Collection Status
Your Rating
Description
Dead Reckoning is a game of exploration, piracy, and influence based in a Caribbean-esque setting. Each player commands a ship and crew and seeks to amass the greatest fortune. They do this through pirating, trading, treasure hunting, and (importantly) capturing and maintaining control over the uninhabited but resource-rich islands of the region. During the game, you can:
• Customize your ship: Your ship is represented by a token on the board. The board starts mostly unexplored and will be revealed as you venture into uncharted waters. You also have a ship board where you load cargo and treasure, and you can customize the guns, speed, or holding space of your ship.
• Card-craft your crew: You have a small deck of cards that will drive your actions in the game, with each card representing one of your crew members. This deck functions like one in a deck-building game, but the cards in the deck are sleeved, and rather than add new crew cards to your deck, you improve the skill and abilities of your crew cards by placing transparent "advancement" cards in those sleeves. Aside from the transparent advancements, your crew will also "level up" naturally during the game using a new card-leveling mechanism not seen in other card-crafting games such as Mystic Vale.
• Control the region: The region is filled with many deserted islands. These islands are a major source of treasure, and players will battle for control of these islands.
• Battle via a dynamic cube-tower: You can battle other players' ships or NPC merchant ships, and these battles are resolved via a new take on what a cube tower can be, with crew cards and ship powers increasing your chances of victory.
• Uncover secrets of the sea: Expansions for Dead Reckoning use a "saga" system in which certain content remains hidden and is discovered and added to the game organically only via playing. Rather than add everything at once, you gradually add it by playing and discovering. Depending on luck and player choice, less or more new content may get added each game.
—description from the publisher
Year Published
2022
Transcript Analysis
Browse transcript mentions, sentiments, pros/cons, mechanics, topics, quotes, and references.
Total mentions: 17
This page: 17
Sentiment:
pos 15 ·
mix 0 ·
neu 1 ·
neg 1
Showing 1–17 of 17
Video F8Fh0cq_06M
Unknown game_review at 0:19 sentiment: positive
video_pk 13634 · mention_pk 39845
Click to watch at 0:19
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- Unique see-through card upgrade mechanic that creates a layered upgrade system
- Strong pirate theming with thematic flavor and visuals
- Exciting and tactile combat with dice/cube mechanics
- High replayability due to island layouts and multiple strategy routes
- Thoughtful component organization and quality packaging
Cons
- Rules can be overwhelming for newcomers
- Setup and teardown are lengthy and labor-intensive
- Combat can feel random and disrupt strategic flow at times
Thematic elements
- Piracy, exploration, and commerce in a nautical setting
- Pirate-era seafaring with islands, harbors, ships, and a treasure-centric economy
- deck-improvement progression with variable island layouts and episodic achievements
Comparison games
- Western Legends
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Deck management / deck-improvement — You don't draw more cards each turn; you upgrade existing cards by stacking improvements on top to make them stronger
- Dice/cube combat resolution — Combat uses physical cubes representing cannons; outcomes are resolved by rolling and applying effects like crowns and flames
- Event-driven advancement and exploration — Each space provides advancements or events; exploration tiles contribute to long-term strategy and scoring paths
- Island control and influence — Influence cubes are placed on islands to control production and unlock benefits or access to improvements
- Merchant interactions and upgrades — Trade with merchant ships to acquire enhancements and resources that improve your crew and ship
- Resource collection and harbor logistics — Players collect resources (gold, barrels) from islands and transport them to harbors and chests to secure victory points
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- it's not deck building it's deck improving
- the combat system here is really really fun
- there's tons to do
- this is a euro game where you try to get as much gold as possible
- the setup is a pain tearing down
- fantastic plus
- my number one is the bard
- it's a massive amount to do, and yet you still feel progress
- the beginning of this game is always exciting and unpredictable
- there's so much to explore and upgrade that it never feels static
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video HcqIDgnsmjE
The Dice Tower general_discussion at 6:16 sentiment: positive
video_pk 13589 · mention_pk 39705
Click to watch at 6:16
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- Solid core game with strong core mechanic
- Upscaled with customized upgrades and accessories
- Upgradeable pieces add flavor and variety
Cons
- Pirate mode cardboard element is brittle and can be fragile
- Some third-party upgrades require painting for best aesthetics
Thematic elements
- Pirate adventure and exploration
- Pirate/sea-faring conflict with ship upgrades
- Tactical combat with upgrade options
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- toggleable pirate mode — A thematic mode switch with specific components; includes a small, brittle pirate-mode cardboard element in the base game
- upgrade integration — Players can add upgrade components and state-based changes to their ships
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- This is as close to a game changer as I can imagine because it's really just feels good.
- If you don't play Dead Reckoning, seriously folks, let's talk about your gaming. Do you even game?
- This right here just slides in there. Very simple.
- This is a very, very small print.
- This is as close to a game changer as I can imagine because it's really just feels good.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video egR2E4rfqfw
Unknown Channel collection_tour at 8:12 sentiment: positive
video_pk 13326 · mention_pk 39091
Click to watch at 8:12
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- thematic hook and visual appeal
- polybag-free components with nice color
Cons
- not widely available in all regions
Thematic elements
- Crew-building and exploration on the high seas
- Pirate ship deck-building adventure
- Lore-light, flavor-forward
Comparison games
- Ark Nova
- Mansions of Madness
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- deck-building — assemble a deck to perform actions and build a crew
- set collection — collect crew and ships for scoring
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- these shelves are too cool to suggest anything
- i'm drooling and looking at games
- i really like the looks of it
- best looking arrangement shelf
- i want this collection as well
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video fXa2UcNVbxM
Board Game Spotlight playthrough at 5:01 sentiment: positive
video_pk 12800 · mention_pk 37344
Click to watch at 5:01
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- Accessible entry into a dense 4X with deep card crafting and progression
- Deck crafting and leveling up crew members provides meaningful power growth
- Engaging two-player dynamic with clear, thematic conflicts (pirate vs mercantile)
- Exciting battles with a tactile battle cube system that visually communicates outcomes
- Expansions like Letters of Mark add new content and replayability
Cons
- Rule complexity can be heavy and the number of components may be intimidating
- Two-player pacing can slow down late-game sequences with many actions per turn
- Tracking achievements and endgame triggers requires attentive record-keeping
Thematic elements
- Exploration, empire-building, piracy, trade and naval warfare
- Open seas with islands and harbors; ship combat and exploration in a sandbox maritime world
- Sandbox, emergent storytelling with card crafting progression
Comparison games
- Mystic Veil
- Twilight Imperium
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- 4X mechanics — Explore the map, expand influence, extract resources, and exterminate enemies or encounters via battles.
- Asymmetric play modes — Pirate mode vs mercantile mode introduces strategic tension and different upgrade paths.
- Battle cubes combat system — Combat uses battle cubes to resolve outcomes on battleships; outcomes determine loot and effects.
- Deck-building / card crafting — Crew cards are upgraded via advancements, sliding them into the active deck to permanently improve capabilities over cycles.
- Endgame achievements — Endgame is triggered by achieving a set of achievements; points from chits and upgrades determine final score.
- open-world sandbox movement — Harbors and sea hexes allow orthogonal movement with strategic placement of cargo and sails.
- Resource production and outposts — Production occurs via crew actions and outposts; goods and gold are used to fund advancements.
- Ship upgrades and terrain control — Advancements and upgrades modify ships, storage and combat options; control of islands yields permanent bonuses.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- it's a 4x game so you can explore expand extract and exterminate
- open sandbox you're just gonna do your thing
- it's really easy to get into but there's a lot of room here
- this uses the card crafting system so you're going to be able to level up your crew
- I am a huge fan of John D. Clare games
- you can check it out on Kickstarter right now
- if you're familiar with Mystic Veil you'll recognize a lot of the similar
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video J733QCDBgVk
Foster the Meeple general_discussion at 9:40 sentiment: positive
video_pk 12464 · mention_pk 36385
Click to watch at 9:40
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- Engaging card crafting system
- Exploration and engine-building feel
- Atmospheric pirate theme
Cons
- Rule clarity can be dense for some players
- Requires investment to fully appreciate campaign depth
Thematic elements
- Piracy, privateering, and maritime commerce
- Pirate-era exploration and coastlines with ships and islands
- Adventure-driven with a seafaring campaign feel
Comparison games
- Kanban EV
- Quacks of Quedlinburg
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Campaign-style progression — Long-term goals and evolving map influence player decisions
- card crafting — Players craft cards to customize actions and effects for ongoing turns
- Resource management — Gather and upgrade crew and goods to deliver to your harbor
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- the production is insane it is so highly overproduced
- the theme is amazing
- the battle tracks are really cool
- it's like a card crafting system
- you can be good or bad in this game
- this is an adorable little tile placement objective based game
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video 74SacIKG1xc
Our Family's Games general_discussion at 47:56 sentiment: positive
video_pk 11470 · mention_pk 33748
Click to watch at 47:56
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- theme resonates for pirate fans
- solid artwork and components
Cons
- some find replay variability moderate
Thematic elements
- ship raids, island control, and crew upgrades
- pirate-era archipelago / treasure wars
- pulp-sea-adventure feel
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- area majority / island control — control islands to gain power and influence
- card-driven upgrades — upgrade characters and abilities using cards
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- it's not cohesive at all
- we're going to rate our games on a scale of one to ten
- OFPG endorsement for the top picks
- don't sleep on Acropolis
- you can carry Cat in the Box easily
- we love you bye now
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video JklQ45DsH2k
The Broken Meeple kickstarter_roundup_and_analysis at 25:01 sentiment: negative
video_pk 9969 · mention_pk 29354
Click to watch at 25:01
Overall sentiment (raw)
negative
Pros
- High production quality implied by publisher's track record; potential depth via expansions
Cons
- Extreme price points cited (e.g., three hundred dollars); perceived overpricing; complexity and overhead
Thematic elements
- adventure and exploration with a focus on card crafting and modular expansions
- pirate ship/sea-navigation themed with card-driven decisions
- campaign/module-driven drafting and expansion integration
Comparison games
- Sushi Go
- Gloomhaven
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- cooperative play — Players collaborate to achieve common objectives, with expansions adding new layers.
- Deck-building / card crafting — Cards are crafted and used to drive actions, with expansions adding saga-like content.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- this is basically a fantasy war game for one to six players featuring six different races each with their own powers
- three hundred dollars for this it's ridiculous
- it's not cheap
- this is insane
- dinosaurs are cool
- it's basically pandemic vibe with the dice game
- it's a Mario Kart–style racing game that just had cards and wacky abilities
- beige dungeon crawler you do not want beige to be a name associated with your dungeon crawler
- amygdala i think is how you pronounce this this is uh was it game brewer
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video Y0PmLnn_wPw
Foster the Meat Bullet haul at 1:56 sentiment: positive
video_pk 9513 · mention_pk 28134
Click to watch at 1:56
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- thematic depth
- great design pedigree
Cons
- heavy, longer playtime
Thematic elements
- legendary pirate/mystery quest
- high seas adventure with pirate/romance themes
- immersive, designer-driven
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Deck-building / hand-management — Players curate a deck to perform actions and influence the flow of the game
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- Root is my favorite game of all time
- it's just incredible looking i mean the tower is a toy and i don't care i want to play with it
- we're going to return to dark tower this is a showpiece
- wizard of oz was in it
- i sleeved all the cards i love the theme
- i'm really really excited to play this
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video gj3iBGsXQgk
Unknown - Extract from channel_id top_10_list at 0:06 sentiment: positive
video_pk 8923 · mention_pk 26325
Click to watch at 0:06
Overall sentiment (raw)
Positive
Pros
- Unique deck building system with see-through cards
- Novel combat system (cube tower)
- Player choice in play style
- Interesting production mechanics
Cons
- Players can become pirates and attack others negatively
Thematic elements
- Island exploration
- Piracy
- Naval adventure
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
Mechanics unknown.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- You get resources, you get resources, everybody gets resources
- Euro games are games all about economics, resources, selling resources to get more resources, and at the end of the game somebody gets points and usually wins
- Dune is a better game but Terraforming Mars is a better euro game
- The most unique thing about this game is the actions and how they play out
- It's a fantastic way how to mess up everybody's plans
- This game does the thing all games I think should do is make you feel like you've progressed and built something
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video AC0OZsvhWXg
Foster the Meepolo top_10_list at 7:39 sentiment: positive
video_pk 8303 · mention_pk 24342
Click to watch at 7:39
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- Incredible
- Love it
- Appreciate designer John D. Claire
Cons
none
Thematic elements
- Adventure
- Nautical
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
Mechanics unknown.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- We love trick taking games
- This game is so much freaking fun
- I adore GMT games, they are becoming one of my favorite game publishers
- If you remember Vast Crystal Caverns is in my top five games of all time
- We bloody love it
- We can't stop playing
- It's a blimp game not a train game
- That's just work
- I don't think I want to play it
- I'll get it eventually
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video PySjjnkjfWM
Dice Tower general_discussion at 1:29 sentiment: positive
video_pk 6507 · mention_pk 19294
Click to watch at 1:29
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- Gets checked out a lot
- Big game
Cons
none
Thematic elements
- Naval adventure
- Sea/nautical
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
Mechanics unknown.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- This is easily on this shelf. The most checked out game. Wonderlands War I see played every time.
- Foundations of Rome despite how big this game is. It gets checked out all the time.
- Everyone's really upset with Grimlord Games cuz they never delivered their last Kickstarter, but another company has picked it up.
- I don't I still don't understand why companies can't put names on the sides of their boxes. Come on now.
- Frostpunk, the board game if you're ready to have a depressing day.
- I think Mosaic is a fantastic civilization game. So fast and easy to play.
- People love Smashup. I have almost everything for Smashup, but it just barely gets played.
- Probably Twilight Imperium is my favorite of all these here, even though I don't play it that much.
- Last Kingdom is a kind of a really fun game from Games based on said TV series. Uh but pretty good. Think Game of Thrones style.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video _e_ntycmQrM
Foster the Meeple kickstarter_haul at 2:56 sentiment: positive
video_pk 5130 · mention_pk 15215
Click to watch at 2:56
Overall sentiment (raw)
very_positive
Pros
- Insane production value
- Ships as dice towers (innovative mechanic)
- Crew cards upgradable by leaving them
- Designer John Declare track record is strong
Cons
none
Thematic elements
- maritime
- pirate
- ships
- nautical
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
Mechanics unknown.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- pandemic shame which is i just went on a kickstarter spree while i was living in egypt
- we're gonna start a new hashtag we're going hashtag team jason zack
- there's nothing wrong with that because i think this is going to be a great game
- it might be number 23 which is something that is not being put out until tomorrow
- i just want to see that in motion and working on the table
- if you really enjoy some games by you know certain makers you're probably going to like in another one
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video Nu-vezJCHUE
Board Game Coffee general_discussion at 22:55 sentiment: positive
video_pk 4044 · mention_pk 11832
Click to watch at 22:55
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- intriguing mechanic
- potential for deep strategy
Cons
- not widely played yet; learning curve
- as described, still not finished in personal collection
Thematic elements
- piratical/long-form combat via card construction
- card-based engine-building with sleeves
- tactical, slightly tactile
Comparison games
- Duel/engine-building card games
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- card construction / sleeve mechanics — builds a single large card from many smaller cards via sleeves
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- we are going to give away board games to you
- this is such a great game
- stronghold games thank you so much for supplying this
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video EzPil00zifM
Jessica general_discussion at 1:24 sentiment: neutral
video_pk 3990 · mention_pk 11619
Click to watch at 1:24
Overall sentiment (raw)
neutral
Pros
none
Cons
none
Thematic elements
- unknown
- unknown
- unknown
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- unknown — Mentioned briefly without detail.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- I love that game
- the day that I beat Ed in delicious but one point
- cabbages promo for fields of green has just been sitting here for probably a year
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video nFNxwnG0OpU
Foster the Meatball general_discussion at 14:04 sentiment: positive
video_pk 2536 · mention_pk 7437
Click to watch at 14:04
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
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)
- it's a beautiful kind of story
- you need to play with the right group
- it's not cute
- it's like comfort food games
- the rules are simple
- oh my god it's so good
- it's a ramp... chaos
- this is an easy one to just flick some discs around
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video F-S1hoOLsz4
Board Game Spotlight discussion at 0:00 sentiment: positive
video_pk 1582 · mention_pk 4579
Click to watch at 0:00
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- swashbuckling theme
- exploration elements
Cons
none
Thematic elements
- pirate
- exploration
- swashbuckling
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
Mechanics unknown.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- everything's game of the year
- I wouldn't call it a mean game but it's just like one of those things
- it captures the feeling of dinosaur island with less setup
- small box card game to date of this year
- masochism the card game
- marrakesh is gonna be one of those games like we wanna get these games that are seemingly forgotten
- hardcore gamers will say oh they never play roll and move games i'm like play marrakesh
- it's the love letter but the star wars
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video 5ewTREX3Bp0
Sport Game Hangover top_10_list at 10:16 sentiment: positive
video_pk 865 · mention_pk 2479
Click to watch at 10:16
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- Rich thematic combat with tactical depth
- Nice dice and resource interplay
Cons
- Complex setup and rule density
- Can be mechanically heavy for some players
Thematic elements
- Piracy, exploration, and territory control
- Pirate-era exploration with ship combat and crew management
- Deck-building with see-through cards and variable ship combat
Comparison games
- Jefferson's War
- Star Wars: Rebellion
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- deck-building — Crew-based deck-building with upgradable see-through cards.
- see-through cards — Upgrading cards by layering transparencies to create stronger effects.
- ship combat — Combat outcomes depend on crew and ship configuration with dice/slots.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- it's amazing game in short you are building a zoo and not only building a zoo you're also trying to conserve the earth
- this is my most played solo game
- it's a very open world feeling where you can travel wherever talk with whoever have interactions there and fight monsters
- pattern here first of all they're both in big heavy boxes second of all they both have minis and cards and a lot of stuff going on
- let's skip the ranch and just buy Kickstarter games that look really nice
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Transcript Navigation
Showing 1–17 of 17