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Episode 18: The games of 2017 face-off
32 Plays11 days ago
Steve and Shane are at it again as they compare 10 games from 2017.
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Transcript
Introduction and Agenda
00:00:13
Speaker
Hey, hey, and welcome to Mate Let's Play. Once again, joined by Shane, joined by Shane, joined by Shane. How are you doing, Shane? Oh, I'm enjoying and by joining.
00:00:23
Speaker
It's good morning. it's ah It is 8 o'clock in the morning, mate, and, you know, give yourself some credit there. got We're going to be a bit sloppy every now and then. It's nothing like a quality intro to kick off the show, that's for sure.
State of Board Games in 2017
00:00:37
Speaker
One day we'll have one. oh No, not. So, um A little bit of ah an agenda check before we get started. So today we are revisiting who won the 2016 Board Game Championships and we'll go again for 2017. And before we get to it, what a year 2017 was. Holy moly.
00:00:56
Speaker
ah all 2017 was a great year for games, but also, too, probably one of the worst years for games. So I've been playing that. That's an interesting conversation.
00:01:08
Speaker
I have to admit, there's ah's very top-heavy. like there's ah There's a couple of games, and I'm like, wow, there's some big hitters. And then it really does peter out fast. We'll talk about that later. But anyway. It does. don't know. don't we talk about games from 2017? How about we talk about games from the last week or so, as far as what we've been playing now?
Solo Variant of 'Distilled'
00:01:27
Speaker
A little birdie tells me it probably a smart idea that I go first here. It's definitely a very smart idea you go first. Otherwise, this going to be a very short episode. Well, I have got a game back to the table, which um is is kind of a bizarre one, because I really want to learn Lucia.
00:01:46
Speaker
And um I haven't given myself the time to sit down and actually go through all the rules. And, um you know, i I know that it's a game that I'm going to have to know inside out and back to front before I can play it with Helen. So I can answer any of her questions because it's a big, she doesn't necessarily like those bigger, longer games.
00:02:06
Speaker
ah But I've been thinking about it and then I'm like, you know what? I just feel like playing Distilled. So ah got Distilled out and for the first time I tried it solo, Variant. And I'm not sure if you've ever played the solo variant of Distilled, have you?
00:02:19
Speaker
I've played Distilled. It's great. it's It's one of those perfect solo variants where it actually doesn't cost you any downtime. Okay. sorry if you're not familiar with distilled, it's a game about making spirits and you're essentially collecting the ingredients you need, adding alcohol, mixing it all together, and you take out what they call the angel share, which is the top of the barrel and the bottom of the barrel because you never bottle the top of the barrel and you never bottle the bottom.
00:02:49
Speaker
I don't know enough about distilling to know if that's accurate not, but apparently it is. And to signify that, you shuffle all your alcohol and um ah fruits and flavours together and you take off the top card and the bottom card and what's left is what's in your spirit.
00:03:04
Speaker
And if you do it well, you'll make a nice spirit. If you do it paul you'll make moonshine or vodka. And you're trying to build those up while also achieving goals or, um you know, collecting bottles that you um ship them out in, etc. So there's a that's space that's ah very brief overview of the game.
00:03:21
Speaker
However, um the solo game what it does is it gets rid of the um you know how and you've played distilled right i think we played a yeah yeah played a few we've played a few times yeah um so it gets rid of the goals and the um awards But it basically what it does is it basically takes those goals, the goals and rewards and turns it into this like pyramid where you've got like a really easy achievable um two options on the bottom and then three blind options that you can't see until you've achieved one of the ones on the bottom.
00:03:53
Speaker
And then four middle ones that are harder, but you can see them from the start of the game. And then three ah covered up ones again that you you don't know until you get them. And then finally, the top two, which are the really hard ones to get, the ones you've got to set your whole game around.
00:04:10
Speaker
And so you you can have a look at what the goals are going to be and kind of formulate a bit of a plan from the start. And if you don't do that, you will lose because some of those top ones are have five spirits from five different regions or something like that. we're like, and if you're not thinking about that,
00:04:26
Speaker
you're you're out after turn three, you know? And ah some of them might be like, oh, have four aged spirits, aged spirit labels. And that's like really hard to do, t push four through your warehouse. So they're not they're not easy, but what they do is the middle one, which is the first sort of hard-ish one, it'll give you a point value, let's say like 15 or something.
00:04:49
Speaker
And the top ones will give you a point value, which is like 70 or 75. You add those two together and that's your target score that you're trying to beat by playing the game. You're setting yourself your own target score while also having to meet these particular goals. So it's quite quite a good challenge. And you can really, like, you can, I started, the first time I did it, I started really slow and I had to really sort of jag a few things together to try and get to the top. And on the next, know, one of the next games I played, you, um,
00:05:19
Speaker
You could start off really strong, but then if you get stuck, like I needed to get a worth 20 victory points and I got 19 and then 18. So I never got past that. That was level three. So I never got to level four or level five. And if you don't get to level five, you lose. doesn't matter what score you score is. really clever way of doing it because it kind of just lets you play the game.
00:05:42
Speaker
but gives you that guiding, you should be doing this, which is kind of what the goals and the spirit awards do. So it kind of still has that feeling. I like that because it it makes it challenging for a solo game.
00:05:55
Speaker
Yeah. A solo game should be hard. You shouldn't you shouldn't be able to win every time you play it. So by but the sounds of this, its it's it's a little bit of luck on what you draw yeah far as spirits are concerned, but um it's still challenging for you to get to the top. I like that.
00:06:12
Speaker
It's a bit of a Friday. It's also like you only open up the card. Sorry, what was that? it's It's a bit of a Friday type of game where, you know, it's challenging. It's challenging to get there.
00:06:23
Speaker
Yeah. Well, probably not as challenging as Friday, but you could make it as challenging. So the and the way I explain it is like the standard version. But if you want to make it hard or export it, you take out those two rows of easier ones and bring in the harder ones. So you're making it progressively harder and that'll also increase your score.
00:06:42
Speaker
um There is some mitigation as far as, like like you say, if you if you have two cards that you yeah you can have access to that yeah are just impossible for you, there's a one-time thing where you can flip this card and replace two.
00:06:54
Speaker
um yeah You can only do it once, but it also increases your target score by five, so which is also cool because it's kind of like a bit of a risk. You don't know you're going to get, and it's also going to cost you. So, yeah.
00:07:06
Speaker
ah Definitely worth checking out. And I did check the BGA adaptation does have the solo mode in beta at the moment. So you can try it out on, on BGA if, if you want to.
00:07:18
Speaker
Look, I, I think I, don't like the steel. Only because, yeah, only because, um, actually I shouldn't say i don't like it because when first played it, uh, Nick's past Nick's, there was beautiful blinged out copy of it.
00:07:35
Speaker
And, um, I enjoyed it. He taught it really well, got it. and and' I think it was just in the length of time before I played it next. Went by too long and ah kind of forgot a lot of stuff and I didn't pick it up, I didn't grok it.
00:07:50
Speaker
And then the third time I played it, it was just a write-off because I don't recommend drinking when you're playing this game. Do you not drink when you're playing Distilled. that is yeah yeah It was a write-off for me. and um And I think that's when I went, you know what, I'm not going to play this game again.
00:08:08
Speaker
But then I thought, you know, after hearing that, I do want to give it another go. So maybe I might jump on BGA with you one night. We'll grab pass to Nick as well and see if he wants to join us. And let's play just do it on BGA. And then I might pick it up again and I'll give the solo version a go.
00:08:23
Speaker
I want to give that a go because that sounds really interesting. Yeah, it's great. I don't know why I didn't touch it for so long. I guess I'm kind of wary of solo modes that require a little bit of maintenance and upkeep. And I just, I don't know, I just assumed because there was this deck of cards that that's what it was going to be. But the deck of cards, you just you just deal them out and then you're away for the whole game. it's It's yeah really, really well done.
00:08:46
Speaker
So that's, ah yeah, that's Distilled. That's probably the the game of the week, I guess, for me at the moment. Oh, yeah, it's it's I enjoyed Luthier more than I did Distilled. Yeah.
00:08:58
Speaker
Much, much better game, much better a flow. i was just wondering if the solo mode was similar. Yeah, well, I mean, you do it you would assume it probably is. You'd think it is, yeah. Oh, very good, mate. That sounds great.
Weekend Plans and Board Gaming
00:09:12
Speaker
So what about you? Obviously, you mentioned but off off camera that ah you haven't been getting a lot to the table. Have you got anything played this week? No, mate. I've got duck eggs to the table this week. absolute duck eggs. I've done nothing.
00:09:25
Speaker
i talked about last week playing fighting fantasies. but anybody Life got ahead of me and ended up think I ended up going out for a nice lunch with Lauren.
00:09:37
Speaker
That was more important. but and Probably a decent reason. Yeah, yeah, yeah. so you know We had a lovely lunch down at... dennett ah we We spent Sunday down at Redcliffe down at the markets there. It was beautiful morning.
00:09:51
Speaker
Ended up We ended up there at 9.30 and normally we just do our quick shot, get our regular veggies, some German cakes, some Italian stuff, sit down for quick coffee and you know over the water.
00:10:06
Speaker
And we didn't leave there until about 12.31 o'clock. It was just such a nice day. Beautiful day. The sun was out. Similar today. Cracking day here in Brisbane.
00:10:18
Speaker
um' So sorry, mate, and sorry to our seven listeners. I've played nothing. However, something has arrived. Ah, yes. I saw my shipping notification. Is that Far North Queensland? So I assume you have it.
00:10:34
Speaker
I have it. Battle of Hoth, our review copy, is here.
00:10:41
Speaker
I intend to play that I've got family up. at the moment. um They're here tomorrow, Sunday and Monday. um My brother-in-law has seen this and he said, can we play that tonight?
00:10:55
Speaker
And I said, hang on, I've got to redo the rules and make sure I get it. mean, it looks pretty easy. um So I said, absolutely. mean, on Sunday, I'll have it all set up. We'll play it.
00:11:07
Speaker
So I will be playing that. We can definitely about it in the next episode because you should have yours. Well, I should have mine, but also i won't be able to do the next couple of weeks. i'll be ah I'll be unavailable because I'll be away in Brisbane. So unless we do one live in Brisbane, hey, who knows? hug But i yes, very much looking forward to that.
Board Game Donations
00:11:28
Speaker
We'll do that in the coming weeks, I guess. and And also too, thank you to VR Distribution because... um We got our extra couple of party games that they give us for our Brisbane community.
00:11:42
Speaker
And those party games were donated to the Mates for Mates program out at Stafford. And so they've got little board game club. that they've built up.
00:11:53
Speaker
And so we've just, you know, been donating a couple of games there to help them build their board game library. They were thrilled. They were absolutely thrilled to get two party games. um So, yeah, so thanks to VR.
00:12:04
Speaker
um But I'm really looking forward to playing this. The minis look awesome. you know um And, yeah, so sorry, guys, I have not played anything, but I will be playing definitely some games because my family that are up are board gamers.
00:12:20
Speaker
They love board games. My two nieces love board games. and They were the two nieces when I went down to Adelaide and we played in that that dice area there. um So there will be lots of games played. I'll have to... think Steam Power is on the agenda um and a couple months.
00:12:39
Speaker
So... Yeah. Nice. Any news around that? do have one other game to mention, which you you were going to be in, but again, like you mentioned, life coming the way.
Testing Andromeda's Edge on BGA
00:12:49
Speaker
And that is that I've got a game of Andromeda's Edge played with both Thomas and G-Money.
00:12:56
Speaker
So for those who aren't aware, Andromeda's Edge is coming to BGA, which is just a bizarre sentence to say. it's something I never expected because it is quite a big game.
00:13:08
Speaker
ah But we have it's on the alpha testing at the moment, which luckily for me, I have access to. So I set up a game and ah we played on Saturday night last week and it was ah quite a good adaptation. There were a couple of little bugs, which I'm sure they'll work out. But yeah.
00:13:23
Speaker
It gives you the feel. it I mean, it doesn't give you the real feel because yeah the the the production quality is out of this world for that game. But as far as an experience on BGA is concerned, it's pretty good. it's ah It's one of those games where your turns you do a fair bit on your turn. So...
00:13:42
Speaker
So my initial thought was, oh, this is going to work really well on BGA because a bit like, again, I mentioned Hadrian's Wall before, I'll mention it again. Like when it's your turn in a turn-based game of Hadrian's Wall, you get to do everything.
00:13:54
Speaker
And then it's the end of the round where, as we've talked about in the past, a game like Architects where you're just putting out one worker. It really slows it down because everyone's doing a very minute turn. youve got to wait for everyone.
00:14:05
Speaker
And so my initial thought was in Drummond's Edge is it's going to be great for that reason. But then Thomas pointed out that in the combat system, it's a little bit more clunky because I'll go into your space and then I'll be able to escalate by bringing other ships in, but then you'll get to choose to escalate and then I'll get to choose if I want to play a card and then you'll get to choose and want to play a card and then I'll get to choose if I want to bring energy in to increase my dice.
00:14:28
Speaker
my die And then Thomas will get to choose that. And then, so like, there's a lot of back and forth in combat, which takes two minutes at the table, but it will slow down like a turn-based version on BGA. yeah it would So it's kind of great and bad at the same time for for a turn-based um style version of the game.
00:14:48
Speaker
ah But that being said, we played the game and um Thomas got a ah narrow victory over me. G-Money was relearning it, so he was a bit further behind. But we started another game straight afterwards, an actual turn-based game, and we've already finished it.
00:15:03
Speaker
um And G-Money won that, so he he figured it out pretty quick. so Yeah, it definitely does... BGA is an interesting beast, right? There are some games that I play on BGA that when it's my turn, i mean i either have to go, right, I need to sit down and think about this or I just go, oh, this will do.
00:15:23
Speaker
And you can't do this or do Andromeda's Edge. It turns a 2B to go, ah, I'll just wing it. So, um yeah, it's you've got to give it the time. And I probably didn't in that second game a few times. And I just went, you know just going to fight everyone. So whenever I put a ship down, I'm like, I'm going go and fight you.
00:15:44
Speaker
And lost most of those battles. So, yeah. but it's It's such a great game. And for anyone who hasn't played Andromeda's Edge, please don't start on BGA just clicking buttons. You'll never understand it. this There's six different tabs you've got to choose from at the top of the page. Like, there's a lot of information.
00:16:01
Speaker
So i would definitely recommend being taught or watching it how to play before you try it. But if it means that more people get to play Andromeda's Edge now that it's on BGA, then that's a win. So cracking game, one of my favorites, and awesome to know that I can play it with more people more often.
00:16:19
Speaker
That's good. Very good. We'll have a game. But I won't do it turn-based. I'll do it live with you, mate. Yeah. So can learn it. Sounds good. Well, if you haven't got anything else to talk about with regards to that, we head to the head to the news because there is something that we didn't talk about that we could have last time.
00:16:39
Speaker
So we should probably do that. Yeah, sounds good. I wonder if it's what I'm thinking about as well.
00:16:53
Speaker
Before we get to our results from the Dicetower Awards, ah Shane, what is your news of interest? It's actually not news, it's just, actually, no, I don't have any news, but it's more I've got a couple of game founds and kickstarters. Actually, now I do have some news. I do have some news.
00:17:13
Speaker
So I
Upcoming Chess-Mechanic Game
00:17:15
Speaker
stumbled across this last night, and it's kind of like the first game I've ever learned. Add in the greatest villain of all time.
00:17:27
Speaker
Add in one of my favourite ballgame designers. And it's almost the perfect game. and i was like When I heard about it, i was like, wow, this is weird.
00:17:39
Speaker
And then I searched for the company on YouTube to see if they've done a playthrough of it, which they do. So then I watched this whole playthrough, which went for about...
00:17:51
Speaker
20 minutes or so. And i was like, I want this game. So then I'm starting to search for it. It's not out yet. Apparently they're previewing at Gen Con. Oh, I think I know what this is. But yeah. yeah Yeah. And um I was like, this is cool. um So it is Chess Joker.
00:18:10
Speaker
Oh, okay. No, not what I thought. That's okay. Yep. Chess Joker by Carl Chuddyk. It looks awesome. So it's not the Joker the villain, by the way. It's just this is called Chess Joker.
00:18:24
Speaker
And it's chess. You're playing chess. But what happens is after your... So before or after your move. So after your first move, you've got to draw a card. And that card, you can score points from if you play it as your next move.
00:18:40
Speaker
um And it's the first 800 points checkmate... or check ma Or um last the other final endgame condition is if your opponent's only got three pieces of on their board, they can either retire and or they can just move around. But every time they move around, they're going to get 25 points added to your score.
00:19:01
Speaker
So it kind of speeds the game up. So you can either run around the board trying to play chicken or you can actually concede. But it's chess. So it's the basic rules of chess. And then these cards...
00:19:13
Speaker
just throw the game into a spin. It might be warp your queen to a spot that's not, ah you know, that's next to a pawn of yours, right, to challenge.
00:19:26
Speaker
And if you can do that, it's worth 100 points. Or move your pawn to a spot next to another pawn, it's now a bishop.
00:19:39
Speaker
and And if you do that, you get 25 points. So... so But there's lots of cards you can't do, so you're just doing your basic chess moves. But then there's there's other cool things in there as well, which move this queen to a spot adjacent that's being challenged.
00:19:58
Speaker
Oh, okay. And um this game on... So Asmati Games are doing it, and if you want to watch it on the YouTube, as just look up Asmati Chess Joker, and it will pop up and you'll see the playthrough for it.
00:20:13
Speaker
it's It turns chess on its head, and it's just so clever. It's really, really clever. um the got the guy and this guy at The game we watched ah the the gamer watched, he actually conceded in the end um because I think he was down to one rook and a couple of pawns versus three rooks, bishop.
00:20:33
Speaker
And the points were really close. You know, if he could have done a card, if he'd been able to do a card to get to 800 points, he potentially could have won the game still. But he was serious.
00:20:45
Speaker
And I love chess. Love playing chess. And so when I saw this, i' was like, Chess Joker by Carl Chudik. And I was like, oh, Carl Chudik, I just heard that. was like, yes, I'm And I'm just, I need to buy this game.
00:20:59
Speaker
I have to get it. I have actually seen this, not available, obviously, but so I've seen the release of it. But I have to say, ah disagree with the first comment you said. You said it looks awesome.
00:21:12
Speaker
It looks like it's from the 80s. yeah When I say it looks awesome, for me, that's it's just awesome gameplay, right? The gameplay. Yeah, no, it's terrible looking. yeah i mean, how can you make chess look good? You can't, right? Yeah. and and But it's like innovation. Innovation's not a very good looking game either. it's just No, it's kind of their MO, isn't it Like Gloria Rome. is I don't know if that was Carl Chattuck and Asmati, but it was definitely not a looker.
00:21:41
Speaker
Well, it's not the version I've got. Definitely not the version I've got. And that's not as Marty. But certainly um you look at like Red 7. Just a box. car Just a box of cards.
00:21:53
Speaker
ah Innovation. Again, nothing pretty about it. But so it's got that gold and black box look to it, though, that Carl Chudek did with the Innovation Gold Edition. um But I really enjoy Carl Chudek games.
00:22:07
Speaker
And this just flips chess on the head, and I... I'm going really enjoy playing it. So, cause war chest as well, which is a similar chess feel to it where you've got the poker chips and these, the actual game itself, um, is a neoprene chess board.
00:22:25
Speaker
Okay. Which is going to look pretty good. And the chips are poker chips. Okay. So they get that clickety clack feel to it. So, um, Um, from that point of view, it's going to look quite nice, but yeah, no, I get you. doesn't look... You could probably sub it out too with your own chess pieces if you've got a nice chess set.
00:22:46
Speaker
Yeah, yeah. Yeah, yeah, you could. Yeah, absolutely you could. and i've got a really nice chess set, so. Um, but, uh, yeah. Carl Chuddex, Chess Joker.
00:22:59
Speaker
Well, you speak about games that we need to play together or i need to teach you on BGA. You need to teach me innovation. Oh, yeah, can do that. Yeah, definitely. Definitely. Simple.
00:23:10
Speaker
Very simple game. and But it's brutal too. and and And honestly, ah two players is best. Yeah, okay. Three's good, but two's best.
00:23:21
Speaker
Any more... I've played at four. Nope. Okay, yeah, take off. and it's kind of It's kind of like Gloria to Rome. Gloria Rome's best at two. And three.
00:23:33
Speaker
You go to four and you've got cards flying everywhere. It's just ridiculous. It's too many.
00:23:41
Speaker
Well, as far as news Kickstarters are concerned, I can't think of anything off the top my head of any major. in i'm I'm about to receive major mixtape, which I'm looking forward to. Oh, excellent.
00:23:53
Speaker
Yeah. So I'm looking forward to getting that to the table. That's the Dan Hughes, Mike Delisio game. Yeah. um It's fulfilling. So that'll be fun. ah when I say I'm about to receive it, I got the email from Etherworks asking if my address needed changing. So I'm probably about three or four weeks out from actually having it in my hands. but It's good to know.
00:24:11
Speaker
This is Etherworks. about three or four years out from having it from your hands, mate.
00:24:17
Speaker
I don't want to talk about that.
00:24:21
Speaker
It's Etherworks. Terrible. ah But you you mentioned you've got some other Kickstarter or GameFound stuff. Yeah, yeah. I don't know if it's out yet, but I'm pretty sure it is. It's out.
00:24:31
Speaker
And Blood Rage. The new Blood Rage. Valhalla. Yes. Yes. I haven't backed it yet because haven't looked at it.
00:24:42
Speaker
but Well, that might determine whether you back it or not. It looks not great. the but likes Apparently they're changing it, but I don't know if you've seen any of it. No, I haven't. haven't seen any of it.
00:24:54
Speaker
So the story is it's essentially Blood Rage, but now everyone's in Valhalla.
Valhalla Game Impressions
00:24:58
Speaker
And the map, and i'm I'm not even joking, and I'm not the first person to say it, it looks like Blood Rage Cluedo.
00:25:07
Speaker
They're like rooms in a house. It's so bad that they've actually redone and that when you go to the project now, where the board is, is blurred out and it says new artwork coming so But if you watch the playthroughs, it's just like, what on earth?
00:25:25
Speaker
like what is like How does this work? like Who knew Valhalla was just a mansion in England? That's what it looks like. It looks like Colonel Mustard's going to come and attack Loki. ah ah It's so bizarre. And from what I can tell, the game is essentially just blood rage.
00:25:44
Speaker
Okay. But just with a new location and a few obviously new cards and whatnot, but you can bring you can bring your heroes from the previous, from like you can mix and match and all that. It all works. It's all the same system. But yeesh, it was, yeah, it's not a not a looker. i i'm I'm not going to back it because I'm not the biggest fan of Blood Rage anyway. i don't mind Blood Rage, but for the price, I'm just, I can't justify spending that much on on another Blood Rage.
00:26:14
Speaker
But, and I understand people love Blood Rage. so And you obviously love Call of the Empire, which is something similar. So you're probably, this is probably more your wheelhouse than mine.
00:26:24
Speaker
But gosh, if you'd never played Blood Rage before and you saw that, you would just be like, what am I buying here? Like, it just doesn't look like the same game. So, because, is it more, because it's Eric Lang again.
00:26:39
Speaker
has he done like a, has he done like a, um a Cthulhu Death May Die blood rage, like, because, you know, you've got the rooms in Cthulhu Death May Die, and Well, maybe, but it is just one board. It's not like modular, like Death May die But even the the colors, like it nothing makes sense. Like I didn't know whether it was just a joke.
00:27:01
Speaker
Like that would be the most plausible outcome was that it was just a joke. He just did it for his shits and giggles. Because like Eric Lang, I've never seen an Eric Lang game that I haven't gone, wow, that looks amazing.
00:27:16
Speaker
Um, and this is the first one where I not only didn't say it looked amazing, it it looked terrible. So yeah. Well, as soon as this episode's finished, man, I'm going to quickly bring up the playthrough of it and have a look at it.
00:27:28
Speaker
Yeah. I look, I wouldn't back it. Um, I love Blood Rage, but if it's the same as, yeah if it's Blood Rage 2 and similar everything, I'm not going bother because, and I've got a blinged out copy. I've spent some so considerable amount of time painting my Blood Rage figurines. So,
00:27:48
Speaker
Well, that's, yeah, that's, I guess, if you love it so much that you want more stuff or or that they do introduce some new mechanisms that change it, you know, add slight differences and things. But, um yeah, if you're like if you're like me, I i had Blood Rage. I don't have it anymore, but I had Blood Rage. I never had any of the expansions.
00:28:09
Speaker
Had a good time with it. Just wasn't a game that was ever getting played in my house. If I didn't bother buying an expansion for the original, I can't see myself buying it. Yeah, just buying it.
00:28:22
Speaker
Yeah, that's all I've got. Just those.
00:28:25
Speaker
hope I didn't shit on your plans to back Blood Rage. I feel bad. and I haven't actually looked at it. I just so i did did see that it's it's out. so yeah um And I haven't had a chance to actually jump into Game Founder.
00:28:38
Speaker
to do the search on that, but I'm glad because honestly, i'll be I'd be disappointed if I just logged in and saw that. Yeah, so hopefully when they redo the board, it'll it'll look a bit nicer. Actually, I will mention one other one because I know how much you love this game and you may or may not be aware of it, but, um
Ark Nova 3D Edition
00:28:55
Speaker
you know, Ark Nova. I know you're a massive Ark Nova fan.
00:29:01
Speaker
So 3Dition, which they started this when they got to number three on BGG. And what I hoped didn't happen, and I didn't hope it happened because I love Ark Nova and I want it to be known as the greatest game of all time. It's not that.
00:29:13
Speaker
I don't. That's not how I feel. But I just, they announced that they were going to do this 3Dition game found pledge about eight months ago when it got to number three on BGG. And I was just hoping that by the time it came around, they were actually in number two.
00:29:28
Speaker
Or number four, so then it wouldn't have made any sense. But they're still in three, so damn it. But it's essentially, hey you want plastic? Here's some plastic. There's no extra gameplay. It's just 3D everything.
00:29:42
Speaker
It does, they do look amazing. But my problem with Ark Nova is not that it doesn't look amazing. It's that it takes too long to get out onto the table too often. So if I have to increase that time by matching buildings...
00:29:56
Speaker
It's not for me, um but it's definitely for a lot of people because it's making an absolute killing. But, yeah, it's... I was very interested in Sanctuary, which is the tile-laying variant of Ark Nova.
00:30:10
Speaker
Okay. But Dice Tower just did a review on that, and now um I want to play that first because, yeah, so there's a few Ark Nova things going on, but none of them, neither of them are really have grabbed me yet.
00:30:25
Speaker
Well, it's safe to say I won't be spending any money on that. You don't want to get the fully blinged out version, mate? Maybe that'll change your mind with the little whales jumping in. Not at all. and Not at all.
00:30:37
Speaker
it It will probably drive it up the up the BGG ladder, though. It looks like it is catching, like, fair play to Pandemic Legacy. How is that still number two? Like, it's...
00:30:49
Speaker
What, 2015, I think? Yeah. not And it's it's it's not getting any, like, people play it, what, 12 or 13 times, and then they never play it ever again.
00:31:01
Speaker
So the staying power is impressive. Yeah, very imp impressive. Yeah. Anyway, with I guess we'll move on to um the
Dicetower Awards Recap
00:31:11
Speaker
Dice Tower Awards. Yes, get get that knocked off, and then we can then talk about our 2017 10 Games.
00:31:25
Speaker
First category in the Dice Tower Awards that was announced was Best Welcoming Game. So, Shane, you went Harmonies, I went Castle Combo, and of course the winner was River Valley Glassworks. So...
00:31:38
Speaker
None of us got that one. Yep. So next up we have Best Game from a Small Publisher. You went Unconscious Mind, i went Slay the Spire, and Slay the Spire got the win. So I'm on the board. Hey, one you.
00:31:50
Speaker
Best strategy game. ah You went for Unconscious Mind again. i went for Fromage and SETI won. So we both missed out on that one again.
00:32:01
Speaker
We know what we're talking about. and However, we did redeem ourselves with the best two-player game because Lord of the Rings dueled Middle Earth one and we both had that. So best solo game.
00:32:12
Speaker
Oh, mate, I'm carving up here. We have ah Draft and Write Records, which is what I chose. You went with Primal. But Draft and Right got it. yeah Most innovative game.
00:32:25
Speaker
I went for the gang. You went for Bomb Busters, and it was the Bomb Busters. So well done. Hey, I'm on the board. ah Currently, it's three to two. um so catching up.
00:32:35
Speaker
Best cooperative game. We both went the gang, and it was Bomb Busters. Best party game. We both went Flip 7, and it was Flip 7. Hey. a ah Best theming, we both went rock hard and it was rock hard. So we're in tune here a little bit.
00:32:53
Speaker
ah Best game from a new designer. So you went Flip 7, I went Slay the Spire and SETI won that one as well. So the fact that none of us voted for SETI in any category is probably not going to do our scores any because it kind of cleaned up.
00:33:07
Speaker
It did kind of clean up. ah We did both get artwork for Unconscious Mind. No surprise there. The game just looks amazing. It does look great. Uh, best reprint you went for three, which got it, which puts us at an equal, i think one, two, three, yeah, six each. Cause I went sky rise.
00:33:27
Speaker
Production went to, I went Andromeda's Edge, you went unconscious mind, but fractured sky got it. Oh, okay. So it comes down to game of the year or we're going to tie.
00:33:39
Speaker
And Setty won, did it? Well, you went Harmonies, I went Andromeda's Edge, and yes, of course, Setty won. So the final score is six all. So there you go.
00:33:51
Speaker
That's great great TV, that. We don't have a tiebreaker because how could you? So yeah um we'll move on to the next yeah help portion of the podcast, opening hoping that there isn't a tie again because ties are boring.
00:34:14
Speaker
We can start off by saying, so last week we did the 2016 games, you know, we either like or want to play. And this scoring, ah first in best dressed, and the scoring's based off of your the ranking of that game on BGG. And so...
00:34:37
Speaker
so
00:34:40
Speaker
Shane with a score of 7,142 points. And the winner Steve with score of 6,544. Oh, no, sorry, no. What was your score? and so ah six thousand five hundred and forty four i not sorry no um would you school Yeah, i think it was something like I can't remember the exact number.
00:35:00
Speaker
yeah and and i know six thousand six hundred and thirty nine that's not right um six seven five hundred forty four
00:35:10
Speaker
Yeah. I'm just trying to find where I posted it to. Yeah, 6544, yeah. Yeah, yeah. So well done, mate. Good work. ah it's ah Yeah, it's not a good score, that's for sure.
00:35:22
Speaker
But I would like to, and because its this this podcast comes after the next one, I did make an error. so yes Yes, you did. And it cost me one at that. That error cost me 504 points. Yeah.
00:35:38
Speaker
So I did say, and this this is good because this shows we are legit. We're not jumping up on BGE to check the game or to to look at when the game was released or anything like that.
00:35:49
Speaker
We've got a list. We're working from that list. And, you know, I ballzed up. And Automobiles was the AEG release, not Automobile, which was Martin Wallace's release of 2009.
00:36:07
Speaker
ae And just for those playing at home, Automobiles is ranked at 1,219 on VGG, and Automobile cost me. he' ranked at seven hundred and sixteen so five hundred and three points is cost me So as we move on to 2017, 2017 is a very interesting year.
Best and Worst of 2017
00:36:28
Speaker
um So I shared with Shane the list of basically the front page of 2017 on BGG and just these are the games. Now, there obviously are more games than that. So depending on how deep you want to dive, you can go further.
00:36:40
Speaker
um And then next to that list, I just had the games that I'd played. um And I just realized that I have a one out of 10 for one of the games that I have played. I'm in.
00:36:52
Speaker
I only played it and he played it this past summer at Clayfield Vault Games with Raphael because he likes Stranger Things. So we played Stranger Things, the Eggo card game.
00:37:05
Speaker
This is not my first choice, by it mind you. I just thought I'd mention this game. I think this is the worst game I've ever played. Like, it was so bad. ah well this This goes to my point.
00:37:19
Speaker
2017 was a great year and also, too, the worst year for the board game industry. Well, to be fair, I didn't have high hopes going into Stranger Things, the Ego card game, but Raph did. And even Raph was like, this game is trash.
00:37:34
Speaker
Absolute trash. I'm surprised you even ranked it as one. You can't rate it as zero. You can't rate it as zero. ah I should try 0.1. Maybe you can do that. I'll have to check that out. right you know On that same theme, 2017, why it's the worst year of board gaming is because there is a game on that list in 2017 that came out that is my worst game I've ever played, ever.
00:38:02
Speaker
It is the shittest game. Have a look at the list and see if you can pick it. So it's the worst game I've ever played. oh yeah, Sideria Confluence. Shit you real confusion.
00:38:16
Speaker
Came out and of in 2017. What's funny is I didn't go looking through the list. I just went looking for that game.
00:38:24
Speaker
It came out in 2017. So hence why it's the worst year for the board game industry, having that game released. I cannot stand it. And it's popular. and I don't understand why it's popular.
00:38:36
Speaker
Yeah. Anyway. that just Just while we're on games that aren't great that came out in this year, well, yeah, according to us, of course, um I have one more. And it actually, bizarrely enough, it was a game I liked initially, and I've talked about on this podcast before.
00:38:52
Speaker
game really shows its true colours when someone plays it differently to how you play it. And Photosynthesis is that game for me. okay I cannot stand photosynthesis because I didn't realize how it could be played differently to how I played it until it happened. And I'm like, I'd never want to play this game ever again.
00:39:09
Speaker
So I'm just looking at my ranking of a six going, that's not high. That's not low enough. might have to change that. But aside of that, I think that's the rest of them are passable or amazing.
00:39:23
Speaker
Well, I mean, if I look at these games that I've chosen for the 10, and I've chosen quite a few just in case, a lot of them would have been in my top 20 games over the last couple years.
00:39:35
Speaker
Over the last few years. Without a doubt. I have a former number one in this list.
00:39:43
Speaker
Yeah, well, there's games in this list that are still in my top 10. Yep, and a former number one for you too in this list. Yes, yeah, there's a former number one, yeah. So it was a good year, a really good year and a shit year.
00:40:00
Speaker
The good and bad. All right, so I guess we need to roll the dice. Roll dice. Because no doubt, whoever's going to go first. Oh, I got a five. I got a one.
00:40:10
Speaker
Get in all right. Get in there. Go on, choose it. It's idea of confidence. Lock it in. talking Now, I'll be locking in the game that stayed at number one for a very, very long time. Yeah, as you should.
00:40:24
Speaker
And, you know, you could sit here and go, ah, Steve, you're just sniping the easy points. But I have played that game 271 times. So I think I'm deserved in saying that Gloomhaven is my first choice.
00:40:35
Speaker
Yes, absolutely. It should be your first choice. And it was going to be my first choice as well, because let's face it, it's very well deserved. It's a monster of a game. Oh, yeah. Good choice. And that was my former number one, by the way, just in case. Obviously, you knew that, but yeah. Okay, well, I'll go with my former number one because you'll steal it off me anyway.
00:40:56
Speaker
This War of Mine, that's my number one. That actually wasn't what I was going to go with. Okay, yep. Oh, yeah, yeah. There's two former number ones in my list. Yeah, there is. Yeah. So, yeah, this War of Mine is fantastic game.
00:41:12
Speaker
I just love it. Still haven't beaten it. I've set it up and then you told me be wary of playing it with Raphael. So we never played it. It's
00:41:25
Speaker
it's a dark game. Well, I'm going to probably snipe one of yours. Yeah, go on. Because it just makes, it's my second favorite game from that year. So too many bones is my my pick.
00:41:40
Speaker
Yeah, this is such a great year. Oh, yeah. Like, when you when you said Formula 1, I didn't even think of this war as mine. I was just thinking of too many bones. Yeah. yeah This is a really good year.
00:41:54
Speaker
My number two, i yeah this is still in my top ten, and that is The Godfather, Corleon's Empire. um One of the best games, meanest games to play.
00:42:05
Speaker
I've got a board game night coming up. And I know that they will want me to pack this game. What's interesting, Shane, is the two games you picked so far, I haven't played either.
00:42:17
Speaker
How come? Which, when you think that like we're getting into this hobby around this time, like you would have assumed that we'd be playing everything, you know?
Favorite 2017 Games
00:42:28
Speaker
um Because you've definitely played my two that I've gone with. so um All right. um I'm going to go for a, I'm going to go a bit left field here. Well, it's not super left field, but I've only played this game once, but I really liked it.
00:42:43
Speaker
And, Well, I shouldn't say russians I really liked it. Initially, i was i I was comparing it to another deck builder that I quite liked, and I was like, yeah. But then, so it's more that the fact that I just want to play it again, because every time I think about it i'm like, actually, you know what? That game was super cool. It's like a race game built in with a deck builder, um built in with a little bit of exploration, and it's the quest for Eldorado.
00:43:08
Speaker
yeah So I kind of kind of angry at myself for not playing it more often. I played it at my brother's house once and it was a great time, but at the time was fairly new to the hobby and I just thought Dominion was the best shit ever. So I was comparing it to that, but they're very, the only thing they have in common is that there's deck building. They're very different games otherwise.
00:43:27
Speaker
Yeah. Yeah. Good choice. Never played it. Okay. I got one up. You got one up. Um, My number three is a game that is the best experience game I've ever played.
00:43:45
Speaker
He's nodding. Because its every time I've played it, and we play it once a year, it's always fun. It takes all day, and that's TI4. Yeah.
00:43:56
Speaker
yeah I'll be honest, your list is going is is now back on track. It wasn't going the way I thought it was going to go. And i was looking at that going, if I choose that, I don't know what Shane chooses next. So yeah, that makes more sense for you to choose that than me.
00:44:11
Speaker
But yeah, great game. um All right. So I'm going switch to a game that I love playing with Helen. And we're actually at the moment failing super hard at the moment with this game. I think we've lost our last nine attempts. We're trying to do the yeah the missions and it's not going well, but it is fun. And that's Codenames Duet.
00:44:34
Speaker
Yeah, good choice. That was going to be my next one because I love playing it with Lauren as well. So it's game that we both like to get out and play. Yeah. Well It's good, except we realise that we give very different clues.
00:44:49
Speaker
I'm about storyline, so I'm like, I'll give a clue that if you can pick up what I'm trying to say, you'll get like four. And Helen's like, they need to be so literal, otherwise I'm not going to get it. So we continually fail.
00:45:06
Speaker
My number four is a game that I've played ah easily. three, four hundred times now, maybe four hundred times. um They came out in 2017.
00:45:19
Speaker
And it's only because I play it on the train, on the way to work, on the train, on the way home from work. I love playing it mean. And that is Azul.
00:45:33
Speaker
Azul is fantastic when you play at mean. I think Azul has, um but for me at least anyway, has really been saved by BGA. Like I was kind of over Azul and then, but it's such a great BGA game. Like it's so easy.
00:45:47
Speaker
Yeah. You can knock a game off on the train in 10 minutes. Yeah. If that. Yeah. Yeah. Okay, so if my fifth game, I believe. Yes, fifth game.
00:45:59
Speaker
ah So it's no secret that I'm a racing fan. You bugger. I think I've sniped the game off you again. yeah So yes, ah Heat Pedal the Metal is in my top five games of all time, but before Heat was Downforce.
00:46:15
Speaker
It's still a great game. So it's Downforce, a game about betting really, not about racing, but still a bit of racing. So yeah, great game. I have every expansion, every map for that game. The only thing I haven't done to it yet is get the Super Mario racing cars, which I want to day And it is a game that if my boys want to play a ball game, it's either King of Tokyo or Downforce. That is it. They won't play any other game with me but those two.
00:46:40
Speaker
yeah good choice.
00:46:44
Speaker
ah My number five. I'm going to go a bit left to field for my... Oh, no, won't go left to field just yet. My number five, because I do like this. This is my favourite version of this series of game.
00:46:56
Speaker
There's been a few of them. There's been a legacy game. And that's Clank in Space.
00:47:02
Speaker
I enjoy playing Clank in Space. Great deck builder. And I just like the little jokey bits on the cards too. that You know, make your little yeah laugh and they're making a reference to Star Wars or something else. Okay, okay.
00:47:16
Speaker
Yeah. So that's my number five. That's one clink I haven't played, actually, and it was going to be on my list if you didn't mention it as one I'd like to play because I love clink catacombs and I really like the original clink too. So I don't know why I've never tried in space, but need to.
00:47:32
Speaker
Well, it sounds like you and i when you're in Brisbane, we need to a board game day where Quest of Eldorado comes out, clink in space,
00:47:44
Speaker
And we'll end with this war of mine because we'll end really sad. Yeah. yeah Depressed. And innovation. Yeah, could... Yeah, we could. we could hey i'm kidding Yeah, we could. yeah um Number six for me. um I'm just looking over my list. There's a couple that I'd like to choose, but I'm going to...
00:48:02
Speaker
um
00:48:05
Speaker
I might throw one down that's actually a bit further down on my list, but still a great game. And it's a great little card game and... For me, I found this game because of Red Rising. So Red Rising, Stonemaier release, so it was the time I used to get everything Stonemaier.
00:48:20
Speaker
And I got Red Rising and i was like, eh, it's not as good as I hoped. And then Thomas, ah our German friend Thomas, was like, have you ever played Fantasy Realms? I'm like, nope. and he taught me fantasy realms and I'm like, man, I understand that when Jamie Stegmire said fantasy realms was, it was a, uh, um, inspiration for red rising. I can see that, but the fact is, it's just an out and out better game. And it's, it's a great card, um, collection game where you, I won't go into the whole rules, but essentially you're drafting cards in your hands that will help score and link with other cards, but you've got to discard cards. So you've got to keep manipulating how your hand scores points and,
00:49:01
Speaker
fantastic. So, yeah, Fantasy Realms is, you know, two decks of cards versus, you this huge big production of Red Rising and doesn't have any of that, you know, reducing someone's hand size and stuff that can ruin really ruin the other games. So, yeah, great game. Fantasy Realms is my next one.
00:49:18
Speaker
Yeah, good choice. to I did enjoy playing that. but ive played I've only ever played it once. It was good game. I did enjoy it.
00:49:26
Speaker
My number six is actually number six written down here in my... My notes too. um Because I've been going to a bit around the list. But we're playing it on BGA at the moment.
00:49:39
Speaker
Clans of Caledonia.
00:49:42
Speaker
Ah, yes. so I did look at that and I was like, I've rated it highly, but it's very clear in that game that we are playing on BGA that I have forgotten the rules. Yeah, me too.
00:49:55
Speaker
Me too. I do want to play it live again because that's when I liked it the most. And that was, I played it at your 40th birthday. but Okay, yeah. and and ah And I really enjoyed it. And um ah i'm sure I have forgotten completely forgotten the rules, so that's probably why I want to sit down and and play it again live. so Yeah.
00:50:14
Speaker
We bought it on the strength of we played it once with Def and Dimi, Helen and I. Yeah, that's who I played it with as well. Oh, yeah, right. Yeah, and and that's such it was such a great game, and they taught it so well, and we just watched Dimi destroy us with milk.
00:50:27
Speaker
That's what we both remember from that game, was the character that I can't remember what they can do with milk, but they can do something with milk. Dimi just wiped the floor with us. and ah But we both really enjoyed it, and we bought the game, and I am ashamed to say that it hasn't been touched since we bought it because I think both Helen and I are like,
00:50:46
Speaker
we we need Def and Dimi to go through it again with us. Like, it's been it's been too long. So, yeah. Because I thought that you could actually combine things to make, you can buy milk and something to make cheese or i can't remember how it works. But, so I've completely forgotten that. And, but yeah, I want to play it again live. So, my number six.
00:51:08
Speaker
Okay, ma I'm going to go with a game that I would really like to play again. I've only played it once um and I was super keen to play it. And then I got taught it at about one o'clock in the morning at a retreat.
00:51:21
Speaker
we weren't necessarily sober and I was certainly not awake enough to learn a
Rajas of the Ganges Experience
00:51:26
Speaker
new game. It's more, especially one with so much going on in the board and that is Rajas of the Genjis.
00:51:32
Speaker
So um I enjoyed the play, what I understood of it, but I was to the end, I was nearly falling asleep and um Mitch from the board game barbecue was doing the teach and ah he From what I can gather, he did a good job, but 1am, somewhat inebriated, game went for a couple more hours than it probably should have.
00:51:55
Speaker
it was It wasn't the experience I'd hoped for, but um it's a game I've always wanted to play, so I'd love to get that one back to the table. Brilliant.
00:52:08
Speaker
My number seven is... a game that and I've owned for quite a while. It was one of the first games I bought in ah in board gaming.
00:52:20
Speaker
And um I really enjoy playing it with my group of four people with Andy, Pastor Nick, and Phil, and that's Heaven and Ale. It's a really good, fun game, and where you are trying to work out. It's more like you're making beer, but you're working for monet monasteries, and it's really good really good game. A lot going on.
00:52:49
Speaker
ah Simple to learn, and Pastor Nick does a great teach. Yeah, it's one I've always been interested in. I've umve i've never played, but yeah. A lot people say it's not a looker, but I actually i don't mind this like that stained glass kind of look on the front that it has. Yeah.
00:53:06
Speaker
It's a good fun game. Recommend it. Now, speaking of good and fun, um there is no way you can play this game without stand-up moments.
00:53:16
Speaker
ah And it is essentially a kid's game. It's a harbour game. um But it is the harbour game that I have played more than any other, probably any other kids game combined.
00:53:27
Speaker
And that is Rhino Hero Super Battle. but I love it. It's it's such such a like just house of cards thing, but um it's great.
00:53:37
Speaker
like Whenever you play this game, you take photos because you're building this huge big thing up and at some point someone's going to knock it over, so you want to take a photo of it before it falls. and It's childish, it's silly, you hanging monkeys off the side of things, but find me an adult who would play this and not get in just invested, fully invested in it. So yeah I really want to get the giant version and like play it, you you know, in the middle of a lounge room or something like that, but it's like $140 or something. i just justify Yeah. My number eight is Civilization and New Dawn.
00:54:17
Speaker
Oh, yep. Great game. That's interesting. interesting um Why that's interesting is in the last three games we've talked about, we've talked about, but last couple of games we've talked we've talked about Rajas of the Ganges and Civilization a New Dawn, which yeah were the two two of the main influences behind Ark Nova.
00:54:42
Speaker
LAUGHTER
00:54:46
Speaker
ah the action the accent selection mechanism is taken from Civilization and the scoring mechanism is taken from Rajas so there you go no Civilization and you do it I just like Civ building games they're good yeah really good that's another one I haven't played so there's a lot of yours that I haven't gotten to the table we need a few hours to play that one mate yeah right Okay, so I'm going to jump back to a game that is synonymous with a barley holiday for us, because this was one of the games we took. This was the ill-fated wingspan eggs trip that I've talked about before.
00:55:25
Speaker
But also in that box was Century Golem Edition, which is a great little game. a game that we played too much. We we played it too many times on that holiday, so it hasn't come out much since.
00:55:37
Speaker
But it's a great game. It's a better Splendor is probably the best way of describing it. Yeah, it is. It is. Yeah. And it's the best version of all of that Century century series. ah Yeah. i I am even designed a solo variant for it so because I enjoy it. Lauren and I love playing it as well.
00:55:56
Speaker
And so I came up with a solo variant, which I'm happy to share with you. It works really well. Yeah, right. But yeah, it would have been funny. You know, your bag, barley, you got these eggs and then you got these little blue-pink crystals.
00:56:12
Speaker
Yeah, yeah, it was it was definitely a nice thing. gla she is
00:56:19
Speaker
ah Lessons were learned, that's for sure. My number nine is an actual Martin Wallace game. hey late that It released in 2017.
00:56:32
Speaker
I actually pulled the box out just to double check that it was the right version. So, yes. So, London was released in 2017. Really good deck building game.
00:56:45
Speaker
where you're trying to kind of not go into debt too much, but build an engine ah for your industry. and your and You're building an industrial engine. um I got taught this by Shane and Ingrid, and we play it pretty much every game day we come together.
00:57:03
Speaker
Someone's packed London so we can play. It's a quick game. I really enjoy it. Nice. So we have one left. Is that right? Yeah, one left.
00:57:15
Speaker
I'm going to go a bit obscure with my one. Yeah, I'm actually looking through the list to see if there's anything that i really want to play that I hadn't considered up until now. Okay, so my final one is a game that I've played before, and it's a game that I've only, not in the last couple of, probably a year or two, I've come across it.
00:57:30
Speaker
And it's a little card game that works really well on BGA. It works really well at two players, which is interesting because there is a two-player, like a duet version. It's like I've only ever played this game at two players, so I don't understand.
00:57:42
Speaker
um But that's the Fox in the Forest. ay Cool little um trick-taking game. Yeah, where you don't want to win all the tricks because that's too you're being too arrogant. You want to when win the right amount of tricks.
00:57:58
Speaker
You want to make your opponent either win too many or not enough. or Yeah, so it's very cool.
00:58:04
Speaker
It's interesting because you know mentioned where you've only ever played it two-player and then you've released duet version. It's like Azul. I've only ever played Azul really two-player. Azul had a duet.
00:58:15
Speaker
thought that's weird. But anyway. ah My final one, so the obscure one. And this goes back to my solo playing days where I was buying a stack of solo games.
00:58:30
Speaker
um And this is a solo hidden movement game. That's called Black Sonata. Oh, yeah, okay. Black Sonata is such a good game um where you are trying to hunt down ah shake Shakespearean lady, the Black Sonatas.
00:58:47
Speaker
And the cards, you set your deck up this certain way, and then you've got to you make a movement, and then you've got to you can do a check to see if the Black Sonata's are around.
00:58:58
Speaker
And so you put the card that you're using on the on the um on the board. and it'll actually give you a clue if the Black Sonata's been there or you've actually seen the Black Sonata.
00:59:10
Speaker
So then you're collecting these cards, and the cards have symbols. And so that near the end of the game if you actually find the Black Sonata, you do you do you know guess where she is, you can have a guess of which one of the Black Sonatas it is.
00:59:25
Speaker
And if you get that right, you win the game. um It's very challenging, very, very challenging game. And you wouldn't think like a solo hidden movement, how's that going to work? yeah yeah It works really, really well. who So I play it every now and then, every now and then, pull it out, do a quick watch on YouTube of how to play it again and then set it all up and off I go.
00:59:45
Speaker
Yeah. it's not yeah I think I've seen it. It doesn't have to be played solo, does it? It can be played as a group activity. You can play it. Yeah, you can play it with a couple of people, but um you know you're working together. and They did do an expansion, which I didn't get, but um because I didn't need it, I don't play it that much to get the expansion. so Yeah, I think I saw it getting played once at Dan's house. I turned up late to a game day and they were finishing a game off. Yeah.
01:00:09
Speaker
I'm sure it was another. So what I like about this list is a lot of those games you can get that we've done today. yes Yeah. Yeah. They're still around. Yeah. They're still around. You'll be able to get them in the market.
01:00:20
Speaker
Blacks might be a little bit harder to get, but um most of those games you can still get. And not only that, the games we didn't mention, like Spirit Island, Gaia Project, Anachrony, Lisboa,
Future of Board Games
01:00:32
Speaker
Pandemic Legacy Season 2, Aeon's End War Eternal, Seventh Continent, which I know we both, i think I think we both really liked that at one point, or did you ever get into Seventh Continent? didn't get into Seventh Continent. Oh, okay.
01:00:45
Speaker
Dinosaur Island, Near and Far, Sagrada, like... Pulsar 28-49, which probably should have been on my list as one I'd like to play. but I have played it before, and and it's a good dice game.
01:00:56
Speaker
Okay. There we go. So we'll tally up our scores and see um who gets the dub this week. It'll be interesting. I think we've we're definitely going to score less than we scored last time, I feel. yeah It's just such a good year for games, and the worst.
01:01:09
Speaker
Good and the worse, yes my ah My bottom four was Startups, Photosynthesis, Secrets, and Stranger Things, the Ego card game. So, um yeah, it wasn't – there definitely were some games that I wish I never played.
01:01:26
Speaker
But there are 271 plays of Gloomhaven. Like that's that's almost a year's worth of play time in one box. um What I like about from now on, it's just going to ramp up.
01:01:39
Speaker
the quality of games that are coming out. Well, I actually actually accidentally did the 2018 list before I did the 2017 list, so I can send that to you straight away, and yeah, it's pretty shit hot.
01:01:50
Speaker
There's going to be a lot of sniping on next week's episode, I feel. Yeah, I think so. And um ah we will total up our scores and let you guys know who wins on the BGD, but I think it's going to be a bit tight.
01:02:03
Speaker
But certainly there's some great games there for everyone to go out and get And six games you mentioned that I've never played. left it We'll have to do something about that.
01:02:14
Speaker
Yeah. Because I have played every game on my list, so there wasn't anything that I haven't played.
Live Episode Plans
01:02:20
Speaker
Yeah, I think the only one I had on my list that I didn't um play, actually, no, think I'd i played all of them, was just I wanted to play them again. Yeah, so Quest for El Rado and Rajas, yeah.
01:02:31
Speaker
Well then, thanks again, Shane. I'm not sure when our next episode will be. I'm away for the next couple of, we usually record on the weekends and I'm away for the next couple of weekends. And then my kids are up, so it'll depend on what we're doing there. But hey, you never know. Like I'm in Brisbane for five nights. If you if you want to try, yeah we want to try a hand at a live one, I can bring down my but other microphone and we can do it together.
01:02:53
Speaker
That'd be very random. i don't know if that'd be easier or harder. To be honest. But then, you know, what we can do is we can play a game beforehand, so at least we can say we played something. Yes. Excellent.
01:03:04
Speaker
Oh, oh. We can do Battle of Hoth. We could do Battle of Yes. can live reaction, like an immediate reaction video.
01:03:15
Speaker
Yeah. All right. We'll work on some times and dates. That's good, mate. You have a lovely weekend. Same to you, and we'll catch you on the next episode. Take care.