So yes, these are my games of the year for 2022. And as mentioned in the video, release year has less impact on me than most and there will be games from years earlier than 2022 in here. Because i make the rules and the rules are built to accommodate how long it takes games to get here and for me to play them.
Talking of rules :o) ... Please can you pinpoint which was the fan-made rulebook you recommended for Star Trek: Ascendancy (there are several on B.G.G) - it sounds great.
Its version 3 in this file folder, note there are 24 files in there. boardgamegeek.com/filepage/159987/unofficial-complete-rulebook-star-trek-ascendancy
Now THIS is a game of the year list. Completely unique and nothing like all the other lists out there, and yet, the games on this list are consistently more fun than all the "hot new" that everyone else puts on their lists.
Yup. This elevates all content they have created and are yet to create. Just knowing they have fully developed thoughts on their own experiences and formulate opinions on that completely erases any worry of shilling or parroting bgg and popular opinions. Nothing worse than a hobby with homogenized opinions by the community and content creators.
Almost fell out of my chair when you said Roll Camera for game of the year; I genuinely would never have expected it given how many good games came out recently. But it deserves it! Every play has filled my group with such whimsy and enthusiasm; more than I have seen for a new game in a long time. A real gem.
One of the most interesting perspectives in the board game commentary world. With the mountain of games released every year I really enjoy the introduction of non BGG top ten games. Bravo 👏 PS I love the “games that are just fun” reasoning. It’s why I play games with my wife and kids.
People keep saying i have this odd perspective, i suspect its in part from being in the hobby for so long (1987) and not really doing the kickstarter/convention scene/watching much new hype content from other channels. Word of mouth is how i decide what games to go after most often these days. From my players and my patrons.
I don't own or have played Block by Block, but Leaving Earth fills that role to me, the one of a game I checked, bought and liked thanks to your recommendation only. And man, I love that game. Also, seeing the foundation category I realized how relatively old is your "beginner games" video. It would be great to have a new one, as I really liked how that one was planned, with each game covering a type of game or mechanic
Great Award Show. :-) Planet Unknown is one of my favourites from 2022 as well. And I don't know why as well. Great game. Still waiting on ISS Vanguard. Will be my number one solo game. Unsettled is great for cooperative games. Will get Go Camera because of Your video. Thanks a lot. All the best for the whole family from Germany.
Very unique. Love that you don't buy into the hype (or possibly more accurately, are BOUGHT into the hype as I suspect some are... ) and just speak your mind.
I shared Roll Camera with one of my old film school teachers. He actually posts about board games on Facebook now and then. In that game I like the use of polydominos to represent blocking. Thematically I also like that the majority of the game is about solving problems more than shooting anything. I remember hearing a crew turned up to shoot one day without any script breakdowns or shot lists. This was actually their grad film as well not just a first trimester project or something. Glad I wasn't part of that one.
Logically, it is indeed silly to push award videos out in November or December, BUT I'm very grateful for those videos anyways because that's when I buy games for the xmas holidays and I'm sure that is the main reason why people release these videos at that time.
Sorry for your recent sickness. Hope you're feeling strong again? God's blessings. Oh, and I've probably asked this before, but would you tell me again what the greeting you say at the beginning of your videos means? I forget. Lastly, I agree with you and Paul Grogan in giving it some consideration time (to marinate) instead of forcing out top games lists at the end of the calendar year. Paul defiantly waits an entire year. Cheers, friend.
Kia ora Koutou. Te reo Maori for "hi to you all" Kia ora means "Hi", but it can also mean "yes" and "agreed" and "thanks" and koutou is a suffix that means "i am speaking to a group of 3 or more people when i say this"
I really think that the Best Innovation award could be so much more than just a funny gimmick. It could be a way to celebrate how technology pushes the limit of what a board game can do, can be. For example, Turing Machine is blown me away. What out the use of any apps, you can check your guesses with the punch board "computer", innovating it from just a regular mathematical deduction game. The Innovation Award could celebrate a game that make you go "What?" when you hear it described to you.
@@3MBG That's valid, not every year we see noteworthy innovation in games. But I hope you get chance to try out Turing Machine, and I'd love to hear your thoughts on it in a 3 minute review!
@@3MBG I thought 'My Father's Work' as a whole was innovative, even if it's borrowing some elements that have been done to death. The recent push on voice acting feels innovative, even though we could point to Atmosfear doing it decades ago. It also feels something only the big players can afford, so that might make it feel less innovative. I thought voices in my head had decent innovation, from the theme, to the area control element of it. On the flip side, for all the buzz it has, Ark Nova can feel a bit like a 'best of' album. All the likeable stuff, in a single purchase, yet nothing that will make you go "wow! That's different!". A huge number of other games that accusation could be levelled at.
Hey, thanks for the video! I just happen to stumble across your channel today and I always like to take a look at what other people are playing and recommending. Glad you finally discovered Star Trek ascendancy! That is definitely in my top five games of all time. I own all the factions and just played my first eight player, four versus four team battle right around Christmas. It was an all day gaming session and we all had boat loads of fun. I encourage you to try that format when you have the time.
thank you for the caveat about remembering it's just the opinion of a person or group of people. It may feel repetitive to keep saying it, but people can lose a little perspective.
It's a double edged thing as well. Some people act like a game winning a spiel award means a game is great. Nope, it means a committee liked the game, nothing more and nothing less. Awards are fun, but they only have the power and significance we give them.
Great vid as always. Pretty much everything you mentioned I've either played or is on my wishlist. Best new to me game in the past year is Sidereal Confluence but Power Grid would probably have overtaken it if I managed to get it to the table more than once. How much success have you had with Ascendancy for non Trek fans?
That was a lot of fun to watch. 🙂Although I knew Castles of Burgundy existed, I didn't actually try it out until 2021 and totally fell in love with it. It's one of my favourites now, and was excited to back the special edition. Love Planet Unknown too, as does everybody I know who has played it.
If you get a higher chair you would have hair again haha 😉 I appreciate your category names, they provide some great personality. It’s refreshing to open up awards for games over a wider period of time than just the previous year. It helps shine lite on a game that gets passed over which is probably the most important part. And just because c game was the stuff one year, go back a year or two more and it could be the fourth game and that is a healthy perspective because I’m not made of money and I don’t have the ability to play games nearly ever single day which would I feel be the requirement to properly rate all the games that come out, so the way around it as you do waiting for opportunities is well rounded imo. I’m sorry for the comments you will inevitably get from people who simply don’t listen or pay attention to your explanation of timing for this video.
Cheers, and bye the way I have a lush full head of hair, i just shave it every few weeks because once it gets past a certain length i need to use product to keep it under control.
@@3MBG I understand. My mop is ridiculous past a certain length but paying for a haircut every two weeks just doesn’t work. It was a joke that I hope wasn’t hurtful. Your head almost lined up with that guy perfectly so it was just silly to me.
I have Bloc by Bloc second edition, because of your recommendation. Love it, of course. Any key differences here? And Star Trek Ascendancy is new to me this year as well and also great.
Uprising adds a new feature with group meetings addign objectives to the game, rather than set objectives at the start. And also adds in an option not to loot. And a few more small tweaks and improvements. 2nd ed is fine.
We just played the crew a few days ago! I was able to teach it to two people who haven’t played trick-taking and it was a lot more fun than the main game.
Glad I'm not the only one who hates a pre-emptive 'of the year' award. In the English Premier League they'll vote for the player of the year in the coming weeks - before the season has even ended! I guess in the online space people don't want to miss the bandwagon, but how can they just skip over the late entries and how can they not give their opinions and enjoyment of the games time to settle? I'm glad you do things differently (read: sensibly).
Excitedly waiting for my first copy of Unsettled which I backed on the last KS. Happy to see it endorsed by you. Other than that, still playing Gloomhaven, what else is there to want? :) Very interesting list, hoping for an interesting (gaming) year.
Unsettled deserves far more accolades than it generally gets so really glad to see it here. It is easily one of the best cooperative space games ever made, I've played Roll Camera and Unsettled is so much more fun and challenging and funny, it definitely deserves GOTY
Great list; I appreciate it you give a spotlight on the less kwon games. Crew is safe bet on any group which have enough knowledge of trick taking; personally, I really like it. I actually want to try Bloc by Bloc but it has been out of print for ever. Star Trek: Ascendancy is one those games I wish I had time and patience for it. I know if I buy it may be play it once per year or two year.
@@3MBG Clearly a stretch for someone as stupid as me, thank you. In Australia the core set which is useless on its own is $50 as are all the expansion boxes. From someone whom does not own the game (yep, I'm talking shit but I've watched several play throughs), it looks as if each, expansion, obviously the first one is essential, is a game and I'm not sure how often you could play the first scenario before spending another $50.
Then, perhaps the game isn't for you and that's ok? It's an odd business model, but each game is plenty re-playable. If you need a new scenario each time you play, sure that's expensive, but that's the cost of needing endless novelty. But nothing is stopping people playing core + 1 box 100 times if they enjoy the gameplay. I've played Healthy Heart Hospital 100 times or more solo and it doesn't have different scenarios.
I was thinking about Final Girl, but it seems like a money suck. Is there a lot of replayability in each scenario or are they pretty much one and done before you have to go buy new content?
Heaps of replay in each scenario. And even if you are into novelty and would bore of a scenario after like 5 plays, because they are split between killer and location, you can swap stuff around to create a lot of combinations.
Stopped watching when you mentioned The Crew. While I appreciate your how to play summary videos. Very concise and just enough to get started. I won't be listening to any more reviews I don't think. The Crew just left such a bad taste in my mouth that anyone who thinks that games is a TOP game can't possibly share any of my taste in board games. I have been forced to play several times because a friend likes it and found it awful. I just don't see what people like about it.
why are you playing a game you hate multiple times though? That seems deeply weird and off to me. If you hate it that much your friend should respect you not wanting to play it
@@3MBG Kind of an odd question to ask from a game reviewer. I like to give a game a fair shake and you often cannot do that in one play-through. At least, that is MY experience. Sometimes, they have hidden depths. In the case of The Crew that was obviously not the case for me. On my first play, I thought it was just a cooperative variant of hearts/spades and nothing more. The next time, it was the same. EXACTLY THE SAME. I really think the most appealing thing about it, to my friends who like it, is that it is cooperative and plays 5. Because with other games they REALLY like, that I don't, we will play them at least occasionally. Same with games I really like, they will some times accommodate me. That is part of the friendship thing, at least for us.
So yes, these are my games of the year for 2022. And as mentioned in the video, release year has less impact on me than most and there will be games from years earlier than 2022 in here. Because i make the rules and the rules are built to accommodate how long it takes games to get here and for me to play them.
Talking of rules :o) ...
Please can you pinpoint which was the fan-made rulebook you recommended for Star Trek: Ascendancy (there are several on B.G.G) - it sounds great.
Its version 3 in this file folder, note there are 24 files in there. boardgamegeek.com/filepage/159987/unofficial-complete-rulebook-star-trek-ascendancy
@@3MBG Perfect! Thanks a lot.
Now THIS is a game of the year list. Completely unique and nothing like all the other lists out there, and yet, the games on this list are consistently more fun than all the "hot new" that everyone else puts on their lists.
I really didnt check any other lists this year. I might go check that BGG meta thread that records all them and see what the group think is
Yup. This elevates all content they have created and are yet to create. Just knowing they have fully developed thoughts on their own experiences and formulate opinions on that completely erases any worry of shilling or parroting bgg and popular opinions.
Nothing worse than a hobby with homogenized opinions by the community and content creators.
Almost fell out of my chair when you said Roll Camera for game of the year; I genuinely would never have expected it given how many good games came out recently.
But it deserves it! Every play has filled my group with such whimsy and enthusiasm; more than I have seen for a new game in a long time. A real gem.
One of the most interesting perspectives in the board game commentary world. With the mountain of games released every year I really enjoy the introduction of non BGG top ten games. Bravo 👏
PS I love the “games that are just fun” reasoning. It’s why I play games with my wife and kids.
People keep saying i have this odd perspective, i suspect its in part from being in the hobby for so long (1987) and not really doing the kickstarter/convention scene/watching much new hype content from other channels. Word of mouth is how i decide what games to go after most often these days. From my players and my patrons.
Nice list, I really need to get Roll Camera. As someone working in film, I think it would be fun to play with coworkers.
Great video! Pan Am was one of my favorite discoveries of the last year as well!
I also was surprised and delighted by Roll Camera! Are you going to call a meeting? I have a good idea….. XD
I don't own or have played Block by Block, but Leaving Earth fills that role to me, the one of a game I checked, bought and liked thanks to your recommendation only. And man, I love that game.
Also, seeing the foundation category I realized how relatively old is your "beginner games" video. It would be great to have a new one, as I really liked how that one was planned, with each game covering a type of game or mechanic
I have been thinking about re-visiting that video as it has gotten quite old now.
Roll Camera eh? I really like your approach for the Game of the Year. Very fair and intellectual. Imma have to play it now! Thanks
It's great! And so thematic.
“family- friendly as hell” made me chuckle.
That is a very me use of language
Regicide is great. How can you not love that club wielding kiwi card?
Glad to see pan am get some love. It's been met with mixed reception at my groups but man I love it.
Regicide 🙌 Bloc by Bloc Uprising (2nd Edition was the second game in my collection, thanks to 3MBG) 🙌 Star Trek Ascendancy 🙌
Great Award Show. :-) Planet Unknown is one of my favourites from 2022 as well. And I don't know why as well. Great game. Still waiting on ISS Vanguard. Will be my number one solo game. Unsettled is great for cooperative games. Will get Go Camera because of Your video. Thanks a lot. All the best for the whole family from Germany.
Thank you! Very happy to hear what a few of your favorites are.
Very unique. Love that you don't buy into the hype (or possibly more accurately, are BOUGHT into the hype as I suspect some are... ) and just speak your mind.
I shared Roll Camera with one of my old film school teachers. He actually posts about board games on Facebook now and then. In that game I like the use of polydominos to represent blocking. Thematically I also like that the majority of the game is about solving problems more than shooting anything. I remember hearing a crew turned up to shoot one day without any script breakdowns or shot lists. This was actually their grad film as well not just a first trimester project or something. Glad I wasn't part of that one.
Logically, it is indeed silly to push award videos out in November or December, BUT I'm very grateful for those videos anyways because that's when I buy games for the xmas holidays and I'm sure that is the main reason why people release these videos at that time.
Oh yeah, that makes sense
I have the PnP files for Roll Camera for quite some time and now it seems I really must get into crafting this game :D Great video!
Sorry for your recent sickness. Hope you're feeling strong again? God's blessings. Oh, and I've probably asked this before, but would you tell me again what the greeting you say at the beginning of your videos means? I forget. Lastly, I agree with you and Paul Grogan in giving it some consideration time (to marinate) instead of forcing out top games lists at the end of the calendar year. Paul defiantly waits an entire year. Cheers, friend.
Kia ora Koutou. Te reo Maori for "hi to you all"
Kia ora means "Hi", but it can also mean "yes" and "agreed" and "thanks"
and koutou is a suffix that means "i am speaking to a group of 3 or more people when i say this"
@@3MBG Kia ora!
Agreed on the writing in Unsettled. Wonderfully dry / gallows humour.
I really think that the Best Innovation award could be so much more than just a funny gimmick. It could be a way to celebrate how technology pushes the limit of what a board game can do, can be. For example, Turing Machine is blown me away. What out the use of any apps, you can check your guesses with the punch board "computer", innovating it from just a regular mathematical deduction game. The Innovation Award could celebrate a game that make you go "What?" when you hear it described to you.
it has at times in the past, but sometimes i dont see anything like that in the year
Like the first winner IIRC was heroforge for custom making 3d models
@@3MBG That's valid, not every year we see noteworthy innovation in games. But I hope you get chance to try out Turing Machine, and I'd love to hear your thoughts on it in a 3 minute review!
@@3MBG I thought 'My Father's Work' as a whole was innovative, even if it's borrowing some elements that have been done to death.
The recent push on voice acting feels innovative, even though we could point to Atmosfear doing it decades ago. It also feels something only the big players can afford, so that might make it feel less innovative.
I thought voices in my head had decent innovation, from the theme, to the area control element of it.
On the flip side, for all the buzz it has, Ark Nova can feel a bit like a 'best of' album. All the likeable stuff, in a single purchase, yet nothing that will make you go "wow! That's different!". A huge number of other games that accusation could be levelled at.
Hey, thanks for the video! I just happen to stumble across your channel today and I always like to take a look at what other people are playing and recommending. Glad you finally discovered Star Trek ascendancy! That is definitely in my top five games of all time. I own all the factions and just played my first eight player, four versus four team battle right around Christmas. It was an all day gaming session and we all had boat loads of fun. I encourage you to try that format when you have the time.
Have done a 3 vs 3. There's some pics of it in motion during my faction review video IIRC
thank you for the caveat about remembering it's just the opinion of a person or group of people. It may feel repetitive to keep saying it, but people can lose a little perspective.
It's a double edged thing as well. Some people act like a game winning a spiel award means a game is great. Nope, it means a committee liked the game, nothing more and nothing less. Awards are fun, but they only have the power and significance we give them.
Lazy susan is always a winner - definately need a permenant one in my game room when I move
Quote of the video “family friendly … as hell”
Its seems like very normal nz phrasing, but i get that if its new to you it would be very odd and funny
Great vid as always. Pretty much everything you mentioned I've either played or is on my wishlist. Best new to me game in the past year is Sidereal Confluence but Power Grid would probably have overtaken it if I managed to get it to the table more than once.
How much success have you had with Ascendancy for non Trek fans?
I've not played it with anyone who wasnt pretty familiar with the show sorry.
That was a lot of fun to watch. 🙂Although I knew Castles of Burgundy existed, I didn't actually try it out until 2021 and totally fell in love with it. It's one of my favourites now, and was excited to back the special edition. Love Planet Unknown too, as does everybody I know who has played it.
If you get a higher chair you would have hair again haha 😉
I appreciate your category names, they provide some great personality.
It’s refreshing to open up awards for games over a wider period of time than just the previous year. It helps shine lite on a game that gets passed over which is probably the most important part. And just because c game was the stuff one year, go back a year or two more and it could be the fourth game and that is a healthy perspective because I’m not made of money and I don’t have the ability to play games nearly ever single day which would I feel be the requirement to properly rate all the games that come out, so the way around it as you do waiting for opportunities is well rounded imo.
I’m sorry for the comments you will inevitably get from people who simply don’t listen or pay attention to your explanation of timing for this video.
Cheers, and bye the way I have a lush full head of hair, i just shave it every few weeks because once it gets past a certain length i need to use product to keep it under control.
@@3MBG I understand. My mop is ridiculous past a certain length but paying for a haircut every two weeks just doesn’t work. It was a joke that I hope wasn’t hurtful. Your head almost lined up with that guy perfectly so it was just silly to me.
Planet Unknown award did make me giggle. Still waiting on my copy of ISS Vanguard......still excited.
I didn’t know regicide was a thing. Bought a copy thank!
I have Bloc by Bloc second edition, because of your recommendation. Love it, of course. Any key differences here? And Star Trek Ascendancy is new to me this year as well and also great.
Uprising adds a new feature with group meetings addign objectives to the game, rather than set objectives at the start. And also adds in an option not to loot. And a few more small tweaks and improvements. 2nd ed is fine.
We just played the crew a few days ago! I was able to teach it to two people who haven’t played trick-taking and it was a lot more fun than the main game.
"Oh No! Incoming Intergalactic Morons"
Sold it to me
STAR TREK: ASCENDANCY
Great list Jarrod! Unsettled and Bloc by Bloc remain high on my wish list. Thx!
Glad I'm not the only one who hates a pre-emptive 'of the year' award. In the English Premier League they'll vote for the player of the year in the coming weeks - before the season has even ended! I guess in the online space people don't want to miss the bandwagon, but how can they just skip over the late entries and how can they not give their opinions and enjoyment of the games time to settle? I'm glad you do things differently (read: sensibly).
A great list. The highest praise I can give it is that I genuinely want to buy and play all the games on it!
Excitedly waiting for my first copy of Unsettled which I backed on the last KS. Happy to see it endorsed by you.
Other than that, still playing Gloomhaven, what else is there to want? :)
Very interesting list, hoping for an interesting (gaming) year.
Unsettled deserves far more accolades than it generally gets so really glad to see it here. It is easily one of the best cooperative space games ever made, I've played Roll Camera and Unsettled is so much more fun and challenging and funny, it definitely deserves GOTY
It was very close 4 oh sixy. Very close.
I totally agree with your game of the year! I just got the b-movie expansion and I had a hoot playing it! so much fun laughter 😆💗
You're one of the few board game reviewers whose opinions I always trust even if I don't always agree with them
Cheers. I like to think its easier to be honest about what games you like as well. it all then flows more naturally
I'm holding out. Still haven't played Castles of Burgandy.
The patient gamer..... I will play carcassonne at some point as well
Great list; I appreciate it you give a spotlight on the less kwon games. Crew is safe bet on any group which have enough knowledge of trick taking; personally, I really like it. I actually want to try Bloc by Bloc but it has been out of print for ever. Star Trek: Ascendancy is one those games I wish I had time and patience for it. I know if I buy it may be play it once per year or two year.
Bloc by Bloc uprising was recently released, it should be available again unless it sold out immediately again.
wow, roll camera is already totally sold out in Australia according to board game oracle.
Not too surprised, it was a smallish kickstarter that got good buzz and got snapped up pretty quickly
+1 Regicide & The Crew 2 💜💜
Love your choice for Game of the Year! Such a fun thematic game
At the 9:19 mark a fly lands on your head! 😂
I know, lol. The perils of shooting in summer
Unsettled!
Well then, welcome to my radar Roll Camera!
Unsettled deserves to be GOTY no questions asked, but happy to see it get a shout out here.
Final Girl, not just to be avoided by dice haters but also by those who aren't independently wealthy.
ok? You know you don't need to buy every expansion for a game ever right?
@@3MBG Clearly a stretch for someone as stupid as me, thank you. In Australia the core set which is useless on its own is $50 as are all the expansion boxes. From someone whom does not own the game (yep, I'm talking shit but I've watched several play throughs), it looks as if each, expansion, obviously the first one is essential, is a game and I'm not sure how often you could play the first scenario before spending another $50.
Then, perhaps the game isn't for you and that's ok? It's an odd business model, but each game is plenty re-playable. If you need a new scenario each time you play, sure that's expensive, but that's the cost of needing endless novelty. But nothing is stopping people playing core + 1 box 100 times if they enjoy the gameplay. I've played Healthy Heart Hospital 100 times or more solo and it doesn't have different scenarios.
I was thinking about Final Girl, but it seems like a money suck. Is there a lot of replayability in each scenario or are they pretty much one and done before you have to go buy new content?
Heaps of replay in each scenario. And even if you are into novelty and would bore of a scenario after like 5 plays, because they are split between killer and location, you can swap stuff around to create a lot of combinations.
Wooo hooo Roll Camera!
A good & thoughtful list. All games worth playing. "Roll Camera" is so much fun.
Was pan am not released in 2020?
Also, I love your videos, thank you for all the work you put in!
See the "special rules for my Awards" in the introduction section of the video. That is all explained.
Yup. Go back and rewatch the first few minutes of the video for an explanation.
@@3MBG sorry about that! it’s because you disqualified another game for not being released in 2022 so I was confused
Stopped watching when you mentioned The Crew. While I appreciate your how to play summary videos. Very concise and just enough to get started. I won't be listening to any more reviews I don't think. The Crew just left such a bad taste in my mouth that anyone who thinks that games is a TOP game can't possibly share any of my taste in board games. I have been forced to play several times because a friend likes it and found it awful. I just don't see what people like about it.
why are you playing a game you hate multiple times though? That seems deeply weird and off to me. If you hate it that much your friend should respect you not wanting to play it
@@3MBG Kind of an odd question to ask from a game reviewer. I like to give a game a fair shake and you often cannot do that in one play-through. At least, that is MY experience. Sometimes, they have hidden depths. In the case of The Crew that was obviously not the case for me. On my first play, I thought it was just a cooperative variant of hearts/spades and nothing more. The next time, it was the same. EXACTLY THE SAME.
I really think the most appealing thing about it, to my friends who like it, is that it is cooperative and plays 5. Because with other games they REALLY like, that I don't, we will play them at least occasionally. Same with games I really like, they will some times accommodate me. That is part of the friendship thing, at least for us.