I’ve watched many reviews of Race For The Galaxy and this, by far, is my favorite. There is no other quickly played game that gives you feelings of pressure, excitement, relief, and exhaustion to this level and you explained that very well. And it’s definitely a multi-player game once you break into a higher level of play. I’m always looking at my opponents’ tableaus. In other reviews, there’s too much bellyaching about the iconography. In Race, the mechanics teach the iconography, not the other way around, so that has to come first. Once you understand the mechanics of the game, the iconography is totally intuitive. I’m trying to get my brother into this game and though he’s very intelligent and loves strategy games, he’s quite intimidated and not sure the reward will be worth the steep learning curve. Sending him this review to push him over the edge to giving it a shot.
Glad you liked it and hope your brother at least gives it a try! Maybe in 2007 the iconography was kind of a shock compared to other games that came out around the same time, but I really don't think it is anything notably complex compared to a lot of modern games. Hope he likes it for your sake haha! -Ryan
I started playing Race with my girlfriend recently and we both really like it. It took us a year to finally just sit down, read the rules and play a few times but after we did that, it becomes such a rewarding experience. Very fun, very replayable and really great for two people who are competitive. We both play for blood so it's a game that really brings out that competitive spirit. We played only 3 or 4 times before switching to the advance version and in my view it's the best version. Really brings in even more strategy and speeds up the game. Military strategy plus double settle if you get the right cards is just a killer. It's a really wonderful game.
That is awesome! It really is a game that gets better and better the more you dive into it. I think Ryan and I would both agree that the advanced version is better. We just never realized it was even an option after 300+ plays 😂 -Daniel
Just came across this channel and absolutely LOVING the structure, insight, and transparency of your reviews. Cheering your channel on, for sure! As a side note, RftG is definitely my favorite game of all time, and I loved everything you had to say here. It’s a masterpiece of design!
Appreciate the support! 🙏 And no doubt, Race for the Galaxy is a special design that people shouldn't overlook just because it is 15+ years old at this point. -Ryan
Great format! I too have over 300 plays at 2 player only - but I have have only ever played with the 2 player advanced rules. It's great if you can get just the right production worlds with consume powers early on and then just force a quick win by consuming x2VP and producing your way to victory over a few turns, especially if your opponent has got out of the gate quickly with a decent military setup and a smug look on their face! So satisfying! 😂 I guess it's a testament to just how good this game is that you guys have had an equally great time with this game whilst playing the standard rules. There's definitely an endless amount of depth to RftG (there are people on BGG with 10k plays....)and I'm sure it'll be one of my favourites for ever. Subbed
Race is one of the few games that I can have played 300+ times and still not feel like I am in the tier of really experienced players. 😂 But totally agree, after so many plays, it is clear my opinion on it isn't going to change -- such a satisfying experience of engine-building and hand management in such a short playing time. -Ryan
Nice video guys!!! I love RftG and I want to ask you which is the best expansion to buy focusing on extend the deck and variety on it. I just don't care about the different mods, I just want more cards to add variability to the core game. Thanks and cheers from Argentina!! 😊
Hey! 👋 We have only played the original cycle of expansions which is now sold together as "Expansion and Brinkmanship", and we think that is an excellent option! We would just recommend phasing it in an expansion at a time and never bothering with the takeover rules. That said, I know others feel that the game is better and more balanced with some of the newer separate expansion cycles, so it might not hurt to research which is best for you. But from all of our playing, we can definitely highly recommend that first expansion cycle. 👍 -Ryan
Nice video! I am interested in this game for solo. Would I need to buy that new expansion that combines the first 3 expansions? Could you talk more about the expansions in another video? Subscribed.
Hey, glad you enjoyed it! It looks like they do package the first 3 expansions into a single "Expansion and Brinkmanship" expansion now, that will give you everything you need for solo and more! Really great value for getting all 3 expansions too. I'm not sure we will make a separate video for the expansions, but the short answer is if you like the base game, we highly recommend those 3 expansions to give you more variability and strategic options. 👍 -Ryan
So many games over a decade old that hold up and more new people to the hobby should check out. Agricola, Twilight Struggle, Ticket to Ride, and Tichu are some other oldies that have really held up for us. -Ryan
300 plays for a game only rated 8.5 or 9 out of 10? I need to find your 10s.... 😊 I have now also ~300 games of it, most in boardgamearena and absolutely love it
Haha our 10s are indeed pretty rare, but Race also benefited a lot from being one of the first games we owned back when we both lived with our parents and we had TONS of time to play games together. -Ryan
@@RollsInTheFamily I think it is one of these brilliant games which are relatively simple in the rule set but provide of much deep that you can explore them in countless sessions. At least in boardgamearena it seems to stand out, I see people there with > 30 000 (amazing isn't it) plays.
Yeah it's incredible some of the play counts that people rack up on BGA... 😵💫 But I totally agree, Race is a classic that truly never gets old and packs so much punch into a short playing time. -Ryan
Nice. Do you have thoughts on Xeno Invasion? I notice a lot of people who have collected various past expansions have an aversion to Xeno Invasion, as it removed all past expansions in its inclusion.
Haven't tried it! It's hard after so many games with the original arc of expansions to want to get one that would require cutting back the variability when that is one of our favorite aspects... I have heard good things about it though. -Ryan
This is a great game, but I find it immensely frustrating. I understand how to play, but I don't understand how to win. No matter what route I take, there's always another player who's able to work more efficiently.
Yeah there is a lot of room to get good at this game (I know I'm nowhere near players that really play competitively haha) and so it can be less fun if players aren't playing at a similar level. Maybe worth exploring some strategy guides or seeing if there are less competitive groups you could play with? 🤷♂️ -Ryan
I can’t recommend getting the electronic version of the game enough. I was determined to get good at this game and after a couple frustrating live play throughs with friends, decided to see if I could use the e-game to get better. I played the Easy AI first until I dominated every game, then ramped up to Medium AI. Immediately, I could see a strategy shift from the computer. After some time playing with different strategies, I decided to take on the Hard AI and the game completely changed for me, in a good way. The “things finally clicking” feeling was the most intense in any game I’ve played. Hard AI focuses on the VP Chip Pool and not so much on completing the tableau. It also focuses on Phase selection so as not to benefit your opponent. This was a revelation and I owe my newfound expertise and the fact that I’ve gotten REALLY good REALLY quickly, to that decision to purchase the online version. I don’t always beat Hard AI (and that’s a good thing) but now I’m almost always competitive. And a bonus, since it plays following the designer’s guidance, all rules and procedures that a home game may not make clear are laid bare by the e-game.
@@RollsInTheFamily there is some stiff competition there. There are folks on there with 5x as many plays as I have. I was ranked in the top 20 for about three years, but I don't play much there anymore. Let me know if you'd like to hit me up for a game on there.
@@ericcouch Yeah despite our in-person play counts, I suspect we are still pretty casual players on the spectrum of competitive Race haha. Nice to have the opportunity to occasionally play each other now that we live in different states though. -Ryan
🛒 Check out Race for the Galaxy for yourself: amzn.to/3yCuQFM
I’ve watched many reviews of Race For The Galaxy and this, by far, is my favorite. There is no other quickly played game that gives you feelings of pressure, excitement, relief, and exhaustion to this level and you explained that very well. And it’s definitely a multi-player game once you break into a higher level of play. I’m always looking at my opponents’ tableaus. In other reviews, there’s too much bellyaching about the iconography. In Race, the mechanics teach the iconography, not the other way around, so that has to come first. Once you understand the mechanics of the game, the iconography is totally intuitive. I’m trying to get my brother into this game and though he’s very intelligent and loves strategy games, he’s quite intimidated and not sure the reward will be worth the steep learning curve. Sending him this review to push him over the edge to giving it a shot.
Glad you liked it and hope your brother at least gives it a try! Maybe in 2007 the iconography was kind of a shock compared to other games that came out around the same time, but I really don't think it is anything notably complex compared to a lot of modern games. Hope he likes it for your sake haha! -Ryan
I started playing Race with my girlfriend recently and we both really like it. It took us a year to finally just sit down, read the rules and play a few times but after we did that, it becomes such a rewarding experience. Very fun, very replayable and really great for two people who are competitive. We both play for blood so it's a game that really brings out that competitive spirit.
We played only 3 or 4 times before switching to the advance version and in my view it's the best version. Really brings in even more strategy and speeds up the game. Military strategy plus double settle if you get the right cards is just a killer. It's a really wonderful game.
That is awesome! It really is a game that gets better and better the more you dive into it. I think Ryan and I would both agree that the advanced version is better. We just never realized it was even an option after 300+ plays 😂 -Daniel
Just came across this channel and absolutely LOVING the structure, insight, and transparency of your reviews. Cheering your channel on, for sure!
As a side note, RftG is definitely my favorite game of all time, and I loved everything you had to say here. It’s a masterpiece of design!
Appreciate the support! 🙏 And no doubt, Race for the Galaxy is a special design that people shouldn't overlook just because it is 15+ years old at this point. -Ryan
Great format! I too have over 300 plays at 2 player only - but I have have only ever played with the 2 player advanced rules. It's great if you can get just the right production worlds with consume powers early on and then just force a quick win by consuming x2VP and producing your way to victory over a few turns, especially if your opponent has got out of the gate quickly with a decent military setup and a smug look on their face! So satisfying! 😂
I guess it's a testament to just how good this game is that you guys have had an equally great time with this game whilst playing the standard rules. There's definitely an endless amount of depth to RftG (there are people on BGG with 10k plays....)and I'm sure it'll be one of my favourites for ever.
Subbed
Race is one of the few games that I can have played 300+ times and still not feel like I am in the tier of really experienced players. 😂 But totally agree, after so many plays, it is clear my opinion on it isn't going to change -- such a satisfying experience of engine-building and hand management in such a short playing time. -Ryan
Nice video guys!!! I love RftG and I want to ask you which is the best expansion to buy focusing on extend the deck and variety on it. I just don't care about the different mods, I just want more cards to add variability to the core game. Thanks and cheers from Argentina!! 😊
Hey! 👋 We have only played the original cycle of expansions which is now sold together as "Expansion and Brinkmanship", and we think that is an excellent option! We would just recommend phasing it in an expansion at a time and never bothering with the takeover rules.
That said, I know others feel that the game is better and more balanced with some of the newer separate expansion cycles, so it might not hurt to research which is best for you. But from all of our playing, we can definitely highly recommend that first expansion cycle. 👍
-Ryan
Nice review! It’s my most played boardgame app (could not make my friends like it too much)
Thanks! Ryan and I just played it a couple more times on BGA last night. I don’t think we’ll ever grow tired of this one! -Daniel
Nice video! I am interested in this game for solo. Would I need to buy that new expansion that combines the first 3 expansions? Could you talk more about the expansions in another video? Subscribed.
Hey, glad you enjoyed it! It looks like they do package the first 3 expansions into a single "Expansion and Brinkmanship" expansion now, that will give you everything you need for solo and more! Really great value for getting all 3 expansions too. I'm not sure we will make a separate video for the expansions, but the short answer is if you like the base game, we highly recommend those 3 expansions to give you more variability and strategic options. 👍 -Ryan
Yes, Race for the Galaxy is a very fine game. One of the few games like Catan, that I keep in stock on the shelves after ten years.
So many games over a decade old that hold up and more new people to the hobby should check out. Agricola, Twilight Struggle, Ticket to Ride, and Tichu are some other oldies that have really held up for us. -Ryan
300 plays for a game only rated 8.5 or 9 out of 10? I need to find your 10s.... 😊 I have now also ~300 games of it, most in boardgamearena and absolutely love it
Haha our 10s are indeed pretty rare, but Race also benefited a lot from being one of the first games we owned back when we both lived with our parents and we had TONS of time to play games together. -Ryan
@@RollsInTheFamily I think it is one of these brilliant games which are relatively simple in the rule set but provide of much deep that you can explore them in countless sessions. At least in boardgamearena it seems to stand out, I see people there with > 30 000 (amazing isn't it) plays.
Yeah it's incredible some of the play counts that people rack up on BGA... 😵💫 But I totally agree, Race is a classic that truly never gets old and packs so much punch into a short playing time. -Ryan
Nice. Do you have thoughts on Xeno Invasion? I notice a lot of people who have collected various past expansions have an aversion to Xeno Invasion, as it removed all past expansions in its inclusion.
Haven't tried it! It's hard after so many games with the original arc of expansions to want to get one that would require cutting back the variability when that is one of our favorite aspects... I have heard good things about it though. -Ryan
This is a great game, but I find it immensely frustrating. I understand how to play, but I don't understand how to win. No matter what route I take, there's always another player who's able to work more efficiently.
Yeah there is a lot of room to get good at this game (I know I'm nowhere near players that really play competitively haha) and so it can be less fun if players aren't playing at a similar level. Maybe worth exploring some strategy guides or seeing if there are less competitive groups you could play with? 🤷♂️ -Ryan
I can’t recommend getting the electronic version of the game enough. I was determined to get good at this game and after a couple frustrating live play throughs with friends, decided to see if I could use the e-game to get better. I played the Easy AI first until I dominated every game, then ramped up to Medium AI. Immediately, I could see a strategy shift from the computer. After some time playing with different strategies, I decided to take on the Hard AI and the game completely changed for me, in a good way. The “things finally clicking” feeling was the most intense in any game I’ve played. Hard AI focuses on the VP Chip Pool and not so much on completing the tableau. It also focuses on Phase selection so as not to benefit your opponent. This was a revelation and I owe my newfound expertise and the fact that I’ve gotten REALLY good REALLY quickly, to that decision to purchase the online version. I don’t always beat Hard AI (and that’s a good thing) but now I’m almost always competitive. And a bonus, since it plays following the designer’s guidance, all rules and procedures that a home game may not make clear are laid bare by the e-game.
300+ plays. pffft. I have over 10k plays on BGA.
Both Ryan and I just started playing it together on BGA as well…our plays might start shooting up even more now 😂 -Daniel
@@RollsInTheFamily there is some stiff competition there. There are folks on there with 5x as many plays as I have. I was ranked in the top 20 for about three years, but I don't play much there anymore. Let me know if you'd like to hit me up for a game on there.
@@ericcouch Yeah despite our in-person play counts, I suspect we are still pretty casual players on the spectrum of competitive Race haha. Nice to have the opportunity to occasionally play each other now that we live in different states though. -Ryan