I like the no-BS way you explain the rules and don't dwell on things. Could have easily spent half an hour explaining but you got to the important details and moved on. Thanks.
Sounds like it could be played one after another. You first play Forbidden Island and if you succeed, move onto the desert playing along with the vibe that the helicopter you escaped the island in crashed in the desert and now you are searching for a new ride home!
This game is so hard to win at 'Novice', that because of the family setting, we house-rule it to make it easier by removing a 'sun card' from the storm deck. Otherwise the water problem just obliterates you unless you live in the tunnels and just go out and quickly return... but the nature of 'grinding' this way fits less to a family with kids.
Picked it up today on this recommendation. Managed to get my parents to play it with me, and I can just barely get my mother to play King of Tokyo. We all had an absolute blast and played it twice in a row. Still only just won the second game, and got brutally stomped the first. Both of them loved it!
This is such a fantastic game! I just got my hands on today, and played three times straight. Got crushed on my first try but was more successful in last two. The game's flavor, and theme is just out of this world. I really felt like an group of adventures stranded on desert dying of thirst, looking frantically for ancient ship parts. My only gripe with the game is that some classes are way too critical to beat the game(i.e. Navigator). I recommend this game to anyone.
When drawing and following the Sand Storm Cards..the card is to be oriented with the compass on the *bottom* of the card. I have a question regarding the set-up. Since the tiles are placed randomly into the 5x5 configuration, what if the Crash Site tile is one that receives a starting Sand Marker? Does that have an effect on the beginning of the game?
re: (Shannon Trainor) - 1 year ago - "All leacocks games just seem like the same game but different theme. What am I missing? I have and love pandemic but see no reason to buy the same game again with a different theme" This game serves as an excellent introduction for the Pandemic system and mechanics, to younger potential players. Pandemic is not too difficult, but it *is* intense, and always has a lot going on (which makes it so much fun) - but it might be a little too much for kids under eight and under. Forbidden Island serves as an excellent method for working younger players up to Pandemic, without overwhelming them. Forbidden Island is also *much* easier to win, than Pandemic - again, a bonus when bringing in younger players.
I suppose you could think of it as maybe with all the sand storms you get disoriented and just happen to think the locations are in differing locations lol.
A question about the Water Carrier - When it says the character can 'give water for free' does that mean without repercussion entirely, loss of an action or loss of water? Can he do it multiple times within a single turn? Love the game but that role confused me.
I know you posted this 4 years ago, but... All characters can give their water to other players on the same tile as them; one player's water goes down by one, the other goes up by one. It doesn't count as an action, and you can do it as many times as you want. The Water Carrier's power is that they can give water to other characters on adjacent tiles as well.
Definitely, In forbidden Island you can slack off some areas of the island and just stay and focus on one part, but here you HAVE to move around to discover where everything is, similar mechanics but a nice revamp, would definitely add this to the collection
I was hoping Tom would do his best arnie impersonation "get to the choppa!". I definately plan to pick up both this and forbidden island. Pandemic has gone down really well with everyone I have played it with and the two forbidden games look great to play with kids in my family. What amazes me is how cheap both forbidden games are, £15 each! When most games are £40 or more. Well done Matt Leacock! I look forward to your next game in the forbidden series
Surprised it graded out so high (expected it to be very good, but Tom LOVES it); I suppose this doesn't bode well for Tzolk'in since he said only one of the games being reviewed in this cycle was a must-keep...
Thanks for the review. I was on the fence about this game and Forbidden Island. I have now ordered Forbidden Desert :) I have Pandemic and really like it, but I think Forbidden Desert may be a better solo game.
I think these games have more in common with the set of "most good straight cooperative games" than they do exclusively with each other. You have a set of actions, and you have to use them to keep multiple game-losing conditions under control. I guess Leacock games all have the "You've X actions and you can repeat a specific action" and "characters with different abilities" going for them, but there are probably a dozen good games that share those.
Yeah, but he loves theme and great artwork and interesting mechanics. He loves Le Havre, for example. I expect him to like Tzolk'in a lot, but I'm not surprised at all about the love for Castle Dice and FD.
The video clearly showed us how different Forbidden Desert and Pandemic is. I think Forbidden Island is a rethemed Pandemic, but this plays and feels completely different.
I wasn't even expecting Tzolkin and thought it probably should be the Forbidden Desert, as Tom doesn't love heavy euros that much. He likes FUN :) and hard cooperative games also :)
Well, you can play another game with different roles. For example, the game has 6 roles: A, B, C, D, E and F. In my first game, everyone plays as A, B, C, D, and E. In my second game, everyone plays as B, C, D, E, and F. There are a lot of combinations you can try if you play with less people.
Looks like a fun game. Which game is easier to explain to people new to gaming? Island or desert? Which game would be easier to play with my 7 year old son?
so a two player game only controls two of the characters and their abilities, not all of them? Is the game generally made easier with more characters or less?
It balances out fairly well. Not having as many of the character abilities kinda stinks, but to balance it out, the number of storm cards you draw every turn is reduced.
I wanna like this game, but me and friends are so horrifically bad at it that it makes it difficult. I'm game for a few more tries but man, we can't even manage easy mode.
I said the same thing about Forbidden Island. It would port over nicely to a zombie game with the undead taking the place of the ever rising water. Maybe supplies need to be gathered rather than treasures...
Had this for a while now. Like Tom, I've only beaten it on Novice. Awesome game. I have Forbidden island too and will keep both. Unlike Tom I like how I can show off the tins on my gaming shelves...
I would say it is not just a rethemed game again and again, but an evolution of the same mechanisms, a next step. This has some different and new features (finding the parts with X and Y is looking cool). Probably in a few years we will see even more improved Forbidden Project X (in space maybe?:)) with some new things, but same 4 actions per turn and same roles with abilities (they do look same in all games). Matt should move on to something new already, i think.
Forbidden Island has gotten a little bit stale, but this looks like the next step - keeping the same theme and feel but going to a higher level of depth. Awesome review, thanks.
All leacocks games just seem like the same game but different theme. What am I missing? I have and love pandemic but see no reason to buy the same game again with a different theme
I like the no-BS way you explain the rules and don't dwell on things. Could have easily spent half an hour explaining but you got to the important details and moved on. Thanks.
I love your reviews Tom and Melody! God bless your wonderful family.
Sounds like it could be played one after another. You first play Forbidden Island and if you succeed, move onto the desert playing along with the vibe that the helicopter you escaped the island in crashed in the desert and now you are searching for a new ride home!
I love it when Melody gives Tom the "you're talking crap" look. She does it in so many videos. :-)
This game is so hard to win at 'Novice', that because of the family setting, we house-rule it to make it easier by removing a 'sun card' from the storm deck. Otherwise the water problem just obliterates you unless you live in the tunnels and just go out and quickly return... but the nature of 'grinding' this way fits less to a family with kids.
Picked it up today on this recommendation. Managed to get my parents to play it with me, and I can just barely get my mother to play King of Tokyo. We all had an absolute blast and played it twice in a row. Still only just won the second game, and got brutally stomped the first. Both of them loved it!
new to recent board games. This helps my over whelming feeling in making a choice. Will my basement start looking like this?
Well, does it? :)
Which one would you prefer between this and Forbidden Island?
This is such a fantastic game! I just got my hands on today, and played three times straight. Got crushed on my first try but was more successful in last two. The game's flavor, and theme is just out of this world. I really felt like an group of adventures stranded on desert dying of thirst, looking frantically for ancient ship parts. My only gripe with the game is that some classes are way too critical to beat the game(i.e. Navigator). I recommend this game to anyone.
Haha. I just caught that Tom said the Climber got buried in his example. The Climber is the only character that cannot be buried in the game.
When drawing and following the Sand Storm Cards..the card is to be oriented with the compass on the *bottom* of the card. I have a question regarding the set-up. Since the tiles are placed randomly into the 5x5 configuration, what if the Crash Site tile is one that receives a starting Sand Marker? Does that have an effect on the beginning of the game?
Greg Heilers nope, since initial sand is still passable
Glad to hear you liked this game Tom. My family and I love Forbidden Island and can't wait to play this game.
What was the cool music used, during the component drop?
Awesome. It was already on our Wishlist, I am pretty sure we are getting this as soon as it is available.
Can't wait to play this. I'm glad it doesn't look like a re-skinned copy of Forbidden Island.
re: (Shannon Trainor) - 1 year ago - "All leacocks games just seem like the same game but different theme. What am I missing? I have and love pandemic but see no reason to buy the same game again with a different theme"
This game serves as an excellent introduction for the Pandemic system and mechanics, to younger potential players. Pandemic is not too difficult, but it *is* intense, and always has a lot going on (which makes it so much fun) - but it might be a little too much for kids under eight and under. Forbidden Island serves as an excellent method for working younger players up to Pandemic, without overwhelming them. Forbidden Island is also *much* easier to win, than Pandemic - again, a bonus when bringing in younger players.
Great review per usual. It's nice to see Melody involved and she seems to be getting better with reviews in her own right!
This is a pick up for me!
So the wind is so strong it literally moves the locations around?
I suppose you could think of it as maybe with all the sand storms you get disoriented and just happen to think the locations are in differing locations lol.
All you need to get the airship to work is the floating stone.
I have been looking for a game for a strategy game club in my classroom. I may have found my first one! Thanks tom and Melody!
A question about the Water Carrier - When it says the character can 'give water for free' does that mean without repercussion entirely, loss of an action or loss of water? Can he do it multiple times within a single turn? Love the game but that role confused me.
I know you posted this 4 years ago, but...
All characters can give their water to other players on the same tile as them; one player's water goes down by one, the other goes up by one. It doesn't count as an action, and you can do it as many times as you want.
The Water Carrier's power is that they can give water to other characters on adjacent tiles as well.
I expected a repackaged version of Forbidden Island, which I love. I am happy that it's so very different.
Great review. Going on my shelf.
More forbidden games plz. Don't care of the haters lealock keep up the good work
Definitely, In forbidden Island you can slack off some areas of the island and just stay and focus on one part, but here you HAVE to move around to discover where everything is, similar mechanics but a nice revamp, would definitely add this to the collection
I was hoping Tom would do his best arnie impersonation "get to the choppa!". I definately plan to pick up both this and forbidden island. Pandemic has gone down really well with everyone I have played it with and the two forbidden games look great to play with kids in my family. What amazes me is how cheap both forbidden games are, £15 each! When most games are £40 or more. Well done Matt Leacock! I look forward to your next game in the forbidden series
Surprised it graded out so high (expected it to be very good, but Tom LOVES it); I suppose this doesn't bode well for Tzolk'in since he said only one of the games being reviewed in this cycle was a must-keep...
Thanks for the review. I was on the fence about this game and Forbidden Island. I have now ordered Forbidden Desert :) I have Pandemic and really like it, but I think Forbidden Desert may be a better solo game.
6:15 - compass should go at the bottom:
I think these games have more in common with the set of "most good straight cooperative games" than they do exclusively with each other. You have a set of actions, and you have to use them to keep multiple game-losing conditions under control. I guess Leacock games all have the "You've X actions and you can repeat a specific action" and "characters with different abilities" going for them, but there are probably a dozen good games that share those.
Yeah, but he loves theme and great artwork and interesting mechanics. He loves Le Havre, for example. I expect him to like Tzolk'in a lot, but I'm not surprised at all about the love for Castle Dice and FD.
I REALLY LIKE FORBIDDEN ISLAND, THIS SEEMS SO MUCH BETTER THOUGH. GRANTED, IT SEEMS LIKE THERE IS A HUGE DIFFICULTY LEAP.
The video clearly showed us how different Forbidden Desert and Pandemic is. I think Forbidden Island is a rethemed Pandemic, but this plays and feels completely different.
I wasn't even expecting Tzolkin and thought it probably should be the Forbidden Desert, as Tom doesn't love heavy euros that much. He likes FUN :) and hard cooperative games also :)
Well, you can play another game with different roles. For example, the game has 6 roles: A, B, C, D, E and F. In my first game, everyone plays as A, B, C, D, and E. In my second game, everyone plays as B, C, D, E, and F. There are a lot of combinations you can try if you play with less people.
Looks like a fun game. Which game is easier to explain to people new to gaming? Island or desert? Which game would be easier to play with my 7 year old son?
Island.
so a two player game only controls two of the characters and their abilities, not all of them? Is the game generally made easier with more characters or less?
It balances out fairly well. Not having as many of the character abilities kinda stinks, but to balance it out, the number of storm cards you draw every turn is reduced.
I wanna like this game, but me and friends are so horrifically bad at it that it makes it difficult. I'm game for a few more tries but man, we can't even manage easy mode.
6;15 Wrong! the compass rose goes at the bottom of the card, not the top per the rules.
I would love to see them make a zombie version of this
play pandemic and pretend all of the viruses are the zombie virus. Tada.
I said the same thing about Forbidden Island. It would port over nicely to a zombie game with the undead taking the place of the ever rising water. Maybe supplies need to be gathered rather than treasures...
But they had to go and make Forbidden Sky.. which looks bad :(
Had this for a while now. Like Tom, I've only beaten it on Novice. Awesome game. I have Forbidden island too and will keep both. Unlike Tom I like how I can show off the tins on my gaming shelves...
Looks really fun game. Thanks for the review.
Thanks for the review.
9:05 ... did they spell archaeologist incorrectly?
Nowadays the components would be rated as standard. Back in 2013 this art and other stuff could impress though
Nice review, please do more top ten....please
Would you recommend this for a 7 year old?
I would say it is not just a rethemed game again and again, but an evolution of the same mechanisms, a next step. This has some different and new features (finding the parts with X and Y is looking cool). Probably in a few years we will see even more improved Forbidden Project X (in space maybe?:)) with some new things, but same 4 actions per turn and same roles with abilities (they do look same in all games). Matt should move on to something new already, i think.
On the lower right corner it look like someone opening a door LOL
Forbidden Island has gotten a little bit stale, but this looks like the next step - keeping the same theme and feel but going to a higher level of depth. Awesome review, thanks.
climber can move through any sand i believe
Perhaps it's about the time needed to play, and the learning curve?
An especially slow components drop for the haters n_n
I can play forbidden island with my 4 year old and have fun and win. Is this game to hard?
I did and I did.
You would really have to play them all to be able to say that.
is that not the ego draconis air ship ? lol
Forbidden Island grew stale fast (especially after graduating to Pandemic w/ expansion)...how is the longevity with this one?
why does it say players 2-5 but there are 6 player pieces and 6 character cards?
Variety. Forbidden Island is for 2-4 players, and even there you have six characters.
TOM: Read the rules before you review a game, please
Feels like the same games three times.
I like the review but the game is simply rehashed Forbidden Island. Leacock designed only one game and rehashed it like twenty times already.
He can cheat and say Melody is keeping it.
Is that your wife? Nice to see her finally. I know you two have kids
All leacocks games just seem like the same game but different theme. What am I missing? I have and love pandemic but see no reason to buy the same game again with a different theme