding it. Anyways..... Yeah.
Cranio Creation has serious production issues in all of their games. The component quality is mostly cheap, cardboards are too thin, the graphic design is mostly below average (Barrage aside), miniatures (like in Anunnaki) are cheaply produced, inlays are nonexistent, cards are bad quality. It is a real shame, as the gameplay of their games is mostly solid. Not every company can produce to Mindclash or Eagle-Gryphon levels but Cranio Creation is at the moment at the opposite end of the spectrum and they really need to up their game in this respect.
what are you talkin about? it's pretty decent. not everything needs to be overproduced. if you ask me, give me basic wooden cubes and spend more into gameplay design
This is a tough one for me, and further supports why theme really does matter to me. Simone Luciani is one of my favorite designers. Golem, Tiletum, and now Nucleum. I don't care for the theme of this game at all, and combine that with an action selection wheel that, while I love all of these wheels, are SO plentiful in so many of my favorite games, Praga, Tiletum, Woodcraft, Terracotta Army, even Crown of Emara to a certain extent. So a mechanism I already have plenty of and a theme I couldn't care less about, it'll take a bit before I give this one a shot.
I've only played this once but that was a 6 experience to me. Game felt convoluted with that worker power mechanism. Also, I would never play with 4p again... board feels too tight for 4p and being last in turn order is a fun killer.
I can't wait to try this game! I love rats! I love how creative they are, and think this game is going to give me that satisfaction of trying to problem solve as a rat to maximize victory points in different ways. I can't say for sure, but I think this game will make me go *SQUEE!*
Yes, the action spaces on the wheel are limited, so if someone takes your action, you just can't take it for the rest of the round. The exploring benefits as well as placing cubes are first come first serve, and there are occastional attack cards that can be played.
I also love big decks. I just refuse to say it out loud.
I make sure people know I have a big deck.
I glued a magnet under the board, and another onto the wheel - works really well as long as you aren't trying to spin it as a fast roulette wheel.
New Dice Tower TShirt required “I Love Big Decks”.
Honestly, I world love to see a top 10 Big Deck games
Primus reference! Love it!
Tom loves big decks. I can't un-hear it.
"I love big decks."
“And I cannot lie.”😂
Whoever came up with the video title is certainly a fan of Primus.
Why not just make the wheel a separate piece of cardboard? Seems that would be a good fix.
Ark Nova is still also getting the same criticism. You shouldn't be playing one specific strategy waiting for specific card types to combo. That's not how pro players win games. You play opportunistically what comes your way because synergy in ark nova and in this game Rats is so minor that you hurt yourself if you only wait for the combos.
Terraforming Mars though, you really need those synergies to have a chance, which is why i love ark nova and hates Terraforming Mars
Somebody landing those synergies in Ark Nova is still usually going to beat someone who doesn't.
@@MattWGAllanabsolutely not true. I can look at stats on boardgamearena and my own anecdotal experience its not one to one. I cite a classic example during a high level tournament, my opponent literally picked up all of the primate synergies. Each primate he played, he got 2 points, a cross, and free action card slide, and 2 bucks.
And he lost because I was able to claim all of the conservation projects before he could because he had too much primate synergy and nothing else.
@@12345678abracadabra conservation projects are a card synergy. Your ability to play them is entirely determined by the cards you're drawing and playing and when you're drawing and playing them.
Also, a better player will generally beat a worse player and conservation projects are essential, but the luck and timing of card draws and the river is a massive part of who will win given equal skill.
It's like every other tableau builder in this regard. I'm not saying it's bad, I'm just saying that it has the same pitfalls all tableau builders do.
I completely agree with the OP. Like him, I hated Terraforming Mars and while I wouldn't give Ark Nova a 10, I felt it improved a lot on many of the games it borrowed from.
It's not about the synergistic card play though (the synergies are what make these games fun). Chris has already articulated quite well the issue many people have with TMars. The synergies in Ark Nova didn't feel so conditional. However, Underwater Cities is still my favourite of these sorts of games.
@@jenshenlaw3507 conservation projects are essential and still a card synergy. No amount of agreeing with OP will change that. 🤷
There’s 3 constants in the world: death, taxes, and Wendy giving 7’s
Except when it's a 7.5 🤯
Or an 8.5 🤔
@@DTWendy
Wendy, please tell me you and Chris are doing the review for Nucleum, my tastes usually align with you two. Do you know when that review will be out?
@@mattschwenk7000 I belive I'm the only one what has played Nucleum int he office sofar. It will be reviewed, but we do not have a date for it yet. Sorry I don't have more details.
i'm pretty sure capstone will fix the board issue, this should have a TTR square box like tzolkin did vs the rectangle box.
Capstone doesn’t change this stuff, they’re just responsible for distributing it in the North American market
Tom’s internal battle!
Wendy has strange preferences man
This was a surprisingly conflicted review.
The title is a Primus reference:)
Love me some Primus
It was the perfect comic editing if after adding the point-5 at 21:26, when Tom said: ...but only if..." - you been added a smaller font 2 between the dot and the 5 to make it 8.25 after all...
And speaking of "after all", Tom said "I give it a 8.5 but only if.." - so... Another comic opportunity was to simply remove the point-5 back right after adding it.
Anyways.....
Yeah.
16:05 well said Wendy ;-)
The subtitle made me expect ships. I was confused for like half the explanation
Feel like the overall review sounded negative so strange to see such high scores.
Well, boardgaming is not exactly the type of hobby to keep your muscles pumping. As a result you become a heavy gamer 😛
Who is the Primus fan :)?
I think it's Chris Yi. Fish on!
It’s me. They can’t all be zingers.
@@michaeldilisio557 Mike "never misses" Dilisio that's what I've always called you.
My first thought when I saw the title.
Primus Sucks!
Cranio Creation has serious production issues in all of their games. The component quality is mostly cheap, cardboards are too thin, the graphic design is mostly below average (Barrage aside), miniatures (like in Anunnaki) are cheaply produced, inlays are nonexistent, cards are bad quality. It is a real shame, as the gameplay of their games is mostly solid. Not every company can produce to Mindclash or Eagle-Gryphon levels but Cranio Creation is at the moment at the opposite end of the spectrum and they really need to up their game in this respect.
Have you ever bought a game from Delicious games? Compared to their production, Cranio is amazing 😂
what are you talkin about? it's pretty decent. not everything needs to be overproduced. if you ask me, give me basic wooden cubes and spend more into gameplay design
Tom Vasel -> Tommy the cat
This is a tough one for me, and further supports why theme really does matter to me. Simone Luciani is one of my favorite designers. Golem, Tiletum, and now Nucleum. I don't care for the theme of this game at all, and combine that with an action selection wheel that, while I love all of these wheels, are SO plentiful in so many of my favorite games, Praga, Tiletum, Woodcraft, Terracotta Army, even Crown of Emara to a certain extent. So a mechanism I already have plenty of and a theme I couldn't care less about, it'll take a bit before I give this one a shot.
When they talk about their big deck love, i really wished the dice tower would be australian. 😂
You're thinking of New Zealander's or South African... Aussies pronounce it normally...
Yah you defo must be have flashbacks about the schaffer deck oil ads from NZ back in the day.
I've only played this once but that was a 6 experience to me. Game felt convoluted with that worker power mechanism. Also, I would never play with 4p again... board feels too tight for 4p and being last in turn order is a fun killer.
Agreed; I just finished a game with 4p - the downtime was... not fun
I like big decks and I cannot lie!
I can't wait to try this game! I love rats! I love how creative they are, and think this game is going to give me that satisfaction of trying to problem solve as a rat to maximize victory points in different ways. I can't say for sure, but I think this game will make me go *SQUEE!*
Shout out to all my fellow Primus enjoyers! Lets gooo
I giggled 🤭 😅 a lot
Is there any interaction in this game and in what form? I feel like this question is ignored more and more in recent reviews.
Yes, the action spaces on the wheel are limited, so if someone takes your action, you just can't take it for the rest of the round. The exploring benefits as well as placing cubes are first come first serve, and there are occastional attack cards that can be played.
Wow ❤🎉
Newton's rad. Secret of NIMH's rad. This looks pretty rad, too. Rad.
It's like watching 6 people in 3 people's cloths.
Jeezus.