Game Info
Year
2019
Players
2-4
Age
14+
Playtime
60 min
Complexity
2.5/5
Collection
Your Tier
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Description
A hidden-movement thriller where one player controls the Anomaly stalking a failing space station while the rest hunt it down
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All mentions
Browse transcript mentions, sentiments, pros/cons, mechanics, topics, quotes, and references.
Total mentions: 7
This page: 7
Sentiment:
pos 3 ·
mix 1 ·
neu 0 ·
neg 2
Showing 1–7 of 7
Video StHUDQBMaA8
Board Games UnLocked Playthrough at 0:29 sentiment: mixed
video_pk 116036 · mention_pk 328604
Click to watch at 0:29 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
mixed
Pros
- The thematic premise of a hidden movement game with an evolving threat is engaging.
- The hidden information aspect creates suspense and requires deduction.
Cons
- The rulebook is poorly written and difficult to understand.
- The game can feel unbalanced due to asymmetrical action counts.
- Player actions and card reveals can make the anomaly's position too obvious at times.
- The game can feel repetitive if the core mechanics aren't well-understood or executed.
Thematic elements
- Three gifted students fighting for their lives against an unknown entity (the anomaly) in a facility experiencing a life-support system failure.
- A deep-space education and research facility named Taurus, currently under government quarantine.
Comparison games
- Life is Strange
- Futurama
- Fury of Dracula
- Evedell
- Black Orchestra
- Alien Frontiers
- Archmage
- Omega Protocol
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Action Point Allowance — Players have action points to spend on various actions like moving, tracking, or using special abilities.
- area control/influence — Implied through placing tokens and activating zones.
- Asymmetrical play — One player controls the anomaly while the others play as students, with different goals and abilities.
- Card Play — Players use cards to perform actions, with some actions requiring specific cards or revealing information.
- Deduction — Players use tracking and scent actions to try and pinpoint the location of other players or the anomaly.
- Hidden Movement — The core mechanic involves players moving secretly on the board, with others trying to deduce their location through tracking actions and card plays.
- Set Collection — Implied through hand management and drawing cards to perform actions.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- The rule book is kind of garbage in terms of explaining how a round works.
- This is like the premise of an 80s movie like no there's no backstory there's no exposition there's no rhyme or reason for why things are happening they just are and you have to accept that and therefore that makes it good.
- I mean it really feels like they have more turns than I do because technically they do.
- I think they should just they should just pay me like I feel like I deserve that.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video tud1yspb9hQ
Board Games UnLocked Review at 0:42 sentiment: positive
video_pk 116035 · mention_pk 328603
Click to watch at 0:42 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- Innovative mechanics and twists on hidden movement.
- Engaging combat system.
- Unique player interaction with everyone hidden.
- Strategic depth with action point system.
- Cool evolutions that make the game innovative.
- Art is pretty cool.
- The map size and deduction aspect minimize the feeling of hopelessness.
- Player screens provide good information.
Cons
- The rulebook is pretty bad.
- The mini-map and its visual design can be confusing and hard to track.
- Echoloaction mechanic can limit player actions and reveal positions.
- Radiation tokens are considered dumb and their purpose is unclear without numbers on locations.
- The balancing mechanic can feel like a back-and-forth grind.
- It's not a game you'd play all the time.
Thematic elements
- hidden movement deduction and combat
Comparison games
- Fury of Dracula
- Hunt for the Ring
- Specter Ops
- Letters from Whitechapel
- Level Seven Omega
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Action Points — The anomaly has action points that do not change based on the number of players.
- Card Play — Players use cards for movement and special actions.
- Combat — The game features combat between the anomaly and the students.
- Deduction — Players must use clues and deduction to figure out the hidden player's location.
- evolutions — Special abilities that players can unlock and use, adding unique twists to gameplay.
- Hidden Movement — The core mechanic where one player (anomaly) hides their movements on a map while others (students) try to deduce their location.
- Overload — A mechanic involving placing electricity tokens that can damage players.
- Tracking — A mechanic where students can place tracking cards to deduce the anomaly's position.
- traps — The anomaly can set traps on their mini-map.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- the anomaly has more ways to go away
- the rule book is pretty bad
- everyone's hit so what do you guys think about that as you put a lot more head movements than Devin
- the anomaly gets an immediate optional free movement after that students turn
- I hide and you guys tried to find me
- it's good it's nothing you're gonna pay for
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video aJlO5ctxCsI
Meeple University Event Coverage at 15:22
video_pk 91340 · mention_pk 320467
Click to watch at 15:22 · YouTube ↗
Pros
none
Cons
none
Thematic elements
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
Mechanics unknown.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- haha it's fella from university I'm here at essence field 2019 they are preparing
- oh you got that throw new promos for mental blocks oh wow we're giving these away for free so that's for free
- so get here early and grab them before they all gone
- I'm excited this is my first essence peel 2019 I've got few games that I am going to look at
- oh my good in the unique oh my good universe they have the new Dell game coming up my brain is not working is yet properly and also another Alex from the fish this game Maracaibo I think it's cold but seems like everyone wants to get it
- so psyche in this is probably the first one this the first time they're selling which in magnate I'm excited to get that expansion
- I'm representing packs unplugs in the US that's like in about a month or so it's in early December
- it's about survive and getting to the gate without being turned into monster
- well we've got they setting up the games rush MD will need to come back later because I'll probably bore you if I stay one place too long
- so this is the game that I want to get there it is new Dale just talking about earlier in there oh my good extension so this is it
- so I'm not just finished up fidgeting up soon so I can walk around as well and maybe maybe not I'll do live tomorrow and covering other poles as well
- oh my god I love unlock they're just like me and parents one of our favorite escape room games or date night games as well easy to play
- so hopefully I will see you again maybe tomorrow just let me know if you need to see you want to see anything in school if you helps missing out this year I might help covering that up otherwise have a good day bye bye
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video EdoiEgM-6M8
3 Minute Board Games Top List at 12:24 sentiment: negative
video_pk 90985 · mention_pk 323569
Click to watch at 12:24 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
negative
Pros
- Interesting concept
- Good for a couple of plays
Cons
- Becomes repetitive quickly
- Game feels undercooked
- Monster player experience is not fun
- Not enough content for long-term play
Thematic elements
- One vs. many monster hunting prey
- Space station
Comparison games
- Fury of Dracula
- Last Friday
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Hidden Movement — A hidden movement game where all sides are hidden.
- One vs. All — One player is a monster, others are humans trying to survive.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- the best thing I can say about the game is it's trying to do something different and I love that about it
- the tricky thing is you can't communicate with your teammate unless you're in the same space as them and that is a really bizarre dynamic to explore it a game
- while I think the ideas and far away are really cool added something a little different I think it might have been too complex again to try that isolation mechanic out on thirst
- Flipology is a very clever little game and it works by you dealt out a hand of cards and you arrange them facedown and then you flip one over each turn and then it will have an effect that will take place
- that simplicity works so well for a friendly lunchtime or family game
- amazingly they made a damn good game
- this is better than half the games on the market it's actually pretty good
- my inspirations were Lords of Waterdeep and viticulture so I took concepts from those games and blended them together
- it turned out to be one of my favorite games I played last year
- if you do or if you don't let me know in the comments
- these videos are only made possible with the support of my patreon
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video HO1dZH5QIUo
3 Minute Board Games Discussion at 3:33 sentiment: negative
video_pk 89510 · mention_pk 320585
Click to watch at 3:33 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
Negative
Pros
- Genius idea for hidden movement
Cons
- Gets old really quick
Thematic elements
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Hidden Movement — all players being hidden in a hidden movement game is a genius idea
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- this area control game is worth playing just for the really cool cube tower
- this game is both character driven and epic in scale an absolute masterclass in making a thematic war game
- loading up and shunting your ships through the panama canal is a genuinely fascinating puzzle to solve
- the wacky tower in the middle of the board is far more than just a novelty it's a clever part of the game
- really popular title but space based does it better
- great writing but a gameplay loop that can be punishingly unfair
- some games you get on a roll and do really well others you'll die every other turn
- a very generic area control game that doesn't do anything badly but it doesn't do anything that well
- a reasonably good sequel to the original descent with one major flaw it encourages the overlord player to kill the same player over and over and over again
- an excellent lightweight tower defense game with a really innovative way in how it's presented
- all players being hidden in a hidden movement game is a genius idea but anomaly gets old really quick
- the set collection game operates like a family tree and i think that's a genius idea
- a great game idea led down by some terrible writing
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video 0oyCSEFdKdA
Board to Death TV - Board Game Reviews Review at 0:21 sentiment: positive
video_pk 72714 · mention_pk 323586
Click to watch at 0:21 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- Getting a lot of good buzz
- Hidden movement
- Atmospheric and tense
- Hidden information applies to everybody
- Cool 3D elements on the board (reactor core)
- Anomaly gains new abilities
Cons
none
Thematic elements
- Survival against a hidden malevolent force
- A space station
Comparison games
- Crypto
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Card Drafting — They can do basic actions like move in which case they discard a card but if they want to actually use the action on the card like this one is an attack...
- Hand Management — If they want to actually use the action on the card like this one is an attack they actually have to give the card to the anomaly who gets to turn it around and then they get ah very cool okay that's not really careful with what you're doing and went because as you're making plays you're giving the anomaly more bit more power.
- Hidden Movement — One player plays as the anomaly who's this unknown malevolent force. The other players play as students who are stranded aboard the space station.
- One versus Many — One player plays as the anomaly... The other players play as students...
- Player Elimination — The reactor core... is going to start melting down and leaking radiation and different parts of the board or it's gonna get smaller bring everybody together.
- Variable player powers — This is called an evolve card the anomaly gets a certain number of these they can evolve and get new permanent super abilities.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- anomaly it's been getting a lot of good buzz so we're really interested about this game
- it's really atmospheric really tense because you know it kind of has that feeling of like you got to work together but you don't know where all the things you know you're gonna enter a zone and you don't know what's waiting for you there it could be a friend or it could be a foe you just don't have that song
- as the game goes on this is going to start melting down and leaking radiation and different parts of the board or it's gonna get smaller bring everybody together oh that's cool
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video ANeqlNkUDdA
Game Night Picks - Pair Of Dice Paradise Top 10 List at 2:23 sentiment: positive
video_pk 37374 · mention_pk 323588
Click to watch at 2:23 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- strong thematic tension
- clear asymmetric roles
Cons
none
Thematic elements
- two-team deception and hidden movement
- space/deduction conflict
- cooperative-competitive tension
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Hidden Movement — the anomaly's location is concealed; triangulation is necessary.
- team-based deduction — two teams compete to locate and eliminate the opposing side.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- GenCon is right around the corner and literally hundreds of new games will be coming out there
- this is a hidden movement deduction and combat game for two to four players
- it's also a social deduction micro game
- fast and engaging gameplay as well as beautiful artwork
- I picked this up at BGG Spring and I love this game
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Transcript Navigation
Showing 1–7 of 7