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Description
Welcome to Dreadful Meadows - a land of tricks and treats, where kooky Confectioners compete to be this season's sweetest supplier!
You play a Confectioner, sowing and growing sinister seeds to create the most bountiful candy crops, through crafty candy patch placement. As rounds progress, cultivating your candy crops allows for exciting expansion and experimentation! Conjure up a crew of magic Sugar Sprites who can lend a hand with their abnormal abilities. As you prosper, summon your horrid Harvesters to intensify turnover, or utilize your Candy to discover new Concoctions.
Each game is unique through your choice of Confectioner and the strategies you utilize. Actions and patch varieties are limited, so your success in the meadow will rely on calculated decisions in the expansion of your meadow, the concoctions you create, and how you utilize your Sugar Sprites and Harvesters.
Will your Dreadful Meadow be an abomination, or this season's sweetest sensation?
—description from the publisher
Year Published
2023
Transcript Analysis
Browse transcript mentions, sentiments, pros/cons, mechanics, topics, quotes, and references.
Total mentions: 9
This page: 9
Sentiment:
pos 9 ·
mix 0 ·
neu 0 ·
neg 0
Showing 1–9 of 9
Video HxJMHmvWQAg
Foster The Meatball Channel general_discussion at 10:00 sentiment: positive
video_pk 13622 · mention_pk 39802
Click to watch at 10:00
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- Adorable, thematic, and surprisingly deep for an approachable title
- Asymmetry matters and meaningfully affects strategy, not just flavor
- Accessible to new players while still offering meaningful choices
Cons
- Asymmetry can create power gaps if not well managed in early play
- Board presence can be messy; setup and cleanup take time
Thematic elements
- creatures as confectioners producing candy to fulfill orders
- A meadow where monsters grow magical candy and harvesters help with production
- asymmetric, tile-placement strategy with a dark-cute aesthetic
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Market and Orders — Players visit the market to obtain patches and fulfill orders, balancing currency and production timing.
- Sugar Sprites and Harvesters — Sprites produce candy; Harvesters extend production and can trigger adjacent effects, adding spatial strategy.
- Tile/patch placement (asymmetric) — Each player has asymmetrical characters and fills a meadow with patches that determine candy production.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- the perfect game for this series and it's a perfect game because we're Canadians
- it's very thematic, it plays like hockey, it is as close to a game of hockey you can get in a board game
- I freaking love this game
- this game is going to board game night this week
- I think it's a really good middleweight light middleweight area control game
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video 6iRg7zhbbNw
The Brothers Murph top_10_list at 16:22 sentiment: positive
video_pk 13237 · mention_pk 38780
Click to watch at 16:22
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- Distinct Halloween theme that fits the season perfectly
- Deep strategic layer beyond initial appearance
Cons
- Can be complex for newcomers
- Requires thoughtful planning and resource tracking
Thematic elements
- candy economy and farm-like contracts, spooky fall flavor
- Halloween confectioners tending candy fields and harvesting candy
- strategic engine with contracts and patches
Comparison games
- Other candy-themed or autumn-themed engine-building games
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- character abilities — each character has a unique power shaping strategy
- contract fulfillment — complete contracts to gain money and unlock abilities
- resource management / candy patches — harvest and manage candy resources to fulfill goals
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- This is a perfect Halloweeny kind of game cuz it's a horror themed game.
- Septima is a cool game that we haven't really played as much as we frankly should have.
- There's zombies and they're coming at you and you're blasting your way out.
- The look particularly is absolutely incredible.
- 10 out of 10 adorable. Amazing.
- Mysterium is a really really interesting game
- it's a hand management card game where to do the various actions you have to spend cards
- it's so Halloweeny
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video Gw8c4e8CyL4
Dice Tower general_discussion at 10:44 sentiment: positive
video_pk 9986 · mention_pk 29416
Click to watch at 10:44
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- Engaging thematic elements
- Accessible to families
Cons
none
Thematic elements
- creatures/folklore with light horror flavor
- fantasy/horror-fantasy rural setting
- cozy/horror-light
Comparison games
- Agamonia
- Tidal Blades
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Hidden information / deduction — Players infer or deduce information through hidden mechanics.
- Resource/area control flavor — Elements of resource management integrated into thematic play.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- Their storytelling and leveling up have been their favorite parts.
- Adventure Tactics and our twin 12-year-old boys have been loving it.
- Conventions are best for longer games.
- Don't like the rating system over at BG, specifically when they allow ratings of games not even being sent out by the Kickstarter campaign.
- I don't hate long games, and I'm happy people like them, but if I think a game is too long for what it is, I'll ding it a bit.
- I would rather play six games during a day than one really long game.
- I'm a huge opponent of quitters.
- If you're a kid who quits, I won't play with that child again since they quit.
- Pack up and get ready to go.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video s906cEWX7CE
Before You Play rules teach at 0:04 sentiment: positive
video_pk 8094 · mention_pk 23804
Click to watch at 0:04
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- Clear, approachable explanation of core rules
- Engaging mix of patch placement, worker mechanics, and economics
- Asymmetric powers add variety between players
- Harvesters create interesting chain-growth scoring
- Deluxe components demonstrated (for the prototype)
Cons
- Prototype copy subject to changes; final components may differ
- Deluxe components mentioned may not reflect retail version
- Some rules heavy concepts could be dense for new players
Thematic elements
- competitive candy production, patch placement, and order fulfillment
- A whimsical candy meadow world where confectioners grow candy on patchwork plots and fulfill orders
- lightly whimsical, mildly dark fantasy tone with a satirical monster-candy aesthetic
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Asymmetric powers per confectioner — Each player has a unique ability that modifies pricing or setup decisions.
- Candy as currency and victory points — Candy is spent to buy patches and also placed on concoction cards to score points.
- Concoction cards scoring and fulfillment — Use candy from your Meadow to fulfill crafted orders for end-game points.
- End-game triggers and final scoring — End when Harvester is the last, or bag or deck is depleted; final scoring tallies multiple components.
- Harvesters and chain growth — Harvesters amplify candy growth on adjacent patches and score based on the cluster value.
- Market-based patch purchasing — Patches are bought with candy from your Meadow, with a base price and a market position modifier.
- Patch placement with adjacency rules — New patches must be placed adjacent to existing patches and cannot be moved once placed.
- Sprites as workers and growth engine — Harvest Sprites populate the Meadow to grow candy on adjacent patches.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- we're going to be competing as different confectioners trying to grow candy in our different patches and also try to score the most amount of points by fulfilling these different orders
- the Dreadful tree is five dollars whereas the gummy Globs are worth one dollar
- each patch must be adjacent to at least one side of another patch
- Nina my ability says I gained the corresponding Sprite bonus of the first patch I placed after purchasing
- Jack I get to ignore all Market costs when purchasing patches
- this game also comes with a solo mode
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video bHfqdwbOkQQ
The Broken Meeple kickstarter_project_roundup at 19:43 sentiment: positive
video_pk 8089 · mention_pk 23786
Click to watch at 19:43
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- Well-produced game
- Nice artwork
- Fair pricing at 43 pounds for deluxe
- From Zealand with free shipping
- Good value for money
- Fun theme
- Collaborative feel with family game appeal
Cons
- Marketed as quick turns but marketing language is clichéd
- Cute/Halloween theme may not appeal to all
- Family weight game not for hardcore gamers
Thematic elements
- Spooky candy confection and farming
- Halloween-themed meadow
- Worker placement strategy game
Comparison games
- King Domino
- Splendor
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Card fulfillment — Complete concoction cards for victory points
- tile placement — Build meadow by placing patch tiles
- Variable player powers — Different confectioner abilities
- worker placement — Place sugar Sprite workers to take actions
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- Kickstarter is here to stay whether you like it or not
- I give my honest opinions regardless of whether someone a hero or not
- Just because the creator of pandemics on it doesn't make it an instant hit
- This is the best fantasy based story driven campaign game I've ever played
- The value you get is obnoxious... it's obscene
- Put the how to play Early in the campaign all right not miles at the end
- Board games just aren't worth this kind of money anymore
- I'm not spending 330 on this thing
- Money is tighter the world economy has gone to pot
- Quick turns and simple actions is such a marketing tool line that I can't place any reliance on
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video NBG8ouw5OzY
Foster the Meele top_10_list at 8:07 sentiment: positive
video_pk 5681 · mention_pk 16904
Click to watch at 8:07
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- Amazing artwork
- Amazing theme
- Very pretty
- Combo city gameplay
- Kickstarter fulfilled recently
Cons
none
Thematic elements
- Halloween candy collection
- Meadow
- Tile placement combo
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Activation — Activate tiles to produce candies
- Combo Building — Trigger cascading effects
- tile placement — Build meadow with candy tiles
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- it's one of our favorite games
- The Minis are scary because they fall apart
- it's really just super chaotic fun
- I love the theme it's beautiful this game
- man did I have a blast play in it
- probably the most creeped out I've ever been playing a game
- I love this game I love vampires though
- my favorite game of all time
- silly nonsensical fun
- super fun
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video -d1zHvQ7xkM
Foster the meele a Channel general_discussion at 15:02 sentiment: positive
video_pk 5489 · mention_pk 16352
Click to watch at 15:02
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- adorable artwork
- seasonal and thematic
Cons
- rules can be a touch fiddly for newcomers
Thematic elements
- Candy-type resource gathering with a Halloween twist
- Halloween season themed field-building
- cute, whimsical
Comparison games
- Cascadia
- Everdell
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Asymmetrical roles — Different characters have unique abilities affecting tile yields.
- tile placement — Place tiles to create fields producing resources.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- this is a janky setup
- we are bringing back our Halloween themed board game night
- Zombie Land is a super have you seen Zombie Land
- it's a fun non-scary zombie movie like I'm sure there's going to be a couple moments that are creepy
- I named it ectoplasm
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video -TQswVAzMXY
Dreadful Meadows game_review at 2:34 sentiment: positive
video_pk 240 · mention_pk 687
Click to watch at 2:34
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- Cute and approachable art that still supports deep engine-building decisions
- Low luck and tight decision space
- Varied play styles due to multiple player powers
- Fast-paced with short play time
- Interesting combination of drafting, tile placement, and resource management
Cons
- Harvesters are acrylic and feel out of place with the theme
- In games with fewer than four players, tiles must be removed using small reference dots, which is fiddly
- Steampunk aesthetic of harvesters may clash with the whimsical candy theme
Thematic elements
- sweet harvests, magical candy sprites, quirky harvesters
- Candy country / confectionery farming
- lighthearted whimsy with strategic depth
Comparison games
- Galilean Moons
- Shelfie Stackers
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- drafting — Players buy patches from a central display using patch values and market modifiers.
- engine_building — Player powers and patch interactions create a building engine toward scoring.
- harvester — Harvesters placed on patches that are fully surrounded to score and activate combos.
- player_powers — Each player has a unique power affecting sprite removal, planting, and scoring dynamics.
- resource_management — Managing candy to complete concoction cards with varying values.
- sprite_placement — Sugar Sprites placed on patches to generate candy and trigger chained effects.
- tile_placement — Patches placed to form contiguous clusters, triggering candy production.
- wild_cards — Dreadful trees act as wild cards shaping scoring opportunities.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- Dreadful Meadows looks cute and Dinky but underneath the hood is a tight and fast-paced engine building game
- it's not just a cutesy halloween game, it's a game of actual depth
- low luck and a tight decision space
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video HbKdhQbhr3w
Foster the Meeple general_discussion at 4:29 sentiment: positive
video_pk 293 · mention_pk 898
Click to watch at 4:29
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- spooky and cute vibe
- high enjoyment across players
- versatility in play counts
Cons
- some players may find it puzzly
- requires setup and table space
Thematic elements
- spooky, cute horror fantasy
- spooky farm/gloomy town during Halloween season
- light-hearted, puzzle-like interaction
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 freaking adorable
- it's freaking spooky and cute I just love it
- I would play it outside of Halloween
- I really enjoyed it
- it's the most fun I've ever had playing it in person
- I am not a big social deduction guy and I loved that
- huge hit
- it's silly
- it's so much fun we loved it
- loved it
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Transcript Navigation
Showing 1–9 of 9