I know that Dice Tower reviews aren't meant to teach the game or learn the rules.... but I've never been more confused by an overview than in this video. Normally I have at least a rough idea of how the game plays... this one I had no idea at the end of Tom's explanation how this game works!
Same, Tom usually does a great game explaining games, but this time I had to go and read the rulebook. This is the second time in recent days that I've seen them explain a game that uses a screen and not explain that it is a screen, which is very very important
Happy to hear I'm not the only one. I often say that no one is better than Tom at giving a rules overview that boils down a game to its essence and is fully comprehensible. Today, however, I'm lost. Still I don't feel that it's Tom's fault, but rather perhaps just how innovative this game's deduction mechanism is.
I tried this at Dice Tower East last year (with Chris actually too), and I was so lost. Math + Wordle = my brain is fried. But the people at the table really had a blast.
It looks fun, but boy does it seem unintuitive. This has got to be only the second or third time in years of watching the dice Tower that I’ve had to rewatch a rules overview….. both the alien and the humans, write words….. multiple spaces on the aliens board can hold a red letter, but you only end up with one red letter….AND Both teams are trying to guess secret words as well as the humans guessing secret letters 😬
Decrypto, Codenames, Concept, So clover, That's pretty clever, Frequency, QE, are all nice puzzly games like this. Was curious about this. I found your review very helpful, thanks.
Tom taught three of us this game at 7 a.m. Sunday at DTW. What a way to wake up. Thanks for the teach! We did manage to score 11 of 12 points but it took lots of deduction and discussion. Fun game for folks that like this style of game. Allplay is killing it!
I initially had no interest in another word/deduction game (Is _worduction_ a genre?), and almost didn't buy it during Kickstarter, but it was only like an additional $10 if I bought the bundle so I thought what the heck. Hope it's a winner.
I hadn’t heard of this one and looking forward to trying. I’d suggest having someone review that doesn’t enjoy or play deduction as much. That would add more value than three 9’s from deduction fans.
Sorry not a good comparison. I think it’s helpful to have someone review that enjoys board games but not a mega fan of the genre. @@Hieronymus-Pseudonymous
I think we may be entering an era of deduction/logic games. (variant) Sudoku's also felt like its been having a huge resurgence, so I think it may be a general thing. Wordle was probably the start of it. I hope I'm right and we'll be getting many more in the future!
I played this on the DT cruise. It feels like it part of the same series of games as Fiction also by All Play. This one feels a bit more thinky and mathy compared to Fiction. I like this better, but definitely more complicated. As someone who likes math better than English (in terms of a school subject), I liked this one better.
Part of the same campaign. They probably won't need to do a review but might do a quick comparison of editions, but their opinions of the game are quite well established
The alien randomly gets 6 letter cards behind a screen: 3 of them count as a value of +1 (for each instance), 2 of them will multiply the final score by x2 (for each instance), and 1 letter flips the score negative. This means every word can now be assigned a mathematical score, simply by adding up all your +1 letters, then applying any x2 and negative multipliers at the end. The aliens and humans are also given a card with words they want the other side to guess (kinda like Codenames). So the alien starts the game and might write the word SCISSORS on a card, compute its score and write it on the card (let's say it's 4), and pass it to the humans. Remember, only the alien knows how to compute the score, since only they know the letters. The humans are looking at this information and trying to figure out how you could get a score of 4 out of these letters. If C and I were +1 letters and O was a x2 letter, for example, that's one possibility (1+1 = 2, then x2 for the O = 4). You also know none of these letters are negative letters, so you'd cross them off on your deduction sheet. They're also trying to keep in mind that the word SCISSORS is a clue for something on the alien's secret word list later. Then, the humans give a target word to the alien. The alien computes the score and gives it back to the humans. The humans can use the score to make more deductions about which letters are where, and the alien makes notes about which word the humans gave them. Each team will give 4 clues to the other side, for 8 total words. The humans then have to guess which letters are in the cypher, and both sides have to guess which words are the target words on their card, based on word association from the clues given. It's definitely a unique game that combines a spelling word game with word association. Normally you only care about spelling (Letter Jam, Scrabble, etc) OR word association (Codenames, So Clover, etc). Here you have to give a clue that means "water", and you'd really like it to have two Cs and an R in it because you need that to help your cypher deduction. You kind of need to care about both equally.
How does this compare to Mysterium? It seems kinda similar in the sense that you have one "leader" trying to get people to guess something. I suppose the main difference is words and math rather than art, but Chris said there was nothing similar on the market so I'm curious if there's actually any similarly there in feel or not.
Quit different because this one if far more mathematical and Mysterium is based off of how a clue card makes you "feel." The other unique aspect is that the team of humans also has to make the one "leader" guess correct information at the end of the game, and so they are also handing clue words to them in order to learn the numerical value. There's a lot of reciprocal information being shared.
I love deduction games. I love 1 verses all. I'm dyslexic. Any game that requires spelling or too much reading, I avoid. Any other dyslexics out there that have tried this game? Thoughts? Edit, 29, March '24 I suppose not. You don't get 1 minute into the review before you find out that it is a word game, which isn't a word game, it's a deduction game, but actually it is word game. I generally wouldn't get past this point, but it looked interesting. I guess it's not for us.
I don’t think their sponsorship has ever stopped them from giving a lower rating overall. If the game is good, the game is good. If it’s not, it’s not.
I know that Dice Tower reviews aren't meant to teach the game or learn the rules.... but I've never been more confused by an overview than in this video.
Normally I have at least a rough idea of how the game plays... this one I had no idea at the end of Tom's explanation how this game works!
Had the same feeling, I was watching the overview and thinking.. Wait what haha
Same, Tom usually does a great game explaining games, but this time I had to go and read the rulebook. This is the second time in recent days that I've seen them explain a game that uses a screen and not explain that it is a screen, which is very very important
Happy to hear I'm not the only one. I often say that no one is better than Tom at giving a rules overview that boils down a game to its essence and is fully comprehensible. Today, however, I'm lost. Still I don't feel that it's Tom's fault, but rather perhaps just how innovative this game's deduction mechanism is.
I tried this at Dice Tower East last year (with Chris actually too), and I was so lost. Math + Wordle = my brain is fried. But the people at the table really had a blast.
This looks similar to Hooky.
Also, Arrival is a phenomenal movie.
It looks fun, but boy does it seem unintuitive. This has got to be only the second or third time in years of watching the dice Tower that I’ve had to rewatch a rules overview….. both the alien and the humans, write words….. multiple spaces on the aliens board can hold a red letter, but you only end up with one red letter….AND Both teams are trying to guess secret words as well as the humans guessing secret letters 😬
Decrypto, Codenames, Concept, So clover, That's pretty clever, Frequency, QE, are all nice puzzly games like this. Was curious about this. I found your review very helpful, thanks.
Tom taught three of us this game at 7 a.m. Sunday at DTW. What a way to wake up. Thanks for the teach! We did manage to score 11 of 12 points but it took lots of deduction and discussion. Fun game for folks that like this style of game. Allplay is killing it!
I initially had no interest in another word/deduction game (Is _worduction_ a genre?), and almost didn't buy it during Kickstarter, but it was only like an additional $10 if I bought the bundle so I thought what the heck. Hope it's a winner.
Maybe you'll enjoy it, maybe not. It's so different from other word games, and it's not for everyone but I do think it's great.
I hadn’t heard of this one and looking forward to trying. I’d suggest having someone review that doesn’t enjoy or play deduction as much. That would add more value than three 9’s from deduction fans.
To be fair, the Dice Tower has pretty much always had the people who liked the game the most be the ones to be featured in the review
@@LegoAssassin098I know. Just offering a suggestion.
Would you want someone who doesn't like country music to review a country album?
Sorry not a good comparison. I think it’s helpful to have someone review that enjoys board games but not a mega fan of the genre. @@Hieronymus-Pseudonymous
@@JhoffDJ. It's better than my first thought, which was a food comparison. :)
I think we may be entering an era of deduction/logic games. (variant) Sudoku's also felt like its been having a huge resurgence, so I think it may be a general thing. Wordle was probably the start of it. I hope I'm right and we'll be getting many more in the future!
A logic/deduction renaissance? 🤔
I played this on the DT cruise. It feels like it part of the same series of games as Fiction also by All Play. This one feels a bit more thinky and mathy compared to Fiction. I like this better, but definitely more complicated. As someone who likes math better than English (in terms of a school subject), I liked this one better.
Sounds interesting. How does this compare to Decrypto?
Dune Popcorn Bucket spotted.
I hope that there will be a german version. Seems to be a game I would really like to play. :)
wait..what is that new reprint of through the desert doing in the background? and why is there not a dt review of it yet?
Part of the same campaign. They probably won't need to do a review but might do a quick comparison of editions, but their opinions of the game are quite well established
It'll be reviewed this week. It's been long enough since the last review and wasn't done in a group setting. The expansion will be reviewed too.
@@thedicetower plus Mike is on staff now :P
Good review! Still a little confused how it works though. What’s the best number of players?
The alien randomly gets 6 letter cards behind a screen: 3 of them count as a value of +1 (for each instance), 2 of them will multiply the final score by x2 (for each instance), and 1 letter flips the score negative. This means every word can now be assigned a mathematical score, simply by adding up all your +1 letters, then applying any x2 and negative multipliers at the end.
The aliens and humans are also given a card with words they want the other side to guess (kinda like Codenames). So the alien starts the game and might write the word SCISSORS on a card, compute its score and write it on the card (let's say it's 4), and pass it to the humans. Remember, only the alien knows how to compute the score, since only they know the letters. The humans are looking at this information and trying to figure out how you could get a score of 4 out of these letters. If C and I were +1 letters and O was a x2 letter, for example, that's one possibility (1+1 = 2, then x2 for the O = 4). You also know none of these letters are negative letters, so you'd cross them off on your deduction sheet. They're also trying to keep in mind that the word SCISSORS is a clue for something on the alien's secret word list later.
Then, the humans give a target word to the alien. The alien computes the score and gives it back to the humans. The humans can use the score to make more deductions about which letters are where, and the alien makes notes about which word the humans gave them. Each team will give 4 clues to the other side, for 8 total words. The humans then have to guess which letters are in the cypher, and both sides have to guess which words are the target words on their card, based on word association from the clues given.
It's definitely a unique game that combines a spelling word game with word association. Normally you only care about spelling (Letter Jam, Scrabble, etc) OR word association (Codenames, So Clover, etc). Here you have to give a clue that means "water", and you'd really like it to have two Cs and an R in it because you need that to help your cypher deduction. You kind of need to care about both equally.
Rear Window might have a similar feel.
How does this compare to Mysterium? It seems kinda similar in the sense that you have one "leader" trying to get people to guess something. I suppose the main difference is words and math rather than art, but Chris said there was nothing similar on the market so I'm curious if there's actually any similarly there in feel or not.
Quit different because this one if far more mathematical and Mysterium is based off of how a clue card makes you "feel." The other unique aspect is that the team of humans also has to make the one "leader" guess correct information at the end of the game, and so they are also handing clue words to them in order to learn the numerical value. There's a lot of reciprocal information being shared.
@@thedicetower Thanks for the input! I love deduction, so I think this is a must-have for my collection.
Color me intrigued!
does the person giving the overview know how to play the game? i found that segment amazingly unhelpful.
I love deduction games. I love 1 verses all. I'm dyslexic. Any game that requires spelling or too much reading, I avoid. Any other dyslexics out there that have tried this game? Thoughts?
Edit, 29, March '24
I suppose not. You don't get 1 minute into the review before you find out that it is a word game, which isn't a word game, it's a deduction game, but actually it is word game. I generally wouldn't get past this point, but it looked interesting. I guess it's not for us.
I am certain there are no conflicts of interest in this review at all...
Should they never review AllPlay games? They disclose their relationship very readily.
@@LegoAssassin098 I watched a good part of the review, I admit not all of it. What was the time stamp where they disclosed it?
@@martind2520at 16:51 as they give their final numbers. Hope that helps.
@@bannacha Ah, a ten second mention at the end of the video, at the point most people have stopped watching. Very clear disclosure there...
I don’t think their sponsorship has ever stopped them from giving a lower rating overall. If the game is good, the game is good. If it’s not, it’s not.
You can barely call this a 'game' 🤔
You can barely call that a comment. 😂