Have you played this with the Corruption and Ascension expansion yet? It elevates an already good game to a new level of greatness, as it provides many more satisfying combos with the dual scoring cards or giving up some of one production for a big boost in another. I feel like this game deserves more attention than it gets.
You can't even compare the two. Spice Road is about converting resources the most efficiently. Here, you just draft, and decide whether you want to build a card or discard it for resources.
Played it recently. Enjoyed the hell out of it. I think it just might replace 7 Wonders, Splendor and Century. Make no mistake however, it’s basically multiple solo games sitting around a table.
chuckm1961 in a four player game no one bothered to look at what other people had. It just wasn’t feasible to sacrifice ones own points for a subpar card that might screw another player and even then, no one had a hand of cards (initially) that if they purposely took one that another player needed, that it wouldn’t leave SOME option for that same opponent. I think in a two or three player game you could play, “gotcha!” Strategies but that just wasn’t the case in our four player game.
Regarding having split decks, I thought the same way before backing. I think we are just spoiled by the way 7 Wonders ramps up. I definitely think forcing the decision the way this does is a great take on it.
Only played it 2 player so far and solo, need it in multiplayer at some point, but I'm just not seeing it here. I love 7 Wonders and find it easier to hate draft in that game then this. Here you're counting little colour squares and there's usually more than enough cards to recycle for what you need, especially in two players where you take 10 cards and draft 7 from them. Maybe like I said, I need to play this 3-4 player to get a kick out of it. I think the lack of theme doesn't help either. It's completely themeless, I have zero interest in what I'm building other than what it produces or does in points, which are mainly repeats of each other. Now granted 7 Wonders is themeless and just iconography on cards, but for some reason that one just works for me, the card sets are distinctive, here they blend together. And of course the expansions help! This is certainly a nice production and very simple to play though. Certainly a gateway level game at that point. I guess maybe I was hoping for something more innovative or unique to differentiate it from 7 Wonders or Villagers or Sushi Go which are like the go-to light drafting games. It's still a decent enough game in its own right though.
Did you happen to look into what each of the cubes represent or what you are building? He did explain it briefly. It's not that hard to imagine what this production chain might be emulating.
I would work with an A deck and B deck to have the high point cards come up later. Once you’ve played the game 2 or 3 times (and it plays fast, so your quickly through that), you will know what mix of cards you might expect to see. So no issue there as far as I’m concerned. The solo mode is also quite fun and thought through. Each round you get a 5 card deck (twice) and you either use those cards to construct them or as resources, or you discard 2 to draw 5 cards from the stack, of which you can keep 1 to use, offering a lot more choices. If this convinced you, then you might also want to look into finding the Kickstarter Heritage Edition which comes with 2 campaigns of 5 scenarios each.
Excellent? Haven't we seen similar with Machi Koro, Century, 7 Wonders, Splendor, etc etc? The whole time I was waiting for this to differentiate itself. And the main selling point, which is almost mandatory now, is unique starting kingdoms. Build engine. Engine go good. Use clear tactics to make engine gooder. And??? **Only real difference is the activation of phases and benefit for majorities. But many euros give +1 to majority leaders for certain goods, etc. ("Et cetera" seems to be my take from the description of rules)
Von Woolf To each his own! In this game, you can literally and fairly easily figure out exactly what you will produce and how many points you will have by the end of each round. In seven wonders, with higher player counts and lots of cards going around the table, you have much less information about what kind of sets you might be able to build. “I think I will go for science, I hope that other symbol that I need shows up later this round” In terms of using the game as a gateway, this is 100 times easier to get to the table.
@@chuckm1961 With less information comes less opportunity to think about your choices. That and each time someone picks a card in 7W, it is played immediately, so you know what each of the players are doing during the round.
Watching the review, I'm having a hard time to find something that would grasp my interest. I feel like many games are about collecting ressources and trading them for points, and I don't see how this one is better than others, or worse, how it's more interesting. I feel like there is something missing and I don't think I would enjoy this game over 7 Wonders. It might just be me and I have to admit I've not played "It's a wonderful world".
This one is unique in the way the production "chain' works and the way you can plan ahead for it. Tom did NOT show it well. I own and enjoy it. But it's not for everyone.
This game has all the right stuff in it to be a great game and it has some neat "innovative" mechanics, like the cascading production, but it is a light game that doesn't really build into anything bigger than it is. And it is too short to really be an engine builder... Basically too few rounds on that cascading production to really get into the game. The theme is very much pasted on top of a cube pusher... And with the trappings of a fully fledged long game and coming out as a short game just is a big let down... You have to basically focus on gathering points from minute one and that really eats away at the "engine building" aspect of it all. Basically you come equipped to run a marathon and it is just a 100 meter dash... It is not what you expected. I was hoping for a bigger game here... And the fact is that you pretty much see all the cards in a single game is a big let down as well. This game could have used more different cards and a deck you don't go through in a single game. Too little variety. It feels flat at the end...
Thank you for this review. Would you recommend something similar which might have better replayability? Im looking for something similar to Terraforming Mars.
@@rado2598 you and me and the rest of us... Mars is a very good game with multiple paths to victory and it is yet to be unbeaten. This game is certainly not it. I really haven't played any games similar to Mars, but better... Tapestry and Scythe are ok, but Mars still better. Engine building games are great, but it is hard to get it right... If everything else is fine, then it usually falls flat at the end when you finally have your engine up and the game is about to end and you have no time to take advantage of your hard work.
It was all kickstarted together and they’re not delivering until latter this month. I also would have assumed if the dice tower was getting early preview copies it would have been with everything. But makes sense they might just want bade retail version.
Dice Tower does not order KS versions. They specifically ask for retail copies and most publishers will only send retail versions because reviewing a version which only a small group can access isn't consumer friendly. Also if a game is only made good or great by KS additions, then that's a negative on the base game.
Loki Hve yeah, that’s pretty much it. 7 Wonders has at least the military strength aspect that forces you to keep up with the players to either side of you. Of course, this does have the one aspect similar to 7 Wonders - drafting a card to keep it from your opponents. It’s similarity to Spice Road is pretty obvious. With that being said, I do like this game way more than either Spice Road or 7 Wonders.
Strongly dislike this game. Its everything thats fun about 7 Wonders but made needlessly obtuse with the recycling, planning and build orders. If you want pointless complexity on top of a formula that already works just play 7w with expansions.
Wow that’s my favorite outfit of yours so far! Great review too!
I seriously want to know what your closet looks like.
I've always wondered what mob boss Tom got his wardrobe from.
Have you played this with the Corruption and Ascension expansion yet? It elevates an already good game to a new level of greatness, as it provides many more satisfying combos with the dual scoring cards or giving up some of one production for a big boost in another. I feel like this game deserves more attention than it gets.
Which would you choose between Aquatica and It's a Wonderful World?
Thanks Tom! This game nails all the points I look for in a game. I will have to pick this one up.
Seems like Century Spice Road, but in the future!
Chris Musix I absolutely hate century yet love this.
I love the fact when drafting it, do you draft for the resource or the building
@@69robtaylor agree with Rob, Century was a snooze fest for me, this one is a blast!
You can't even compare the two. Spice Road is about converting resources the most efficiently. Here, you just draft, and decide whether you want to build a card or discard it for resources.
@@РусланНечай-ъ5м Funny. I like Spice Road but 7 Wonders and IAWW are both so boring - drafting is not enough for me to make a game. Too simple.
@@TheLuminousCleric lol 7 wonders is more simple than spice road? What world are you living in
I am very interested both in this game and your tie.
Played it recently. Enjoyed the hell out of it. I think it just might replace 7 Wonders, Splendor and Century. Make no mistake however, it’s basically multiple solo games sitting around a table.
Sure about that? Card drafting is done with Cards Face Up around the table, so you are free to watch what other people take and what they need.
chuckm1961 in a four player game no one bothered to look at what other people had. It just wasn’t feasible to sacrifice ones own points for a subpar card that might screw another player and even then, no one had a hand of cards (initially) that if they purposely took one that another player needed, that it wouldn’t leave SOME option for that same opponent.
I think in a two or three player game you could play, “gotcha!” Strategies but that just wasn’t the case in our four player game.
Little to no hate drafting? 0/10
Those fins look a lot like gills lol
Regarding having split decks, I thought the same way before backing. I think we are just spoiled by the way 7 Wonders ramps up. I definitely think forcing the decision the way this does is a great take on it.
Agreed. That rough edge to it is part of what I love. I like the idea of gambling on a big payoff, very fun.
First time when I discovered this, it didn't click with me. Upon seeing this again I want to give a try. Funny how things worked out.
Only played it 2 player so far and solo, need it in multiplayer at some point, but I'm just not seeing it here. I love 7 Wonders and find it easier to hate draft in that game then this. Here you're counting little colour squares and there's usually more than enough cards to recycle for what you need, especially in two players where you take 10 cards and draft 7 from them. Maybe like I said, I need to play this 3-4 player to get a kick out of it.
I think the lack of theme doesn't help either. It's completely themeless, I have zero interest in what I'm building other than what it produces or does in points, which are mainly repeats of each other. Now granted 7 Wonders is themeless and just iconography on cards, but for some reason that one just works for me, the card sets are distinctive, here they blend together. And of course the expansions help!
This is certainly a nice production and very simple to play though. Certainly a gateway level game at that point. I guess maybe I was hoping for something more innovative or unique to differentiate it from 7 Wonders or Villagers or Sushi Go which are like the go-to light drafting games. It's still a decent enough game in its own right though.
Personally i like seven wanders but it is too basic for me.
play it online at BGA
Omg looking SNAZZY in this one, Tom!
I get some 51st state vibes from this game. It looks gorgeous!
This seems beyond themless .. cube phases ? Is that suppost to mean something ?
Did you happen to look into what each of the cubes represent or what you are building? He did explain it briefly. It's not that hard to imagine what this production chain might be emulating.
*supposed
Steeve Steele excuse me but I’m the typo / spelling police and I don’t appreciate you making me redundant lol, I can never resist correcting people 😉
I would work with an A deck and B deck to have the high point cards come up later. Once you’ve played the game 2 or 3 times (and it plays fast, so your quickly through that), you will know what mix of cards you might expect to see. So no issue there as far as I’m concerned.
The solo mode is also quite fun and thought through. Each round you get a 5 card deck (twice) and you either use those cards to construct them or as resources, or you discard 2 to draw 5 cards from the stack, of which you can keep 1 to use, offering a lot more choices.
If this convinced you, then you might also want to look into finding the Kickstarter Heritage Edition which comes with 2 campaigns of 5 scenarios each.
That round tracker/rotation direction indicator is something Bunny Kingdom desperately needs
I just want to know where you got that tie.
Turning out to be a good Essen for Tom so far!
Tom looked liked a mafia boss.
Excellent?
Haven't we seen similar with Machi Koro, Century, 7 Wonders, Splendor, etc etc?
The whole time I was waiting for this to differentiate itself. And the main selling point, which is almost mandatory now, is unique starting kingdoms. Build engine. Engine go good. Use clear tactics to make engine gooder. And???
**Only real difference is the activation of phases and benefit for majorities. But many euros give +1 to majority leaders for certain goods, etc.
("Et cetera" seems to be my take from the description of rules)
Also, this is definitely an oppressive, authoritarian future lol. It's not Fallout level dystopian, sure, but it's at least Logan's Run level.
Wow, what classics!!
Just found this game and I like it. It has a nice solo element aswell =)
It looks a bit meatier than 7 wonders, let's hope it doesn't bring too much AP.
It's actually lighter than 7 Wonders. I own and have played both.
@@chuckm1961 After a dozen of plays under my belt, I'm quite surprised to hear that.
Von Woolf To each his own! In this game, you can literally and fairly easily figure out exactly what you will produce and how many points you will have by the end of each round.
In seven wonders, with higher player counts and lots of cards going around the table, you have much less information about what kind of sets you might be able to build. “I think I will go for science, I hope that other symbol that I need shows up later this round”
In terms of using the game as a gateway, this is 100 times easier to get to the table.
@@chuckm1961 With less information comes less opportunity to think about your choices. That and each time someone picks a card in 7W, it is played immediately, so you know what each of the players are doing during the round.
Von Woolf Everyone’s mind works differently. So it’s no surprise that there would be differing opinions about which game is more complex.
TOM once again our gaming tastes align.
I think I shouldn’t like it cos it has zero theme, yet I love it.
Watching the review, I'm having a hard time to find something that would grasp my interest. I feel like many games are about collecting ressources and trading them for points, and I don't see how this one is better than others, or worse, how it's more interesting. I feel like there is something missing and I don't think I would enjoy this game over 7 Wonders. It might just be me and I have to admit I've not played "It's a wonderful world".
If you say it enough times, you might convince yourself. If you have one of these types of games, you dont need more. End of story.
This one is unique in the way the production "chain' works and the way you can plan ahead for it. Tom did NOT show it well.
I own and enjoy it. But it's not for everyone.
This game has all the right stuff in it to be a great game and it has some neat "innovative" mechanics, like the cascading production, but it is a light game that doesn't really build into anything bigger than it is. And it is too short to really be an engine builder... Basically too few rounds on that cascading production to really get into the game. The theme is very much pasted on top of a cube pusher... And with the trappings of a fully fledged long game and coming out as a short game just is a big let down... You have to basically focus on gathering points from minute one and that really eats away at the "engine building" aspect of it all. Basically you come equipped to run a marathon and it is just a 100 meter dash... It is not what you expected.
I was hoping for a bigger game here... And the fact is that you pretty much see all the cards in a single game is a big let down as well. This game could have used more different cards and a deck you don't go through in a single game. Too little variety.
It feels flat at the end...
Thank you for this review. Would you recommend something similar which might have better replayability? Im looking for something similar to Terraforming Mars.
@@rado2598 you and me and the rest of us... Mars is a very good game with multiple paths to victory and it is yet to be unbeaten. This game is certainly not it. I really haven't played any games similar to Mars, but better... Tapestry and Scythe are ok, but Mars still better. Engine building games are great, but it is hard to get it right... If everything else is fine, then it usually falls flat at the end when you finally have your engine up and the game is about to end and you have no time to take advantage of your hard work.
Hm, so nothing about the "Heritage" system, which includes opening more cards and modifications?
Wasn't that an expansion?
It was all kickstarted together and they’re not delivering until latter this month.
I also would have assumed if the dice tower was getting early preview copies it would have been with everything. But makes sense they might just want bade retail version.
He also mentions at 6:00 during the components section that this isn't the upgraded Kickstarter edition...
Dice Tower does not order KS versions. They specifically ask for retail copies and most publishers will only send retail versions because reviewing a version which only a small group can access isn't consumer friendly. Also if a game is only made good or great by KS additions, then that's a negative on the base game.
Pass for me.
But that jacket though . . .
like for the outfit
I like this, I'll be wishlisting it.
**resisting the urge** ugh "...and I tell to myself, what a wonderful world"
The Godfather. You need a few more rings though (gold dice rings for each finger).
This looks like nothing special and 7 Wonders meets Century?
Loki Hve yeah, that’s pretty much it. 7 Wonders has at least the military strength aspect that forces you to keep up with the players to either side of you. Of course, this does have the one aspect similar to 7 Wonders - drafting a card to keep it from your opponents. It’s similarity to Spice Road is pretty obvious.
With that being said, I do like this game way more than either Spice Road or 7 Wonders.
Loki Hve oh also, I would say it’s somewhat like Race for the Galaxy in the sense you can “spend” cards to produce goods. An aspect that I appreciate.
Sushi Go + Splendor + 7 Wonders
Strongly dislike this game. Its everything thats fun about 7 Wonders but made needlessly obtuse with the recycling, planning and build orders. If you want pointless complexity on top of a formula that already works just play 7w with expansions.
Actually looks really great!
The box, and the title, are @#$%.