Scythe is my #2 game of all time. So, naturally I was instantly interested when I heard a sequel to Scythe was being produced. I've enjoyed it a lot so far. I have only four plays (all solo) but each game has been a satisfying engine-building efficiency puzzle. The automa is super streamlined (especially compared to Scythe's) and very competitive. It took me three attempts to finally beat the Level 4 Automa. I think it's a slightly above average game that is elevated by being in the world of Scythe. The theming comes through for me mainly through Jakub's art and the fact that many of these characters and their animal companions are carried over from Scythe. Right now it sits at about a 7.5/10 with the potential to rise with expansions that I think will increase replayability and boost combo potentials. If someone is expecting this to have the epic and grand feel of Scythe, though, they will be disappointed. This is not Scythe 2.0. It is a mechanically unique standalone game set in the same world. Also, while Scythe is best at 3+ players I think Expeditions really shines in solo play and at two players. So, for 1-2 players I will reach for Expeditions and if I have 3 or more I will want to play Scythe.
Great review. Expeditions is a game I'm quite interested in, but it definitely looks to have some production issues, particularly with those mech mats as you mentioned (and as I've seen other reviewers mention too). The game's not exactly cheap either, so I'm guessing the expense comes mostly from the big chunky miniatures and they cut corners on the mats which is a real shame. It's not the first time that I've noticed Stonemaier have focused on plastic "bling" at the expense of usability and affordability. Perhaps they'll end up releasing an upgrade for the boards in the future. For now I'm still on the fence about grabbing this.
Great honest review board game buzz! This game play looks a bit intimidating for an old grandma like myself, but I love the illustrations so much I may have to give it a whirl sometime. You're a natural on camera as well, so you're fun to watch. Thanks for sharing this with us:)
Great review, Checkmate! We just added Scythe to the collection a couple weeks ago (haven't played it yet), so it may be a while before we get to this one. I do love the mech minis, though!
Good review - I agree with your dislikes. Even with the downsides, we still greatly enjoy this puzzle of a game. We keep a big magnifying glass nearby. Lol ! We also got the ironclad edition, and another dislike for us is that the silicon bases do not fit the metal mechs. 😢
I bought Expeditions and tabled it solo right after it arrived. I've played it a couple of times and am looking forward to teaching it to friends. I enjoyed the simplicity of each turn and the multiple paths to victory as well as the fact that the solo game has different levels of difficulty you can compete against. This game may also end up being a good on ramp if we end up moving on to playing Scythe. Btw, your explanation of the game was very clear and concise and your editing looks sharp. Well done!
This was a great review and I appreciated the pros and cons. I’ve only played this once, and we played it at 5 players (who were all playing for the first time), so the game was pretty long. I did end up winning in the end, which probably helps with me really liking the game haha. But this is definitely in my top 3 games that I’ve played so far this year, and I prefer this to Scythe only because it’s better for my play style. I generally like games that let you explore and you have time to think about your strategy, but every time I played Scythe (and it might have been the people I was playing with were really good at it) I just never played fast enough to get going and was never close to winning. I even taught my brother and his wife Scythe a year ago and lost to them haha. But I agree with all of the things you didn’t like about the game, and I’m glad you put it in there so people know what to expect when they get this game. The mechanics of the game are what really grab me. Exploring new hex tiles, not getting a star until the corruption has been cleared off and you go to the right hex, feeling like you’re still in the game despite how others are doing, multiple card types that you can play or tuck, and the puzzle of which ability do I block in my next turn. I like games where I’m kind of playing against myself, playing my own game, and this game kind of did that for me. Really love your content!
This is one of Josh's favorites already, but Scythe is his favorite game. For me, I am like you I enjoy the engine a lot and I love the "little" mechs, however it is still not my favorite. The text 100% needs to be bigger on the cards, and I 1000% don't want to have to pay for easier to read ones at a later date. **cough cough "Wingspan"..... Overall we think it is a really solid game mechanically and we love Stonemaier games in general, and Jamey's overall designs. Great video!
One thing's for sure with that graphic design: they definitely made it a point to feature Jakub's art very prominently. It almost feels like this has more Jakub Rozalski art than his own artbook.
Yes! Excited to hear more about this. Newer to the hobby and haven't quite been able to get into a game of scythe yet lol. This seems much more accessible
Thanks for the game overview. As a great Scythe-fan I probably get it eventually because of the Artwork. Gameplaywise, as I am - like you - predominantly a Themer (with exceptions when it comes to smart abstract games) there are so many better games out there with similar/better mechanics and/or better theme-integration.
I got the Ironclad Edition of this one and the metal minis (although they aren't very mini) are amazing. I really like the gameplay and it's an 8 for me - but I feel you on the fiddling with the player board for card tucking and power/guile management. Hopefully an expansion comes with improved solutions to this, or alternatively perhaps some third party bling-up from Etsy.
This is a very dumb comment, but assuming you have a blue Yeti of some sort, check the manual for the mic. I have the original yeti and is actually instructs you to talk into the "Front" of the mic, not the "top" like you'd think. Idk if they changed that for newer models or the mini. Bot that your audio sounds bad just my dumb pet peeve. K see TONS of people to this... lol Such a well shot video, love the BEE Roll.
Thank you so much for the tip! I will look into it! I am very new to this and each video I learn something new. I have definitely been struggling with the audio.. I will check the microphone! And if I can't get it to work I might have to get a new one! Thank you!!!
@@boardgame_buzzz audio is hard, it took me awhile to get passable at audio using gates and such to clean it up a tad haha. I just remember opening mine and them having a BIG graphic on the side saying "do this, not this" and it stuck with me haha. Your editing is already way better than anything I've ever done ☺️
@@JacobPorterLadder Oh you are so kind but I'm sure your editing is AWESOME! I will totally look into my mic and I will try to get clearer audio in future videos!! Thank you for all of your tips!!!!!
You nailed it... I am not a fan of the use of text on cards, as it is hurting the multiplayer aspect at more than 2 players depending on where you seat. Same problem with SG other title Red Rising... I am also not a fan of text to read on cards in my hand, it bogs down the pace of the game to have to read constantly, and you need to rely on memory to remember what the cards do without having to read text. It's a barrier to entry, a design flaw. The original scythe doesn't have that flaw (the objective cards have text but you only have 2 for the entire game, you read it once and that's it, easy...) I think you like Everdell which has text on cards, i had the same issue there, but i don't think it bothered you, did it? How do you explain the difference? This is probably not as good if you play with 3/4/5 players, have you considered giving different ratings in your reviews based on player count? SG insists on only publishing games for 1 to 5 players but it's becoming a marketing decision that's hurting their credibility, they should really address that IMO. On top of that, you pointed out balance issues and thematic flaws that are real concerns to me. I'm a huge fan of Scythe (fantastic game!) but this one is a pass for me.
Checkmate! Nice, is your symbol a rook? Or maybe, obviously the Queen? So what are then your like type 5 games that you just take off the shelf and want to play all the time?
Scythe is my #2 game of all time. So, naturally I was instantly interested when I heard a sequel to Scythe was being produced. I've enjoyed it a lot so far. I have only four plays (all solo) but each game has been a satisfying engine-building efficiency puzzle. The automa is super streamlined (especially compared to Scythe's) and very competitive. It took me three attempts to finally beat the Level 4 Automa.
I think it's a slightly above average game that is elevated by being in the world of Scythe. The theming comes through for me mainly through Jakub's art and the fact that many of these characters and their animal companions are carried over from Scythe. Right now it sits at about a 7.5/10 with the potential to rise with expansions that I think will increase replayability and boost combo potentials.
If someone is expecting this to have the epic and grand feel of Scythe, though, they will be disappointed. This is not Scythe 2.0. It is a mechanically unique standalone game set in the same world. Also, while Scythe is best at 3+ players I think Expeditions really shines in solo play and at two players. So, for 1-2 players I will reach for Expeditions and if I have 3 or more I will want to play Scythe.
Great review! Love this comment!
Thanks for the honest review, I had some doubt about this game and .. I'll stay with Scythe, good channel btw :)
Thank you!!!
Great review. Expeditions is a game I'm quite interested in, but it definitely looks to have some production issues, particularly with those mech mats as you mentioned (and as I've seen other reviewers mention too). The game's not exactly cheap either, so I'm guessing the expense comes mostly from the big chunky miniatures and they cut corners on the mats which is a real shame. It's not the first time that I've noticed Stonemaier have focused on plastic "bling" at the expense of usability and affordability. Perhaps they'll end up releasing an upgrade for the boards in the future. For now I'm still on the fence about grabbing this.
I love this channel! Board Game Buzzz is probably my newest favorite TH-cam channel right now. Thanks Checkmate for your awesome videos!!!
Wow, thanks! That means so much!!!!
First time viewer. I really like your relax vibe. Nice review. Good pro's and cons. Subscribed!
Thank you so much! I am so glad you liked the videos!!!!
Thanks for a good review. :)
My pleasure!
Great honest review board game buzz! This game play looks a bit intimidating for an old grandma like myself, but I love the illustrations so much I may have to give it a whirl sometime. You're a natural on camera as well, so you're fun to watch. Thanks for sharing this with us:)
Thank youuuuuu!!!!
Great review, Checkmate! We just added Scythe to the collection a couple weeks ago (haven't played it yet), so it may be a while before we get to this one. I do love the mech minis, though!
The Minis are AMAZING
Good review - I agree with your dislikes. Even with the downsides, we still greatly enjoy this puzzle of a game. We keep a big magnifying glass nearby. Lol ! We also got the ironclad edition, and another dislike for us is that the silicon bases do not fit the metal mechs. 😢
Oh bummer! I didn't know that about the metal mechs, that's unfortunate ...
I bought Expeditions and tabled it solo right after it arrived. I've played it a couple of times and am looking forward to teaching it to friends. I enjoyed the simplicity of each turn and the multiple paths to victory as well as the fact that the solo game has different levels of difficulty you can compete against. This game may also end up being a good on ramp if we end up moving on to playing Scythe. Btw, your explanation of the game was very clear and concise and your editing looks sharp. Well done!
Yay!!! I'm glad you like it!! Thank you!
This was a great review and I appreciated the pros and cons. I’ve only played this once, and we played it at 5 players (who were all playing for the first time), so the game was pretty long. I did end up winning in the end, which probably helps with me really liking the game haha.
But this is definitely in my top 3 games that I’ve played so far this year, and I prefer this to Scythe only because it’s better for my play style. I generally like games that let you explore and you have time to think about your strategy, but every time I played Scythe (and it might have been the people I was playing with were really good at it) I just never played fast enough to get going and was never close to winning. I even taught my brother and his wife Scythe a year ago and lost to them haha.
But I agree with all of the things you didn’t like about the game, and I’m glad you put it in there so people know what to expect when they get this game. The mechanics of the game are what really grab me. Exploring new hex tiles, not getting a star until the corruption has been cleared off and you go to the right hex, feeling like you’re still in the game despite how others are doing, multiple card types that you can play or tuck, and the puzzle of which ability do I block in my next turn. I like games where I’m kind of playing against myself, playing my own game, and this game kind of did that for me.
Really love your content!
Thank you so much for this comment! I loved it! I totally agree with you on lots of points!!
Thank you for the review and your channel. Really great work. Uplifting.
Glad you enjoyed it!
This is one of Josh's favorites already, but Scythe is his favorite game. For me, I am like you I enjoy the engine a lot and I love the "little" mechs, however it is still not my favorite. The text 100% needs to be bigger on the cards, and I 1000% don't want to have to pay for easier to read ones at a later date. **cough cough "Wingspan"..... Overall we think it is a really solid game mechanically and we love Stonemaier games in general, and Jamey's overall designs. Great video!
Thank you so much!!!!
One thing's for sure with that graphic design: they definitely made it a point to feature Jakub's art very prominently. It almost feels like this has more Jakub Rozalski art than his own artbook.
Yup!!!! Absolutely!
Yes! Excited to hear more about this. Newer to the hobby and haven't quite been able to get into a game of scythe yet lol. This seems much more accessible
Yea I think this is easier for newer players. I still prefer the gameplay in scythe though!
We had the same dislikes on this game. I really hope future expansions make this game much better.
I hope so too!!
Great video!! … and if you are taking “Checkmate” as your call sign, I’m taking “Crit” 😅
Love it! LOL!
Thanks for the game overview. As a great Scythe-fan I probably get it eventually because of the Artwork. Gameplaywise, as I am - like you - predominantly a Themer (with exceptions when it comes to smart abstract games) there are so many better games out there with similar/better mechanics and/or better theme-integration.
Well said!
I got the Ironclad Edition of this one and the metal minis (although they aren't very mini) are amazing. I really like the gameplay and it's an 8 for me - but I feel you on the fiddling with the player board for card tucking and power/guile management.
Hopefully an expansion comes with improved solutions to this, or alternatively perhaps some third party bling-up from Etsy.
The metal mechs look AMAZING!!!!!! And yes! I am sure Etsy will have some great upgrades for this game coming soon!!!!
This is a very dumb comment, but assuming you have a blue Yeti of some sort, check the manual for the mic. I have the original yeti and is actually instructs you to talk into the "Front" of the mic, not the "top" like you'd think. Idk if they changed that for newer models or the mini. Bot that your audio sounds bad just my dumb pet peeve. K see TONS of people to this... lol
Such a well shot video, love the BEE Roll.
Thank you so much for the tip! I will look into it! I am very new to this and each video I learn something new. I have definitely been struggling with the audio.. I will check the microphone! And if I can't get it to work I might have to get a new one! Thank you!!!
@@boardgame_buzzz audio is hard, it took me awhile to get passable at audio using gates and such to clean it up a tad haha. I just remember opening mine and them having a BIG graphic on the side saying "do this, not this" and it stuck with me haha. Your editing is already way better than anything I've ever done ☺️
@@JacobPorterLadder Oh you are so kind but I'm sure your editing is AWESOME! I will totally look into my mic and I will try to get clearer audio in future videos!! Thank you for all of your tips!!!!!
You nailed it...
I am not a fan of the use of text on cards, as it is hurting the multiplayer aspect at more than 2 players depending on where you seat. Same problem with SG other title Red Rising... I am also not a fan of text to read on cards in my hand, it bogs down the pace of the game to have to read constantly, and you need to rely on memory to remember what the cards do without having to read text. It's a barrier to entry, a design flaw. The original scythe doesn't have that flaw (the objective cards have text but you only have 2 for the entire game, you read it once and that's it, easy...)
I think you like Everdell which has text on cards, i had the same issue there, but i don't think it bothered you, did it? How do you explain the difference?
This is probably not as good if you play with 3/4/5 players, have you considered giving different ratings in your reviews based on player count? SG insists on only publishing games for 1 to 5 players but it's becoming a marketing decision that's hurting their credibility, they should really address that IMO.
On top of that, you pointed out balance issues and thematic flaws that are real concerns to me.
I'm a huge fan of Scythe (fantastic game!) but this one is a pass for me.
I can definitely read the text on the Everdell cards better, These ones were a challenge. Definitely a good game, but I had some issues with it.
Checkmate!
Nice, is your symbol a rook? Or maybe, obviously the Queen?
So what are then your like type 5 games that you just take off the shelf and want to play all the time?
I will be answering this in my Q&A video tomorrow!!!
Did you go to Gencon? Have you considered contacting other boardgame TH-camrs for a Collab to expand your viewership?
Unfortunately I couldn't go to GenCon! Hopefully next year! And yea I have been looking into that!!!
so lovely you are!
Oh thank you! You are so kind!