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Horizons of Spirit Island

Game ID: GID0161233
Collection Status
Description

Horizons of Spirit Island features the core mechanisms of Spirit Island, but features a new double-sided game board with a streamlined set-up, punchboard components, and five new Spirits designed to be ideal for those playing a Spirit Island game for the first time. These new Spirits are compatible with all existing Spirit Island components, but to play with expansions like Jagged Earth, you would need a copy of Spirit Island itself.

Year Published
2022
Transcript Analysis
Browse transcript mentions, sentiments, pros/cons, mechanics, topics, quotes, and references.
Total mentions: 4
This page: 4
Sentiment: pos 2 · mix 2 · neu 0 · neg 0
Mentions per page
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Showing 1–4 of 4
Video fJMGA6KrogA Rodney Smith - Tabletop Board Games unboxing at 8:27 sentiment: positive
video_pk 13189 · mention_pk 38605
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Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
  • Entry point to Spirit Island
  • Good guided walkthrough for first round
  • New spirits included
  • Excellent design
Cons
  • Still has substantial rules complexity
  • Guided walkthrough only goes through round one
Thematic elements
  • Environmental protection
  • Island spirits
  • Cooperative gameplay
Comparison games
  • Spirit Island
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
Mechanics unknown.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
  • I don't normally do unboxing videos it's not normally my thing
  • this is my game room there's a bunch of games and some of those are buried underneath other games
  • I'm not going to fully unbox every single one of these games tonight
  • the idea of a co-op version of Kinder Tokyo was enough to make me go yay
  • this could be a good way to start playing Spirit Island
  • the advanced guide to quantum physics is what Spirit Island is
  • give respect to composers
  • those tokens are very basic and they're really boring
  • caberner is already a heavy game and forgotten folk made it a little bit more heavier
  • not everything fits in the base box
  • 80 euro is too much
  • this is too many games
  • I mean I've got North guard Vengeance roll and fight endless winter
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video Me7VJwbDWWw Three Minute Board Game game_review at 2:51 sentiment: mixed
video_pk 8297 · mention_pk 24317
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Overall sentiment (raw)
mixed
Pros
  • Preserves Spirit Island depth and variety
  • Unique spirits with strong thematic flavor
  • Cooperative play remains engaging
  • Growth and power management adds strategic depth
  • More user-friendly setup compared to the base game
Cons
  • Still very heavy and complex
  • Potentially diverts components to the main game
  • Long playtime and steep learning curve
  • Some copies may end up unused or repurposed
Thematic elements
  • defense of an ecosystem against external exploitation; collaboration and strategy under siege
  • An island paradise threatened by colonial invasion; players are spirits defending the land and people.
  • mythic-cooperative with evolving powers and invader threat
Comparison games
  • Roll Camera
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
  • blight and Dahan interactions — Destruction of towns/cities creates blight; Dahan counterattack to defend.
  • card management — Draw and manage power cards; can gain minor and major powers with costs.
  • cooperative win condition — All players win or lose as a team based on invader elimination and fear on the board.
  • Fear mechanism — Fear cards are drawn as the fear pool empties, altering the game state.
  • growth phase — Players select actions such as reclaiming cards, adding presence, or gaining power.
  • invader phase (ravage, build, explore) — Invaders attack, build settlements, and explore new regions, driving tension.
  • power pool / element pool — Resources tied to the top/bottom spirit tracks power the innate abilities.
  • presence and board control — Presence tracks allow expansion and influence on the board and power generation.
  • standalone variant design — Horizons aims to be more accessible while preserving core Spirit Island mechanics.
  • Variable player powers — Each spirit has unique powers and power cards that shape gameplay.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
  • Horizons of spirit island is just Spirit island with a quick start book, more user-friendly board and some low complexity Spirits
  • this is both its strength and its weakness
  • it's still Spirit Island and Spirit Island is an incredible Cooperative game design
  • the best thing about this game is still drowning Invaders with tsunamis and firestorms in the late game
  • Horizons of spirit Island: it's still pretty damn heavy
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video mLMnLtUMNaI Before You Play playthrough at 0:00 sentiment: mixed
video_pk 4249 · mention_pk 12398
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Overall sentiment (raw)
mixed
Pros
  • Standalone variant with starter-friendly changes
  • New board layout and five new spirits across complexity levels
  • Two-player setup with guided teach-through and quick-start adaptation
Cons
  • Limited to a maximum of 3 players (not 4), which constrains group size
  • Coastal regions introduce heavier build/ravage pressure later in the game
  • Despite starter polish, still a relatively heavy cooperative strategy game for new players
Thematic elements
  • Cooperation, ecological defense, asymmetrical spirits
  • Islands threatened by Invaders with native Dahan allies; spirits defend regions
  • mythic fantasy with multiple spirits shaping the story
Comparison games
  • Spirit Island (base game)
  • Spirit Island expansions
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
  • asymmetric spirits — Each spirit has a unique innate power and playstyle influencing strategy.
  • cooperative play — Players work together as spirits to defend the island against Invaders.
  • Dahan and blight — Natives (Dahan) defend land; blight pool tokens represent land deterioration and potential loss conditions.
  • Energy economy and card play — Players manage energy to play power cards; fast vs slow powers resolve at different times.
  • Fear deck and Terror levels — Defeating Invaders generates fear; fear cards drive Terror level shifts and affect victory conditions.
  • Invader deck and phases — Invaders go through Explore, Build, Ravage phases in a cyclical deck system with terrain cards.
  • Sacred sites and presence — Presence tokens form sacred sites; they influence range, power costs, and special rules.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
  • this version of spirit island is of course Standalone
  • the game comes with a game board rather than tiles
  • it's essentially a fully Cooperative game where we're going to be taking on the roles of asymmetric Spirits
  • we are playing as asymmetric spirits who are trying to protect this entire Island
  • starter friendly
  • the game only goes up to Max 3 players rather than four
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video rudwNTNM_3A Robert's Board Game Reviews game_review at 0:16 sentiment: positive
video_pk 688 · mention_pk 2000
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Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
  • Excellent portability due to compact, consolidated board
  • New low-complexity spirits provide fresh gameplay
  • All-in-one board streamlines setup and organization
  • Good value for the price
  • Power card layout clarity without color corner markers
Cons
  • Not ideal for complete beginners; still complex
  • Quick Start Guide is not helpful for solo/two-handed play
  • Cardboard tokens can clutter the board and feel less durable
  • Fewer options to escalate difficulty than base game
  • Limited player count (2-3 players)
Thematic elements
  • Cooperative environmental defense with escalating threats
  • Islands under threat from invaders, defended by powerful spirits
  • Emergent cooperative puzzle with strategic planning
Comparison games
  • Gloomhaven: Jaws of the Lion
  • Gloomhaven
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
  • Difficulty escalation — Limited escalation options compared to base game; designed as introductory experience
  • Fear mechanics — Fear cards help win conditions and adjust game dynamics
  • Invader deck — Deck-based events driving the game's progression
  • Power management — Starting power cards for spirits; minor and major power cards without color corners
  • Setup efficiency — All-in-one board streamlines setup and improves organization
  • Solo/Co-op play — Designed for one or two players controlling multiple spirits; compatible with solo play
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
  • the spirit Island system is a 10 out of 10
  • for thirty dollars I think it's incredible
  • it's still an amazing game
  • the quick start guide is only for three players
  • I can't recommend this for inexperienced board gamers
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
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