Somehow, Alient Frontiers as always eluded me as a game, so I can't reflect from personal experience. But I can reflect on the format of your videos, which I think are absolutely excellent.The structure, pacing and length are ideally judged to allow enough time to break down these games, reflect upon their strengths and weaknesses and offer a final opinion. And, of course, the delivery is priceless. I hope this channel will continue to garner greater popularity as I consider you among my go-to reviewers for board games and appreciate that these reviews are not merely based on the latest and greatest new released, but take the time to go back catalogue for those older titles that many of us still have or want in our collections. Additionally, I appreciate the time and hard work that must go into each of these reviews (probably far more than I truly grasp).
I ended up getting this game and literally everything on ebay together. It even has the Outer Belt expansion which they didn't reprint with the newest edition. I tried out the base game and it's simple and well-designed - feels like a classic. I think for it to really shine though it needs the factions.
I have the Big Box edition of this game, and every expansion and promo is in there, and I love it. I actually like the race aspect and I haven’t found that the person who starts is the person who wins consistently. Although one could easily have a house rule that there are equal turns, and that wouldn’t change the game much at all. Just have some first player token in use. I like Factions, too, although I have rarely used them because I’m always teaching the game and so I don’t want to introduce them to first timers. This is a game I definitely would play more.
Love your reviews! I've been watching them recently and always find your game explanations to be a great help in considering games. I'm impressed by how succinct you're able to make them!
Hello sir...I started following you not long ago, and I really enjoy your videos. Your informative format is very easy to follow, and you seem to give a genuine perspective that is from the heart. Though I know you play a "character" in your openings, you seem like a really neat guy with a wealth of knowledge. Thank you for helping while I start into this new hobby of board gaming ❤ 🙏
Got this one for future son in law(2 postponed weddings-bloody virus) for Xmas before last and still haven't been able to play it because yes you quessed it bloody virus....hopefully one day life as we know it will return,won't hold my breath though.........i will send him the link to this.
Still my favorite dice placement game, especially with the Factions expansion, which adds some hidden scoring into the mix. As for the end-game condition, that rule is indeed terrible, but can easily be house-ruled out, i.e. after a player places their final colony all remaining players in the turn order get a final turn. Also agreed re: the time demands; even the manuals for the expansions warn against high player counts. Well, just drop the # of colonies per player down from 9 to 6 or 7 and it'll take @90 mins for 4 players, which is just fine.
Good review. I´ve never played Alien frontiers but is now considering getting it. I already own Pulsar 2849... If you have played Pulsar 2849, how does this compare? Are they different enough so you should own both? Or is Pulsar 2849 similar but with a larger bowl of point salad and less player interaction?
The factions expansion adds faction specific abilities and few extra cards with zero extra complexity. We never play without it so I’d recommend that too.
@@BoardGameBollocks Been watching a few other reviews now and a few others says the same thing, that the factions expansion makes the game even better abd is essential. A bit expensive but sounds like it worth it. Like when you start assymetricly and get an advantage in a certain kind of strategy or way to win the game. Factions are always a good add on. Or as you said in the review of Adrenaline, that it would be more interesting if the characters had different special abilities.
@@BoardGameBollocks Bought and played the game yesterday. Really enjoyed it and what you said about Frontiers and Pulsar is true, totally agrre. Ordered the expansion as well. Thanks for inspiring me to buy this game and happy weekend
Well it is a worker-placement, area-control Euro game, right. So that’s me out of here, yes? Actually I am less scornful of AF than, for example, the bollox that is Rococo. I wouldn’t buy it or choose it, but if pressed I would participate without screaming. It has simplicity, is fairly thematic and player-interaction almost a throwback to the German games of the last century. It does hold a historic badge of infamy, though as it launched the board game Kickstarter market, source of as many steaming piles as the Euro game designers and that is saying a lot.
I had no idea this was a KS game originally...surprising considering how KS has almost destroyed the industry by making it collapse into its own soiled arsehole.
Really appreciate the production of this video. Top notch!
Somehow, Alient Frontiers as always eluded me as a game, so I can't reflect from personal experience. But I can reflect on the format of your videos, which I think are absolutely excellent.The structure, pacing and length are ideally judged to allow enough time to break down these games, reflect upon their strengths and weaknesses and offer a final opinion. And, of course, the delivery is priceless. I hope this channel will continue to garner greater popularity as I consider you among my go-to reviewers for board games and appreciate that these reviews are not merely based on the latest and greatest new released, but take the time to go back catalogue for those older titles that many of us still have or want in our collections. Additionally, I appreciate the time and hard work that must go into each of these reviews (probably far more than I truly grasp).
Thanks for the detailed feedback mate. Always trying to improve this stuff...👍🏻
I ended up getting this game and literally everything on ebay together. It even has the Outer Belt expansion which they didn't reprint with the newest edition. I tried out the base game and it's simple and well-designed - feels like a classic. I think for it to really shine though it needs the factions.
I have the Big Box edition of this game, and every expansion and promo is in there, and I love it. I actually like the race aspect and I haven’t found that the person who starts is the person who wins consistently. Although one could easily have a house rule that there are equal turns, and that wouldn’t change the game much at all. Just have some first player token in use.
I like Factions, too, although I have rarely used them because I’m always teaching the game and so I don’t want to introduce them to first timers. This is a game I definitely would play more.
3:30 Nice sound effects :) Like the editing in your videos, you do a nice job!
Cheers geez 👍🏻
Love your reviews! I've been watching them recently and always find your game explanations to be a great help in considering games. I'm impressed by how succinct you're able to make them!
Cheers josh...succinct is a nice way of putting it. Me being a simpleton is prob why that’s the case.
Hello sir...I started following you not long ago, and I really enjoy your videos. Your informative format is very easy to follow, and you seem to give a genuine perspective that is from the heart. Though I know you play a "character" in your openings, you seem like a really neat guy with a wealth of knowledge. Thank you for helping while I start into this new hobby of board gaming ❤ 🙏
You’re welcome mate...the character is me from 25 years ago.
I love this guy and how he interacts with the audience
Got this one for future son in law(2 postponed weddings-bloody virus) for Xmas before last and still haven't been able to play it because yes you quessed it bloody virus....hopefully one day life as we know it will return,won't hold my breath though.........i will send him the link to this.
That’s a shame. It’s a great game 👍🏻
Still my favorite dice placement game, especially with the Factions expansion, which adds some hidden scoring into the mix. As for the end-game condition, that rule is indeed terrible, but can easily be house-ruled out, i.e. after a player places their final colony all remaining players in the turn order get a final turn. Also agreed re: the time demands; even the manuals for the expansions warn against high player counts. Well, just drop the # of colonies per player down from 9 to 6 or 7 and it'll take @90 mins for 4 players, which is just fine.
Greetings from Oz! Great overview. I really like your format.
Cheers mate...how’s the wizard getting on?
Thanks for the recommendation. Cheers.
Good review. I´ve never played Alien frontiers but is now considering getting it. I already own Pulsar 2849... If you have played Pulsar 2849, how does this compare? Are they different enough so you should own both? Or is Pulsar 2849 similar but with a larger bowl of point salad and less player interaction?
Pulsar is a bit more complex. I like both and they’re different enough to own each one imo.
Will probably get the game then. Cheers
The factions expansion adds faction specific abilities and few extra cards with zero extra complexity. We never play without it so I’d recommend that too.
@@BoardGameBollocks Been watching a few other reviews now and a few others says the same thing, that the factions expansion makes the game even better abd is essential. A bit expensive but sounds like it worth it. Like when you start assymetricly and get an advantage in a certain kind of strategy or way to win the game. Factions are always a good add on. Or as you said in the review of Adrenaline, that it would be more interesting if the characters had different special abilities.
@@BoardGameBollocks Bought and played the game yesterday. Really enjoyed it and what you said about Frontiers and Pulsar is true, totally agrre. Ordered the expansion as well. Thanks for inspiring me to buy this game and happy weekend
Does house ruling in an extra turn at the end for all other plays (to even out everything) break the game in anyway?
I dunno mate. I haven’t had the authority to try it as my wife usually wins because of the extra turn.
Still a favourite dice chucker. Enjoyed as much for carding around with the tech card effects as anything else.
Simple, old school game. Great stuff
@@BoardGameBollocks I'd go as far as to say it's the dogs. :)
👍🏻
😁 first time I’ve heard clagnuts come up in a board game review. My girlfriend calls them clinkers. Nice review, not heard of this one.
First time for everything I suppose...🤷
Well it is a worker-placement, area-control Euro game, right. So that’s me out of here, yes?
Actually I am less scornful of AF than, for example, the bollox that is Rococo. I wouldn’t buy it or choose it, but if pressed I would participate without screaming. It has simplicity, is fairly thematic and player-interaction almost a throwback to the German games of the last century.
It does hold a historic badge of infamy, though as it launched the board game Kickstarter market, source of as many steaming piles as the Euro game designers and that is saying a lot.
I had no idea this was a KS game originally...surprising considering how KS has almost destroyed the industry by making it collapse into its own soiled arsehole.
I love this game! Great review about this game. 🙂👍
great production values
Filmed on a Nokia 3210
Love it as ever, nice work
Cheers bruv 👍🏻
broke my rule and got this one with expansions on ebay.
Did you get the factions expansion?
@@BoardGameBollocks yes. It came with almost all the expansions. More than I will probably end up using.
Nice 👍🏻
@@BoardGameBollocks do you often play with the faction expansion boards or just the extra cards?
Depends who I’m playing with. My wife prefers just the base game with nothing added. Factions is a great expansion and adds a lot of variety.
Nice one geezer 👌