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Game Info
Year
2020
Collection
Ratings
Creator Score
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Description
Your caravan is ready, the wagons are packed. The path ahead is fraught with peril, but such is the price for unimaginable fortune. This first step is one of many along the Dragon Road, hard as it may be. Adventure is just a page turn away.
Almanac: The Dragon Road is the first entry in the Almanac series of games from acclaimed designer Scott Almes. Each round of the game is played on a different page in the game book, each page representing a unique location with a special twist on worker placement. Combining rich narrative and intuitive yet unique game mechanisms, every game is a new adventure!
—description from the publisher
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All mentions
Browse transcript mentions, sentiments, pros/cons, mechanics, topics, quotes, and references.
Total mentions: 6
This page: 6
Sentiment:
pos 6 ·
mix 0 ·
neu 0 ·
neg 0
Showing 1–6 of 6
Video xTYJHfkIILQ
Board Games UnLocked Review at 0:16 sentiment: positive
video_pk 115800 · mention_pk 328278
Click to watch at 0:16 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- Neat premise and fun to play
- Storybook aspect is enjoyable
- Cartoonish art style and aesthetic are appealing
- Locations are well-designed with unique elements
- Rules are accessible and integrated into gameplay
- Works well as a two-player game
- Encounters are fun and add variety
- High quality production values
- Good value for the price
- Potential for future expansions or similar games
Cons
- No scoring pad included, though a phone can be used
- Can feel repetitive if played too frequently
- Some encounters can feel slightly annoying (e.g., stealing wishes)
Thematic elements
- Traveling caravan completing contracts
- A fantasy world along a traveling caravan route
- Storybook
Comparison games
- Tiny Epic series
- Heroes of Land, Air and Sea
- Cosmic Cantina
- Western Legends
- Kamisama
- Stuffed Fables
- Comanauts
- Aftermath
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- bidding — Used for movement on the map, adding a strategic layer to player interaction.
- Card Drafting — Encounter cards are drawn and selected, offering variety between game phases.
- Resource Management — Gaining resources is central to completing contracts and enhancing the caravan.
- Set Collection — Completing contracts requires specific sets of resources.
- Worker Placement — Players place meeples to gain resources and complete actions, with the core mechanic remaining consistent across different locations.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- man this game is neat
- I was so much fun I had so much fun
- they managed to have the worker replacement stay the same
- I thoroughly enjoyed this I thought it was a really neat premise
- this one they they really you know hit a home run on
- this is the first game by him that I have actually enjoyed
- it was very digestible very simple
- I think this was actually a huge hit
- I think for if this I'm gonna give it a nine
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video tZ85W3zORkQ
Board Games UnLocked Playthrough at 28:24 sentiment: positive
video_pk 115799 · mention_pk 328277
Click to watch at 28:24 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- The theme of journeying and storybook elements is appealing.
- The artwork for the components is noted as looking cool.
- The game offers a lot of trading and worker placement actions.
- The variety of locations and encounters keeps the game interesting.
- Expanding the caravan to gain additional workers is a desirable action.
Cons
- The host expresses a general dislike for the designer, Scott Alms ('we hate scotland').
- The initial explanation of resource types is confusing ('doesn't even say what the hell those are').
- Some rules are not immediately clear, like worker placement restrictions ('rules definitely don't say').
- The player is frustrated by not being able to access desired spots due to worker placement restrictions or other players' actions ('damn it', 'only space').
- The host expresses dislike for the 'social distancing' mechanic.
- A player is frustrated by not being able to complete contracts due to a lack of required goods.
Thematic elements
- Caravan journeying on a perilous road, trading goods and completing contracts.
- The Dragon Road
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- bidding — Players bid to become the 'guide' to choose the next location for the caravan.
- contract fulfillment — Completing specific objectives by spending resources for points and advantages.
- Encounter cards — Drawing cards during travel that present challenges or opportunities.
- Pick-Up and Deliver — Gathering goods and delivering them to specific locations or for contracts.
- Resource Management — Managing gold and various types of goods (leaves, arrowheads, teardrops, bottled lightning, heat from the sun) effectively.
- Route Building — The caravan moves along a 'Dragon Road' with various locations to visit.
- Set Collection — Collecting specific goods and resources to fulfill contracts and gain benefits.
- Worker Placement — Players place workers on location spaces to perform actions.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- we hate scotland
- this is fantastic okay
- i hate social distancing what a lame but effective way
- so you just discard the surplus
- damn you got me beat by money
- what was that almanac the dragon road
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video WJNgOYaVX4U
Board Games UnLocked Review at 0:28 sentiment: positive
video_pk 113921 · mention_pk 325772
Click to watch at 0:28 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- Was very skeptical due to publisher and designer but was taken aback and liked it.
Cons
none
Thematic elements
- Desert, Middle East, Mediterranean era
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Worker Placement — Features a worker placement core with different mini-game maps.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- this is basically that like this is uh just that game just with different gimmicks and different mini games and kind of a different setting
- the substance of the game is not exhilarating it is the fact of going to the new the new maps
- on a scale of one to ten I think from playing this again with a little bit more clarity uh from the oh wow this is so surprising I haven't seen a work replacement game like this uh and since the dragon P came out in or Dragon Road came out into 2020 so it's been two years um I'm gonna give Crystal Peaks an eight and I'm gonna drop dragon dragons road down to an eight
- if you just want a kind of like a fun light party ask work replacement game it's not a party game by any means but it's lighter because of the gimmicky of the of the maps
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video 22vpw9LkuOs
Getting Games Discussion at 23:56 sentiment: positive
video_pk 91611 · mention_pk 245863
Click to watch at 23:56 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- continues Almanac's modular/encounter approach
- familiar mechanics with new twists
Cons
none
Thematic elements
- fantasy encounters
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- bidding for turn order — order determined by bids
- Dice Rolling — dice-based actions and outcomes
- Worker Placement — placing workers to take actions
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- I'm not gonna be pulling the plug or anything like that
- I am actively trying to do this less because the less time I spend filming means the more time I have to make more videos
- I need to flip this over like I am inherently an optimistic person
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video SHX9FE-aqk8
Watch It Played Top 10 List at 1:32 sentiment: positive
video_pk 30662 · mention_pk 90260
Click to watch at 1:32 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- rich narrative
- unique page-by-page structure
- accessible to new players
Cons
none
Thematic elements
- narrative-driven worker-placement with page-specific twists
- A fantasy world accessed via pages in a game book
- story-forward, location-by-location adventures
Comparison games
- Alexander Pfister titles
- Alexander Hamilton (pedigree discussion)
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Hand Management — Players manage actions and resources across pages to progress.
- hand management / resource flow — Players manage actions and resources across pages to progress.
- storybook/location variability — Each page represents a distinct location with its own twist on play.
- Unique Player Powers — Each player may have distinct abilities or goals that shape play.
- Variable player powers — Each player may have distinct abilities or goals that shape play.
- Worker Placement — Each page/location provides a unique action when a worker is placed.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- this game is so fun and it's really easy to learn how to play
- adorable robot minis
- rich narrative with intuitive yet unique game mechanisms making every game a new adventure
- i love role play i can't wait for this campaign-style game
- beautiful and clean abstract game
- epic cataclysm that shakes the foundations of the entire circadians world
- secret personality with specific victory conditions
- the only thing i love more than somewhat abstract 3d worker placement is something else
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video YiJkzuiux_I
The Cardboard Herald Review at 0:00 sentiment: positive
video_pk 6659 · mention_pk 19788
Click to watch at 0:00 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- Strong integration of changing maps with core strategy
- Delicate balance between theme and mechanics
- Whimsical, storybook art that reinforces flavor
- Mid-weight depth with strategic layers and accessibility
Cons
- Rule heavy with many page-specific tweaks; potential downtime
- Not for beginners; some teaching overhead
- Limited number of core systems, which may limit depth for some players
Thematic elements
- Trade, exploration, and fantasy spice economy
- A whimsical fantasy land of outposts, caravans, and changing maps
- storybook/fantasy whimsy
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Caravan extension and upgrades — Extensions to caravans grant more workers, goods, and defensive perks.
- Encounters and combat resolution — Encounters deck is drawn and resolved via dice against a target strength; boons/banes influence outcomes.
- Leader bidding — A closed fist bidding phase determines the leader; the winner pays an amount equal to the lowest bid, creating incentive to bid high.
- Market Pricing/Manipulation — Sell goods at spaces for cash; prices reflect scarcity and location; money translates to points.
- Market selling — Sell goods at spaces for cash; prices reflect scarcity and location; money translates to points.
- Modular / changing maps — Each round reveals a new locale with its own twists and items, forming a cohesive loop while preserving variety.
- Modular Board — Each round reveals a new locale with its own twists and items, forming a cohesive loop while preserving variety.
- Resource Management — Gather goods, fulfill contracts, extend caravans, and balance scarce vs abundant resources for points.
- Resource management / contracts — Gather goods, fulfill contracts, extend caravans, and balance scarce vs abundant resources for points.
- Worker Placement — Each round uses a new map with locale-specific placement options and restrictions.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- this is a worker placement game where you're playing on the pages of this wondrous almanac
- I was skeptical at first that a game where every round a new board with its own unique stuff could feel cohesive and strategic and I was wrong
- the delicate balance between strategy and theme
- it's actually a pretty dope mid-weight strategy game
- I really dig this game
- I totally recommend Almanac the Dragon Road
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Transcript Navigation
Showing 1–6 of 6