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London box art

London

Game ID: GID0193885
Game Info
Year
2010
Players
2-4
Age
10+
Playtime
60 min
Collection
Your Tier
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Expansions & Family
London (Second Edition)
Mechanic profile
Percentile rank vs. all games
Vibe profile
Not enough video data yet
Description

London lies devastated after the Great Fire of 1666. This is your opportunity to build a new city on the ashes of the old. It is up to you how you employ the talents of the people of London to this end. Will you favor the business classes, who will earn you money? Or would you prefer to spend more money than you can rightly afford on grand monuments and sumptuous palaces? You must also deal with the problem of rising poverty and how to employ the many paupers of the city. Throughout the game you will be forced to make tough decisions. To achieve one aim you must sacrifice another, which may open an opportunity for a competitor.

London is a 2-4 player game with a playing time of approximately 90 minutes. Players select cards with varying powers of cashflow, victory points, and poverty penalties, and compete to manage them most efficiently. Nearly 250 years of progress is glimpsed in this game. Famous buildings and monuments of the era as well as engineering developments such as streetlights are illustrated on the cards.

As with a lot of games, London is about scoring the most VPs. Players manage their hand, selecting cards to play into their building display by laying them out in a line. At some point a player will choose to run his city. They can activate their buildings in whatever order they prefer. The resulting actions can generate money and VPs, reduce poverty or have some other effect specified on the card. Some cards have an entry cost which must be paid before the action can be performed.

Description

London lies devastated after the Great Fire of 1666. This is your opportunity to build a new city on the ashes of the old. It is up to you how you employ the talents of the people of London to this end. Will you favor the business classes, who will earn you money? Or would you prefer to spend more money than you can rightly afford on grand monuments and sumptuous palaces? You must also deal with the problem of rising poverty and how to employ the many paupers of the city. Throughout the game you will be forced to make tough decisions. To achieve one aim you must sacrifice another, which may open an opportunity for a competitor.

London is a 2-4 player game with a playing time of approximately 90 minutes. Players select cards with varying powers of cashflow, victory points, and poverty penalties, and compete to manage them most efficiently. Nearly 250 years of progress is glimpsed in this game. Famous buildings and monuments of the era as well as engineering developments such as streetlights are illustrated on the cards.

As with a lot of games, London is about scoring the most VPs. Players manage their hand, selecting cards to play into their building display by laying them out in a line. At some point a player will choose to run his city. They can activate their buildings in whatever order they prefer. The resulting actions can generate money and VPs, reduce poverty or have some other effect specified on the card. Some cards have an entry cost which must be paid before the action can be performed.

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All mentions
Browse transcript mentions, sentiments, pros/cons, mechanics, topics, quotes, and references.
Total mentions: 51
This page: 50
Sentiment: pos 35 · mix 4 · neu 3 · neg 1
Mentions per page
Showing 1–50 of 51
Video YMkrnTtlbNk Board Of It Other at 39:47 sentiment: positive
video_pk 99369 · mention_pk 276771
Board Of It - London video thumbnail
Click to watch at 39:47 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
  • Absolutely brilliant game with clever twists on worker placement.
  • Satisfying engine building with many combinations of cards and workers.
  • Interactive gameplay, especially with the ability to use opponent's buildings.
  • Humorous elements add a lot of joy and character.
  • High replayability due to variable worker availability and card draws.
  • Works well for both new and experienced players, offering depth with a light ruleset.
Cons
  • May sound like a standard worker placement game on the surface, underselling its unique mechanics.
  • Some dark humor elements might not appeal to everyone (e.g., the skeleton maker).
Thematic elements
  • Fantasy refugees building a city from nothing.
  • Fantasy setting, building a city on the edge of a city on a river.
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
  • contract fulfillment — Players take on ongoing contracts that provide victory points and bonuses, but require consistent effort.
  • Engine Building — Players construct buildings that provide ongoing powers and scoring opportunities.
  • Resource Management — Managing food for workers is crucial, as is acquiring other resources for building and contracts.
  • Unique Worker Types — Features five types of fantasy creature workers (skeletons, goblins, elves, dwarfs, ogres), each with distinct abilities and costs.
  • Worker Placement — Players place workers on their own buildings, opponent's buildings, or generic board spaces.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
  • I wouldn't be surprised if this ends up in one of my maybe top 10 of the year.
  • It has everything that's great about Blatro in a board game form, but also it works really well because you're just playing poker at the core of it.
  • It's just a good fun decision spaces with with not that much, if that makes sense.
  • It's indescribable in many ways. It's it's a massive space opera.
  • This game is absolutely brilliant.
  • It's so good. I really recommend it.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video Z7laxJni19w Rolling Dice & Taking Names News at 53:20 sentiment: positive
video_pk 95196 · mention_pk 261286
Rolling Dice & Taking Names - London video thumbnail
Click to watch at 53:20 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
Positive
Pros
  • Elegant and cool gameplay.
  • Attractive art and box design.
  • Intriguing enough to make players want to explore its contents.
Cons
  • The presenter made a mistake announcing the winner.
Thematic elements
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
  • Card game — Described as a 'little card game'.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
  • Looks like a beast on the table but when you hear it's like it's an engine building game you like I could play an engine building game
  • We sat down to play that game hole holy cow we were literally passing a hat Vil around the table for how much thinking you had to put into that game that surprised me
  • this game London when we first saw it at Gen Con when Oscar green said hey guys scream hey come take a look at this
  • the cover of the game box and how plain it is but mm-hmm it really some reason fits this game it just looks nice the cover looks elegant and the art is really good and then you actually get into the game and you find this really elegant cool little card game
  • engineers it was really cool cuz it's kind of math because you had to like the little algebraic problems you have to solve but it's such a great thing of a dice manipulation game plus the area control game plus a set collection game all merged into one that's one of those I really got to the table a lot in 2017
  • and Tony this was actually one of the early games in 2017 that really grabbed us one of those that didn't look that great on the table but then you start playing in and it's one of those that we just played over and over and over again and just just really enjoyed it
  • that rule about when that third dragon comes out yes everything stops correct I kept saying it and kept saying it and reminding people boy we had a flip the table moment when that occurred
  • oh die another seaman without miniatures look at that
  • two seam on one two squirrely Awards and neither games had merci ya don't have to put miniatures in the game to make it go no you don't lure in DOS so good
  • it's what I call the reverse work replacement where you're taking stuff off the board and putting it on your board in order to activate things I just thought was a really unique mechanic
  • and again tony is one of those shockers for us at the beginning year I had never heard of gentes and we got an early copy and try to try it out and it blew us away
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video vkvkBRFTqto Rolling Dice & Taking Names Discussion at 3:03 sentiment: positive
video_pk 93536 · mention_pk 253237
Rolling Dice & Taking Names - London video thumbnail
Click to watch at 3:03 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
  • Enjoyed the engine-building aspect.
  • Engaging strategic depth.
  • Good replayability due to changing boroughs and strategies.
  • Interesting poverty mechanic presents challenging trade-offs.
  • High-quality components and art.
  • Simple core mechanics that are easy to learn.
  • Players are eager to play again.
Cons
  • Iconography and graphic design required initial rulebook consultation.
  • Missing the map from the first edition was noted by players.
  • Some players felt certain powerful cards (like free actions) might be too strong.
  • The game can end abruptly once the deck is depleted, requiring careful planning.
Thematic elements
  • Rebuilding London after the Great Fire
  • England
Comparison games
  • Imperial Settlers
  • 51st State
  • Ethnos
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
  • Area Control (modified) — The original game had area control on a map; this version focuses on building a city through card placement, with boroughs being acquired.
  • Card Drafting — Players draft cards from a central display or blindly from the deck.
  • Engine Building — Players build an engine by playing cards to their city, which can generate resources, victory points, or help mitigate negative effects.
  • Hand Management — Players must manage their hand of cards, using them to play new cards, discard for costs, or activate city abilities.
  • Poverty (as a negative resource) — A unique mechanic where building a large city or holding many cards generates 'poverty,' which results in negative victory points at the end of the game.
  • Resource Management — Players manage money and cards, using them to play cards and activate abilities.
  • Set Collection — Players aim to collect specific sets of cards or complete rows/columns on their player board to score points.
  • Take-That (indirect) — Players can influence others' turns by taking tiles that others need or forcing them into disadvantageous situations.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
  • Ain't no sunshine when I'm gone.
  • Stupid Americans if we can just get one down somewhat okay then we feel good about ourselves.
  • I don't think that is honouring our craft.
  • It's not a campaign game per se it's just that when you start a campaign you probably need to stick with those players and let them finish it out.
  • It's not chess like in the complexity but you really do need to say multiple steps ahead.
  • The rules are simple, but it's hard to master.
  • All you're trying to do is screw your neighbor over because you want to force him.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video j24Hnbh2sQo Rolling Dice & Taking Names Interview at 11:31
video_pk 93509 · mention_pk 253116
Rolling Dice & Taking Names - London video thumbnail
Click to watch at 11:31 · YouTube ↗
Pros
none
Cons
none
Thematic elements
  • Train games
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
Mechanics unknown.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
  • I always kind of think it shouldn't be the rules that are complicated it should be the situation that's complicated
  • The key thing was dealing with opportunity fire
  • The card system is for me a way of modeling that in that you have to know when to hold back and make sure you've got options at hand
  • The figures are just gorgeous really good detail
  • it's a game where there is no cardboard in the game at all
  • people assume I'm you know some wealthy game designer in a mansion and Brisbane but no it's um yeah definitely needed to royalties
  • the world we live in is the result of technological developments nothing to do with politicians nothing to do with generals it's just we a lot of relatively unknown scientists designing stuff you know creating stuff that allows us to shape the wall you know that has a creator the world we live in
  • we probably just ruined the chance of him ever coming on the show again but at least now we know what lawn mower he has
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video BZibN66-2iM Getting Games Discussion at 10:13 sentiment: positive
video_pk 91910 · mention_pk 246731
Getting Games - London video thumbnail
Click to watch at 10:13 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
  • engaging tableau/engine-building
  • strong discussion after play
Cons
  • weight and rule overhead notable
Thematic elements
  • city-building with poverty management
  • London during industrial era
  • hand management tableau building with engine-building
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
  • card discard for column upgrades — adding to existing columns replaces previous cards, preserving endgame points
  • engine-building tableau — cards are built in columns to activate effects
  • Hand Management — players manage cards in hand to build tableau and engine
  • poverty mechanic — poverty tracks and endgame adjustments affect scoring
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
  • "it's a fun brisk cooperative experience"
  • "season two is easier now"
  • "the sum of its parts is greater than its parts"
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video fpX7YcFnn6A Game Night Picks - Pair Of Dice Paradise Analysis at 5:04 sentiment: neutral
video_pk 91876 · mention_pk 246630
Game Night Picks - Pair Of Dice Paradise - London video thumbnail
Click to watch at 5:04 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
neutral
Pros
none
Cons
none
Thematic elements
  • rebuilding London
  • London after the Great Fire
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
Mechanics unknown.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
  • Well it's standard issue for analog game custodians like myself
  • Oh Chaz I gotta go with the unquiet dead are about to unionize bye
  • well history books now say that in 1869 Queen Victoria and the crown jewels went missing do you think my revelations about the future that won't me go back and fix it because you know I could I I think I could go back and I could just tell everybody that it was a plot from a digital movie that I downloaded off the internet
  • The notorious interdimensional artifact thief Jake Bay. He uses board games as wormholes in time and space to steal priceless artifacts from the past present and future
  • you fool you've overloaded the intro tabletop transportal devices circuitry it's gonna blow
  • with the help of Osprey games we were able to return both myself and Mr. Erikson to our normal selves and restore the timeline to its original proper condition by returning all the stolen items to their rightful places in history
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video Rs482Ly77Q0 Nights Around a Table Unboxing at 0:04 sentiment: positive
video_pk 91244 · mention_pk 244639
Nights Around a Table - London video thumbnail
Click to watch at 0:04 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
  • Beefy rulebook and substantial game.
  • Modular game modes for different playtimes and complexities.
  • Intriguing theme and story.
  • Good artwork (with a slight caveat on crew art).
  • Well-designed inserts for packing.
  • High level of player interaction, allowing for 'jerk' play.
  • Potential for analysis paralysis is addressed with an egg timer.
Cons
  • Kickstarter preview copy, not the final version.
  • Crew artwork style is described as 'mystifying'.
Thematic elements
  • Colonizing a planet after a crash landing, waking up specialists from cryostasis.
  • A spaceship that has landed on a planet and something went wrong.
Comparison games
  • Alien Frontiers
  • Race for the Galaxy
  • Trickerion
  • Terraforming Mars
  • Everdell
  • Pearlbrook
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
  • Area Building — Players build sections of the colony, fitting pieces into player boards representing corporations.
  • Card Drafting — Players receive cards, with Ryan giving Cheryl half of his initial set to make it equal.
  • Set Collection — Players collect different colored resource cards.
  • take-that — Cards like 'Steal Item', 'Counter action', and 'Block action' are mentioned, indicating direct player conflict.
  • Variable player powers — Crew members can be chosen as leaders and gain specific abilities.
  • Worker Placement — The crew members woken from cryostasis can be assigned abilities, and one can be chosen as a leader.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
  • So what their plan is is interesting: they've got a... a unique marketing plan.
  • It IS interesting. And you... you like sci-fi, don't you?
  • So i don't know if that was deliberate? When you flipped the page, yeah. Totally.
  • i was surprised at that, because usually board game stories: who cares, right? It doesn't matter.
  • You gotta make tough calls, man, when you're.... on an alien planet.
  • It's a bit of a jerk game. So you get to be a bit evil - there's... there's... ah. How do i say it diplomatically? There's a high level of player interaction in this game.
  • I'm getting a distinct... Terraforming Mars vibe from this game, for sure.
  • The crew was the only thing i was just kinda like 'Hmm.'
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video MQ_QVOBukV4 Drive Thru Games Discussion at 4:36 sentiment: positive
video_pk 90360 · mention_pk 241343
Drive Thru Games - London video thumbnail
Click to watch at 4:36 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
none
Cons
none
Thematic elements
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
Mechanics unknown.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
  • I'm genuinely curious about your origin story and sort of how you got more involved in whatever hobby it is.
  • Exposing a child to games is probably a really important thing.
  • It's like baseball cards but you play a game with that seems stupid.
  • I really loved it and got into that
  • I just got sucked back into board game geek because I had you know been on it like in 2005
  • I just got like sucked in
  • I never really liked Puerto Rico or Princess of Florence but I really like Power Grid
  • The DM sucked and I didn't really like it at all
  • He's just like the worst, you know pictured like the worst kind of DM RPG type of personality that was that guy
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video 6w6RWiUBwqo Drive Thru Games Analysis at 2:43 sentiment: positive
video_pk 89483 · mention_pk 237668
Drive Thru Games - London video thumbnail
Click to watch at 2:43 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
  • The new edition is an improvement over the original.
  • Has fond memories of playing the original edition.
Cons
  • Some things needed fixing that weren't keenly aware of until playing the second edition.
Thematic elements
  • Rebuilding the city
  • London after the Great Fire
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
  • Card Drafting — You get cards and discard cards to pay for the cost of other cards.
  • Engine Building — Activate cards in your display row to build your engine, some cards flip down and need rebuilding, others prevent flipping allowing reuse.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
  • it's like a deck builder but also like a race for the galaxy
  • you have the deck building but then you also have like the the the lead and follow things so like in glory to rome or race to the galaxy you have that sort of concept but also married with the deck building
  • the first probably two expansions are good the ones the last couple of it's just like too much similar to the race for galaxy first couple expansions great and the last two it's like uh there's all this other stuff going on now
  • as a whole the sum of those parts it there's nothing else really that feels like this game
  • the original one really fell on its face
  • there was a lot of problems with it
  • it didn't really do well out of the gate
  • the rules would just end up being too clunky and stuff like that
  • that first edition really kind of stumbled out of the gate
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video BdGxlNxVw2I Tabletop Tokki Discussion at 6:16 sentiment: positive
video_pk 88613 · mention_pk 234026
Tabletop Tokki - London video thumbnail
Click to watch at 6:16 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
  • Deep engine-building potential
  • Rich theme and art
Cons
none
Thematic elements
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
  • Engine Building — Long polyomino-like engine construction with poverty/tension management.
  • engine-building — Long polyomino-like engine construction with poverty/tension management.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
  • Paint the Roses it is a Cooperative deduction game which I actually really really love
  • I am chronically terrible at keeping up to date on new board game news
  • Dice Burger placement is one of my all-time favorite groupings of words
  • Hats is a great example of this
  • it's a real dexterity game with sand timers
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video BvMd1RjGr6w Quackalope Top List at 12:48 sentiment: other
video_pk 88073 · mention_pk 231172
Quackalope - London video thumbnail
Click to watch at 12:48 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
Anticipated
Pros
  • From a publisher known for quality
  • Love the art and style
  • Involves vast exploration
  • Beautiful landscape artwork
Cons
  • Doesn't have too much information out there yet
Thematic elements
  • Vast exploration
Comparison games
  • Villagers
  • Moon
  • Streets
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
  • Engine Building — Described as an engine building game.
  • exploration — Involves vast exploration.
  • Worker Placement — Described as a worker placement game.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
  • this is a game all about exploration, survival Big Boss creature fighting and hunting
  • the mechanics look really interesting
  • what you're trying to do in terms of the objectives that you have change from chapter to chapter from Scenario to scenario and so you're always going to have a new puzzle to solve a new challenge to overcome
  • this publisher keeps putting out amazing products for me
  • I love the art and style
  • it's a worker placement engine building game
  • I cannot wait to see the adventure we're going to be going on when we dive into this game
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video fX-fAPggAtc Allies or Enemies Discussion at 13:18 sentiment: positive
video_pk 87711 · mention_pk 229695
Allies or Enemies - London video thumbnail
Click to watch at 13:18 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
Positive
Pros
  • Designer also does the art and the style is liked.
  • Designer is known for other liked games (Moon Streets, Villagers).
Cons
none
Thematic elements
  • Fantastical world
Comparison games
  • Moon Streets
  • Villagers
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
  • Engine Building — It is a worker placement engine building game.
  • Worker Placement — It is a worker placement engine building game.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
  • ukge which is the UK's biggest board game convention and it takes place from May 31st to June 2nd and it is in Birmingham
  • this is just based on the descriptions that we've read about
  • Yonder and this is published by Sinister fish with the same designer who did Moon streets and villagers and we really like all three of those
  • it's very different than the the trilogy that I just did
  • the art looks very Whimsical because the designer also does the art as well and I really like his style
  • Terminus and this is published by inside up games and these are in terminous you are competing Subway companies so you are I think building Subway routes and competing with each other to build Subway Roots
  • we just like really like the underground and so anything that has that I am immediately interested
  • Deep regrets and I actually did get to play a an earlier play test like prototype version of this game and it kind of mixes um cthulu and fishing together like and that what an interesting mix that is
  • Shout out to an indie designer who's based right here in Edinburgh and so you always want to support those
  • if there's one in particular you're looking forward to please do let us know in the comments
  • on Saturday from 1:30 to 4:30 I will be play testing last week of summer in the Play Test Zone
  • if you can't make it for that and you just see me around and you want to do a play Test please do ask because I will be more than happy to do that
  • please let us know in the comments what new game you're most looking forward to
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video 6wPeo1oi8M8 Board Game Buzzz Top 10 List at 4:55 sentiment: positive
video_pk 86770 · mention_pk 225742
Board Game Buzzz - London video thumbnail
Click to watch at 4:55 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
  • Unique artwork
  • night-to-day transition depicted on cover
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)
No quotes stored for this video.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video lsPxLU9hioc The Brothers Murph Discussion at 1:46
video_pk 85957 · mention_pk 221443
The Brothers Murph - London video thumbnail
Click to watch at 1:46 · YouTube ↗
Pros
none
Cons
  • Described as 'my least favorite game on the planet'.
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)
  • If my score is higher than their cumulative score, then the studio, the channel, and the Murfs themselves belong to me.
  • How well do these brothers know each other? If they don't, their souls are mine.
  • I chose I play I chose my least favorite game on the planet, which is London.
  • The point is I want Squishy Fruits. But we all had the right idea.
  • I would say that he thinks C is the best letter for board games. The letter C.
  • It's between C and T. T.
  • Your souls belong to me.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video a_UcgyoZILA Meet Me At The Table Other at 1:21:54
video_pk 85051 · mention_pk 217207
Meet Me At The Table - London video thumbnail
Click to watch at 1:21:54 · YouTube ↗
Pros
  • Very similar to Nemesis one
Cons
none
Thematic elements
Comparison games
  • Nemesis
  • Retaliation
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
Mechanics unknown.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
  • Nemesis is not a stealth game.
  • I'm just in sheer panic mode.
  • This is just crap. You can just bring whatever you want. This is stupid.
  • The map is already out where in this one you don't know where the map is.
  • It's like four games in one. And it's out of control.
  • It was a ton of fun until we fought the labyrinth dude for the first time because we had no idea how to deal with the labyrinth tiles I was putting on.
  • It's hard. That's a hard game.
  • I'm still paying painting my chronicle of Dungore.
  • We have shareholders. You must buy more stuff.
  • The first rule was assemble your army. pick some models you want to play with and put them on the board.
  • Finecast. Yeah, that was that a lot of people called that fail cast. Yeah, that did not go. That did not go so well.
  • Slap and drop, and let them flop.
  • My backpack's done. I didn't have to do any special nine shades of mixing and all this stuff.
  • I'm going to use some bronze here. Not that one.
  • It's about it. Unless you do adept as custodians like I did. I only had to buy one battle battle box and it was 100,000 points where like most armies in a battle box you get like three to 500 points.
  • It's amazing how much more feeling or ambiance I guess you get playing playing with painted miniatures than just gray.
  • We have shareholders. You must buy more.
  • Welcome to Games Workshop.
  • The queue never ends. It just keeps on growing.
  • I was playing Warhammer the other day with my son and only half my armor is painted. I'm like just doesn't feel right seeing like a group of great into the battlefields like oh I want those guys to die.
  • It's really good detail for for that plastic.
  • Slop, drop, and let them flop.
  • I had so many night goblins, it was out of control, dude.
  • We are currently unsettled. We're not unsettled on unsettled.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video DeUaIaPOWms UndeadVikingVideos Discussion at 3:56:31 sentiment: mixed
video_pk 84709 · mention_pk 215519
UndeadVikingVideos - London video thumbnail
Click to watch at 3:56:31 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
Mixed
Pros
  • Card game version was great
  • Board version was a way better game
Cons
  • Card game version disliked by Andy
Thematic elements
none
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 was just a big scammy Mc Scammerton thing.
  • Kickstarter did not complete a thorough review of the game before long on their platform.
  • The established ones definitely have just such a strong foothold uh that it's it's hard to
  • This sucks.
  • It was an interesting idea, but poor execution.
  • Birmingham is number one on BGG.
  • It is a phenomenal game.
  • I don't know. This isn't information on it. I just saw the thing and I was like, 'Okay.'
  • The upcoming edition of Arkrite from Capstone is absolutely gorgeous.
  • I liked Merlin.
  • It's just like, 'Oh, we're going to sit down. we're going to create a narrative together and it and and and it sounds like I'm bashing on prep'
  • Don't call me a criminal. Don't call me a liar.
  • The reason why most stretch goals work is that they aren't they don't work like they used to
  • If you don't like it, don't back it.
  • Well, maybe you should have been uh on time.
  • Just like, 'Oh, another TMG release. I wonder how late this one's going to be.'
  • It's like the expectation. Well, you're not a month ahead of schedule, so therefore I consider you to be behind schedule, Andy, and I'm very disappointed in you.
  • I I've thought since day one that that is a cool ass looking game.
  • Why change the nice cover of the box?
  • I wish all the artwork was like that cover then I would maybe potentially get it because I really do like Merlin.
  • It's a story that allows you to take money upfront to make the thing that you want to sell people and make a little bit more money.
  • Nearly impossible to win the game.
  • Quantum was great.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video v2B6qiErqJ8 Chairman of the Board Analysis at 7:41 sentiment: neutral
video_pk 83871 · mention_pk 212256
Chairman of the Board - London video thumbnail
Click to watch at 7:41 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
neutral
Pros
none
Cons
none
Thematic elements
none
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
Mechanics unknown.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
  • Baron strong debut at number 77 as well.
  • Floriferous has actually been in my collection for many years, but year after year it does nudge up and up and up, which goes to show it strength because of course we play more games each year, which naturally makes things fall down. But the fact this has gone from number um 98 to number 78 and it's a new best foriferous 2.
  • kind of a passive rise for underwater cities. It's such a quality little engine building game from back onto the list from number 107 up to number 83.
  • NAR as well has actually again been in my collection for a couple of years now, but last year in its debut year, it came in at number 124. So, it's pushed onto my top 100 for the first time at number 85.
  • Get on board has come back into the top 100 as well, going from number 110 up to number 89.
  • another debut with Toy Battle at number 90.
  • Far Away, come back onto the top 100 from number 116 up to number 91.
  • The same goes with QE went from 120 up to number 92 because I did play that one recently and obviously enjoyed it.
  • other than that, we had a bit of a fall for games like Gold West, a bit of a fall for games like Mexico.
  • Even brass fell a little bit, just hanging on to my top at 100, going from number 78 down to 96. Now, I really like brass, but I don't really play it too often um anymore.
  • No Thanks, the classic little bidding or anti bidding game goes from a 104 up to number 97 back onto the list.
  • interestingly, um Subastral and Stellar, two card games I recommended. They've always kind of just held on onto my top 100. Um they are now at number 98 and number 100. Um which was slightly down from number 95, 96 last year.
  • the last kind of debut taunt game onto my top 100 is Tag Team. Um, a game I've reviewed recently uh on the channel.
  • So, those are all the new games this year.
  • So that's kind of why I didn't want to do the whole top 100 again because I thought, you know, it's going to be quite similar to last year's with a few jiggles up and down.
  • a lot of these more unique games are going up. card game seem to be climbing for me quite a bit and those euros may be holding their place or slightly falling but the great euros of course I'm anchoring themselves at the top of my of my top 100.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video l2cYLNYA-30 kovray Top List at 8:38 sentiment: positive
video_pk 83392 · mention_pk 209979
kovray - London video thumbnail
Click to watch at 8:38 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
none
Cons
none
Thematic elements
Comparison games
  • Tiny Towns
  • Fit to Print
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
  • color-matching and packaging of amenities — players fill out a lodge with various amenities and guest types to maximize points.
  • Drafting — you draft elements to build a lodge; guests and amenities provide scoring pathways.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
  • Cozy Sticker Ville. It is such a cute game.
  • Yeah, it's cozy. It's fun. It reminds me of Stardew.
  • The art is fantastic. It's like this old I don't know exactly what year is probably 70s vibe maybe.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video wXP0kB0G9iI Where There's A Wilz, There's a Play Top 10 List at 36:04 sentiment: positive
video_pk 82936 · mention_pk 208410
Where There's A Wilz, There's a Play - London video thumbnail
Click to watch at 36:04 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
very positive
Pros
  • innovative sliding display mechanism
  • gorgeous components and thematic appeal
Cons
none
Thematic elements
  • tile drafting and room/guest management
  • lodge in a mountainous region, spatial puzzle
  • story of building and hosting guests
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
  • sliding/tilting board with rooms — tiles slide on a raised display; rooms are placed on floors
  • tile drafting and floor placement — draft rooms and assign them to floors to attract guests
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
  • Companion Quest is brought to us by Ghostfire Gaming.
  • Food Truck Race, you are a food truck owner and you are trying to upgrade your van so that you can buy more groceries so you can satisfy more customers.
  • Cascadia Alpine Lakes and the double hex tiles are just cool additions to Cascadia.
  • Let's Go to France is the follow-up to Let's Go to Japan and it has two halves of your vacation.
  • Three Sisters with the Harvest Edition adds a 12 chapter campaign mode.
  • Hummingbirds looks really fun. Jason Trembley, the designer, and The OP are behind it.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video wXP0kB0G9iI Where There's A Wilz, There's a Play Top 10 List at 58:30 sentiment: positive
video_pk 82936 · mention_pk 208422
Where There's A Wilz, There's a Play - London video thumbnail
Click to watch at 58:30 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
  • eye-catching sliding mechanism
  • strong visual design and theme
Cons
none
Thematic elements
  • spatial/room-tilt mechanic with hospitality focus
  • lodge and mountain scenery with guests
  • tableau-building feel with planning
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
  • sliding/display mechanism — deluxe version features a sliding, morphing display for rooms
  • tile drafting / floor placement — draft rooms and place on floors to match guest needs
  • Tile Placement — draft rooms and place on floors to match guest needs
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
  • Companion Quest is brought to us by Ghostfire Gaming.
  • Food Truck Race, you are a food truck owner and you are trying to upgrade your van so that you can buy more groceries so you can satisfy more customers.
  • Cascadia Alpine Lakes and the double hex tiles are just cool additions to Cascadia.
  • Let's Go to France is the follow-up to Let's Go to Japan and it has two halves of your vacation.
  • Three Sisters with the Harvest Edition adds a 12 chapter campaign mode.
  • Hummingbirds looks really fun. Jason Trembley, the designer, and The OP are behind it.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video cDDZc1CtFYE Get into games Top 10 List at 22:52 sentiment: neutral
video_pk 81415 · mention_pk 201950
Get into games - London video thumbnail
Click to watch at 22:52 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
neutral
Pros
none
Cons
  • There are other games that would be preferred over it.
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)
  • If I wanted to play the same game but be really stressed, Silver Frost would be my go-to.
  • I argue I'd almost argue that it's the best artwork of any of the Everdale games.
  • Whereas normal Everdale, you can kind of chill and just be like, 'Yeah, let's build these fun things and look at my little critters.'
  • the landlord's game was the basic blueprint for Monopoly.
  • and arguably the best game ever made. So really what we've ranked is completely wrong.
  • that is quite dull. Let's say you're rolling. The only so I feel like the boring bit about it is that you're just rolling dice and you land where the dice tells you.
  • Monopoly Legacy.
  • The board state changes. Buildings go into disrepair and crumble around you.
  • There are elections. Hire one of you becomes a mayor of the city. You can control other people's turns and what properties they're going to buy.
  • How do you improve Cludo Legacy?
  • Well, just dying over and over again.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video 14ZAbFw0ZWg Get into games Review at 45:24 sentiment: positive
video_pk 81416 · mention_pk 202034
Get into games - London video thumbnail
Click to watch at 45:24 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
Positive
Pros
  • Satisfying puzzle element
  • Enjoyed the acrylic tiles
Cons
  • Artwork can be garish or hit or miss
Thematic elements
  • Building a ski lodge and satisfying guests
  • Ski lodge
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
  • Puzzle — Described as a tile placement puzzle based on guest placement. "it's a bit of a tile placement puzzle as to where you put them"
  • Tile Placement — Players place tiles to build their ski lodge.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
  • It's a to me it's the perfect sort of intro game to a board games day.
  • there's Easter eggs on the cards for all the games which was really cool.
  • It's beautiful and it's just very enjoyable.
  • I think it's just the theme, the way it looks. It just it gives something more than the mind.
  • It's really tight resource management.
  • as soon as the treasure is found, it becomes a cat and mouse chase.
  • I would argue that the only thing that I think lets it down a little that I would probably change might be the roll and move.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video qc48EbZ0ITo The Brothers Murph Analysis at 12:36
video_pk 81168 · mention_pk 200229
The Brothers Murph - London video thumbnail
Click to watch at 12:36 · YouTube ↗
Pros
none
Cons
none
Thematic elements
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
Mechanics unknown.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
  • This is my worst pick. This is actually the pick my lowest pick on this whole list.
  • I feel like this one's going to be pretty good.
  • That dropping down to your eighth pick is wild.
  • Oh my god, that's not good.
  • Again, that is what I expected. That is your lowest pick of your draft.
  • For a nine pick, that's a gift.
  • That's a solid score for a nine.
  • Wow, that's low for your nine.
  • That's a really great Your nine and 10 were really solid.
  • For a total of 54,000.
  • Helge, if you're watching this, you screwed me over, damn it.
  • Multiple in the top 100, yeah.
  • It came down to three.
  • The worst designer? Yeah, who's got the worst bottom seven?
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video Kw9MD3qHA6s Board Game Critique Analysis at 11:26 sentiment: negative
video_pk 81166 · mention_pk 200190
Board Game Critique - London video thumbnail
Click to watch at 11:26 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
negative
Pros
none
Cons
  • Same problems as Nemesis.
  • Required post-release community clarifications.
Thematic elements
  • Survival horror expansion.
  • Mars
Comparison games
  • Nemesis
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
Mechanics unknown.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
  • Great games shipped with terrible rulebooks.
  • The problem isn't the design, it's the documentation.
  • When the gate is broken, it doesn't matter how amazing the garden behind it is.
  • The rulebook is supposed to be the gate that lets you into the experience.
  • This isn't getting better. We're not talking about ancient games... we're talking about high production releases from the last few years that arrived with rulebooks that simply do not work.
  • That's not a learning curve, that is a wall.
  • The rulebook tried as hard as it could to hide all the weird stuff.
  • The cruelty of it is the context. This is a re-release.
  • A reprint is supposed to be your second bite at the apple, your chance to sand down every rough edge.
  • The BGG threads at launch were just flooded with rules questions, and people were asking whether later retail copies shipped with a corrected version, which is the most damning signal a rulebook can possibly send.
  • The publisher rewrites the rulebook and releases the new version as a paid product.
  • The irony is doing some heavy lifting there. That's almost too perfect.
  • Players blame themselves first.
  • And that is the real damage of a bad rulebook. It makes people feel stupid.
  • There is a difference between density and dysfunction.
  • A good rulebook scaffolds complexity. It layers information in the order a player needs it.
  • The structure is so dense and so poorly sequenced that you consistently have to read it multiple times across multiple sessions before anything coheres.
  • Community-built rule summaries became the standard learning tool, more reliable and more frequently consulted than the rulebook the game shipped with.
  • More than a decade after release, the standard recommendation for new players is still to skip the rule book and watch a video tutorial first, which is a clear signal that the official documentation never became trustworthy enough to stand on its own.
  • That's not an FAQ, that is a corrective supplement to a deficient primary document.
  • That's what bad rule books generate, this cottage industry of third-party fixes that should never have been necessary.
  • At some point, a pattern is a policy.
  • The rule book was written for people who already know how to play.
  • A game asking players to invest significantly in both time and money should not require that players outsource explanation to volunteer fans online.
  • Simplicity is no protection.
  • Writing a clear rule book is a separate skill from designing a clear game.
  • When you've spent that much money and waited that long, opening the box to find a document that cannot explain how to play feels like a betrayal of the implicit contract between publisher and backer.
  • Complexity is not an excuse for poor structure.
  • Game designers are not naturally positioned to ask that question because they already know everything. They need editors who do not.
  • Professional technical writers exist. Rule book editors exist as a dedicated specialty within the hobby now.
  • Until publishers treat rule book production as a non-negotiable line item rather than an afterthought squeezed into the final weeks of production, we will keep having this conversation, and players will keep arriving at what should have been a great first session armed with a document that sets them up to fail.
  • Every single game we've talked about today is worth playing.
  • The rulebook failures we've documented are a reason to seek out community tutorials and third-party summaries and how to play videos before your first session. They are not a reason to avoid the games entirely.
  • The rulebook is supposed to be the gate that lets you into the experience. And when the gate is broken, it doesn't matter how amazing the garden behind it is.
  • The Conan rule books were universally panned, and that experience cost Monolith both bad press and the additional expense of rewriting and posting replacement rule books to backers.
  • That's the line that should be tattooed on every studio's wall. A game designer understands their game completely and intuitively, which is exactly why they are poorly positioned to write the document that explains it to someone with zero context.
  • Until publishers treat rule book production as a non-negotiable line item rather than an afterthought squeezed into the final weeks of production, we will keep having this conversation...
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video HTGiav6wl00 The Broken Meeple Analysis at 1:10:08 sentiment: other
video_pk 81114 · mention_pk 199871
The Broken Meeple - London video thumbnail
Click to watch at 1:10:08 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
Underwhelming
Pros
none
Cons
  • Nothing special
Thematic elements
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
  • Worker Placement — It's an okay worker placement game.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
  • I want to know what they're doing for the seven to 10 players though. If they're literally just giving you more chips and cards so you Yeah, if if all it is is just they're giving you more chips and saying, 'Now you can play it with 10.' That's rubbish. That's BS, okay? Because the game just fundamentally wouldn't work.
  • The thing that has me worried though is this 120 to 180 minutes. Is this a game that warrants two to three hours though?
  • The game is basically just area control cubes. That to me doesn't scream out crazy fun.
  • Deep Regrets is one of the worst games I've ever played, so screw that for a game of toy soldiers.
  • I think we've hit that peak of board gaming and now it's mostly a kind of downhill slope for gaming because we've now seen everything that can be kind of done. We're now recycling ideas.
  • Board games are getting to a point where we are seeing the same stuff all the time and it just means that it's hard to get excited for another convention.
  • UK Games Expo is mostly just recycling stuff that we've already reviewed at a few months ago in which case I don't need to look at it again.
References (from this video)
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Video mqx3jCd_VCs Crimsonboardgames Event Coverage at 2:40 sentiment: positive
video_pk 80742 · mention_pk 197674
Crimsonboardgames - London video thumbnail
Click to watch at 2:40 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
none
Cons
none
Thematic elements
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
Mechanics unknown.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
  • went over to play Shug, which oh my god, I will back that straight away when I get home. Um, because that was amazing.
  • it's so whimsical and unique.
  • You're like exploring trying to find this mythical creature called Shug and you need to bring him back to the pub because there's this like prophecy or like legend that when you bring Shug back to the pub, the king will be defeated.
  • all these like whimsical, nonsensical things. It was just very, very fun.
  • I played Stack. Oh my god, that was great as well.
  • Oh my god, that was crazy madness.
  • It was so funny, so difficult, and just hilarious cuz you're like so uncomfortable sitting with all the sticks on your fingers and crazy.
  • We played Mariners. I was very very excited to play this because just look at this artwork. Incredible.
  • And the gameplay is so fun. I can't wait for this to get uh the Kickstarter release. I'm backing it straight away.
References (from this video)
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Video bGizpRc8oB8 Get into games Other at 36:08 sentiment: positive
video_pk 80709 · mention_pk 197449
Get into games - London video thumbnail
Click to watch at 36:08 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
Positive
Pros
  • Interesting and midweight worker placement.
  • Each worker has a unique ability.
  • Sought after, selling out quickly.
Cons
none
Thematic elements
  • Medieval fantasy
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
  • Worker Placement — A worker placement game where workers require feeding, though skeletons do not. Each worker has a different ability based on its type (ogre, goblin, skeleton, elf).
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
  • We played Return to Dark Tower because we decided to pick another massive game.
  • So, Sunday is always the day we take the kids. It's a little bit more chilled.
  • I feel like more people took care of their hygiene.
  • The artwork is beautiful, especially on those foily ones. Really nice.
  • It was a truth or dare game.
  • The main problem is the Shop and Drop boxes are small and board game boxes are not small.
  • It's like Christmas. It's going to be like this. It's going to be amazing.
  • It's clear that UKGE isn't the one for new releases because new releases of Gen Con and Essen.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video P6J2Ty2sOrE Get into games Review at 0:00 sentiment: positive
video_pk 80595 · mention_pk 196594
Get into games - London video thumbnail
Click to watch at 0:00 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
  • Simple to learn with straightforward rules.
  • Offers significant strategic depth and many decisions.
  • Engaging engine-building element.
  • Unique take on worker placement mechanics.
  • Adorable and beautiful artwork and components.
  • Challenging late-game if not properly planned.
  • Satisfying when contracts are fulfilled.
Cons
  • Can be cutthroat and ruthless, which might not appeal to all players.
  • Late-game can be devastatingly difficult if early planning is neglected.
  • Potential for frustration if desired worker placement spaces are stolen.
  • Can feel repetitive ('lather, rinse, repeat') if players don't explore strategic options.
  • The 'take that' nature might be divisive for some groups.
Thematic elements
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
  • contract fulfillment — Players take on contracts with specific resource requirements. These contracts must be fulfilled each round for a set number of rounds or penalties are incurred.
  • Engine Building — Players are encouraged to build up their own settlements early in the game to generate resources and maintain a consistent supply of workers for later rounds.
  • Resource Management — Players manage various resources like wheat and meat, which are used for building, fulfilling contracts, and feeding workers.
  • Shared Worker Spaces — Most worker placement spaces are not shared and are blocked once a worker is placed. Elves can share spaces with other worker types, but not with other Elves.
  • Tableau Building — Players build out their own settlement by acquiring and placing buildings in front of them, which can provide build actions and house workers.
  • Worker Feeding — Workers require feeding at the end of each round. Failure to feed workers results in point loss. Some workers have special feeding requirements (e.g., Ogre needs double food).
  • Worker Placement — Players place workers on various spaces on the board to gain resources, build buildings, acquire cards, and fulfill contracts. Some spaces have special abilities or restrictions.
  • Worker Specialization — Different worker types (Goblin, Skeleton, Dwarf, Elf, Ogre) have unique abilities that can affect resource gathering, building costs, or space limitations.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
  • It is my favorite mechanic in a board game and it does things differently to other worker placement games that I have.
  • So, what makes Yonder different from other worker placement games?
  • The depth in the game is strategy and that is what I love about board games.
  • Overall I find Yonder fascinating. It is tough. It is cutthroat. It is ruthless and it doesn't look like it should be.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video zuaifosRCpY kovray Event Coverage at 21:55 sentiment: positive
video_pk 80532 · mention_pk 196203
kovray - London video thumbnail
Click to watch at 21:55 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
  • I want to play it.
  • I also really want to play it.
  • It looks really interesting.
Cons
none
Thematic elements
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
  • Worker Placement — worker placement game
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
  • Which was Jinxo, which we brought brought to UK GE to play with people.
  • It is one of the spiel de Jarus uh um nominees and we had not played it before.
  • It is so much fun.
  • We played it with three separate groups every time. We had plenty of laughs.
  • This has hit one of our top party games.
  • Jump Masters. This is a prototype copy, I believe, of a new game from Chip Theory Games. I actually don't know much about it, but I'm excited to try it out because Chip Theory produces some really high quality stuff.
  • So, by limiting the amount of space you have in a suitcase, you can limit the num the amount of money and games you bring home.
  • No, you have to. It has to be have six sides, but that's the only rule.
  • I didn't follow that rule when making my die.
  • Tyler made a ridiculous die because it's more fun that way. Don't try to make a regular dye.
  • Paddington, UKG was pretty amazing and honestly just the people along the way.
  • Not to not to be dramatic, but I think I would die for Paddington.
  • We saw the musical, not just the bear. We saw Paddington the musical, which was 10 out of 10.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video sqXASz5C-Ok The Broken Meeple Review at 0:43 sentiment: mixed
video_pk 80400 · mention_pk 195621
The Broken Meeple - London video thumbnail
Click to watch at 0:43 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
mixed
Pros
  • Vibrant and striking art style that injects humor.
  • Unique and creepy meeple design.
  • Interesting game arc with new boats and worker rationing.
  • Meaningful decisions and tactical play.
  • Solo mode is present.
  • The core gameplay loop of resource management, building, and fulfilling deliveries is solid.
  • Good for solo or three players.
Cons
  • Rulebook wording and graphic design can be unclear.
  • Arcana and Favor tracks are not interesting enough and lack incentive.
  • Poor player scaling, leading to fundamentally different and often negative experiences at 2 and 4 players.
  • The game can be punishing due to significant victory point losses.
  • Runaway leader issue makes it hard to catch up if you start poorly.
  • The game length can feel too long (up to 2 hours).
  • Some buildings and abilities might be unbalanced.
  • The starter ship is very powerful.
  • The 2-player experience feels too open with too many spaces.
  • The 4-player experience is too cutthroat and tight.
Thematic elements
  • Collecting resources, fulfilling deliveries, and building buildings
  • fantasy
Comparison games
  • Villagers
  • Moon
  • Streets
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
  • action selection — Players must decide where to place their workers each round, considering resource needs, feeding requirements, and potential benefits.
  • Engine Building — Players build buildings that can provide passive effects or new worker placement spots within their settlement.
  • Resource Management — Players collect various resources like fish, meat, grain, stone, hay, and wood to fulfill deliveries and build buildings.
  • Set Collection — Fulfilling 'envoys' requires specific combinations of resources, with rewards including victory points.
  • Track Advancement — Players can advance on the 'Arcana' and 'Favor' tracks to gain bonuses.
  • Unique Player Powers — Different worker types (elves, dwarves, ogres, skeletons) have unique abilities or costs associated with them.
  • Variable player powers — Different worker types (elves, dwarves, ogres, skeletons) have unique abilities or costs associated with them.
  • Worker Placement — Players send fantasy workers (elves, skeletons, ogres, dwarves) to different spaces to collect resources or take actions.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
  • And we've got a little fairly lightish fantasy worker placement game here from Sinister Fish.
  • Yonder is a resource management worker placement game played over five rounds.
  • And as I said, the meeples themselves are pretty creepy in the fact that they are literally just a shape, a color, and two black dots for eyes and no other facial expression or something.
  • I'm going to say this is kind of like a middle point here. Yeah, the rules themselves are not too complicated.
  • There's definitely a few symbols and bonuses dotted around the place where you just can't seem to figure out what it is they're meant to do.
  • The balance really is at three, which is the recommended player count for a lot of Euros, but I would say even more here.
  • losing victory points in this game really hurts.
  • The starter ship is so damn powerful, it's unreal.
  • So, Yonder is a half-decent worker placement game with a couple of little cool twists.
  • It's above average. It's got some good stuff I like.
  • It just needs a little bit more time to brew and maybe a bit more time to, you know, find its place.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video qPVz8V-CwPo The Broken Meeple Discussion at 3:55 sentiment: mixed
video_pk 80258 · mention_pk 195016
The Broken Meeple - London video thumbnail
Click to watch at 3:55 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
mixed
Pros
none
Cons
  • not exactly doing the rounds
  • slow channel growth for the video
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 problem with voidfall is that there's just too much in it. It's it takes a million years to set up. It takes a million years to get it played. It takes a million years to learn how to play the damn thing.
  • I've quite enjoyed this game a lot playing it in solo. I I really do dare say that I think solo is going to be the way to play this game.
  • It's also a table hog and a half.
  • I don't know how useful that knowledge is, frankly.
  • This is why the board game ranking system. It's just frankly bollocks really. It doesn't mean anything.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video feIH1lB4zYM Rules Teach at 0:00 sentiment: positive
video_pk 79289 · mention_pk 192666
London video thumbnail
Click to watch at 0:00 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
  • Setup tells the story of the game.
  • Planned Arrival mode is the full game with all features.
  • The publisher provides a tool on their website to view public mission cards.
  • The game has three T-shirt sizes to adjust length and complexity.
Cons
  • Setup can be super boring.
  • Crew member abilities that are not the leader are unusable for now.
  • If a player's leader is knocked out, they must fill the leader slot with the newest crew member from the deck.
Thematic elements
  • Competing corporations establishing a colony on an alien planet after a crash landing, with pioneers arriving in six years.
  • the planet Kaimas-2
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
  • Area Control — Players claim hex sectors on the planet, with each sector being occupied by only one corporation. Sectors provide resource outputs.
  • Card Drafting — Players draft crew members from a common pool during setup.
  • Hand Management — Players manage resource cards and activity cards, with a hand limit at the end of each year.
  • Negotiation — Players can initiate trades with opponents for activity or resource cards, involving collateral and a timed negotiation phase.
  • Objective Fulfillment — Players earn stars by completing missions and achieving accolades.
  • Press Your Luck (implied) — Choosing to take a persistent event option even if the threshold isn't met, hoping to achieve it by year's end.
  • Resource Management — Players gather resource cards (energy, food, titanium) from sectors they control and use them for various actions.
  • Set Collection (implied) — Players collect resource cards, activity cards, and mission cards to achieve goals and earn stars.
  • Variable player powers — Each corporation's leader has a unique special ability that can provide extra resources or benefits.
  • Worker placement (implied) — Game pieces are placed on the 'Observation track' to indicate active participation, and moving a piece to 'Y' signifies passing for the year.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
  • Intrepid Games has asked me to teach you how to play, so let's dive in!
  • At the end of five years, whichever player has accumulated the most stars from completing Missions and Accolades wins!
  • Setup kind of tells the story of the game, so let's go through it.
  • There are cards in the game that allow you or your opponents to attack and kill each other's crew members, wreck sectors, and destroy valuable Activity cards.
  • When all players have passed, you prepare for year end.
  • Whoever has the most stars wins.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video emBBp16Zyvw Top List at 20:58 sentiment: positive
video_pk 69767 · mention_pk 166470
London video thumbnail
Click to watch at 20:58 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
  • Really like the new one
  • Does some great improvements
  • Love that whole theme of rebuilding London
  • Really, really enjoy it
Cons
  • Martin Wallace games can be brutal
Thematic elements
  • Rebuilding the city
  • London after the Great Fire
Comparison games
  • Howler Town
  • San Juan
  • Race for the Galaxy
  • Glory to Rome
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
  • Card Drafting — Players draft cards to take actions.
  • economic engine building — Players build up different types of buildings and systems.
  • Hand Management — Managing cards in hand is crucial.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
  • this video is sponsored by game Toppers
  • absolutely love this game
  • just Bonkers bananas just amazing heavy Euro and I can't recommend it enough if you like that style of game
  • just an absolute Beast of a game
  • it's just a fun game and like I said I've played any player count two to five
  • it's just it's a fun game
  • this is one of those like easy Plug and Play Quick setup you know grab this deck of cards grab this extra map from one of the expansions set up and go
  • this is just so different
  • it's so quick and easy just to jump in and out of and play
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video E-x3g4EwGLo Watch It Played Rules Teach at 0:00
video_pk 68183 · mention_pk 164541
Watch It Played - London video thumbnail
Click to watch at 0:00 · YouTube ↗
Pros
none
Cons
none
Thematic elements
none
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
Mechanics unknown.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
No quotes stored for this video.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video JrKc1YeEUyk kovray Rules Teach at 0:06 sentiment: positive
video_pk 63776 · mention_pk 157290
kovray - London video thumbnail
Click to watch at 0:06 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
  • Cozy lodge theme
  • Clear, step-by-step explanation in video
  • Solo mode with multiple difficulty levels and extreme mode
Cons
  • Prototype form may change before release
Thematic elements
  • lodge-building and guest management
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
  • build_amenity — Instead of a room, you may place an amenity tile from the display on any floor, following edge-sharing and support rules.
  • build_room — On your turn you may build a room tile by selecting it from the display and placing it in your lodge on the same floor as its display level; tiles must share an edge with existing tiles; floors 2–4 require support from a tile directly below.
  • end_game_and_scoring — The game ends when a player has placed 12 guests; then scoring compares guests, floor preferences, and completed amenities to determine the winner.
  • guest_display_refresh — If all guests share one color, you may discard them and draw four new guests to refill the display; placing a guest from your valet requires replacing it on the valet with a new guest from the display.
  • place_guest — After building, you may place a guest token from the display or your valet onto a suitable room tile in your lodge; requires two empty adjacent rooms matching the guest's color; each placed guest scores points, with additional points for matching the guest's floor preference.
  • refresh_display — Turns may end by refreshing the room display using either the display or refresh tokens; you can discard a refresh token to discard all rooms on a single level and refresh as normal.
  • solo_mode — There is a solo variant with setup changes and different end conditions, plus multiple difficulty levels and an extreme mode.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
  • Lodge is designed by Peter McFersonson.
  • And that's lodge.
  • So cozy.
  • It really is.
  • And all the amenities [laughter] points.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video -8jGF7VfFsc Let's Table It Review at 0:02 sentiment: positive
video_pk 61782 · mention_pk 154429
Let's Table It - London video thumbnail
Click to watch at 0:02 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
  • strong theme
  • excellent production quality
  • placement restrictions create meaningful decisions
  • amenity tiles provide structure without scripting
  • dynamic display that refills and forces re-evaluation
Cons
  • art style may be divisive
  • still a tile and token placement game; may not drastically change the genre for those already burnt out on it
Thematic elements
  • tile drafting and placement within a personal lodge, housing visitors and managing floor plans
  • A mountain ski lodge theme, with a cozy, retro aesthetic.
  • cozy thematic cohesion with a light storytelling thread through visitors and rooms
Comparison games
  • Cascadia
  • Harmonies
  • Shallow Sea
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
  • amenity tiles — optional tiles that introduce additional endgame scoring opportunities and give turns more direction
  • Drafting — tiling from rows 1–4 in the display; the chosen tile must be placed on the same level in your lodge
  • Endgame scoring — score points for housing visitors; visitors require two adjacent empty rooms of matching colors and a preferred floor; game ends when 12 visitors are housed
  • Tile Placement — draft tiles from a shared display and place them on corresponding levels in your lodge
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
  • The theme is strong, the production is fantastic, and the gameplay gives you a lot to think about without feeling overwhelming.
  • If tile and token placement games are already in your wheelhouse, Lodge is absolutely worth a look.
  • Lodge definitely lives in that same space, but it manages to feel different.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video gPbYFfNvYrw Allies or Enemies Discussion at 0:31 sentiment: positive
video_pk 61088 · mention_pk 153543
Allies or Enemies - London video thumbnail
Click to watch at 0:31 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
  • Rules-light but with meaningful depth and a clear late-game crunch.
  • High replayability due to ships, envoys, goal cards, and varied workers.
  • Strong art direction and component quality; thematic flavor shines through.
  • Multiple viable strategies and paths, keeping decisions fresh across plays.
  • Arcana track adds strategic options beyond obvious board spots.
Cons
  • Solo mode is not included in the copy being reviewed.
  • Two-player games feel tighter early on due to fewer spots, with more spots appearing later and escalating congestion.
  • The heavier decision-making depth in later rounds can surprise players who expect a very light feel.
  • As player count increases, interaction and space competition increase and can slow pace.
Thematic elements
  • fantasy city-building with resource management, worker-driven engine building, and race-specific bonuses
  • fantasy world focusing on town-building with races and factions in a shared environment
  • whimsical yet strategic with a focus on engine development and interaction
Comparison games
  • Villagers
  • Streets
  • Moon
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
  • Arcana track — An Arcana track provides bonuses that unlock stronger actions as levels are reached.
  • Building versus board development — Players balance constructing from their hand against building on the main board, with later rounds emphasizing scoring buildings.
  • Card tableau / progression — Players start with a set of cards (A, B, C) that provide resources, powers, or end-game scoring opportunities; these cards interact with ongoing actions and strategies.
  • Envoys and ships — Ships carry envoy cards and bonuses; delivering envoys yields points and resources and can chain into other actions.
  • Race-specific worker interactions — Different workers (ogre, dwarf, elf, goblin, skeleton, etc.) confer bonuses or costs, shaping engine choices and pacing.
  • Resource Management — At the end of each round all workers must be fed; mismanaging food affects scoring and leads to penalties.
  • resource management and feeding — At the end of each round all workers must be fed; mismanaging food affects scoring and leads to penalties.
  • Track Advancement — An Arcana track provides bonuses that unlock stronger actions as levels are reached.
  • Worker Placement — Players place workers on spaces on the board or in other players' towns to gain resources, build cards, or trigger bonuses.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
  • it's a light game
  • there's a real efficiency puzzle in it
  • the rules wise it's quite a light game
  • you balance feeding your workers and filling your Envoy ships
  • the board is very clear
  • it's nice that there are a lot of little touches and little Sebastian ship jokes
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video YI70b2lgUTk Going Analog Discussion at 16:11 sentiment: positive
video_pk 41933 · mention_pk 127174
Going Analog - London video thumbnail
Click to watch at 16:11 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
  • Unique tilting board mechanic that creates tension and interaction
  • Cute, thematic, and visually appealing
  • Deep tactical decisions around guest placement and amenities
Cons
  • Kickstarter-driven path to distribution; may affect availability
Thematic elements
  • Room-by-room lodge construction with guest matching
  • Snowy ski resort / lodge
  • Clever, tactical, cozy
Comparison games
  • Feast for Odin
  • Charter Stone
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
  • Compound Scoring — Scoring emphasizes diagonal arrangements and proximity of rooms to amenities.
  • Drafting / resource management — Draft rooms and amenities; match guests' interests to score.
  • Pattern / diagonal scoring — Scoring emphasizes diagonal arrangements and proximity of rooms to amenities.
  • Tile Placement — Place rooms and amenities; the board tilts and slides as pieces are taken.
  • Tile placement / tilting board — Place rooms and amenities; the board tilts and slides as pieces are taken.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
  • one of my top five games of all time. I think it's brilliant.
  • it's not about consuming the alcohol.
  • it's a love letter to all gamers who love board games basically.
  • central rondelle mechanism where you always feel like you're doing something.
  • this is a really cool little tactical tile laying puzzle that's really fun.
  • distilled it into a two-player only experience. Very streamlined.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video qMa7FQEBh5A BoardGameCo Rules Teach at 0:00 sentiment: positive
video_pk 41405 · mention_pk 209333
BoardGameCo - London video thumbnail
Click to watch at 0:00 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
  • tight two-player puzzle with meaningful drafting and placement choices
  • amenities introduce strategic variety and early game shaping of objectives
  • clear core rules demonstrated in the prototype; potential depth with scoring opportunities
  • thematic integration feels strong through color-room matching and floor-level decisions
Cons
  • component quality and some rules are subject to change in prototype
  • two-player focus may limit early-game interaction in larger player counts
  • complexity may scale up with amenities, potentially increasing setup time
Thematic elements
  • hospitality, guest satisfaction, and strategic tile drafting
  • hotel/lodge management with floor-based room placement
  • abstracted puzzle-like management
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
  • Amenities — amenity tiles provide additional scoring opportunities and influence hotel configuration strategies
  • Drafting — draft guests and rooms from the central display and from a valet/feed, shaping your hotel layout
  • row/column driven shifts with tokens — bell tokens let players wipe or reshuffle rows, altering which tiles are available next
  • scoring by floor and color matching — guests yield points based on being placed on their preferred floor and their room color; bonuses apply for correct floors
  • Tile Placement — place room tiles on a multi-floor display to build up your hotel and align rooms with guest color preferences
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
  • Lodge is going to be a tile placing game where you're trying to optimize your hotel to be as best as possible for different guests.
  • All guests that are placed into your hotel are going to be two victory points for you at the end of the game.
  • The amenities are going to be crucial not only for you to try to get some extra victory points, but at the beginning of the game it might even shape how you choose to build out your hotel.
  • In a two-player game, you actually get two bell tokens, which is a key difference in how you manipulate the board compared to larger player counts.
  • You score for all the guests you've housed, plus their level bonus if they're on the level they want, and then you score the amenities that meet their conditions.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video 7AjibSpYCNE Board Gaming Ramblings Discussion at 6:14 sentiment: positive
video_pk 41250 · mention_pk 125158
Board Gaming Ramblings - London video thumbnail
Click to watch at 6:14 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
  • strong theme and atmosphere
  • solid two-player experience
  • innovative action timing
Cons
  • some players find it cold or fiddly
  • older edition shows wear
Thematic elements
  • economic planning and route optimization
  • historical London, industrial era
  • thematic, city-building feel
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
  • Engine Building — comboing cards to improve future turns
  • engine_building — comboing cards to improve future turns
  • Hand Management — careful management of action cards
  • hand_management — careful management of action cards
  • Set Collection — collect specific card types to score
  • set_collection — collect specific card types to score
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
  • it's really fun to be back we hope you will like this and join these videos as well
  • we're back with keeper girl gonna be more reviews coming soon
  • so yeah my memory that is the end of this video
  • there is a link in the description to a form so you can go into that form and you can tell me what games do you want and we might send them to you
  • there's going to be hopefully every second week keep or call
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video Yra6sTS35N0 The Brothers Murph Playthrough at 0:35 sentiment: positive
video_pk 38812 · mention_pk 150437
The Brothers Murph - London video thumbnail
Click to watch at 0:35 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
  • Engaging spatial puzzle with color and floor-placement decisions
  • Two-player friendly with clear drafting and placement flow
  • Market refresh mechanic adds variability and strategic depth
Cons
  • Prototype art and components mentioned; may change in final production
  • Initial rule clarity could be improved for new players
Thematic elements
  • hospitality and spatial tiling within a lodge building
  • A ski lodge in a mountain resort (Northern California) during winter
  • abstract puzzle-driven
Comparison games
  • Tiny Towns
  • Fit to Print
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
  • Amenities — Place amenity tiles on any floor to gain scoring opportunities based on requirements.
  • End condition and scoring — Game ends when a player places 12 guests; scoring includes guests (2 points each) plus floor bonuses and amenity points.
  • Guest placement — Place guests by having two matching color rooms adjacent and empty; guests score points, with floor-based bonuses if on preferred floor.
  • Row refill and market refresh — If an entire row empties, tiles refill and players may refresh via a refresh token.
  • tile drafting — Take tiles from a central display; placement constrained by the chosen row and floor.
  • Tile Placement — Place tiles on matching floors with adjacency and support requirements.
  • Tile placement and floor rules — Place tiles on matching floors with adjacency and support requirements.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
  • We're playing Lodge.
  • On a turn, you must add either a room or an amenity to your lodge.
  • Tiles must be adjacent to another tile in your lodge, and all tiles on upper floors must be fully supported by tiles below them.
  • Amenities will offer various scoring opportunities as long as you meet the requirements printed on them.
  • The player with the most points wins.
  • This is sponsored by Pickpocket Games, who are sponsoring this playthrough.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video bjQ8L6Hm5D0 Totally Tabled Gift Guide at 15:05 sentiment: positive
video_pk 37227 · mention_pk 111769
Totally Tabled - London video thumbnail
Click to watch at 15:05 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
  • Big party game in a small package
  • Easy to pick up
Cons
  • May be light for seasoned gamers
Thematic elements
  • roll-and-write racing
Comparison games
  • Push
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
  • Flip/Roll and Write — dice determine actions; players write results to advance a horse race.
  • roll-and-write — dice determine actions; players write results to advance a horse race.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
  • Dexterity games are an often forgotten part of the board game hobby, and I think they make the best gifts, especially for families with kids.
  • Clask is fast and frantic and just so much fun.
  • The best dexterity board game of all time, Clask.
  • A toy factor and table presence is essential for a great gift.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video ET1Wlq_iT7I Tantrum House Playthrough at 1:52 sentiment: positive
video_pk 31673 · mention_pk 151070
Tantrum House - London video thumbnail
Click to watch at 1:52 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
  • Cozy theme with appealing art
  • Engaging tile-drafting and placement puzzle
  • Deluxe tactile components rumored in prototype
  • Clear thematic flavor tied to skiing lodge setting
Cons
  • Can be fiddly with many tiles and placements
  • Potential for analysis paralysis among players
Thematic elements
  • cozy guest lodging with spatial planning
  • ski lodge / mountain retreat
  • whimsical, light-hearted, family-friendly
Comparison games
  • Tiny Towns
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
  • board sliding / cascading — When a row is emptied, the display slides down, influencing future tile placements.
  • set collection / goal tiles — Guests and amenities are drafted and placed to fulfill goals for points.
  • spatial adjacency and color matching — Scoring rewards adjacency of rooms and matching guest colors.
  • tile drafting — Players draft tiles from a lodge board to place in their own lodge.
  • Tile Placement — Tiles must be placed on specific floors with support beneath them; levels determine scoring.
  • tile placement and level stacking — Tiles must be placed on specific floors with support beneath them; levels determine scoring.
  • Tile/Map Shifting — When a row is emptied, the display slides down, influencing future tile placements.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
  • Um, basically it is a tile laying game.
  • There are four levels in our lodge.
  • It's handy. It makes your job easier and it adds to the theme.
  • I actually really like the art style of it.
  • The energy is up and the laughs are multiplied.
  • The end of the game is triggered. Continue playing until all players have taken the same number of turns.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video nd6FSC6_y_s Tim Chuon Playthrough at 5:24 sentiment: positive
video_pk 28165 · mention_pk 82422
Tim Chuon - London video thumbnail
Click to watch at 5:24 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
  • Easy to learn for mixed players
  • Promotes social interaction and fun
  • Engaging theme with thematic cohesion
Cons
  • No major gameplay drawbacks discussed; delays came from the shoot logistics rather than gameplay
Thematic elements
  • hotel/lodge building and hospitality
  • Cabin/lake lodge filming set at Lake Arrowhead
  • behind-the-scenes, collaborative playthrough
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
  • Bellhop/elevator placement — The bellhop marker on the elevator track guides room placement and expansion.
  • Build a room on any level (1-4) — You can place a room on any level from 1 to 4, starting from level 1.
  • First player token — The blue token determines who goes first.
  • Objective to grow the lodge — Players compete to build the best lodge by expanding rooms and layout.
  • Take one room — On your turn you may take one room tile.
  • Worker Placement — The bellhop marker on the elevator track guides room placement and expansion.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
  • If you made it to the very very end, go and comment cozy because that was the exact vibe we were going for today.
  • It's about the journey, right?
  • Everyone loved the game. Everyone had so much fun.
  • I would love to have a BTS person going forward.
  • Valerie caught on like that.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video _AYUpqxbTew The Cardboard Herald Review at 0:00 sentiment: positive
video_pk 27727 · mention_pk 151033
The Cardboard Herald - London video thumbnail
Click to watch at 0:00 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
  • Clear teaching curve and accessible start
  • Unique sliding display adds tactile, thematic novelty
  • Cozy theme with charming aesthetics and flavor
  • Encourages spatial planning and strategic thinking without heavy direct interaction
  • Distinct from other cozy puzzle games in its mechanism mix
Cons
  • Not revolutionary; sits in a crowded cozy puzzle niche
  • Limited player interaction may not appeal to all groups
  • Niche appeal; may blend with similar titles for some players
Thematic elements
  • Cozy hospitality and whimsical lodging ambiance
  • Indoor ski lodge setting with multiple floors and themed guest rooms
  • lighthearted, warm, and humorous
Comparison games
  • Tiny Towns
  • Fit to Print
  • Harmony's Cascadia
  • Azul
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
  • Floor-aware placement — Rooms can only be added from the floor indicated by the current display, requiring planning to reach desired floors.
  • Guest requirements and scoring — Guests require specific room colors on particular floors; meeting these yields bonus points.
  • Limited interference — A token can be used to remove a room the opponent needs, offering some strategic disruption without heavy player interaction.
  • Room placement and adjacency — Players add color-coded rooms that must connect to existing rooms and maintain overall connectedness.
  • Row clearing and refill — When a row is cleared, rooms slide down and refill automatically; a one-time token can clear a row instantly.
  • Sliding display mechanic — A dynamic display of rooms and guests slides between turns, creating shifting layout possibilities.
  • Tile Placement — Rooms can only be added from the floor indicated by the current display, requiring planning to reach desired floors.
  • Tile/Map Shifting — A dynamic display of rooms and guests slides between turns, creating shifting layout possibilities.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
  • The sliding display is a fun little tactile goodie to play with.
  • Lodge offers something different than all of those.
  • It's not revolutionary. It is not so genre-defining that you have to get it for that reason, but it is fun.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video otjEL8YtlwM Foster the Meeple Top List at 17:06 sentiment: positive
video_pk 10149 · mention_pk 29878
Foster the Meeple - London video thumbnail
Click to watch at 17:06 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
  • Strong link to Lover/England themes
  • Accessible for a broad audience
Cons
none
Thematic elements
  • romance and travel in England
  • London / English culture
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
  • trading / set collection — players collect cards to score points themed around London
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
  • Ticket to Ride is also many people's debut into board games
  • you got to go fast
  • you got to be swift
  • Fearless is the Trailblazer album for Taylor
  • Familiar Tales for me is giving me Speak Now vibes
  • Bark Avenue because when you say speak a dog Burks
  • the gates of Loyang … the box is red
  • it's the era of Taylor Swift where she started to not really care and started to make fun of herself
  • London boy
  • Phantom Ink right because I don't know not only like the name of the game but the vibe
  • the longest board game name I can think of
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video r2Zbox6Hbkk Adam in Wales - Board Game Design Top List at 15:52 sentiment: positive
video_pk 10006 · mention_pk 29499
Adam in Wales - Board Game Design - London video thumbnail
Click to watch at 15:52 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
  • Heavier, strategic euro with clear drive
  • Beautiful production and updated mechanics
  • Strong thematic resonance
Cons
  • Brutal poverty mechanic may not appeal to all
  • Setup and play-time can be lengthy
Thematic elements
  • city-building, poverty management
  • London, England
  • euro-style with thematic constraints
Comparison games
  • Agricola
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
  • City-building with poverty tracking — Develop districts, manage poverty, and balance resources.
  • Deck drawing and activation — Draw city cards and activate effects; some cards flip facedown.
  • round-based play with end scoring — End scoring based on city tiles, tokens, and poverty management.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
  • this is one of those very simple little games where I played it and I thought I wish I'd thought of that
  • Accessible everybody can understand it
  • it's the best real-time cooperative game that I've played
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video P3wzYN2P2k0 Board Stupid Top List at 7:55 sentiment: positive
video_pk 8648 · mention_pk 127185
Board Stupid - London video thumbnail
Click to watch at 7:55 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
  • Fun and silly social interaction
  • Accessible betting theme
  • Re-playable and engaging
Cons
  • Luck-based elements can dominate early turns
Thematic elements
  • betting, racing
  • Horse racing with betting mechanics
  • silly, social and accessible
Comparison games
  • Long Shot
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
  • Betting and Bluffing — players bet on horses and sponsor horses for bonuses.
  • Betting mechanics — players bet on horses and sponsor horses for bonuses.
  • dice-driven movement — roll dice to move horses along a track.
  • Variable Powers — special powers that bolster horse movement or outcomes.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
  • it's a very fun game for £29.50
  • there's a lot in that box
  • a cool little combo element if you like to be a little bit more board gamey
  • it's a cooperative card game that you can play with people that are not board gamers that will get it immediately, but you're having a lot of fun
  • you can just keep playing it until you get bored
  • Just One is the ultimate Christmas party family. It is incredibly enjoyable with the simplest rule set that you can explain in 30 seconds
References (from this video)
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Video N2PGh4FA8qU Actualol Discussion at 0:37 sentiment: mixed
video_pk 6767 · mention_pk 20056
Actualol - London video thumbnail
Click to watch at 0:37 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
mixed
Pros
  • introduced the social/social aspect of gaming as a central driver
  • appealed as an early example of a modern, social-weighted game
Cons
  • John indicates he didn't personally enjoy the game much and no longer owns it
  • its appeal is framed more by what it catalyzed (social play) than the game's own mechanics
Thematic elements
  • urban development and social interaction
  • London, England, during the early industrial era
  • historical city-building with social dynamics
Comparison games
  • Ticket to Ride Europe
  • Pandemic
  • Game of Thrones
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
  • area/engine-like development — building out districts and networks to gain points and influence
  • Card Drafting — players draft action or district-development cards to influence their position in the city
  • Hand Management — managing a hand of cards to optimize actions and scoring opportunities
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
  • this was such a great entry immediate so easy to pick up and enjoy and it had all the core aspects of modern gaming that i love
  • kickstarter has changed quite a lot
  • the channel takes up all of my time and i worry about releasing quality content for my audience
  • libitalia is the only game that i've played and i know that i love and i don't have that
  • i'm ruthless i tend to get rid of them as soon as i don't want them anymore
  • the big lebowski is a favorite of mine
References (from this video)
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Video c7HnenJNH40 Drive Thru Games Review sentiment: positive
video_pk 5064 · mention_pk 15060
Drive Thru Games - London video thumbnail
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
  • Interesting card management
  • Thematic city-building mechanics
  • Balanced complexity
  • Engaging economic system
Cons
  • Out of print
  • Potentially complex for new players
  • Poverty management can be challenging
Thematic elements
  • City Rebuilding
  • London after the Great Fire of 1666
  • Economic City Development
Comparison games
  • San Juan
  • Race for the Galaxy
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
  • Area Control — Players build boroughs on the game board
  • Card Play — Players use cards to build and activate city elements
  • Poverty Management — Players must manage poverty levels through city development
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
  • You're really like rebuilding London, you're rebuilding this vast city
  • You can kind of risk it, you can kind of go poverty heavy early
References (from this video)
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