Heroes, stand ready! The gods are offering a seat in heaven to whichever hero defeats their rivals. Your courage and wits will be your most precious allies as you use divine dice to gather resources along the road to victory.
Your divine dice are exceptional, with removable faces! Customize your dice to make them more powerful as the game progresses. Sacrifice gold to the gods to obtain enhanced die faces. Upgrade your dice to produce the resources you need. Overcome ordeals concocted by the gods to grow in glory and earn rewards. Skillfully manage the luck of the dice and take charge of your destiny. Only the greatest will ascend to the heavens!
Dice Forge is a development game featuring innovative mechanics based on dice with removable faces. In this dice crafting game, players build their own dice. Roll your dice, manage your resources, complete ordeals before your opponents and explore multiple winning strategies.
Now you control the luck of the dice!
Dice Forge: The Deal
Dice Forge: Rebellion expansion: The Deal
Arydia: The Paths We Dare Tread {Part 18}
Images
- creative dice customization
- interactive dice economy
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- dice-drafting / customization — two dice per player; faces pried off and replaced with new faces
Video topics + discussion points
Quotes (from this video)
- your videos are great I love your YouTube channel especially your playthroughs
- Lisboa is a beautiful game
- this was the funnest moment that I had at the convention
References (from this video)
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- deck-building — A deck-building game with customizable dice instead of cards.
- dice customization — Features customizable dice instead of cards.
Video topics + discussion points
Quotes (from this video)
- It's Ryan from Nights Around a Table, and this is Dice Forge: Rebellion, an expansion for Dice Forge, a deck-building game with customizable dice instead of cards.
- As for Dice Forge: Rebellion, let me show you how to play.
- If you want to learn more about the rules of the game, click the link at the end of this video or in the description below to watch my complete How to Play video, which includes the overview segment you just watched.
References (from this video)
- Beautiful, popping artwork
- Customizable dice mechanic
- Not especially deep
- Not a thinking person's game
- Dominion
- Santorini
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- card selection — The original game had cards that could be chosen to be used or not used, similar to Dominion, which the host found 'okay' but preferred games that prescribed the experience.
- Customizable dice — The core gimmick of the game is that it comes with customizable dice where players can pop off dice faces and replace them with others.
Video topics + discussion points
Quotes (from this video)
- The good people over at asthma D Canada have furnished me with a copy of dice Forge rebel lion
- If you watched any of my videos you know that I'm a bit of an art snob and this game just just fits right in the pocket of what I love
- Dice Forge is like having a very good-looking prom date so it's a person who looks amazing on your arm you don't really want to have conversations with people with that person because the moment that person opens their mouth it's like no you're you're just here for the eye candy
- It's it's it's a pleasant game it's a reasonable way to spend the time it's not especially deep is all that I'm saying
- I held out great hope that when the expansion finally came to light it might add a little bit of that depth or complexity or think enos that I was hoping for
- I almost prefer a game to prescribe the experience for me
- The instruction booklet for the original was a little bit hairy I gotta say tons of tiny little icons everywhere and it looks really overwhelming for what really isn't that much of a complicated game
- It's just weird channel to watch right I got how to play videos where it's like I'm the most knowledgeable dude about this then I've got unboxing videos or it's like I have no idea what's going on kind of a mixed message in the brand
- Goddesses and Titans
References (from this video)
- Customizable dice
- Great artwork
- Hope for quick play
- Can play longer than needed
- Can overstay its welcome
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Deck Building — The host describes searching for a deck builder that doesn't use cards.
- dice manipulation — Described as having 'customizable dice faces.'
Video topics + discussion points
Quotes (from this video)
- What i want is more TIME to play board games. i want to enjoy the board games that i have. rather than amassing new ones all the time.
- It gives you an excuse - nay, an IMPERATIVE, because you're on the clock, to sit down with the family and play a board game
- So i was amazed and thrilled when we all got through a game of Castles of Burgundy together.
- i'm surprised that this game doesn't get more love than i feel it should!
- i admit that i burned myself out on this game because i grabbed the iOS app, and i was playing it like a fiend
- i don't like. It... it's it's fine. It's fine. There are other games that i'd rather play, to be honest
References (from this video)
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
Video topics + discussion points
Quotes (from this video)
- hey everyone and welcome to watch it played
- my name is Rodney Smith it's time to look at more offerings from the BoardGameGeek store
- don't forget on screen and in the description of the video you'll find an affiliate link and anything you buy after following that link gives a percentage of the proceeds back to watch it played so thanks for using that if you do
- and a big thanks for BoardGameGeek for sponsoring us and supporting us in that way
- I haven't played this one but I hear it's pretty tough so you can probably use all the help you can get
- you know sometimes when I'm giving these descriptions of promos for games that I've never played before I have no idea if the descriptions make any kind of sense I just sort of cobble together some research and hope that they do
- I had mentioned that the goodie box was almost the last item that I had to show you because I do have one more it's just that it's not a game and it's not a promo
- look I'm not your dad you can sell it wherever you want and then you can sport your BG colors with pride
- and if you use that link TIFF as the site again any purchases you make after that point will help the channel here so consider using it
- and I'll be back in the future to show you some more selections in detail but until the next episode thanks for watching
References (from this video)
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
Video topics + discussion points
Quotes (from this video)
- if the mustache runs out regrow it
- and now you're ready to play dice forage rebellion get rolling
- so let's find the fun in the castles of burgandy where fun is represented by anything but math
- and stupid that the shoe is too big
- hey Isabel could you please bring me a small shoe
References (from this video)
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
Video topics + discussion points
Quotes (from this video)
References (from this video)
- Felt like winning a game didn't mean playing the same game as someone else due to variable card sets.
- Dominion
- Santorini
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Card Drafting — Players can choose which cards to include or leave out.
- Dice Rolling — Implied by the name.
- variable setup — Players can choose which cards to include or leave out.
Video topics + discussion points
Quotes (from this video)
- I think Yin is an abstract two-player game think of reversi or th but a lot more interesting
- it's the number two ranked abstract strategy on BGG right now
- I'm not an abstract guy at all at all I run from abstract games
- when I the first time I played Mythic Mischief against my friend Derek I I did win
- I find that when people teach me games I don't like them is that weird
- I kind of have to sit there and I have to be immerse myself in the rule book and read every single little curb case and Rule and exception and absorb that and process it and and teach my brain the game and then I'm excited to play it
- Santorini was taught to be by a different by another person I didn't read the instructions
- it kind of felt like they were leaving the design to me you know what I mean they're like yeah I don't know here's a big pile of rules you go find out what's fun I'm like well no you're the designer you tell me the prescribed experience that you want me to have
- it's almost like you were playing the same game but you weren't playing within the same parameters do you know what I mean
- the sifting through pictures on BGG is frustrating it's like it's like really slow and weird and it I don't know I wish I wish it was more like Google image search where it just gives you a huge like big ass array and you can just more easily grab the picture you want instead of this weird really slow moving Carousel that doesn't feel really responsive
- Cosmic frog is a game of collection combat and theft on a planetary scale
- each player controls a TW mile tall Immortal Invulnerable frog likee creature that exists solely to gather terrain from the shards of eth the fragments of a long ago shattered world
- your frogs jump around and eat chunks of planets and then you barf them into patterns to score points
- it's amazing hot damn
- man it looks like an abstract strategy game when you look at that board like that what a trip
References (from this video)
- next level flicking game
- clans or the iron force take on opposing teams
- scenarios offer asymmetrical objectives
- full of power-ups
- played on a double layered board
- clans vs. iron force, technology
- forest
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Area Control — such as trying to control certain areas of the game board.
- asymmetrical gameplay — scenarios that each offer asymmetrical objectives which each side needs to fulfill in order to win.
- Flicking — a next level flicking game.
Video topics + discussion points
Quotes (from this video)
- call of cthulhu one of the world's most beloved and popular role-playing games is getting a board game
- bad old chestnut
- it's a cthulhu game and we're told that as the game begins you don't know how to defeat your opposition or even what the opposition consists of my guess tentacles but it's all for you to discover on the way
- coming now is the sponsor of this week's episode
- i mean the expansion for the legendary a james bond deck building game
- so that's preposterous
- a portion of the profits goes to charity
- it's a great cause and a massive saving on what would cost 165 pounds being available for as little as nine quid
- if that wasn't enough digital ball games for you then you might be interested in the 2021 steam digital tabletop fest
- cowboy bebop is getting a role-playing game coming to kickstarter sometime next year
- look i love cowboy bebop it's one of the best tv shows of all time
- this is all coming from don't panic games and mana project studios and while totally separate if the avatar the last airbender rpg's anything to go off it's gonna be one to look out for for fans of the show
- resident evil the card game is a cooperative experience where the players control a character between them and was inspired by the age-old tradition of passing a controller between friends
- this looks like a really true to life board game version of the classic resident evil games i think it looks really cool
- then there's the heroes of mitre magic board game which is a whole other beast
- so look out for that on kickstarter when it launches
- that's it that's all we know
- it's safe to say there's a crab monster
- are we fighting it are we the crab monster who's to say certainly not me until they release more information about it in the months to come
- it's described as a next level flicking game
- two layers that's more layers than you get with me
- what you see is what you see is what you get
- i love romney i love it so very much so i've always been interested in these games
- This one is an insta buy for me so i was very excited to tell you about it being released next month
- purple haze is billed as an immersive story creation game for one to six players that drops you in the heart of the darkness that was vietnam
- it's the gut-wrenching choices that you make that will determine the fate of you and your mission
- looks like it's going to be an immersive and emotionally difficult game to play
- while i was excited to see what wonderful games came from it now we know that who from over the 150 applications 46 proposals and eight finalists are the winners and the runners-up
- it looks amazing but so do the others
- so many great games seem to have come out of this award and i'm hoping it's not the last time that this competition runs
References (from this video)
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
Video topics + discussion points
Quotes (from this video)
- I think if I had one word to describe this collection I think it would be precarious
- Move Modern Art to the top of that stack so that you don't accidentally Crush that precious precious box
- this shelf is failing like this shelf is going to spill
- the best organized collection we've seen today
- I love the shelves doing all the work
References (from this video)
- One of the best games of the year
- Will be in the top 10
- Has everything you need without going overboard
- Nice-sized campaign
- Simple system to understand
- Quick setup
- Satisfying character development
- Interesting side missions
- Good lore
- Absolutely enjoyable
- Contains weird fantasy names
- Fantasy
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- app integration — You'll have an app that tells you how this is set up it'll tell you how the enemies interact.
- Card Drafting — Each character has these different types of uh uh different types of action cards.
- Character progression — As you develop, you're just getting access to more cards and different weapons that allow you to do different things and everybody has their own deck for that as well.
- Dice Rolling — You're going to roll the dice and put the actions on there that kind of qualify.
- Modular Board — You're going to have different tile setups.
- Side quests — When you go to towns there's side missions that you can go to that make life very just interesting and and easy.
Video topics + discussion points
Quotes (from this video)
- Treat yourself
- Heavy Rain I call this the Zen Game of the Year
- this is one of the highest recommendations of the Year
- throw it in your cart just throw it in your cart throw it in your backpack this is one of the best games I played this year
- this is why this game is essentially the one of the best co-ops if not the best co-op there is period
- Fate Forge boom this is it
- this is Peak top tier top tier Cooperative game
- this is my highest recommendation Outside of Fate Forge like my highest recommend
- Fate Forge is one of the best games of the year no question this will be in my top 10 this year
- This has everything you need without going overboard
- Title Blades is my highest recommendation outside of Fate Forge like my highest recommend
- This is my you know big big money
- You have got to get confusing L because you need a game that you are you have a cool little puzzle game that you can take with you anywhere
- It's an absolutely beautiful game on the eyes it's got book layout it's got a you know like a book board
References (from this video)
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
Video topics + discussion points
Quotes (from this video)
- ooh that looks tasty welcome folks to the hungry gamer
- is back with the first video of the 2024 BH the board game dog game of the year tournament competition
- and some people who watched the first video weren't aware that Harrow county has added a prize to the pool as had an all in aridia
- so here is the bracket and two things I'll say one I accidentally managed to leave off one game right here I know what game it is that got left off and up against deep shelf
- so deep shelf's just going to get a buy to the next round for anybody who left it blank on their form or I don't know wrote something else in I'm just going to adjust it on their form to deep shelf so you won't get a penalty
- the other thing I'm going to do is today I'm doing all the playin rounds meaning all of these along the far edge of the bracket
- and anybody who still wants to enter I'm going to leave this open for another day or two after this video posts if you would still like to enter you can make sure you put the games in that already won I guess and I'll just start your scoring from the next round
- so some bonus points if you were already in that feels fair to me and the more the merrier is my thought on this
- now with that said as a reminder I can only send a prize to someone they're 18 years or older I don't know if that's legally true but I'm being safe
- second of all it will be free shipping in the Continental us if it is outside the continental US I will pay the cost of the shipping of what it would be from California to New York whatever that is and then you'll have to cover the rest
- so those of you that are in another country that might affect what game you pick you might not want to pick the 30 lb aridia if you win knowing that you're going to have to pay probably a lot of shipping overage and there may be customs duties or whatever again if your country has those that is not something that I will be paying
- so unfortunately because I'm in America it is a little bit leaning towards a prize for Americans though there it is possible that some the games will be inexpensive to ship and some of the and for those that are not in my personal possession right now it might be able to be shipped from a different Hub but just do keep that in mind
- whoever winds up with the highest score at the end through various tiebreakers that I have you'll get your first choice of those four prizes you'll get your first choice of those five prizes and then whoever's second will get next choice and so on and so on
- now with that said we're going to go right to it this video is only going to be the playin round of all the ones on the very far sides of the bracket
- again if you still want to get in you still have a chance you'll be at a slight point disadvantage but points ramp up as we go so you still do have a chance
- so with that said let's see what beatric is interested in from the 2024 selection and here we are with the first round debris versus kire dell
- and victory for kire Dell
- and next we have the fog and the Venice and the Venice with the victory
- and next up we have dinogenics versus mind space and mind space it is a bit of an upset you would think she would appreciate the Beast of dinogenics but she is a smart dog and goes for ly space
- and next up we have factions of Soul versus abduction and here she comes coming down and oh right for factions of Soul apparently she can be the only cute creature in this tournament abduction is out
- next up we have fake Forge versus Relic blade and here she comes coming down and immediately for real blade not interested in fak Forge looks like the indie game wins this round
- next up we have lunar versus Evergreen and no question right for lunar that makes all play with two out of two today
- and next up we have survival of the fattest for city of kings and here she comes coming down and she goes right for city of Kings once again proving she is the only cute animal allowed in this tournament
- next up we have dragons down versus Elemental stones and looks like oh oh she's not sure and she goes for Dragons Down
- next we have Earth Under Siege versus Invincible the deck building game and here she comes and looks like she's go she's going around the other side and going for invincible that is a first she mixed it up this time
- next we have AP are versus cre Manor we all know Jamie STM is a big fan of B the board game dog let's see if she returns that love and oh she does she does straight for apiary and she's looking she's looking for that other blueberry and there it is she found it little confusion there but AP moves on
- the last match of the play around we have wild Gardens versus super snipers and here she comes and wild Gardens it is which does make sense she does love outside
- and there we have it that is the end of the playing round
- that is the end of the playin round I hope you enjoyed watching it I enjoyed doing it beatric enjoyed making it
- and one last time if you want to get into the tournament you still have a chance follow the links down in the description to get your brackets in
- you will find that the submission folder is completely empty or would be almost empty right now because all the people who are already in I've moved them into another folder so they get their bonus points
- all right there you have it folks as always if you enjoyed this video please like subscribe share maybe become a channel member
- as always thank you so much for watching have a wonderful wonderful day
References (from this video)
- Low upkeep
- Quick turns
- Engaging story
- Smooth system
- Puzzle aspect
- Fantasy names are crazy to read
- Engaging story that aids onboarding and upkeep
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- action selection — Players choose actions based on dice rolls.
- app integration — Uses an app to manage enemy actions and scenarios.
- Campaign play — A game with a narrative campaign structure.
- Dice Placement — Dice are used to perform actions on the board.
Video topics + discussion points
Quotes (from this video)
- it is a bag of chips and once everyone's done this is the beauty to score
- this is what title blades is and why it's so high on my list is because it does exactly what I want in a in a in a Dungeon Crawl type game it's it's actually top tier to me
- fantastic game really really love fantastic game
- this game feels right every time like everything feels right
- I think seti is a is a perfect game I actually have played my first game where I'm like I'm not necessarily sure there's anything wrong with this game
- has some of the best dice mechanics and mechanisms in gaming in my opinion
- they did revive which was one of our fav always always a fave of mine
References (from this video)
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
Video topics + discussion points
Quotes (from this video)
- Congratulations to all the nominees and spectacular and to you for watching this award video Woo we will see you in 2025 bye
- The spoiler alert he has designed set Tea Garden Galileo galile and the designer is obviously then toas holck a designer just like came out of nowhere got so much hype this year and I will say even though like we have ranked those games we like all three of those games like two of them better than the last one but this is a designer I am looking forward to see more games from
- We are going to be bringing you the nominations and the winner for the best card game of 2024 and the nominees are Star Wars unlimited cortis an misos and 5050
- Lone wolves yay and lone wolves was one of my favorite small box games of the year so I am so glad it made the list
- If you like a High degree of uh interaction that head-to-head kind of style game this is I think my all-time favorite two-player trick game
- Congratulations Agonia for winning best narrative campaign game for 2024 in these rambling Awards
- Harmonies congratulations to Harmony is one of the most played games from this last year with the People's Choice as well over at the dice Towers uh game of the year uh so this is one that is very impressive so kudos to harmonies the winner of this year's abstract Game of the Year
- Tranquility the ascent yes congratulations indeed we have played that game do you remember we were we were building the the the oh my goodness I love that game oh there we go I love that game it's a deserved win I'm sorry I don't hate co-op games anymore it's an amazing game it's beautiful on the table if you haven't played it check it out it won fair and square this is a great game
- The winner is flip seven
- To the winner is iron Forest congratulations
- Most Innovative game is War Stories Occupied France designed by David Neil and David Thompson art by Mara and published by Osprey games congratulations to all the nominees but of course congratulations to War Stories Occupied friends
- we have made a big list of awards that we are giving away to different games
- this is all of the awards we have made a big list of awards that we are giving away to different games
- we want to highlight these amazing games that gives our or all so much joy
- I focus on cozy games welcoming games family games card games um also solo games as well
- Winner for the category of the most Innovative game is War Stories Occupied France
- that was amazing I really enjoyed that I hope you did too
- please go check all those amazing people out because they make really good content
References (from this video)
- Individual game sessions are shorter (45-60 minutes).
- Cooperative Adventure
- Fantasy
- Kinfire Chronicles
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- cooperative play — Mentioned as a fantasy cooperative adventure game.
Video topics + discussion points
Quotes (from this video)
- Endeavor Deep Sea is very, very high to the top of the list.
- I am 90% sure they would say yes.
- My current three favorite games that don't have any kind of space or science fantasy whatever uh element to them is through the ages feast roadin and Maraca.
- So, yeah, it's very much a multiplayer solitaire game, but it's very good.
- I believe it's a much improve a much better version of Hrien's Wall and I love the way that the combat works against the actual the the puzzle of trying to defend yourself against the different forces that are attacking you. I really like it. So yeah, Anarchy gets a big thumbs up for me.
- Flam Rouge, fantastic game. Definitely Flam Rouge.
- I personally don't feel it's right for me to do them at the end of the year because most of the games I will have only played once and some of them I won't have even played.
- I personally prefer Flam Rouge to heat.
- Anything that wins Spiel Dejars will go on to sell way more copies, especially in the family category if it gets that Spiel Dejars award on it, which they have to pay for. They have to pay to have that award put on there, which is how Spiel Dejares makes its money. But it will sell many, many copies of the game.
References (from this video)
- Recommended by a friend.
- Seems fast and has a functional app.
- Has been on the shelf for a year and a half without being opened.
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
Video topics + discussion points
Quotes (from this video)
- It's one of those games that's greater than the sum of its parts.
- The way you explore the dungeon is so unique.
- It's focused on strong female characters, which most games aren't.
- The only huge downside right now is it's nearly impossible to get in the United States because of uh trade wars and shipping is insane...
- Make sure whatever you're doing, make sure you're having fun.
- We are so blessed with variety.
References (from this video)
- Quick setup and simple mechanics.
- Interesting use of dice with input randomness.
- Clean gameplay.
- Diverse character classes.
- Good initiative system.
- Punchy campaign that can be finished quickly.
- Unique fantasy Middle Eastern setting.
- App integration for music.
- Choices that allow for replayability and different builds.
- Great story and narrative.
- Good customer support.
- Clean, improved system compared to Too Many Bones.
- Fun for family play.
- Awkward integration of expansions.
- A lot of reading required.
- No voice acting in the app.
- Some people might find the dice mitigation too puzzly.
- The theme can be a little goofy.
- Some of the lore can feel like an exposition dump.
- Fantasy adventure with dice mitigation and narrative choices
- Fantasy Middle Eastern
- App integration with music but no voice acting, a lot of reading.
- Too Many Bones
- Kingdom Death Monster
- Aon Trespass Odyssey
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Card Play — Utilizing different decks that are based off of the cards and skills that you have.
- Character progression — Leveling up characters and getting new skills.
- Dice Rolling — Input randomness system where dice are used for actions.
- Initiative system — Seeing when each player can act and enemies might interrupt.
Video topics + discussion points
Quotes (from this video)
- This is what Seventh Continent wanted to be.
- Distant Skies is a cleaner, more streamlined system.
- Primeial Apparel is like the the, you know, a third as long, like little it it it's done before it can get broken version.
- The game kicks me in the nard sometimes.
- Aon Trespass Odyssey to me does everything better.
- So damn cool.
- The rule book is awful.
References (from this video)
- no bids
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
Video topics + discussion points
Quotes (from this video)
- Go look up Europa. You're talking almost $400, $500 a game.
- my first edition Blood Bowl is rare.
- My Warhammer is worth a ton.
- First edition of Space Hulk is worth a lot.
- It's It's literally tasteless [ __ ]
- Tastes like the color white. If white paste had a flavor, like white diarrhea [ __ ]
- I will cut you out of my life without even thinking without even thinking if that's what you want to do
- You either figure it out and see that these people aren't here for you. You're just entertainment for them. Or I'll just take you from this world.
- You get it out of your system or I'm not gonna let you kill your mother, I'm gonna kill you.
- I think the most important thing is is that you never give up on your family, on your children, on your grandchildren, and you give everything that you got.
- All I want written on my damn gravestone is I wish I was up there reading this.
- If in all these years I helped somebody, you want to know something? That's worth more than all the subscriptions, all the views, and all the [ __ ] YouTube YouTuber influencer [ __ ] that you can have.
References (from this video)
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
Video topics + discussion points
Quotes (from this video)
- I don't go to our local game shops. I I because personally I can't stand people.
- And if GW did exactly what this man is doing, okay, this game would be alive forever.
- What I consider one of the greatest games of all time.
- And that's the thing that keeps me going because it's not it's not you're not faceless to me, okay?
- The 20s have not been very kind to me.
- If you fight hard enough if you give everything that you got and you don't quit ever. You just kind of keep keep plugging along.
References (from this video)
- The bosses seemed very underwhelming.
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
Video topics + discussion points
Quotes (from this video)
- The bosses seemed very underwhelming except for the one uh dragon thing on the front.
- I love undead in like video games. I don't know what it is. I just love undead.
- It's like pull your finger.
- You're not going to see anything now.
- This game does have a lot of like references.
- She's a 10, but she's wickedly crosseyed.
- Yeah, like, Oh man, I already have 40. And you're still an exile.
- We suck this guy off.
- This chip poison could sell for 1k.
References (from this video)
- Smooth campaign to play
- Smooth system
- Not a punishing game
- Very logic based
- Bite-sized campaign
- Easy to remember how to play
- Expansions didn't add much
- Need more substantial content
- Based on a known TTRPG IP
- Roleplayer Adventures
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Campaign — The game features a campaign mode that was played through.
- mitigation — There are enough ways to mitigate the luck of the dice.
- Puzzle — The game plays like a puzzle, with limited rounds to complete objectives.
Video topics + discussion points
Quotes (from this video)
- this one um I've said this before when this has come up.
- Um, this one's modern day and you are um actually you have like a you know it's you have a ocean um it's like a science building kind of thing. You're in the open ocean and you're like exploring the ocean. You're doing different stuff like that.
- This one is a scenario-based game as well.
- This is pretty to look at.
- It has a good solid solo mode as well
- I love that.
- this would be a game though if we did the two top 100s and average it out be higher for me.
- one of the best, if not the only game that I can think of where you're actually meant to sneak in and not actually fight uh the the enemies.
- one of the coolest things about this game is the the sheer amount of scenarios that you pick based off of the corporations.
- The way it handles the enemies is very very clean.
- So uh this game and stalker I think do do NPC movement very very well.
- the brass mags were an awesome addition to this. too to give that 3D effect.
- Burn Cycle is a fantastic game. Very unique uh from a lot of games that are out there.
- The network board was always a cool little mini game because that was like a mini game itself.
- this was my favorite game of of the uh Garfield games and that is Raiders of the North Sea.
- this one is one of the first games I played back in the day that had that interesting worker placement because you have there's three colored workers out there, uh, black, white, and gray.
- You get two actions every round.
- But you have to be weary about what you're picking up because you may be opening up something for somebody else, you know.
- This one also has the solo variant.
- it's so simple to set up and play and it's just it's an easy teach.
- Um, and uh, and yeah, I mean, that's cool.
- Madara is is a very interesting game because it's one that I absolutely love the story and it's the epitome of like the best kind of character build game um in my opinion for campaign games.
- But its dice system and its bosses are so bad.
- But really why this game why I love this game is is the story and just the sheer amount of items and uh ways to actually build your character.
- There's nothing out there that's like that's that really even comes close to this.
- So the writing is superb for this one.
- So, that is my 41.
- This is what I want every time I'm a campaign game comes out and it's like you can build your characters it's like right but can I or can I have two items equipped and that's it, you know,
References (from this video)
- Incredibly tactical gameplay.
- Clever system that is familiar to fans of the Oak Dell series.
- Print and play format allows for reusability with dry-erase markers.
- Variable leaders with different special abilities.
- Clever round tracking system.
- Dice actions are diverse and change each round.
- Mechanics for moving, fighting, and healing are clearly listed on the board.
- Different dice types (A, B, C) have unique functions.
- Towers can be 'souped up' for more efficient fighting.
- Each tower has a special bonus that players want to trigger.
- Information about tower stats (range, targets, strength) is clear.
- Ability to set traps and barricades.
- Graveyard mechanic for activating fallen units.
- Upgrades, traps, and defenses can be applied using pip values.
- Fascinating grid system for castle bonuses.
- Clever, thought-out, and intricate design.
- Nicely woven-in choices and opportunities.
- High replayability due to variable dice and round triggers.
- Round die is a favorite feature.
- Choice between top section bonuses or bottom section upgrades.
- Flags activate specific towers.
- A 'juicier' roll and write experience.
- It is a little bit of a heavier game.
- It's not wholly inaccessible, but know you're biting off something a little juicier.
- Some dice have curled slightly.
- tower defense
- Oak Dell series
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- action selection — Players select actions based on dice results and available choices.
- Dice Rolling — Dice are rolled to determine actions and track rounds.
- Set Collection — Players collect dice to use for various actions and upgrades.
- tower defense — The core theme of the game involves defending a castle from storming troops.
- Upgrade system — Players can upgrade their towers and defenses.
- Variable player powers — The game features variable leaders with different special abilities.
Video topics + discussion points
Quotes (from this video)
- Hey everybody, Kimberly here and I am super excited to bring to you just a little minieries in my channel print and play roll and write games that are out and I've got links to them so you can go and check them out if they sound good to you.
- So, you'll essentially be able to put your leader up next to the same board over here. And this is a little bit of a heavier game, but it's not wholly inaccessible. Just know you're kind of biting off. You're kind of, you know, chomping into something a little juicier here.
- And this is something that I think is really clever that I've played before with these folks, and I think it's great.
- So, you're going to have this structure here where you're going to count across. And this is the one that I am activating right now. So, I'm going to essentially be moving and fighting, moving and fighting, and then those guys are going to heal. So, I do C, B, and A in that order, doing all of their actions, and then these are going to be the actions I get to take.
- And the fights are going to essentially hurt your towers down here. But the more your tower gets hurt, you are going to receive more bonuses that you can activate on your turn.
- So, there's so much to like about this. It is really clever. It's super thought out and intricate. You've got nicely woven in choices and opportunities, but there's a lot here.
- And it's so fun to just try. Okay, first time through, great. I've got it. the next time through, try different strategies.
- That's one of my favorite features is that after you do this, so let's say you're done with your round, you've done everything through, you've gotten all your bonuses, they have acted, and these guys are going to continue moving down this pathway, attacking your towers and getting closer to your castle again, storming the gates.
- Just a ton to like here. If you want a juicier roll and write and print and play, this is it for you.
References (from this video)
- unique dice-building mechanic
- tactile dice components
- strong box presentation
- divine smithing among the gods
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- dice-building — Players build and upgrade their dice using resources.
- Resource Management — Spend resources to improve dice; roll to activate capabilities.
- Resource management and drafting — Spend resources to improve dice; roll to activate capabilities.
Video topics + discussion points
Quotes (from this video)
- I think dogs are better than cats.
References (from this video)
- Quick and snappy sessions.
- Has decisions for players.
- Includes a fail-forward system.
- Good character progression and equipment options.
- Allows for curated character builds.
- Decision-based
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Character progression — You had a decent amount of cards when you leveled up. you had decent amount of of equipment and and traits and that you felt like you had some decisions um that when you leveled up it was nice to get cool abilities.
- Fail Forward System — So, no matter what, you are done after the rounds and then you just move forward. Has a fail forward system.
- Player Agency — this actually has decisions.
- Round-based — The game has a set number of rounds (approximately four).
- Session Length — Fate Forge is also just meant to be quick, snappy.
- tile laying — Involves setting up tiles quickly.
Video topics + discussion points
Quotes (from this video)
- This is very like tribal like morbid.
- It's um it's Dark Souls King Arthur, the Arthurian legend.
- this one is kind of like it's very like tribal like morbid.
- But if we're looking at themes of negative like negative games that I just did not care about the theme
- I typically don't buy them if I if I don't like the theme.
- the way that they did the theme was was so uninspired.
- Odelin is again a good one just because it's it's Diablo generic demon fantasy thing. I find that incredibly tired.
- Vagrant song certainly unique. I don't call it bad, but it had a hard time ringing with me
- I was actually kind of glad you decided to quit that one.
- So, if we're looking at games that I think does CA uh combat one of the best I'm trying to think is I mean Osworn is definitely up there.
- That's the highlight. I mean, this is also a boss battler, but it is a campaign. But each boss is unique. I love the way that it utilizes the battle flow system. The fact that you can use cards or dice.
- Their dedication to the secret boss. I applaud. That they they did everything they could to keep it all a mystery.
- But then on repeat, the the mystery is gone, but the combat is still still great.
- Because that's all it is is boss fights. I think a game funny enough that does boss fights terribly is one we've already talked about Madara
- Madara's boss fights are [ __ ] bullet sponges with 800 health
- the AI itself when you're doing the mobs, that works relatively well for the various enemies that are in the game, and they do level up, which is nice. They get more challenging, but it kind of just boils down to more HP and more damage. It does. They still kind of run the exact same way, but they color code it so it's not just a hodgepodge of just enemies.
- the inverted paradigm system is amazing.
- And actually a good positive and probably a good negative for some is atto to KDM. It depends on how you like your boss fights.
- Don't get me wrong, they're they're extremely similar. And it just kind of depends on how you want your boss fights. KDM does it. I'm not saying KDM is necessarily a negative, but in the sense that it's combat can literally boil down to I have a character that can crit on everything
- It's too It's just way too clunky.
- God, no. A green [ __ ] Who the hell goes off a D 100?
- But yeah, folklore the affliction. This was the one had had a really cool world. I like the the fable element, the gothic horror stuff. I think the characters were unique. Um but man, fiddly as all hell.
- Yeah. And I mean, they shot for the open world.
- It would have just been better if it was if it was uh scenario based.
- but he doesn't want to carry any of his [ __ ] to my house.
- I want to see it. I want to see this game of his that he owns like everything for
- I didn't ever bring this one up because I haven't touched it in years.
- Yeah, I know. I know. You would think with how much [ __ ] he has and how much he doesn't touch it, you would that he would want to play it. I told him we could have three. We could get cuz you'd be in on it, but he doesn't want to carry it over to my house.
References (from this video)
- quick campaign
- decent amount of level-up rewards
- curated character roles worked well
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Character progression — Provided a decent amount of cards, equipment, and traits upon leveling up, with cool abilities and curated roles for characters.
Video topics + discussion points
Quotes (from this video)
- This is very like tribal like morbid.
- It's um it's Dark Souls King Arthur, the Arthurian legend.
- this one is kind of like it's very like tribal like morbid.
- But if we're looking at themes of negative like negative games that I just did not care about the theme
- I typically don't buy them if I if I don't like the theme.
- the way that they did the theme was was so uninspired.
- Odelin is again a good one just because it's it's Diablo generic demon fantasy thing. I find that incredibly tired.
- Vagrant song certainly unique. I don't call it bad, but it had a hard time ringing with me
- I was actually kind of glad you decided to quit that one.
- So, if we're looking at games that I think does CA uh combat one of the best I'm trying to think is I mean Osworn is definitely up there.
- That's the highlight. I mean, this is also a boss battler, but it is a campaign. But each boss is unique. I love the way that it utilizes the battle flow system. The fact that you can use cards or dice.
- Their dedication to the secret boss. I applaud. That they they did everything they could to keep it all a mystery.
- But then on repeat, the the mystery is gone, but the combat is still still great.
- Because that's all it is is boss fights. I think a game funny enough that does boss fights terribly is one we've already talked about Madara
- Madara's boss fights are [ __ ] bullet sponges with 800 health
- the AI itself when you're doing the mobs, that works relatively well for the various enemies that are in the game, and they do level up, which is nice. They get more challenging, but it kind of just boils down to more HP and more damage. It does. They still kind of run the exact same way, but they color code it so it's not just a hodgepodge of just enemies.
- the inverted paradigm system is amazing.
- And actually a good positive and probably a good negative for some is atto to KDM. It depends on how you like your boss fights.
- Don't get me wrong, they're they're extremely similar. And it just kind of depends on how you want your boss fights. KDM does it. I'm not saying KDM is necessarily a negative, but in the sense that it's combat can literally boil down to I have a character that can crit on everything
- It's too It's just way too clunky.
- God, no. A green [ __ ] Who the hell goes off a D 100?
- But yeah, folklore the affliction. This was the one had had a really cool world. I like the the fable element, the gothic horror stuff. I think the characters were unique. Um but man, fiddly as all hell.
- Yeah. And I mean, they shot for the open world.
- It would have just been better if it was if it was uh scenario based.
- but he doesn't want to carry any of his [ __ ] to my house.
- I want to see it. I want to see this game of his that he owns like everything for
- I didn't ever bring this one up because I haven't touched it in years.
- Yeah, I know. I know. You would think with how much [ __ ] he has and how much he doesn't touch it, you would that he would want to play it. I told him we could have three. We could get cuz you'd be in on it, but he doesn't want to carry it over to my house.
References (from this video)
- Dice Realms
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Dice Rolling — Mentioned in the context of a dice game.
Video topics + discussion points
Quotes (from this video)
- So, I was like, okay, Thunder Road is like full. That was easy. I guess I didn't need voting for that one.
- To me, it's more it's much more important if I feel like I played well.
- Diva wide receiver or DWR for short is a player that literally refuses to cooperate in any way and has to be the center of attention regardless of it if what they're doing is in best interest of the team.
- It's impossible to game design around this issue where the quarterback issue has many games of built-in mechanisms to address it.
- The munchkin. This is almost the munchkin.
- People need to chill out about the number of nature themed games being released
- I will say I'm getting tired of there's two parts of nature games I'm tired of. One is the obvious I'm trying to be Wingspan. I really dislike that.
- This is cyclical and I think that right now nature themed games are very hot.
- That was the people need to stop making dual layer boards. Got 50 hard disagrees.
- Hexes are good sci-fi and only belong in science fiction.
References (from this video)
- Still loved it despite not winning.
- Came in dead last.
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Card Drafting — Implied by the act of taking cards and playing them.
Video topics + discussion points
Quotes (from this video)
- So let's talk about our favorite we played today.
- I came in dead last, but I still loved it.
- By one point.
- It was close.
- My game of today will be size-wise.
- It's not about being right, it's about being in the middle.
- It's a nice breaker game.
- It's not about being in the middle, it's about being right.
- Fun, easy, quick game. Loved it.
- Yeah, it's a very thinky game.
- My favorite game of the day since Joey stole mine is Reef.
- Do I wish they had a shorter name? Absolutely.
- Would I change anything else about it? Not at all.
- It's a fantastic cooperative trick-taker.
- And I think that is just an absolute gem.
- I'm a little bit jealous of it.
- This is the back cuz everything's in the lid, okay?
- It's a really fun game with blisteringly cool artwork and a neat underwater setting.
- And I had an absolute blast.
- Why they named it Gross Sky is beyond Sounds like gross guy.
- There's a lot in this game that I really find to be very, very enjoyable.
- Plays in a very smooth manner.
- Come to Dice Tower East. Come to Dice Tower Cruise. These are super fun events. You would love it.
References (from this video)
- Best-looking game in the store.
- Gorgeous artwork on box and components.
- High production values.
- Cool idea of physically craftable dice.
- Beautiful plastic components and muted color tones.
- Excellent box insert with a poster-like setup guide.
- Box is difficult to open.
- Dice faceplates can be difficult to remove, requiring some strength.
- Potential for a long setup time relative to the game's depth.
- Quarriors!
- King's Forge
- Terraforming Mars
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- dice crafting — The game's main selling point is that the dice themselves are craftable by changing faceplates.
- Dice Rolling — Players roll dice, which are then customized with faceplates.
- Set Collection — Implied by the existence of cards and tokens that players will likely collect.
Video topics + discussion points
Quotes (from this video)
- i just don't buy ugly games, and this is anything BUT an ugly game.
- the big selling point in this game is that the dice themselves are literally, physically craftable.
- the production values are through the ROOF on this thing.
- i could stare at this artwork and these components for DAYS, so ... already, i feel like i got my money's worth just to marvel at this incredible artwork.
References (from this video)
- Customizable dice instead of cards for a deck-building feel.
- Greek heroes earning the favour of the Olympian gods by performing amazing feats and offering them bribes.
- Olympus
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Customizable dice — Players can buy new and more powerful faces for their dice to gain better loot.
- deck-building — Described as a deck-building game, but with customizable dice instead of cards.
Video topics + discussion points
Quotes (from this video)
- It's Ryan from Nights Around a Table, and this is Dice Forge, a deck-building game with customizable dice instead of cards.
- And now, we dance!
References (from this video)
- Customizable dice offer better loot when rolled.
- Variable setup allows for different game sessions.
- Coolest illustration in the game (Ferryman card).
- Ousted player gets to roll both dice and reap rewards (could be seen as a negative for the player being ousted).
- Greek heroes earning the favour of the Olympian gods by performing amazing feats and offering them bribes.
- Olympus
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Area Majority — Players move pawns to sky islands to claim cards, and can oust opponents from islands.
- Deck Building — Described as a deck-building game, but with customizable dice instead of cards.
- dice customization — Players can buy new faces for their dice and forge them on, replacing existing faces.
- Dice Rolling — The game involves a lot of dice rolling, referred to as 'divine blessing' (both dice) and 'minor blessing' (single die).
- Set Collection — Players collect cards that provide points or special abilities.
- Variable player powers — Players choose a hero and start with unique dice faces and potentially different amounts of starting gold.
Video topics + discussion points
Quotes (from this video)
- It's Ryan from Nights Around a Table, and this is Dice Forge, a deck-building game with customizable dice instead of cards.
- The Rules Gremlin wants to point something out here: the number of cards in each pile equals the number of players, which might make you think you can only buy one of each card at a maximum.
- You can actually buy as many of the same card as you like!
- And now you're ready to play Dice Forge!
References (from this video)
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Card Drafting — Players choose which cards to play with from different types available for each slot, with a recommendation for blue gem cards for the first game.
- Dice Rolling — Players get two dice, a light die and a dark die, with different faces representing gold, sun shards, and moon shards.
- Player boards — Each player picks a hero and takes a reserve board to track their progress.
- Resource Management — Players start with a certain amount of gold, and the game involves managing gold and other resources represented by shards.
- Set Collection — The game involves collecting cards and dice faces to gain advantages.
Video topics + discussion points
Quotes (from this video)
- It's Ryan from Nights Around a Table.
- And now, we dance!
References (from this video)
- Very nice artwork
- A little bit simpler than I'd like.
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- dice building — The reviewer enjoys this game which is similar to deck builders but uses dice.
Video topics + discussion points
Quotes (from this video)
- I like deck building games but I don't like shuffling cards because I'm lousy at it
- Quarriors did that Bad News Bears it also has probably the worst board game name in existence
- it wasn't enough for me
- I'm a sucker for nice artwork
- I think he's amateurish I don't like the look of his stuff it's not it's not very good at all
- Oh Leon is a bag drafting game that's how it's been described to me
- I bought it because it's well-regarded
- The reviewer notes that the TMG version has nicer stuff in it than the previous version
- That product is not a toy it's weird maybe that's like a German safety requirement
- well that's nice they say look they say if you need replacement parts bug these guys that's lovely
- Oh lovely these are nice little felt flocked I don't know what the right term is drawstring bags
- I don't like his people like this looks like it's ladies this first draft doodle Clemmons what is this
- I have absolutely nothing else to say about this game other than I'm super excited to play it
References (from this video)
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
Video topics + discussion points
Quotes (from this video)
- 5 Things i Love About Board games.
- It's the reason why i don't play games like Dominion as much as i might, because i just don't like the card shuffling.
- i like that kind of thing! i recently played a game called Caravan which has, as part of the game, thief tokens, and you can use those tokens to steal goods from other people's camels, and two of the players - it was a four player game - two of the players got really mad that i was use - i DARED to use these thief tokens that are part of the game because thieving is not nice!
- pay attentio, board game publishers - when i turn a box over and i see die-cut bits that fit together, i think "i need to get that game!"
- i find that board games - playing board games - is one pastime that exercises my brain in a delightful way that feels really good.
- The #1 Thing That i Love About Board Games... is when they light up my brain like a Christmas tree!
References (from this video)
- Smooth and elegant campaign system
- Engaging puzzle-like missions
- Player agency in dice manipulation
- App integration is cool (aside from audio)
- Expansions felt lacking ('meh').
- City map and search mechanics felt underdeveloped and abandoned.
- Narrative can feel disjointed due to character changes between the core box and expansions.
- Dungeon crawl adventure with progression and exploration.
- Fantasy world with a Middle Eastern-inspired aesthetic.
- App-driven with some reading and ambient sound effects.
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- app-driven — Uses an app for narrative, events, and some puzzles, though lacks audio narration.
- dice manipulation — Players can use abilities to alter dice results, mitigating the randomness.
- Round-based missions — Missions typically last around 4-5 rounds, forcing players to prioritize objectives.
Video topics + discussion points
Quotes (from this video)
- It turns into one big puzzle because there's just a line of enemies that you have to defeat.
- So much stuff.
- And Vantage is just a masterpiece. It's so [ __ ] cool.
- Just the scenario ingenuity of these games is so cool because of different stuff just popping up and happening.
- Um this one [clears throat] is a a super and and this is the reason this is the sole reason why this game beat out Elder Scrolls when we were doing that comparison.
- It's just a masterful achievement.
References (from this video)
- Innovative dice-building mechanic
- Engaging for many players
- Not a heavy strategy title
- dice-building and card-driven engine-building
- Fantasy world where dice are crafted and upgraded
- accessible, tactile, family-friendly
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Deck Building — Acquire cards to modify dice and gain points.
- deck-building — Acquire cards to modify dice and gain points.
- dice crafting — Upgrade dice faces to improve outcomes.
- Resource Management — Manage resources to upgrade dice.
Video topics + discussion points
Quotes (from this video)
- it's never too late to join in
- board gamers coming together doing the same thing
- it's never too late to have some and why not enter a giveaway
- we've created a community around our hobby
References (from this video)
- Dice customization
- Potential to fade into obscurity like Rattlebones
- players fight to gain Valor with the gods
- Rattlebones
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- dice customization — using an Armory of dice with removable faces and this allows players to customize their dice to make them more powerful as the game progresses
Video topics + discussion points
Quotes (from this video)
- this top 10 list is based on the daily averages from boardgamegeek.com hottest game list over the past 30 days basically these are the games that people are looking at and talking about the most over on the internet's largest board game database website
- the quality of the single player experience keeping the quality of its solitire gaming as pristine and as high a priority as possible
- now will this game have been worth the wait well let's hope so
- the eighth most popular game in the BGG hotness this past month was the newest offering by designer Emerson matsuuchi Century spice road
- Arkham Horror the card game is what's known as a living card game or lcg
- a periodic point of contention with Arkham Horror the card game is that in order to have enough potential cards to accommodate multiple players at least two core sets of the games need to be bought
- in dice Forge players fight to gain Valor with the gods using an Armory of dice with removable faces
- I'm wondering will dice Forge suffer the same fate or does this dice game have more to offer in terms of its gameplay and Longevity than its predecessor did
- a bold statement one that leaves me wondering if these strides towards improving the game's functionality will really cause it to continue to LEAP froggit way to an even higher position in our top 10 next month
- first Martian aims to bring several Innovations to the board gaming scene by hoping to take app integration to the next level
- now that the game is starting to ship initial reports are that the game has been worth the wait
- for the past 4 months the number one spot on the list has belonged to one and only one game Gloom Haven
- even though Gloom Haven is technically the game in the number one spot we're going to take this opportunity to highlight a different game that's worth talking about
- it sounds like even though this is another game set in the Gloom Haven universe it is vastly different than its predecessor which is very neat and encouraging to see
References (from this video)
- Unique blend of dice drafting, card drafting, and engine-building
- Durable dice with replaceable faces; the dice mechanism holds up well
- Low downtime; players stay engaged during others' turns
- Excellent insert organization and packaging
- Expansions available and sought-after for additional variety
- engine-building through dice augmentation and resource management
- Fantasy world where players forge and upgrade dice to gather resources and gain victory points
- instructional/analytical
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Card Drafting — Spend resources to buy cards that grant points or abilities.
- Card drafting/purchasing — Spend resources to buy cards that grant points or abilities.
- Dice Drafting — Players draft new die faces from a pool by spending gold.
- dice face upgrading — Players remove and replace faces on their dice with upgraded faces to improve results.
- End Game Bonuses — Score based on victory points from cards and dice results.
- End-game scoring — Score based on victory points from cards and dice results.
- Resource Management — Track and collect gold, moon shards, fire gems, and victory points.
- round tracker — Rounds rotate; number of rounds depends on players.
- secondary action via gems — Spending two red gems grants a second action (e.g., buy a card and a die face).
- special abilities from cards — Cards provide unique abilities and dice face options that affect play.
Video topics + discussion points
Quotes (from this video)
- This game was really unique I've never played a game like it
- it's like a lego piece basically
- down time there's like zero down time in this game... you're engaged during the other players turns
- overall i really enjoyed this one
- the insert for this game was pretty great
References (from this video)
- fast, action-packed sessions
- gorgeous production
- rules designed for quick and accessible play
- potentially lighter on lore and narrative depth
- may not satisfy players seeking heavy, crunchy dungeon-crawling
- action, speed, and streamlined storytelling in a dungeon-crawler frame
- dungeons with action-forward play
- scenario-driven with fast, compact play
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Action-focused combat — Fast-paced combat decisions with emphasis on efficient action economy.
- Combat: Damage Based — Fast-paced combat decisions with emphasis on efficient action economy.
- Scenario / Mission / Campaign Game — Pre-built scenarios that emphasize fast setup and play.
- scenario-based play — Pre-built scenarios that emphasize fast setup and play.
- streamlined rules — Designed to minimize learning time and expedite play.
Video topics + discussion points
Quotes (from this video)
- this thing is a beautiful Beast
- production is insanely good
- it's a corker
- dripping with atmosphere dripping with theme
- everything is linked to the theme of the game which is amazing
- the central board is 100% the unique premise of this game
- the setup and gameplay are very fast
References (from this video)
- creative dice customization
- engaging tactile component
- potential downtime between upgrades
- not as deep as heavier euro titles
- dice forging and upgrading
- mythic/ancient themes
- Dominion
- Carcassonne
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Deck Manipulation — Players forge faces on dice to improve outcomes over time.
- dice manipulation — Players forge faces on dice to improve outcomes over time.
- Resource Management — Players manage resources to upgrade dice and powers.
Video topics + discussion points
Quotes (from this video)
- Luck is a flavor.
- Strategy is overhyped and luck is the true hero.
- Luck deserves more credit.
- Board games are not only luck; agency matters.
References (from this video)
- High-quality dice and modular customization
- Thoughtful storage solution that enhances usability and aesthetics
- Complexity may burden casual players who dislike upgrade systems
- Dice crafting and customization
- Fantasy crafting with personalized dice
- Strongly tactile, with visual cohesion between components
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Card Crafting — Players roll dice and then craft/upgrade faces using resources collected
- Component storage and integration — Designed storage that keeps all parts organized and accessible
- dice crafting — Players roll dice and then craft/upgrade faces using resources collected
Video topics + discussion points
Quotes (from this video)
- no board game can be beautiful it does not have rationally designed components
- form follows function
- holistically a game with the best components that you can find anywhere
- you can actually rate the components of these games yourself when you go to the perfectboard game.com
References (from this video)
- Snappy, action-oriented dungeon experience with strong pacing
- Map exploration adds a tactile, exploratory dimension
- App-driven GM support and branching endings boost replayability
- Deluxe components and robust storage are standout features
- Strong early reception (BGG rating referenced)
- App-dependent experience; some players may prefer fully tabletop GM
- As a newer title, long-term balance and expansion content remain to be seen
- heroic action with story-driven progression and companion-driven encounters
- fantasy dungeon-crawl adventure
- app-assisted, adaptive storytelling with six endings
- Gloomhaven
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- App Assisted — An accompanying app guides the story and adapts endings based on player choices.
- campaign structure with multiple endings — The story can end in six different ways, encouraging replayability.
- combat system derived from Vengeance — Combat uses a system based on a prior Mighty Boards title (Vengeance), adapted for Fate Forge.
- cooperative dungeon crawl — Players cooperate to navigate a dungeon, solve challenges, and advance the story.
- Dungeon Crawl — Players cooperate to navigate a dungeon, solve challenges, and advance the story.
- map exploration — Exploration on a map adds depth to movement and encounter planning.
- Scenario / Mission / Campaign Game — Includes organized trays and hero boxes for efficient setup and teardown.
- story app as game master — An accompanying app guides the story and adapts endings based on player choices.
- tactical storage and campaign organization — Includes organized trays and hero boxes for efficient setup and teardown.
Video topics + discussion points
Quotes (from this video)
- it's a game for two to four players
- it's really accessible one with a lot of strategy to it
- I absolutely love the art design ... it's the most beautiful postapocalypse I think I've ever seen
- the production is absolutely fantastic
- it's the first time we're printing in Europe
- we have an 8.6 on BGG now
- the app will guide you through the story
- combat is based on Vengeance, one of our older games
- this is such a tremendous, tremendous success this year
References (from this video)
- New take on dungeon crawling; accessible and quick to learn
- Solid depth beneath an approachable surface
- Accessible dungeon-crawler with a classic feel and modern execution
- Dungeon-crawler vibe, presented in a Knizia-esque style adapted for Mighty Boards
- Abstract/engineered progression rather than heavy narrative
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Accessible, fast-to-learn design — Built to be intuitive for new players while preserving depth.
- Campaign/adventure structure — Campaign framework provides structured progression across sessions.
- dice mechanics — Dice-driven actions/resources introduce variability and tension.
- Dice Rolling — Dice-driven actions/resources introduce variability and tension.
- Tile-draft and action placement — Players draw tiles and place them to create action clusters on the board.
Video topics + discussion points
Quotes (from this video)
- it's easy to learn but then it's got quite a bit going on for how little rules there is
- the bigger the cluster the more points you score
- you can actually finish you can get and it's not like you need to invest six months of your life just to finish this game
- it's a classic knizia kind of style and feel very 1999 feeling it was
- we took that dungeon crawler thing and we're doing it our way
- Lake creates this whole basically modular organic growing network that changes every game
References (from this video)
- Innovative dice customization
- Engaging core mechanic
- Thematic depth may be limited
- Gizmos
- Wingspan
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Dice Drafting — Craft and modify dice to gain resources.
- upgrading dice — Upgrade dice to improve outcomes over turns.
Video topics + discussion points
Quotes (from this video)
- theres no good or bad games objectively
- every game has its own unique profile
- the five attributes: theme mechanics components strategy and complexity
- the perfect board game formula
- identify the strengths of a game even if those strengths are outside of their own perfect board game formula
References (from this video)
- keeps all players engaged every turn
- simple core loop with emergent depth
- can feel repetitive to some after multiple plays
- crafting experiments with dice and tracks
- dice crafting and improvement loop
- mechanics-forward
- Quacks of Quedlinburg
- Castle Combo
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- dice crafting — players craft and upgrade dice as they play
- public resource tracks — all players progress on shared tracks influencing options
- turn-based resource exploitation — on each turn, players gain resources and buy improvements
Video topics + discussion points
Quotes (from this video)
- These aren't necessarily sprawling long games or even complex complicated games, but they're games where you feel like you've accomplished something fairly big over the course of the game despite having a small number of turns.
- the order of operations puzzle is what you're really thinking about on your turn
References (from this video)
- Clear utility of app integration for rule refresh and pacing
- Engaging narrative management
- Reliant on tech; potential for downtime or bugs
- App-assisted dungeon exploration
- Dungeon-crawling fantasy
- Story-driven with app augmentation
- Fate Forge vs other app-integrated dungeon crawlers
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- App Assisted — Digital companion helps with rules, tracking, and storytelling
- App-assisted dungeon tracking — Digital companion helps with rules, tracking, and storytelling
Video topics + discussion points
Quotes (from this video)
- IP dominance has been a thing this year, in some of those big hitters.
- the board game industry operates in the world of very fine margins.
- By the time we film something and release it, it's out of date.
- We do it for the love of the game.
- Two-tier hobbying... two different worlds at that point.
References (from this video)
- Strong accessibility, quick session length
- Good for people who want a dungeon crawl but lack setup time
- Integrated app for progress saves
- Requires ongoing updates; development time extended for quality control
- accessible cooperative or semi-cooperative dungeon crawl with app-assisted progress
- Dungeon-crawler adventure; fantasy realms
- campaign/story-driven with save-progress app
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- app integration — progress is saved in an app and resumed later
- Campaign — players progress through a campaign
- cooperative exploration with persistence — players progress through a campaign
- Dungeon Crawl — one-hour sessions; modular tiles
- story-driven dungeon crawl — one-hour sessions; modular tiles
- tile drafting/placement — tiles and art with effects affecting encounters
Video topics + discussion points
Quotes (from this video)
- it's been really great people really really love it
- the main idea for fate forge is actually accessibility
- you can play sessions of one hour
- the app will remember everything you do and next time you play you just take it back out of the box and you start playing again
References (from this video)
- cinematic feel and narrative focus
- concise, not-hour-consuming campaigns
- high production value
- expansion content (pets) adds synergy
- text pacing requires careful design/reading flow
- not a lengthier, heavy campaign experience for those seeking deep systems
- Adventure and accessibility for busy players
- Fantasy dungeon-crawler adventure with cinematic storytelling
- story-driven, focused on memorable moments
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Campaign progression — Short campaigns with expansions to extend content and story.
- Cooperative Game — Players work together to achieve common objectives against the game system.
- cooperative play — Players work together to achieve common objectives against the game system.
- Narrative Choice — Narrative prompts and text are trimmed to maintain pacing and engagement.
- Narrative/text management — Narrative prompts and text are trimmed to maintain pacing and engagement.
Video topics + discussion points
Quotes (from this video)
- Adventure is the word
- what's old is new again
- it's a cinematic game
- the experience around the table
- you plug in the players
- satisfaction is the word
References (from this video)
- interesting gimmick
- gimmick not fully realized
- shallow overall experience
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
Video topics + discussion points
Quotes (from this video)
- It is legitimately one of my favorite cooperative games, not just for being a game that uses a standard deck of playing cards, but it's just one of my favorite cooperative games, period.
- For a game that costs $100 is a pretty big let down
- There's an okay game here with a really interesting but unfulfilled promise out of the gimmick
- Board games facilitate a level of safe conflict
- It felt very wide without being deep
References (from this video)
- Really really neat game
- Great for families
- Zero downtime
- Always engaging
- Satisfying gameplay
- Dice customization and improvement
- Fantasy resource collection
- Fantasy themed
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Constant engagement — No downtime - all players roll dice every turn
- Customizable dice — Replace dice faces with upgrades from market
- Dice Rolling — Roll dice every turn for resources
Video topics + discussion points
Quotes (from this video)
- Agricola is one of those games that you just got to have in your collection if you like euro style games
- Porta is one of my favorite underrated games
- Broom service I absolutely love food service one of the coolest mechanics in board games 100 percent recommend this game it is a hoot
- Barron Park is my favorite polyomino Tetris in a board game game
- Orleans is a top 5 game for me period just one of my favorite games to play ever
- Power grid this was the game that got me into board gaming y'all
- Seven wonders this is a modern-day classic
- Betrayal at house on the hill every game is different
- King of Tokyo one of those games that you have to have in your collection
- If you like board games one or percent recommend this game
References (from this video)
- innovative dice customization
- easy to teach
- dice tinkering and improvement
- fantasy crafting
- lightweight, gadget-centric
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- dice crafting — you modify dice sides to improve outcomes
- Dice Drafting — you draft dice outcomes to advance
- dice drafting / resource gain — you draft dice outcomes to advance
Video topics + discussion points
Quotes (from this video)
- this is the sort of game that should be in just about every starting collection and that's sushi go
- a well-designed simple game is a thing of beauty and I think we should appreciate
- designing a good gateway game anyone can pick up and play is an art form in some ways