So the creators say they have a new expansion in the creative process (bantering ideas) right now that will be more Dahan focused. I hope the next set of spirits are in the low to low-moderate range instead of the high-moderate to very high range that Jagged Earth gave us. I also hope they give us another wilds and disease spirits as the other two main tokens (beasts and strife) have two spirits each (Fangs/Minds and Trickster/Lightning: Pandemonium).
That all sounds great, and yes I think we need more low-moderate spirits and more to do with the Dahan. But even if they don't include more spirits, just give us aspect cards - they could be ones that lower the complexity of a spirit.
1. I think the 6 players are added for people to brag how they play 6 handed solo 2. The best part about the expansion is - official rules to play without the events! Thanks Eric! Now my favourite game can truly be my favourite game :D 3. After reading the Spirits before playing I thought most of them seemed really boring. Boy was I wrong! 4. I disagree about more power somewhat. Yes, I want more Minor/Major powers but then he needs to change the rule on how you get them. Maybe draw 6 instead of 4. Otherwise it will be too lucky. The number of cards is pushing it as is (for Majors it has already crossed the line if you play on high difficulties). 5. The best way to learn Spirits that don't jive with you in my experience - play them 10 times in a row for 2 days straight. :)
@@TheBrokenMeeple Me neither, but for most Spirits on level 5+ Adversaries you have to get good Major to stand a chance of winning. As for events, he had a good idea but executed it poorly. The positives should have been as powerful as negatives. That way you get randomness but not luck.
I agree the base game is amazing and the expansions are just additional brilliance. I need to get branch and claw so I can experience the event cards and the extra tokens like beasts and disease. But then you can bet ill snag jagged earth soon after. Love this game so much.
Great expansion, more spirits and events are a huge plus! In terms of the new mechanics: **Badlands & Isolate** I have to say they are very lackluster. Most of the time they don't even come up, and when they do it feels rather minor.
@@TheBrokenMeeple Unfortunately, the only Spirit that uses Isolate more extensively is a Promo Spirit and many people won't get to play him. For most Spirits, I definitely agree that Isolate feels rather weak, but I guess it's supposed to.
Awesome review! I'd however like to add one caveat to your caveat: IF a new Spirit Island player strongly desires an event deck, because the one thing they don't like about the base game is that it's a bit TOO deterministic for their taste... then maybe adding Jagged Earth first before Branch and Claw might be a worthwhile consideration ... because at least as far as I can tell the events in Jagged Earth are on average a bit more ... gentle? evolved? balanced ... I guess that's a word one might use. Don't get me wrong: I play with all the event cards and I love the Branch & Claw events as well ... super thematic! ... but ... IMHO you can definitely tell, that the designers learned from Branch and Claw and upped the quality of the event cards even further. And on top of that Jagged Earth has more event cards than Branch and Claw.
The two expansions really do feel like they’re part of what the base game was meant to be. The strife/beast/pestilence tokens feel like they were always meant to be there.
I am a newb too. I play the PC version more often than the boardgame. I'm quite fond of the JE expansion in the PC version but I wish it had all of the stuff from the BG expansion. More is coming, as they complete it, but what it has already is quite good. Do you know if the Promo packs for the Board game are still available? I didn't see them on amazon when I bought the base game. BTW, I also bought 'Horizons...' and I love the spirits they added in that one too.
Just found this video - I had gotten it as a gift but before branch and claw. Oops. I had only really done the base game so far, cuase I had a lot of TTS but not so much teh physical actual version. It's clear that you'd played the expansion a lot and that really shows through when you talk about it. It feels like people don't play an expansion enough before reviewing it and being able togive a good opinion on it, only playing it a couple times before sitting down to write a review.
It really is! No doubt I'm sure I would have gone out of my way to acquire it all eventually, but it's given me a leg up and of course, I can put out the content for it.
Finally got my hands on spirit island, jagged earth and branch and claw. So that's me locked away in the man-cave for the next few weeks, I guess 🙂 Great, informative video has increased my excitement even more to get my teeth into this!
@@TheBrokenMeeple I am so glad I let myself be influenced by your Spirit Island reviews. It is truly excellent and I am totally addicted. I have had it just over a week and played around 40 solo games already. This is one of those occasions where I think the designer must be a creative genius. I suspect I am going to need an intervention in the future 🙄
I did get it all in the base game box :) All promos included. I did not do the wooden tokens though, stuck with the cardboard energy and expansion tokens.
@@TheBrokenMeeple correct, no insert. It only fits one way though. If I had more shelf space I would separate them back out to reduce the puzzle of putting it back in the box.
Can't comment on this, but the provided insert worked so well with no expansions. Compare that to Glass Road, where I have to struggle to shut the box with nothing added!
Complexity rating is good, however i wish they has included player count ratings as well. I play solo, 3, and 4 player and spirits vary that experience quite a bit.
My favorite spirit might be Volcano Looming High. I once caused a full eruption that straight up demolished nearly everything the invaders had going on. But I’ve got a serious soft spot for Stone’s Unyielding Defiance. But my 11yr old son has a proclivity for the higher complexity spirits. He’s won a game with Starlight Seeks Its Form, and will play any of the high levels.
It can be stored in one box! Built an insert from instructions online and it fits super snug with a little box lift, and can be turned upside down without spillage. Won’t work with wooden tokens tho.
@@TheBrokenMeeple i have game trayz and other storage jars from a local hobby store for all the invaders, dahan, energy, and tokens. Only things in baggies are a baggy for color of presence and then 1 for fear and 1 for blight
Thanks for the facebook group recommendation.. just joined up :)
So the creators say they have a new expansion in the creative process (bantering ideas) right now that will be more Dahan focused. I hope the next set of spirits are in the low to low-moderate range instead of the high-moderate to very high range that Jagged Earth gave us. I also hope they give us another wilds and disease spirits as the other two main tokens (beasts and strife) have two spirits each (Fangs/Minds and Trickster/Lightning: Pandemonium).
That all sounds great, and yes I think we need more low-moderate spirits and more to do with the Dahan. But even if they don't include more spirits, just give us aspect cards - they could be ones that lower the complexity of a spirit.
I'm starting to think Broken Meeple is Luke's main job and the accountant thing is the hobby.
If this was my main job, I guarantee accountancy wouldn't be a hobby! But I'd also go bankrupt in a few months.
@@TheBrokenMeeple I don't know about that. You enjoy all the bean counting in Euro games.
1. I think the 6 players are added for people to brag how they play 6 handed solo
2. The best part about the expansion is - official rules to play without the events! Thanks Eric! Now my favourite game can truly be my favourite game :D
3. After reading the Spirits before playing I thought most of them seemed really boring. Boy was I wrong!
4. I disagree about more power somewhat. Yes, I want more Minor/Major powers but then he needs to change the rule on how you get them. Maybe draw 6 instead of 4. Otherwise it will be too lucky. The number of cards is pushing it as is (for Majors it has already crossed the line if you play on high difficulties).
5. The best way to learn Spirits that don't jive with you in my experience - play them 10 times in a row for 2 days straight. :)
Yeah you don't tend to acquire that many Major's period. I can play this without events but I'd really not want to!
@@TheBrokenMeeple Me neither, but for most Spirits on level 5+ Adversaries you have to get good Major to stand a chance of winning.
As for events, he had a good idea but executed it poorly. The positives should have been as powerful as negatives. That way you get randomness but not luck.
This expansion bumped Spirit Island into my number 2 spot. Such a fantastic expansion to an already great game.
Just don't want them to go mad now - I think just more cards and I'm happy at this point if they did go further.
what's your number 1?
I agree the base game is amazing and the expansions are just additional brilliance. I need to get branch and claw so I can experience the event cards and the extra tokens like beasts and disease. But then you can bet ill snag jagged earth soon after. Love this game so much.
That's the best order to do it in.
Great expansion, more spirits and events are a huge plus!
In terms of the new mechanics: **Badlands & Isolate** I have to say they are very lackluster. Most of the time they don't even come up, and when they do it feels rather minor.
Agreed - Badlands I don't mind, but Isolate is meh at best. The others are much more meaningful, and yet Branch and Claw did them already.
@@TheBrokenMeeple Unfortunately, the only Spirit that uses Isolate more extensively is a Promo Spirit and many people won't get to play him. For most Spirits, I definitely agree that Isolate feels rather weak, but I guess it's supposed to.
@@maips4996 I think I know the spirit you mean, I haven't played him yet.
Awesome review!
I'd however like to add one caveat to your caveat: IF a new Spirit Island player strongly desires an event deck, because the one thing they don't like about the base game is that it's a bit TOO deterministic for their taste... then maybe adding Jagged Earth first before Branch and Claw might be a worthwhile consideration ... because at least as far as I can tell the events in Jagged Earth are on average a bit more ... gentle? evolved? balanced ... I guess that's a word one might use.
Don't get me wrong: I play with all the event cards and I love the Branch & Claw events as well ... super thematic! ... but ... IMHO you can definitely tell, that the designers learned from Branch and Claw and upped the quality of the event cards even further. And on top of that Jagged Earth has more event cards than Branch and Claw.
People differ on which one first. Branch was my personal route.
The two expansions really do feel like they’re part of what the base game was meant to be. The strife/beast/pestilence tokens feel like they were always meant to be there.
But not so much the badlands and certainly not the confusing as hell Isolate power.
Technically they were, but it was deemed too much stuff, so they split it out.
I am a newb too. I play the PC version more often than the boardgame. I'm quite fond of the JE expansion in the PC version but I wish it had all of the stuff from the BG expansion. More is coming, as they complete it, but what it has already is quite good.
Do you know if the Promo packs for the Board game are still available? I didn't see them on amazon when I bought the base game. BTW, I also bought 'Horizons...' and I love the spirits they added in that one too.
I feel like they are, but doubtful on amazon.
Just found this video - I had gotten it as a gift but before branch and claw. Oops. I had only really done the base game so far, cuase I had a lot of TTS but not so much teh physical actual version. It's clear that you'd played the expansion a lot and that really shows through when you talk about it. It feels like people don't play an expansion enough before reviewing it and being able togive a good opinion on it, only playing it a couple times before sitting down to write a review.
That tends to happen with many with normal reviews, not just expansions! Thanks for the kind words!
That’s so cool of Greater than Games to send you the rest- great company!
It really is! No doubt I'm sure I would have gone out of my way to acquire it all eventually, but it's given me a leg up and of course, I can put out the content for it.
Enough with spirits!!! Can we get some wine or beer please??? 😂 😂 😂
Ha ha, well this will be the last video on it unless they release another expansion! :P Maybe a future BTBG can tackle Viticulture Tuscany!
@@TheBrokenMeeple 😂 😂 😂
Well, I heard that there is something in the pipeline...
This is the video I've ever seen first from you. Well, now I'm following your channel. Keep up the good stuff!
Happy to hear this, thank you!
Finally got my hands on spirit island, jagged earth and branch and claw. So that's me locked away in the man-cave for the next few weeks, I guess 🙂 Great, informative video has increased my excitement even more to get my teeth into this!
Oh fantastic, good times ahead 😁
@@TheBrokenMeeple I am so glad I let myself be influenced by your Spirit Island reviews. It is truly excellent and I am totally addicted. I have had it just over a week and played around 40 solo games already. This is one of those occasions where I think the designer must be a creative genius. I suspect I am going to need an intervention in the future 🙄
As to storing, everything fits in base game and branch and claw boxes.
Still 2 boxes, just one slightly smaller box! :P
@@TheBrokenMeeple yeah, but the small one fits the gap to the side of kallax so big gain.
I did get it all in the base game box :) All promos included. I did not do the wooden tokens though, stuck with the cardboard energy and expansion tokens.
That's fair enough, but everything in the base box? Obviously no insert then? I'm not sure I could go back to baggies in this one.
@@TheBrokenMeeple correct, no insert. It only fits one way though. If I had more shelf space I would separate them back out to reduce the puzzle of putting it back in the box.
Can't comment on this, but the provided insert worked so well with no expansions. Compare that to Glass Road, where I have to struggle to shut the box with nothing added!
I'm very excited about this expansion. Spirit Island holds a solid spot in my top 10.
At this rate, same here.
Symbology? I believe the word you're looking for is Sssssymbolism
I bought JE after the base game once I’d beat all adversaries on lvl 6. Now I’m planning to buy branch and claw and feather and flame when it releases
I wouldn't dare attempt level six!!
Complexity rating is good, however i wish they has included player count ratings as well. I play solo, 3, and 4 player and spirits vary that experience quite a bit.
That's not an implausible suggestion...... 🤔
My favorite spirit might be Volcano Looming High. I once caused a full eruption that straight up demolished nearly everything the invaders had going on. But I’ve got a serious soft spot for Stone’s Unyielding Defiance.
But my 11yr old son has a proclivity for the higher complexity spirits. He’s won a game with Starlight Seeks Its Form, and will play any of the high levels.
It can be stored in one box! Built an insert from instructions online and it fits super snug with a little box lift, and can be turned upside down without spillage. Won’t work with wooden tokens tho.
I hate lift's in inserts! I have to suffer with the odd one, but they drive me nuts!
Just got really into this game. Thanks for all of your content on the game. Really helped me get into it and the Facebook group
Fantastic, glad to hear!
if only it was more mine lol nice video dude Stay Hexy!
Mine!! :P
What card sleeves do you use so they fit in the folded space insert
Sleeve Kings for the win!
Wow! Nice haircut!
I managed to fit everything except the spirit boards in 1 box. I keep the spirit board in the feather and flame box
Yeah but what's the setup like? 😏
@@TheBrokenMeeple 10 minutes if i take my time. Can probably get it to 5-6 if try to be fast
@@AleksandarDaGr8 from baggies I don't see that.
@@TheBrokenMeeple i have game trayz and other storage jars from a local hobby store for all the invaders, dahan, energy, and tokens. Only things in baggies are a baggy for color of presence and then 1 for fear and 1 for blight
Awesome review
12/10. That sounds about right.
Close enough! :P