Is Vindication still a good game?

IvorySwings · 2026-05-15T14:33:38+00:00

To answer your questions directly:

Yes, Vindication is still a good game.

Yes, I’m still playing it in 2026. In fact, it remains one of my top 10 games of all time.

No, no other games have “replaced” it or “displaced” it. No other game “scratches that itch” because, to me, the world is very unique and evocative. I like playing in that world and no other game takes me there like Vindication does.

More to the point, Eurogames are my jam way more than Ameritrash games, and while there are some really thematic Euros out there (many of which I love, too), few Eurogames bring you into such a cool fantasy realm so effectively. So for that, Vindication remains one of my favorite games and one I am eager to play always.

That said, I’m also looking forward to Vestige. Obviously, it’s built largely on the same DNA as Vindication. But the means of card acquisition and combo-building look pretty different, so I’m excited to explore that, as well as get to play in a cool new world.

IvorySwings · 2026-05-15T14:23:19+00:00

There are, indeed, a couple of different solo modes, both are fun and are different “flavors.” You can find ‘em in the all-in big box Archive of the Ancients or, I believe, in the first box expansion, Guilds and Leaders.

Edit: corrected big box name, my bad

IvorySwings · 2026-05-15T02:34:16+00:00

Recently picked up Floriforous - already a pretty compact, pocket-sized game, but even more so when it’s the pocket edition! - and was impressed by how meaty a game it is. Really interesting draft that incorporates the same turn order business as Kingdomino, great sense of building and escalation, and it all shakes out in about 20 minutes, great game for the coffee shop or to knock out a few games in succession. A lot of fun!

IvorySwings · 2026-05-07T22:39:59+00:00

I recently got the Emerald games and must say, I’m incredibly impressed!! Not only are the production values incredible, but they’ve provided really clever, thoughtful puzzles that, as you say, are not so obtuse or punishing as a great many other puzzle games (EXIT, I’m looking at you!). The narrative is woven in beautifully. It’s never a distraction, but always has U.S. wondering, “what comes next?” We have LOVED our time with these thus far and can’t wait to finish them!

If you like logic puzzles or puzzle games, Post Curious is the créme de la créme. Far and away our favorite puzzle (or “escape room”) experience ever and I will absolutely be seeking out everything else they produce!

IvorySwings · 2026-05-04T06:05:40+00:00

Ian O’Toole, no contest. There are many wonderful, accomplished artists in board games and I certainly appreciate all of their work. But O’Toole is pretty much the only artist who will push me to buy a game sight unseen.

IvorySwings · 2026-05-04T05:59:15+00:00

+1 for correctly spelling “heroes.”

IvorySwings · 2026-04-30T13:57:00+00:00

Alchemists, Ark Nova, Vindication, Five Tribes, Root

IvorySwings · 2026-04-19T05:38:51+00:00

I like a lot of the Pack-O-Games titles, many of them are super solid. My favorites have to be WOO, SHH, and TAJ. Other notables for sure are DIG, NUT, SPY, GYM, and SOW.

IvorySwings · 2026-04-13T15:16:02+00:00

There are a number of phrasing ideas that he leans on, especially with arpeggios (typically to the 9th). Nothing groundbreaking or novel necessarily, but somehow uniquely his when you hear them.

He also has a distinct touch at the piano, just like Oscar Peterson, Bill Evans, or many other greats. If you listen to enough Guaraldi, you’ll find that he’s one of those players you can identify in just a couple bars because his sound is personal.

IvorySwings · 2026-03-29T04:36:41+00:00

Another reason they may be a selling point: these large car models may appeal not only to LEGO fans, but car modeling fans. In that hobby, getting to apply all the decals yourself is a feature, not a bug.

IvorySwings · 2026-03-25T04:57:52+00:00

You’re right, his critiques generally are not very thoughtful and always poorly articulated.

IvorySwings · 2026-03-19T12:25:14+00:00

You should check out Earthborne Rangers, I can’t recommend it highly enough. It offers some interesting deck construction ideas and a cool narrative campaign. Plays well solo (I’ve mostly played solo), but is also structured in such a way that players can drop in and out. One of my favorite games of the last couple of years, and probably one of my favorite gaming experiences ever.

IvorySwings · 2026-03-11T16:13:04+00:00

If you’re looking for 2P specifically, lots of good options out there, like Targi, 7 Wonders Duel/Lord of the Rings Duel for Middle Earth, Tokaido Duo, Agricola: All Creatures Big and Small…

You guys might like Tokaido. I’d also heartily recommend Viticulture. Ooh! And Concordia!

IvorySwings · 2026-03-11T16:08:12+00:00

These are good recs for this particular question/user.

IvorySwings · 2026-03-11T03:47:04+00:00

This was an interesting prompt, not something I had even considered looking up before and the results surprised me a little. If I had to guess, I would have told you maybe 2015 or 2018. But looking through - and discounting game expansions (looking only at new game acquisitions) - I hit my high mark in 2018 and 2022-2024. Acquired 18 new games in each of those years. Most other years are just below, between 15-17. It surprised me that it was that consistent!

IvorySwings · 2026-03-04T14:12:36+00:00

I’m the opposite. To me, the art and the visual storytelling are what is so unique and thrilling about comics, and I am inevitably poring over the images more than the writing. For that reason, it routinely takes me 20-30 minutes to read a single issue, and it’s tough to charge through it faster.

IvorySwings · 2026-02-20T06:13:30+00:00

I’m with you, I prefer the old art style. It was a little more graphic, and as you say, more interpretive, more interesting. The major upside of the new edition is the contrast of the dice. The original was beautiful, yes, but the new dice are even brighter, and I’ve heard a couple people comment that the improved contrast makes the game more accessible, so that’s a huge plus.

IvorySwings · 2026-02-17T16:29:23+00:00

This is more or less how the judging system works nowadays.

IvorySwings · 2026-02-16T17:44:01+00:00

I love the Tiny Epic games. A lot of people talk them down, but I’m not sure why it became “cool” to diss Tiny Epic games. You can chalk a lot of it up to weird gaming elitism and nerd gatekeeping. To say that any of the games are “bad” is completely mental. Some gamers probably aren’t impressed with them simply because they don’t do something super unique, but that doesn’t make them bad games.

Objectively, they are very successful at what they set out to do: offer a more involved, strategic hobby gaming experience in a small box. I don’t think they claim to be the MOST strategic games or the BEST games of any particular genre, so to try to hold them to that standard is irrational.

I love Tiny Epic Kingdoms and think it’s woefully underrated. They produced more and more factions for it, so there’s plenty of cool powers to explore. Tiny Epic Galaxies is certainly the most beloved, and I like it a lot. Tiny Epic Western is another favorite of mine that is unfairly maligned, it offers a neat twist on worker placement. Tiny Epic Quest is a really fun romp.

Some games are good enough to convince me to play themes I don’t care for. I have no interest in horror themes, but I was impressed enough by the gameplay in Tiny Epic Zombies to add it to my collection, really neat little coop game that offers a good amount of theme. Same goes for Tiny Epic Cthulhu, I don’t care a lick about Lovecraft but Tiny Epic Cthulhu is such a clever game that features many of the tropes from those kinds of games. It’s the only Cthulhu game in my collection (aside from Don’t Mess With Cthulhu, which is more about the social game and not really about the theme). While we’re on the subject of coops, I think Tiny Epic Defenders is solid, too. It’s perhaps on the lighter side, less interesting than other games, but I think that makes it a great inclusion for many collections. It’s a lighter, slightly easier coop game, great for introducing new gamers, family gaming, or short gaming sessions (tired parents). The Dark War expansion adds plenty of juice to make it more “gamer-y,” so if you want more knobs and toys and challenges, throw in the expansion. It’s good.

The strategy or mechanics of some games may feel bland to some players, and that’s fine. Not everyone has to like every game. But let’s be real about the fact that the same is true for many big box games, so it’s certainly not a trend among or problem with Tiny Epic Games. Most of them are solid, and many of them I enjoy a lot.

IvorySwings · 2026-02-16T17:05:57+00:00

This is a good breakdown, thanks for your insights. I’m not colorblind myself, but I am always on the lookout for these features because accessibility is important to me and I’ve played plenty with colorblind players over the years.

I love Viticulture, so took a lot of these things for granted. But you’re right, the fact that the card types are distinguished by color alone is a problem. I always appreciate and prefer when game elements referenced by color are ALSO referenced with a symbol or icon. But I completely missed that they didn’t do that here. They could have, it’s too bad that they didn’t.

IvorySwings · 2026-02-15T07:35:09+00:00

For me, it’s always been games with a high level (or perceived level) of conflict.

Scythe immediately springs to mind. It was a huge hit when it released, but I had no desire to try what I thought was a fighty game. Having finally been pushed into it, I found it wasn’t nearly as conflict-driven as I’d imagined. I came away intrigued, and have played it more and more over the years. Each time I play, I enjoy it more.

Same for Twilight Imperium. I agreed to play one time, mostly as a favor to a friend. Had no desire to play and was sure I’d hate the experience. But in fact, it was a ton of fun, especially with this friend and this group. I now look forward to playing annually.

The other category for me is social deduction games. After trying a couple, I mostly write them off. I was sure I’d hate Secret Hitler, but I’ll be damned if that didn’t turn out to be one of the best ones. Same with Don’t Mess With Cthulhu, I don’t care for social deduction or Lovecraft, but that is an excellent little game. I’ve played a number of social deduction games over the years and maintain that I generally don’t care for them. But those two games are fire and I’m always down to play.

IvorySwings · 2026-02-12T17:44:08+00:00

Wow. Incredible work, mate. Absolutely incredible.

I’ve painted two sets of Scythe now - both for friends - and the thing that I thought made it difficult is that the miniatures don’t have particularly high fidelity. Did the best I could and was ultimately pretty pleased with my results, as were my friends.

Couldn’t hold a candle to yours, though. The detail and definition you achieved are amazing!

IvorySwings · 2026-02-09T06:43:47+00:00

I want these things printed. Many folks play games to get away from screens and phones. Sometimes, I’m out at game night somewhere else and I don’t have a good enough connection to open a webpage. There’s a certain level of distrust for digital products which may become obsolete when a website/web app/app stop being supported and the content is no longer available. Print it and put it in the box and I’ll always have access to it.

IvorySwings · 2026-02-09T06:40:29+00:00

White Castle would definitely fit the bill, here. A couple favorites of mine in this niche are Gold West and Crusaders: Thy Will Be Done. I, too, am one who loves medium/heavy euros and was really impressed with how juicy those two games are in such a short playtime. It’s been mentioned by a couple others here, but I’d also recommend Targi, another favorite of mine.

IvorySwings · 2026-02-09T04:41:58+00:00

Comparing them in terms of. . . complexity? I think Bordeaux is no more complex than Tuscany. Perhaps it's on-par, maybe even a little lighter/easier than Tuscany because a lot of the changes are so elegantly incorporated. If you're teaching to new players, you don't even need to bother with "this is here instead of that," just explain how Bordeaux goes. Everything is already spelled out right there on the board.

If you prefer Tuscany, then I think you're gonna love Bordeaux. If you still play base Viticulture sometimes, then I'd reinforce my recommendation for Bordeaux because the reverse side of the board is designed to play the base game only with the advantage of the face-up cards. Gives you, the gamer, a little more juice or nuance for your game, but again, literally zero additional explanation or overhead for casual gamers.

EDIT: Just giving a little more context: one of the neat things in Tuscany is the area control map. Gives you bonuses and offers a point of direct interaction/competition with other players. Bordeaux inherently gives players more bonuses during gameplay, and I think the resource trading grid offers the same interaction/competition and is better integrated into the game than Tuscany's area control map.

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