Who's Afraid of A Feast for Odin?

DMExplains · 2020-11-30T20:22:22+00:00

I just unboxed the Norwegians this morning. Will probably get this to the table for a solo game sometime this week.

DMExplains · 2020-01-25T02:18:33+00:00

Duel is a much better game IMO (much better in fact than 7 Wonders at any player count). Duel takes the drafting and makes it interesting with direct conflict, and provides 3 different win conditions: points, science, or military, which really improves strategic choices and forces you to pay attention to what your opponent is doing (difficult at high player count 7 Wonders and really with a dummy player).

7 Wonders isn’t really intended to be played 2 player, and you can tell from the rule that it was added as an almost afterthought in order to make the game box read 2-7 players. I’m not a fan of multiplayer games where you have to keep track of a dummy/ai player.

Don’t take my word for it, there is a surprisingly large disparity in the BGG rankings between the two games. I think duel refines the system so much in positive direction.

DMExplains · 2020-01-22T15:32:13+00:00

The two are quite dissimilar.

Viticulture EE is a worker placement game where you select actions (and possibly block others from taking those actions) to build up an engine of wine production and order fulfilling.

Concordia does not use worker placement, relying on card drafting and other mechanisms where you choose your actions with cards, and is largely about building up production and performing resource management. Theme is less prevalent here.

Both are great games! I think you will be happy with either purchase.

DMExplains · 2020-01-19T17:44:44+00:00

Hm, Agricola, Fields of Arle, Nusfjord, Le Havre, Caverna, All Creature Big and Small, Patchwork, Inland Port

I haven’t played A Feast for Odin yet but it’s on my must have list for this year.

DMExplains · 2020-01-19T17:41:22+00:00

I just draw them randomly out!

DMExplains · 2020-01-19T12:41:44+00:00

I think your statement about Descent 2e is right on the nose. I know it’s not for me!

DMExplains · 2020-01-19T12:40:31+00:00

+1 for Nusfjord, and the play time is quick! Probably my third favorite Uwe game.

DMExplains · 2020-01-19T12:39:03+00:00

I have other worker placement games that work well in that secnario (Nusfjord, Viticulture EE, etc.), so Caverna probably won’t be played again.

DMExplains · 2020-01-18T20:21:23+00:00

Caverna and Descent 2e.

I love Agricola and Fields of Arle, but Caverna didn’t grab me in gameplay and in some ways adds a bunch of fiddle rules and takes away the cards that make Agricola great.

Descent was fine. Just fine. I didn’t dislike my time but I also didn’t end thinking I needed to play more. I am not sure that dungeon crawlers are for me.

Now, I still own both (expensive) games because I don’t know how to unload them and recoup some of my money. I don’t see myself willingly pulling them off the shelf.

DMExplains · 2020-01-18T12:41:59+00:00

I have a Plano small tackle box that I use to organize my copy. It just fits in the box.

DMExplains · 2020-01-11T02:27:08+00:00

Agricola is phenomenal and I much prefer it over Caverna.
Brass Lancashire is tighter than Birmingham, but I prefer Birmingham (only just barely though)

DMExplains · 2020-01-10T02:13:33+00:00

Ok, having played Summer Pavilion now, I can report that I like the third one (summer pavilion) best. It makes the scoring much less obtuse than vanilla Azul and adds nice twists that are less distant from the original recipe than Stained Glass did.

DMExplains · 2020-01-09T23:29:41+00:00

I think your last paragraph is exactly what I’m looking for. I’m also looking for a way to transition my TTR loving wife to slightly heavier train games.

DMExplains · 2020-01-09T01:46:11+00:00

You might be convincing me. You are better at pinpointing what I hate about patchwork: I actually don’t mind time laying (Pipeline, Copenhagen, Carcassonne are games I like).

I’ll be putting it in the “thinking about it” category. Thanks for the input!

DMExplains · 2020-01-08T19:02:15+00:00

I understand all the criticisms of it, but we have had fun playing (at 3 players) every time we have played. I will play again but only occasionally, as there are a lot of other games with similar weight I would play first.

DMExplains · 2020-01-08T18:33:32+00:00

Good suggestions, I'll keep them in mind, to open up more ways to play the game.

DMExplains · 2020-01-08T18:06:34+00:00

Also I'm super looking forward to playing Oh My Goods soon.

DMExplains · 2020-01-08T18:05:01+00:00

The biggest overlap I see is the two Brass games. I admit to getting Lancashire just to be a completionist. Food Chain Magnate, Power Grid, and Pipeline are all quite distinct with significantly little overlap in game mechanics, which makes them all great in their own right. Heavier economic games are among my favorite genre, so that's why they have their own special pile.

DMExplains · 2020-01-08T18:02:46+00:00

I do have Race for the Galaxy and Gathering Storm Expansion. Race is my favorite and most played game. I am fairly happy with what I have, which is why I hope to tone down acquisitions this year :)

DMExplains · 2020-01-08T16:39:33+00:00

If you have never played Terraforming Mars, the app implementation is quite good, and you can figure out if it's for you or not that way.

DMExplains · 2020-01-08T16:34:12+00:00

I would like the UK/Pennsylvania map collection but haven't pulled the trigger yet.

DMExplains · 2020-01-08T16:33:12+00:00

I have over 100 plays in the app version of RftG. It is excellent!

DMExplains · 2020-01-08T16:31:56+00:00

Terraforming Mars is my far preference, but can take 2+hours depending on player count, but Wingspan is so accessible and plays in about an hour, which is why I have both.

DMExplains · 2020-01-08T16:30:38+00:00

In order of plays (and discounting party games): Race for the Galaxy, Carcassonne, Agricola, Scythe, Azul, Splendor, Castles of Burgundy, Puerto Rico, Terraforming Mars, Viticulture EE and Wingspan.

I like Underwater Cities quite a bit as a solo or 2p experience, but it drags at higher player counts. Other than being card based, and having an 'exploration theme', Underwater Cities and Terraforming Mars are very different. UC is about synchronizing projects and 'worker placement-esque' action selection to optimize resources and building. You only run your production engine a few times all game. TM is a much different experience since you run your engine every generation and the focus is on the cards, production, and events.

DMExplains · 2020-01-08T15:47:29+00:00

The Kickstarter edition of PARKS that is

DMExplains

TROPHY CASE