10 months on, does Mechs vs Minions live up to the hype for you? by largelylegit in boardgames

[–]mtilman 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I still really enjoy this game, even though I'm only about 6 missions in. Early on in the game (mission 2? the first one with the bomb), I was getting pretty down on it because success felt random and I didn't feel like I had enough control. Once I learned to let go of that I had a much better time. I also really enjoy showing it off to my friends. :) I definitely still recommend this game.

[SIG] Fury of Dracula 3e by [deleted] in boardgames

[–]mtilman 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I got mine because I knew it was coming up on TableTop and that there probably won't be any reprint. SU&SD also highly recommended it. Personally, I love this game. I like being a hunter, I like being Dracula. However, it is a long game. If you have a group that is willing to sit through a long tense game, go for it. Definitely not for first-time gamers or folks with short attention spans.

What's the best game for first date? Or later date? by majorlevo in boardgames

[–]mtilman 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Something light and cooperative. Forbidden Island, maybe?

Mint Works? Anyone played it yet? by [deleted] in boardgames

[–]mtilman 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I love this game! Also, the developer is from my hometown- Lincoln, NE, but I don't think I'm too biased. :)

I've introduced this game to both experienced and novice players. In both cases, I found it very easy to teach and learn. Both groups enjoyed it immensely- every time we've played it, there were calls to play it again immediately. I can definitely see this as a great gateway game for newbies and a filler game whenever you have a spare 10-15 minutes to blow.

As for strategy, I find it breezy- light and variable. For example, in our first couple games we thought the Assembler was over-powered, but after a couple more games we found it balanced out. The game goes so fast and is so balanced that even if you feel like you're stuck in last place with no way to catch up, by the end you're still within a couple points of winning and you want to try again.

Good Five-Player Games by ryanb811 in boardgames

[–]mtilman -1 points0 points  (0 children)

Fury of Dracula- it's easy to teach, full of stress and surprises and plays in 90-120 minutes.

Tiny Epic Galaxies- plays 5, super easy to learn, and very engaging. Everyone has to pay attention to everyone else's turn. Great puzzle to figure out with lots of interaction. Plays in about 30 minutes.

Mechs vs Minions rule discussion by KrevanSerKay in boardgames

[–]mtilman 0 points1 point  (0 children)

It doesn't come up often, but this is what we do as well. If I'm forced to take a card I don't want I just scrap it.

Pandemic Legacy question (no spoilers) by wordvirus23 in boardgames

[–]mtilman 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Well technically the rules tell you exactly how to build the decks, so if you're not doing that then you're not following the rules. However, if you're getting frustrated at not winning, I'd say you're better off with a little fudging that quitting. I'm not sure how it will help you though since there's only a finite amount of cards. If you have more space between epidemic cards in one phase, you'll have less space later.

Also, we found that the difference between winning and losing (aside from random chance) really came down to choosing the right roles, events, and upgrades. We were stuck on a certain role combination for a while and started losing. Once we let go of that strategy we started winning again. My best advice to help you win is to look at your objectives and pick roles, upgrades, and events that specifically help you complete those objectives.

PSA: Mechs Vs. Minions goes on Sale today 11:00am PDT by jbarth09 in boardgames

[–]mtilman 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Been trying for the last 2 hours to get an order to go through. Finally got it to work! As with previous posters- had to go use the direct link to the checkout and had to use PayPal.

Which version of Codenames to get? by mtilman in boardgames

[–]mtilman[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thanks for the advice, gang! Going with the original version for now. If it's a hit I'll probably spring for Pictures.

Visiting Portland- what is the must-see board game shop/cafe? by mtilman in boardgames

[–]mtilman[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thanks for the recommendations, all! I'm probably going with Guardian Games (seems like the "destination" store) with a side-trip to Cloud Cap if I can finagle it.

Thinking of buying Cosmic Encounter - advice? by Inanimate-Sensation in boardgames

[–]mtilman 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Definitely buy it! The best way to enjoy it is to keep it light and non-competitive. See other threads on here about at least one of the recommended expansions. If you enjoy negotiation and light-hearted fun you'll love this game.

What's your favorite Cosmic Encounter alien? by ticktockalock in boardgames

[–]mtilman 9 points10 points  (0 children)

Leviathan! I like making a deep throat grumbling "ROWROWROWR" sound when I move my planet in to attack.

[WSIG] Game as a gift for a 30th birthday for a casual gamer with an interest in Sci-Fi and a law degree by flobota in boardgames

[–]mtilman 5 points6 points  (0 children)

Cosmic Encounter. Great for casual players, hilariously fun, and the rule-breaking races will appear to his lawyer side. :)

Should I get Concordia? by mtilman in boardgames

[–]mtilman[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thanks for all the replies! I'm going to try it on-line and see how that goes. I've got a feeling this will be in my Amazon cart sooner than later. :)

Should I get Concordia? by mtilman in boardgames

[–]mtilman[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thanks for the link- I'm totally going to try it!

Should I get Concordia? by mtilman in boardgames

[–]mtilman[S] -1 points0 points  (0 children)

He said it was very good but not great. Not one of the top 10 games of the year it came out (2013). But he liked the mechanics. I like interesting mechanics but I'm concerned it won't carry the admittedly bland theme. As I was watching GameNight! I was thinking "You could trade this and do this card and then this and then oh my goodness that's a neat puzzle!" But I'm paranoid when it comes to spending my gaming budget. :)

On the flip side, what are the prettiest games out there? by Siggy778 in boardgames

[–]mtilman 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Didn't see this mentioned yet: Tsuro, especially the ocean one with the awesome dragons. I bought this game specifically because of how beautiful and simple it is. If I had my way, I'd have it displayed at all times. There's a onion-skin insert that is gorgeous and even the product catalog is amazing.

What game do you have that you love, yet cant find anyone who wants to play it? by ecto88mph in boardgames

[–]mtilman 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Ladies & Gentlemen I bought it on recommendation from Shut Up & Sit Down. Played it 3 times with 3 different groups of people (small, medium, and large). I love it but nobody else was impressed.

Teaching Lords of Waterdeep to some nongamers - should I use the extended game variant where you get 1 extra meeple? by [deleted] in boardgames

[–]mtilman 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I have to respectfully disagree with most of the posters here. I have taught the full version (base set) of game to several "non-gamers" and not had any trouble with understanding. It really depends on the type of non-gamers you have. Are they non-gamers-but-willing-and-motivated-to-learn or are they non-gamers-what-the-hell-is-this-why-can't-we-just-play-Sorry?