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Game Info
Year
2021
Collection
Ratings
Creator Score
Mechanic profile
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Description
You were never supposed to be the ones standing between the Earth and viral annihilation. So many other groups were better connected, better funded, better equipped, and had much nicer glossy brochures. But here you are, an eccentric bunch of researchers, lab workers, bureaucrats, virologists, and more ready to put it all on the line…
…FOR SCIENCE!!!
For Science! is a real-time, dexterity and spatial co-op where you first design Cures using cards, then literally Build those Cures using wooden blocks. If a Cure is too hard for you to Build, you can always go back and re-design a new one - but the clock is constantly running, and you only have 15 minutes.
Every successful Cure earns you Master Cure tiles, representing your increasing knowledge of how all these diseases have been constructed. Fit them together to amp up your researchers' special abilities and win the game!
--description from publisher
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All mentions
Browse transcript mentions, sentiments, pros/cons, mechanics, topics, quotes, and references.
Total mentions: 5
This page: 5
Sentiment:
pos 4 ·
mix 1 ·
neu 0 ·
neg 0
Showing 1–5 of 5
Video 6ZILotuxuAA
Quackalope Analysis at 0:00 sentiment: positive
video_pk 83783 · mention_pk 211826
Click to watch at 0:00 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- Engaging and exciting gameplay when experienced.
- Innovative design process of building the problem you solve.
- Thematic integration of mechanics and theme.
- Challenging and rewarding puzzles.
- Supports variable time limits for adjustable difficulty.
- The master cure system provides a rewarding secondary puzzle.
Cons
- Can be difficult to communicate the appeal of the game before playing.
- Early iterations of blocks were difficult to stack.
- Some builds can be theoretically possible but practically impossible for players.
- Verification under time pressure can be frustrating for some.
Thematic elements
- Designing and building cures to deadly diseases
Comparison games
- Junk Art
- Escape: Curse of the Lost Temple
- Pandemic: The Lab
- Argent Consortium
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Cooperative deck building — Players lay down cards to meet constraints for designing cures.
- cooperative play — Players work together to achieve a common goal of curing diseases within a time limit.
- dexterity — Involves physical manipulation of components (wooden blocks) to build structures.
- Pattern Building — Players design and build block structures that match specific patterns or constraints.
- Puzzle solving — Players must solve sequence and layout puzzles to design cures and build universal vaccines.
- Real-Time — The game is played under a strict time limit, adding pressure and urgency.
- Set Collection — Players collect 'master cure tiles' by successfully building cures for diseases.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- It's a real time cooperative dexterity game where you build cures to deadly diseases using uh wooden blocks.
- The gameplay is fairly I don't know strategic doesn't give the right connotation but it's um there's a lot of player agency and that you are in fact designing the very things which you're going to build.
- You're matching sequences in order to stack towers of blocks like you did when you were like 10 years old in a frustratingly complicated pattern that ends up confounding you by the end of it.
- It really is a hard game to talk to people about, which is one of the reasons we did gameplay of it on the channel. it it doesn't come across as interesting as it is until you sit down and start playing with it.
- The initial game came so the core design mechanism and build mechanism came together extremely quickly.
- The game has a momentum to it. The game is real time and it's real time for a reason.
- The master cure system has turned out so well because it's a puzzle that is rewarding.
- The physical mechanisms of the game are evocative of this theme.
- Don't hide your designs because like nobody's going to steal them and if they do people won't buy them.
- Always keep interest curves in mind.
- I do find it really fascinating that whether it's you with Spirit Island or Elizabeth Hargrave with Wingspan that create games that are known across the I mean the depths of the industry as some of the best out there.
- Yes, we're rich. We're not ultra rich. We don't have a yacht. We don't have a second home, but we like we have a mortgage and we own our home and that's in the Boston area.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video 0nK_BlKITFM
Discussion at 13:36 sentiment: positive
video_pk 69595 · mention_pk 166173
Click to watch at 13:36 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- Sold out of copies
Cons
none
Thematic elements
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
Mechanics unknown.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- the convention changes so you don't kind of notice at that old Wes tale idea that if you put a frog in water and slowly turn up the heat it doesn't notice the change and it dies
- I feel like I'm able to like condense a a hourlong game into a one minute this is how the game works and this is why you may or may not like it
- There's so many board games coming out right now that people can't keep track of
- Thousands of people coming into the hobby all the time um that means that I'll have a job because there's stuff we can make right
- I did my how do you prep for Gen Con hydrate and stuff which is stuff I did but like taking vitamin C tablets or emergency I did that every single day and I came home with no conrod
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video ETiKCA1EQsM
No Pun Included Review at 1:28 sentiment: positive
video_pk 41185 · mention_pk 124971
Click to watch at 1:28 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- High variability and customization across many facets (labs, mutations, events, blocks)
- Strong tactile and visual appeal; engaging stacking moments
- Balanced tension between cooperation and competitive efficiency; adaptable to different player groups
- Accessible via timer removal or modification while preserving core tension
Cons
- Potentially stressful for players averse to real-time play
- Rules and setup can be intricate; best with 3+ players
- Stock issues and expansion integration may affect availability
- May feel less compelling in two-player sessions depending on table dynamic
Thematic elements
- Cooperative vaccine development with dexterity and puzzle-like card placement under time pressure
- Fictional biomedical research labs working to design a universal vaccine under a ticking clock
- Procedural, tongue-in-cheek educational framing with humorous clinical commentary
Comparison games
- Spirit Island
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Card placement with matching connections — Cards must connect to existing cards on labs or the personal project; mismatches force strategic repositioning.
- Customizability and modularity — Blocks, mutations, end-game triggers, and events can be swapped to tailor the experience.
- Hand management and card economy — Maximum of one design card in hand; drawing comes by playing cards, shaping risk and tempo.
- Labs, dossiers, and personal projects — Labs generate blueprints and influence shared progress; personal projects yield microscopes and unique goals.
- Mutation deck and constraints — Mutations impose new rules that can invalidate previously played cards, driving adaptive play.
- Real-time/dexterity stacking — Players physically build structures with blocks under a timer; visual revelation as shapes touch.
- Tile-based pathway building and scoring — Germ tiles and enclosed pathways score points; larger tiles and vitals affect upgrades and endgame metrics.
- Verification and role-specific actions — Players verify builds; certain roles enable unique bonuses and enforce workflow discipline.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- For Science undeniably our game of the year 2021.
- the beauty of this design is that it actively encourages hubris
- You can literally excise the timer from For Science and you're still playing for science
- This is the best stacking game I've ever played
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video C1UMo-1yGEQ
BoardGameCo Review at 0:00 sentiment: mixed
video_pk 30574 · mention_pk 311641
Click to watch at 0:00 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
mixed
Pros
- Innovative fusion of tableau-building with trick-taking
- Visibility of opponents' tableau adds strategic depth
- Fluid tableau-building allows dynamic decision-making
Cons
- Early-game luck in draw can disproportionately affect scoring
- Potential for tableau stagnation if players cannot legally extend their tableau
- May not deliver a strong wow-factor for all trick-taking fans
Thematic elements
- Experimentation and deduction through tableau and trick-taking mechanics
- A science-themed puzzle/strategy environment where players build a personal tableau to unlock tricks and score
- Prototype-focused review embedded in playthrough narration
Comparison games
- Cat in the Box
- Rummy
- Ghost of Christmas
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- point-scoring — Points come from tricks won (cards with stars) and from cards placed into the tableau (3s, 4s, 5s, and Xs carry points).
- Set Collection — A set consists of multiple colors; a run is multiple cards of the same color in sequence. Legal tableau additions require at least three cards.
- sets-and-runs — A set consists of multiple colors; a run is multiple cards of the same color in sequence. Legal tableau additions require at least three cards.
- Tableau Building — Players can declare and place cards into a personal tableau, which can be comprised of sets and runs to generate points.
- tableau-building — Players can declare and place cards into a personal tableau, which can be comprised of sets and runs to generate points.
- Trick-Taking — Players lead tricks with cards and compete to win with a trump mechanism that is revealed when a color is first played.
- trump-setup — Trump is established when a color card is played for the first time; it cannot be changed later in the round.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- This is an interesting trick taking game that certainly does something new that I haven't seen before.
- I've enjoyed my plays of it.
- But for me personally, all that is true, but I haven't felt that wow factor as I play it.
- Overall, I'm going to come in at a 3.5 out of five.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video cAh7_yOKkyo
Board Gaming Ramblings Review at 0:00 sentiment: positive
video_pk 29772 · mention_pk 335318
Click to watch at 0:00 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- Strong thematic flavor with humor that supports a lightweight co-op experience
- Tight, quick gameplay ideal for varied groups and casual sessions
- Cooperative dexterity that remains accessible even for players who dislike heavy rulebooks
- High replay potential due to numerous diseases, mutations, and player powers
- Clear sense of progression and achievement through endgame validation
Cons
- Prototype components may change before final release
- Real-time, dexterity-based gameplay can be stressful for some players
- Some players may prefer heavier, more strategic co-ops over fast-paced abstractions
Thematic elements
- Humorous yet high-stakes portrayal of virus research, with a lighthearted presentation of a serious topic.
- A futuristic lab environment where scientists use 3D printers to create viruses and attempt to assemble cures under time pressure.
- Cooperative, thematic, and fast-paced with a playful take on a science-driven crisis.
Comparison games
- Mental Blocks
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- End Game Bonuses — At the end of a completed cure, a teammate checks for correctness; successful builds grant points and progress toward the final objective.
- Endgame verification and scoring — At the end of a completed cure, a teammate checks for correctness; successful builds grant points and progress toward the final objective.
- Real-time cooperative play — A 15-minute timer drives rapid, team-based actions and decisions, increasing tension and group coordination.
- Resource generation and purchasing — Earn books and microscopes when a cure is completed correctly, which are then used to acquire upside-down tiles to build cures.
- Resource Management — Earn books and microscopes when a cure is completed correctly, which are then used to acquire upside-down tiles to build cures.
- Tiered lab rules and placement constraints — Labs (alpha, beta, gamma) have different placement rules and minimum chords that must be adhered to for successful cures.
- Tile design and stacking — Players place rule/design tiles on three labs to form a valid cure puzzle, respecting color, position, and adjacency constraints to meet disease requirements.
- Tile Placement — Players place rule/design tiles on three labs to form a valid cure puzzle, respecting color, position, and adjacency constraints to meet disease requirements.
- Variable disease cards and mutations — Diseases and mutations introduce variability and increasing difficulty across playthroughs.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- This is a preview
- You are not going to go into any ratings or anything like that
- a great exterior game that just involves everyone
- the game is designed very well
- I am looking forward to play it again
- this is a very different game
- it's tight it goes quick
- it's just greatly designed
- if you think it looks interesting get it
- I usually don't care about theme but this is a very thematic game
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
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