Been trying for quite some time to figure out why it is I can never finish one of these vids. I keep watching them but then stop part way through and I couldn't figure out what it was that was bothering me. I realized though, it is the music! There is a musical theme that repeats about every 3-4 seconds through the entire video. The theme never resolves musically, it is in a constant state of musical tension and it is unsettling for me. It makes me feel on edge.
***** Considering the vocal quirks of many of the other board game video reviewers, the over-pronunciation in these videos is barely registered by my brain. It is easily offset by being hosted by folks that know their stuff. The beat is fine, there is just a chord progression with it that doesn't resolve (to create a loop) and that lack of resolution creates musical tension which sustains behind the entire video. A less musically 'interesting' composition that has a properly resolving chord at the end would release this tension.
I said the same thing on their top Thematic game video...which are some of my favorites. But the music becomes very distracting because it's like a 3-4 second loop like what you described. I think it was even louder in the video I mentioned.
Two great ways my group has found to reduce AP in this game is to 1) print out a player aid sheet (or three) describing all the furnishing tiles and 2) When someone has a dwarf go on an expedition, go on to the next player while the first decides on their loot. Even with five and six players it feels like there was hardly any downtime. Great review though of a super fun game!
Great video, Kaja and Joanna. Maybe someone here can answer a rules question i have: for the blacksmithing action space (the one where you can spend 1 - 8 ore to forge), if you spend 3 ore can you go back to that action space on a subsequent turn (with the same dwarf) and spend, let's say 3 ore again to increase weapon strength?
I don't believe so. Only a Dwarf without a weapon can use the Blacksmith space (that's on page 20 of the rules), and the only way to increase weapon level once a weapon has been forged is by going on expeditions. Since dwarves can't give away or trade weapons, there's no real way for the same dwarf to use Blacksmithing twice in the same game. - Kaja
I love the idea of these games, i truly do. but space is always an issue... are there any games like this that do not use multiple acres of tablespace to play?
Nice review, I already have Caverna and it's a great game for confirmed gamers, but perhaps challenging for casual gamers. I bought a couple of plastic compartment boxes from my local DIY store which have greatly helped with the time needed for setup and packing up, but the game could really have done with a bigger box with compartments already in it - black mark for the publisher there, I'm afraid. The components are great although I'd say that the wooden discs representing the dwarves are rather unimaginative.. The criticisms are minor, though, as this is certainly one of my favourite games. Thanks for the review, girls! :)
Great review, but you missed the single biggest flaw with the game. If you own Agricola you will feel bad as you will never open it again. I upgraded every aspect of Agricola and have almost all of the expansion decks. Unless we decide to do a throwback night those upgrades are going to waste.
8bit Geezer I should. But the collector in me hates to give it up. I joke about it being replaced and 'wasted' money after Caverna came out. But really with the hours I got out of that box, it doesn't owe me anything. It was money well spent. It can't be overstated how well Caverna fixed every complaint my friends had with Agricola though.
I don't know about this game, it looks great and most likelly plays fantastic, however, my doubts are about replayability, cause always it is the same game with bilion pieces, but to make this game replayable, you have to push a lot, because if you use some great "cave strategy" over and over again that works but reduces variability, the game might get booring. I really don't get why they took out those great hidden benefits/agendas from Agricola.
Having played both quite a bit, I can tell you this has never been a problem. No one has come up with that one great path to victory. As soon as someone finds something that works really well, everyone else tries to adopt some part of it or sabotage it in future games. Since the furnishing tiles are all unique, as soon as someone takes one that you want, you are forced to re-evaluate your plan. The expeditions really change things up. As the book says, if only one player goes on the expeditions, they will probably win, if only one player DOESN'T go on the expeditions, they will probably win.
8bit Geezer I think you mean Farmers of the Moore? But yeah, a tiles expansion wouldn't surprise me in the least. It would be a problem though, as my box only just barely fists all the goodies that come in the game as it is!
Been trying for quite some time to figure out why it is I can never finish one of these vids. I keep watching them but then stop part way through and I couldn't figure out what it was that was bothering me. I realized though, it is the music! There is a musical theme that repeats about every 3-4 seconds through the entire video. The theme never resolves musically, it is in a constant state of musical tension and it is unsettling for me. It makes me feel on edge.
***** Considering the vocal quirks of many of the other board game video reviewers, the over-pronunciation in these videos is barely registered by my brain. It is easily offset by being hosted by folks that know their stuff. The beat is fine, there is just a chord progression with it that doesn't resolve (to create a loop) and that lack of resolution creates musical tension which sustains behind the entire video.
A less musically 'interesting' composition that has a properly resolving chord at the end would release this tension.
I said the same thing on their top Thematic game video...which are some of my favorites. But the music becomes very distracting because it's like a 3-4 second loop like what you described. I think it was even louder in the video I mentioned.
I don't know, I come for the review, I stay for the music :)
Two great ways my group has found to reduce AP in this game is to 1) print out a player aid sheet (or three) describing all the furnishing tiles and 2) When someone has a dwarf go on an expedition, go on to the next player while the first decides on their loot. Even with five and six players it feels like there was hardly any downtime. Great review though of a super fun game!
Nice, concise but friendly review. Well done!
Great video, Kaja and Joanna. Maybe someone here can answer a rules question i have: for the blacksmithing action space (the one where you can spend 1 - 8 ore to forge), if you spend 3 ore can you go back to that action space on a subsequent turn (with the same dwarf) and spend, let's say 3 ore again to increase weapon strength?
I don't believe so. Only a Dwarf without a weapon can use the Blacksmith space (that's on page 20 of the rules), and the only way to increase weapon level once a weapon has been forged is by going on expeditions. Since dwarves can't give away or trade weapons, there's no real way for the same dwarf to use Blacksmithing twice in the same game.
- Kaja
I love the idea of these games, i truly do. but space is always an issue... are there any games like this that do not use multiple acres of tablespace to play?
so when are they coming out with treerna (you know, for elves)?
Nice review, I already have Caverna and it's a great game for confirmed gamers, but perhaps challenging for casual gamers. I bought a couple of plastic compartment boxes from my local DIY store which have greatly helped with the time needed for setup and packing up, but the game could really have done with a bigger box with compartments already in it - black mark for the publisher there, I'm afraid. The components are great although I'd say that the wooden discs representing the dwarves are rather unimaginative.. The criticisms are minor, though, as this is certainly one of my favourite games. Thanks for the review, girls! :)
Thanks for the video review!
Awesome game, awesome review! Keep it up! :) Oh, and totally not creepy comment: Joanna the short hair looks amazing on you. :D
kajas a cutie, twice as cute since board games are involved lol
farming in a worker placement resource management board game
Most gorgeous ladies in gaming! Makes me wish I was Canadian.
Yes exactly. We have two thin, attractive women, who are board gamers. They will have power over men all their lives.
Great review, but you missed the single biggest flaw with the game. If you own Agricola you will feel bad as you will never open it again. I upgraded every aspect of Agricola and have almost all of the expansion decks. Unless we decide to do a throwback night those upgrades are going to waste.
8bit Geezer
I should. But the collector in me hates to give it up. I joke about it being replaced and 'wasted' money after Caverna came out. But really with the hours I got out of that box, it doesn't owe me anything. It was money well spent. It can't be overstated how well Caverna fixed every complaint my friends had with Agricola though.
CLAYMATION! anyway, great review!
I don't know about this game, it looks great and most likelly plays fantastic, however, my doubts are about replayability, cause always it is the same game with bilion pieces, but to make this game replayable, you have to push a lot, because if you use some great "cave strategy" over and over again that works but reduces variability, the game might get booring. I really don't get why they took out those great hidden benefits/agendas from Agricola.
Having played both quite a bit, I can tell you this has never been a problem. No one has come up with that one great path to victory. As soon as someone finds something that works really well, everyone else tries to adopt some part of it or sabotage it in future games. Since the furnishing tiles are all unique, as soon as someone takes one that you want, you are forced to re-evaluate your plan. The expeditions really change things up. As the book says, if only one player goes on the expeditions, they will probably win, if only one player DOESN'T go on the expeditions, they will probably win.
8bit Geezer
I think you mean Farmers of the Moore? But yeah, a tiles expansion wouldn't surprise me in the least. It would be a problem though, as my box only just barely fists all the goodies that come in the game as it is!
Great review. Looks like I'm going to have to skip this one. I just get my head around the "engine" of these kinds of games.
It's so funny, you lovely ladies talk like your giving an English lesson, make sure u pronunciation is correct girls!