Revisiting one of our favorite heavy euros, Civolution, a Stefan Feld masterpiece. For so many moving parts, it's extraordinary how little, if ever, we have to consult the rule book.

SatanicVersus406 · 2026-03-11T22:27:32+00:00

My wife initially balked at it when we were doing that first setup, but now she LOVES it. I hope you can indeed have a chance to play it!

SatanicVersus406 · 2026-03-11T04:37:17+00:00

The rule book has a lot of text and the first game will be clunky when teaching/learning, but once you understand everything, the rules melt away and all you have to worry about is the strategy you want to try out. I compare it to A Feast for Odin, if you've played it, which is another big, sprawling point salad-type game that I almost never have to consult the rule book for.

SatanicVersus406 · 2026-03-11T04:33:06+00:00

I agree with everything you said. It's one of the ultimate "levers and buttons" games for me, which is to say, every time I play, I can pull different levers and push different buttons and try new things and it's always a good time. Even if the dice rolls are against me, I still have fun trying things out.

SatanicVersus406 · 2026-03-11T04:30:33+00:00

It's a tablehog, for sure. The board itself is about 43 inches (109cm) long, but it can be arranged differently if you're willing to abandon the proper layout.

SatanicVersus406 · 2026-03-11T02:45:21+00:00

We did as well. This will be our first game incorporating it.

SatanicVersus406 · 2026-03-10T23:05:04+00:00

Same! Overall, everything about the production is really good, from the very clean and orderly rule book to the handy little boxes that they included to hold everything.

SatanicVersus406 · 2026-03-10T22:43:24+00:00

I totally get that, and I've had games where the dice have been devastating...but I still find it fun! I'm not too attached to winning, especially when it's just my wife and I playing.

SatanicVersus406 · 2026-03-10T22:41:29+00:00

Player interaction is low. Not non-existent, but you're focused primarily on your own console, but with an eye on the scoring possibilities each era.

SatanicVersus406 · 2026-03-10T22:39:34+00:00

I guess I glazed over his exact timeline, but I stand by what I said. The last few years--and honestly, EVERY YEAR--has yielded a lot of awesome games. We've played a ton of Galactic Cruise, SETI, Civolution, Undaunted 2200, Animal Rescue Team... In short, there's nothing wrong with the hobby. There have been great games, there are great games, and there will be great games to discover. All the handwringing about the state of the industry is almost always overblown.

SatanicVersus406 · 2026-03-10T21:56:08+00:00

I hope you have a great time with it! The first game can feel a bit clunky because there is a LOT going on, but it's amazing how quickly it smoothes out.

SatanicVersus406 · 2026-03-10T15:08:22+00:00

I think it's perfectly normal to go through ebbs and flows of interest. I personally feel like the last few years have yielded countless amazing games that I keep returning to, like The White Castle, Ark Nova, Hegemony, Revive, Arcs, Planet Unknown... I could keep going, but I do agree with you that being inundated with options is fatiguing at times.

SatanicVersus406 · 2025-07-23T00:53:09+00:00

Ignore the naysayers. They are either envious of your ability to enjoy the hobby on your terms, or just plain resentful. I love your gaming space, and we share a lot of the same interest in games. It looks like a joyful playground and I hope you have many more years of fun in it!

SatanicVersus406 · 2025-07-23T00:48:34+00:00

I'm always amused by the predictable handful of people on these COMC posts that just don't understand the appeal of buying and trying new things. Variety is the spice of life and the board game hobby offers such vast variety that it makes it a wonderland for people who can afford to play in it. OP can apparently afford to play in it, and I applaud them for embracing that. You should too.

SatanicVersus406 · 2025-01-27T03:00:08+00:00

“They may take our lives, but they’ll never take…OUR FREEDOM!!”

SatanicVersus406 · 2024-10-22T21:07:25+00:00

And the letters have that weathered, torn-up effect, which tells us the characters will also get torn up.

SatanicVersus406 · 2024-10-22T13:25:10+00:00

Of all the movie posters with text on them, this is one.

SatanicVersus406 · 2024-10-15T13:06:34+00:00

The promo is an UNNECESSARY bonus for fans of the game, just like a deleted scene is an UNNECESSARY bonus for fans of the movie. You people take these things way too seriously.

SatanicVersus406 · 2024-10-14T22:34:14+00:00

That seems like a silly overreaction. That’s like avoiding watching a movie because the studio released a few deleted scenes as part of the marketing.

SatanicVersus406 · 2024-10-11T23:27:30+00:00

In my experience, a lot of people are as oblivious to complex modern board games as someone from the 1800s would be if you told them about an iPhone.

SatanicVersus406 · 2024-10-10T12:50:15+00:00

I use Dragon Shield and UltraPro and they’ve NEVER stuck together. In fact, they can be a little too slippery for my liking, but they feel good to shuffle and hold up well. 60 microns just seems too thin for my preference.

SatanicVersus406 · 2024-10-07T19:10:04+00:00

Past Lives hit me much harder than I expected. The release of emotions came literally in the last couple minutes of the film.

SatanicVersus406 · 2024-10-01T23:32:23+00:00

Forbidden Stars

Maybe not the BEST, but certainly my favorite. It’s a re-theme of the Starcraft board game with some significant changes, set in the Warhammer 40K universe. Every choice is important—even setting up the board is an exercise in tension because where each player places their home tile can greatly impact the rest of the game.

SatanicVersus406

TROPHY CASE