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Description
You have recently become the owners of the leakiest bathysphere this side of Beachside Bay, but that doesn't stop your sense of adventure when it comes to exploring the depths! Well, unless you don't make it back to the surface....
Bargain Basement Bathysphere, designed for the 2018 solitaire print-and-play contest on BGG, is a campaign-styled roll-and-write game with legacy elements; the game becomes more complex as you work your way through the maps. It's designed to be a "no build" game (at least initially), so once you print out the pages you can immediately jump in and play — but try not to look ahead!
—description from the designer
Year Published
2022
Transcript Analysis
Browse transcript mentions, sentiments, pros/cons, mechanics, topics, quotes, and references.
Total mentions: 2
This page: 2
Sentiment:
pos 2 ·
mix 0 ·
neu 0 ·
neg 0
Showing 1–2 of 2
Video GIBNq6AuHCg
Unknown Channel top_10_list at 19:36 sentiment: positive
video_pk 9448 · mention_pk 27909
Click to watch at 19:36
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- Great introduction to Legacy games
- Low-cost starting point with accessible print-and-play origins
Cons
- Free prints may require additional printing effort
- Some players may prefer finished physical production
Thematic elements
- Legacy evolution with campaign-based changes
- Undersea exploration with legacy elements
- Educational, gradual reveal of mechanics
Comparison games
- Legacy games like Risk Legacy
- Sea-based exploration games
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Dice-driven diving and oxygen management — Roll dice to dive, manage oxygen and bathysphere integrity
- Legacy-style campaign progression — Permanent changes across sessions as you explore deeper into the ocean
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- it's very thematic, basically a gamification of the process of creating a character in DND
- the AI opponent is very smooth and doesn't take a lot of upkeep
- it's one page front and back, that's it very, very simple rules
- this is known as a raw and ripe game and it's a pretty beloved genre
- the universe games come with mini expansion modules that add replayability
- an 18-card masterpiece
- print this right here to turn it into a flip and ride game
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video exEfzPd_3B0
Beyond Solitaire game_review at 0:23 sentiment: positive
video_pk 2782 · mention_pk 8117
Click to watch at 0:23
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- Constantly adds something new across the campaign stages
- Short, accessible sessions (~15 minutes)
- Rulebook and campaign text are well written and humorous
- Charming art and theme with a cohesive tone
- Strong solo play option with a clear progression
Cons
- Early scenarios feel similar; best payoffs come later
- Not ideal for players who dislike push-your-luck dice allocation
- Limited replay value for some players after finishing the campaign
- Price may be high for some buyers relative to other shorter games
- Comparisons to print/print-and-play can be nuanced
Thematic elements
- campy nautical adventure with tongue-in-cheek narration
- Underwater exploration aboard a quirky bathysphere during a humorous campaign
- tongue-in-cheek, self-referential, lighthearted
Comparison games
- print and play version (as a baseline)
- printed version vs. print-and-play comparison
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- campaign progression with stage-specific modifiers — The campaign unlocks new elements over time, adding variety per stage rather than presenting all content at once.
- dice allocation / dice pool management — Roll a pool of dice at the start of a turn and allocate results to move, trigger actions, or pay costs.
- push-your-luck / risk budgeting — Choose to take actions that can advance or cause penalties; re-rolls cost oxygen and increase risk.
- resource tracking (oxygen, stress, damage) — A player's oxygen, stress, and damage track the risk of failing; depleting these ends the run.
- space-based rewards and penalties — Landing on spaces yields benefits or penalties; some spaces require selecting upkeep choices when costs are incurred.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- This game constantly is adding something new from stage to stage of the campaign.
- The play time is pretty short—it's 15 minutes.
- The rule book is super well written and the campaign is super well written.
- Everything that happens in the little storyline of the game is tongue-in-cheek and so silly.
- Bargain Basement bathysphere is absolutely for you.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Transcript Navigation
Showing 1–2 of 2