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Game Info
Year
2020
Players
2
Age
14+
Playtime
120 min
Collection
Your Tier
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Description
Polis is a two-player civ-lite game set in the beginning of the conflict between the two major poleis of the 5th century B.C: Athens and the Delian League against Sparta and the Peloponnesian League. The winner will be the Empire with more population and prestige at the end of the game.
Both players must secure their supplies and the routes to five markets to trade with them. Every turn you get goods from a territory where you have population supporting your Empire, but you should feed them.
You can fight to control the territories and siege other polis or you might use your diplomacy to convince a polis to join your league. But polis are proud of their independence so you will have to create some projects to gain prestige needed for your military manoeuvres.
This new edition of Polis has updated revised rules and new art that will enhance your game experience.
—description from the publisher
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All mentions
Browse transcript mentions, sentiments, pros/cons, mechanics, topics, quotes, and references.
Total mentions: 13
This page: 13
Sentiment:
pos 7 ·
mix 4 ·
neu 0 ·
neg 0
Showing 1–13 of 13
Video rR-zGlhG3PU
Game Night Picks - Pair Of Dice Paradise Analysis at 1:59 sentiment: other
video_pk 92282 · mention_pk 247883
Click to watch at 1:59 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
null
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)
- From a designer standpoint it didn't disappoint
- I'm not talking about the gameplay I mean who cares about that
- See when I first heard that the publisher was going to change the game's title for the American version I was discouraged
- A unique name gives a game instant mindshare
- At least the new name mysterium continues the brilliant trend of unnecessarily cramming the letter Y into a possibly made up word
- That's how you grab people's attention in today's marketplace
- The market has inevitably become flooded by a sea of game supporting superfluous letters in their titles
- My design theory that anything worth doing it's worth overdoing
- If you want your game to stand out in the marketplace forget innovative mechanisms original gameplay or quality components what you need is an indecipherable name that consumers won't be able to correctly type into a search engine
- Need proof just check out the upcoming wisely named suburbia expansion 5-star
- Try typing that into a search engine that'll wake you up
- It's a brilliant strategy that I'll be employing in the title of my next game
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video qloYht5MuMk
Getting Games Discussion at 39:10 sentiment: positive
video_pk 91899 · mention_pk 246677
Click to watch at 39:10 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- innovative auction mechanic with hidden information
- large, visually impactful cards and table presence
Cons
- English edition not yet published at time of recording; access depends on publisher
- complex enough that downtime and learning curve may affect some groups
Thematic elements
- civilization development via color-coded mechanics
- civilization-building with tableau
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Color-Coded Resource Management — cards of different colors drive actions and bonuses; colors correlate with types of development
- face-down card auction — players auction off face-down cards (with visible back color only) to be built immediately
- Hand management and drafting — draw cards on turns, then bid/choose among face-down options to develop your civilization
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- I love it
- the fact that the game has you making a long-term strategy and really thinking lots of turns ahead but forcing you to reconsider your plans at every step of the way
- I was not expecting to like this game at all what happened is that I not only liked it but I loved this game
- this is dominating all of my desires to play games over this last month
- it's a very light style game
- this is absolutely a puzzle style experience
- the randomness of input adds freshness
- the beating heart of this game is the bag
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video _SAKviYjafo
Getting Games Discussion at 11:47 sentiment: positive
video_pk 91886 · mention_pk 246647
Click to watch at 11:47 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- tension in a light-to-medium euro with influence mechanics
Cons
none
Thematic elements
- influence tokens, city/politics style
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- influence token placement — players place influence tokens on spots; after all are placed, zones are evaluated by influence density
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- it's a sleuthing and cooperative game where everybody tries to figure out what actually happened and you can use the internet and Wikipedia
- Isle of Skye it's one of my favorite games ever well my favorite game so far definitely a top-10 game at this point
- the full released copy of Teotihuacan
- I'm writing these large documents with just all of these different thoughts that I have for ways that these games can be tweaked
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video SJTJ0n36bXU
kovray Review at 20:19 sentiment: positive
video_pk 89526 · mention_pk 237967
Click to watch at 20:19 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- theme-rich and strategically dense
- layered combat and resource planning
Cons
- complexity can be a barrier for casual players
- rules and flavor may require careful setup
Thematic elements
- resource and population management via wheat
- Athens vs Sparta in an ancient war context
- competitive yet strategic conflict with drafting elements
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- action-based turns with two actions per turn — Players alternate taking two actions, then pass and score.
- Resource Management — Managing a scarce resource to feed populations and expand influence.
- Resource management (wheat) — Managing a scarce resource to feed populations and expand influence.
- territory/polis control and development — Conquer and develop polis to gain prestige and population bonuses.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- This is a very interesting game I really appreciated the way that the card pairing works I think it's really cool
- Production in this game is super cool there's some surprises in the box
- it's unlike any board game I've played
- the more you put into this game the more you get out of it
- the battle system is so much fun and very smooth
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video 8nfYyNizuzw
kovray Top 10 List at 37:11 sentiment: positive
video_pk 89512 · mention_pk 237905
Click to watch at 37:11 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- tight resource management
- deep strategic decisions with strong interaction
- dynamic swings and head-to-head tension
Cons
none
Thematic elements
Comparison games
- Auckland
- Watergate
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
Mechanics unknown.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- the art knit is absolutely phenomenal
- it's a very exciting game
- the edge of the seat factor really elevates this game
- it's a tug and pull in an internal tug and pull
- production, the theme, the art, the rules are easy to teach
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video 9hgw4bgyg6s
Zilla Blitz Other at 26:01:40
video_pk 81619 · mention_pk 203564
Click to watch at 26:01:40 · 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)
- There's a lot of designers and company representatives that are there, like GMT Games is there, uh Uwe from Sound of Drums was there coming in from Europe.
- So, if you're looking at a chance to play up-and-coming games with some of the designers that are designing on them, it's quite an experience.
- You really get some insight into the design process, into how historical board games are created as you're playing them and giving feedback to the designers.
- In this game, you take on the role of companies that are trying to win military contracts uh from the US
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video XKl5mMhvlCs
Zilla Blitz Review at 0:02 sentiment: positive
video_pk 81249 · mention_pk 200710
Click to watch at 0:02 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- Impressive card artwork.
- Massive scope and component count.
- Quickly accelerates into action.
- Strategic depth.
- Unique nations with special abilities.
- Interesting mechanics like market manipulation and political influence.
Cons
- Complexity due to symbols and card interactions requires time to understand.
- Initial learning curve for symbols and complex card abilities.
Thematic elements
- Economic, political, and military global domination.
- A fictional universe on a fictional geography.
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- action selection — Players take two actions per turn from a list of 12 possible actions, with the ability to repeat actions.
- Area Control — Players control regions on a geographical map by controlling two or more states within a region and having more control than other nations.
- Area Majority — Control of political seats in the global council is determined by having more influence than other nations in those seats.
- Card Drafting — Players draft nation cards at the start and draw/play core gameplay cards throughout the game.
- influence — Influence is used to represent military strength on the map and political clout, gained through various means including propaganda.
- Market manipulation — The price board allows players to manipulate the cost of various goods and actions to their advantage.
- Resource Management — Players manage resources like money, carbon, and food, tracked on a player board.
- Set Collection — Players gain control of industries by collecting market share tokens, with control of four or more industries required for a corporate power grab.
- Tableau Building — Players build up their nation's capacity by playing cards to their tableau, adding companies and assets.
- Variable player powers — Each of the 12 unique nations has unique abilities, strengths, and starting resources.
- Worker Placement — Leaders (military, political, industrial) are used to perform actions like military clashes or to gain specific benefits.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- Politic, might have the most impressive set of cards I've ever seen in a tabletop board game.
- This is a game that was 15 years in the making and it is a true labor of love.
- The artwork on these...they to me just feel like really spectacular works of art.
- I would give this game a five out of 10 on the wargame complexity scale for this game.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video M7YDqjfE3jw
Zilla Blitz Playthrough at 0:04 sentiment: positive
video_pk 80922 · mention_pk 198651
Click to watch at 0:04 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- Astounding amount of variety and breadth of gameplay.
- Deep strategy with a rich decision matrix.
- Enjoyable experience building unique countries.
- Accessible and accelerates quickly, not overly long.
- High replayability due to a large number of unique cards.
- Card language, once learned, applies to many cards, solving problems efficiently.
- Game ramps up and accelerates, not overstaying its welcome.
Cons
- Took a while to interpret the language of the cards and their unique abilities.
- Easy to miss a step in multi-step actions or misinterpret abilities.
- Would benefit from more detailed examples of play and explanations in the rules/rulebook.
Thematic elements
- global economic, political, and military domination
Comparison games
- global chess
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- action selection — Players have two actions per turn from a pool of available actions, including national and company actions.
- Area Control — Players gain influence and control over states and regions on the map.
- Card Play — Players play cards for their abilities, special traits, or as conflict currency in clashes.
- Combat/Conflict — Clashes occur, where players compare card values and military strength to gain territory or influence.
- Company Management — Players start companies, track their margin, and gain market shares within industries.
- Market manipulation — Players can influence market prices and gain market shares in various industries.
- Political Ideologies — Players align with or blend ideologies like capitalism, communism, statism, and fascism, influencing gameplay and support.
- Resource Management — Players manage resources like money, carbon, and food.
- Set Collection — Players aim to collect four market shares in industries for a 'power grab'.
- Tiebreakers — Various tiebreakers like corruption, negotiation, and active nation determine advantages like 'final say'.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- This is very much like global chess in a military, political, and economic way.
- There's a certain complexity to learning the game. There's also a certain complexity to playing the game well. There's a lot of depth and a lot of different subtleties to strategies that you can take.
- So, the the replayability aspect and that depth of the replay that replayability is there, but also the depth of the strategy.
- this isn't a game that doesn't overstay its welcome.
- I would love to have seen in the existing rule set more examples of play, more examples of particular abilities and how to read those.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video MB3LSfc_Vt0
The Dice Tower Analysis at 11:12 sentiment: positive
video_pk 80378 · mention_pk 195562
Click to watch at 11:12 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
Positive
Pros
- Appealing to families and friends for frequent play.
- Quick setup and gameplay.
- Interesting mechanics.
Cons
- Concerns about long-term variety and replayability.
Thematic elements
- Elections
- United States Politics
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Set Collection — Implied by collecting cards that give abilities or scoring.
- Worker Placement — Players place a worker or recall workers.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- Elect yourself president from Parker Brothers.
- It's all it takes to buy your presidency.
- Flip It Jackpot endorsed by television personality Flip Wilson.
- Nightrider.
- Chips.
- The Bionic Woman.
- $6 Million Man.
- Thunderbirds.
- Pre Matt Lecock.
- Get smart.
- I love this.
- I love this book.
- This is my favorite one that I've ever pulled off the shelf.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video CRHtdL61Y_A
UndeadVikingVideos Discussion at 29:54:38 sentiment: mixed
video_pk 80184 · mention_pk 194719
Click to watch at 29:54:38 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
mixed
Pros
- Described as a 'really really good game'.
Cons
- Considered 'way too heavy' by some.
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 have tons of like RPG books that I'm like, why did I buy this?
- we end up in situations where there's diamonds in the rough.
- I found the complete book of necromancers. I forgot that I ever owned that.
- if you try to auction that now, um, you can get a few hundred for it, which is ridiculous.
- I'm actually excited to have like Aldi on cuz I want to talk cuz he's one of those guys that, you know, obviously he runs conventions.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video fqL9VoBJDpw
Review at 0:21 sentiment: mixed
video_pk 66819 · mention_pk 162621
Click to watch at 0:21 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
mixed
Pros
- Simple to learn and play
- Inexpensive
- Portable
- Has a unique move where opponent's piece is trapped and moved
Cons
- Derivative of Pente
- Thin, unsightly pieces with a large 'C' on them
- Cloth board is disliked
- Lacks the depth and tension of games like Chess or Pente
- Doesn't feel unique
Thematic elements
Comparison games
- Pente
- Checkers
- Chess
- Othello
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Five in a row — The objective of the game is to get five of your pieces in a row to win.
- Piece trapping/flipping — A special move involves trapping two opponent's pieces between two of your own, flipping one, and forcing the opponent to move it instead of placing a new piece.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- Smarter than checkers, more fun than chess. A rip-off of Pente.
- It's okay. It's okay, right? It's very okay
- Chess has trauma. This doesn't really have drama, unfortunately.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video Z_TO-P5uHxw
The Dice Tower Analysis at 0:37 sentiment: mixed
video_pk 33532 · mention_pk 207894
Click to watch at 0:37 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
mixed
Pros
- Freeform racing concept; interesting idea
Cons
none
Thematic elements
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Race — Players move a vehicle along a track; the path determines eventual motion.
- racing — Players move a vehicle along a track; the path determines eventual motion.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- Cash and Guns is such an excellent game.
- I think it's the last game they made and it just wasn't very good.
- Beasty Bar Down Under... five out of 10.
- Aridia. One of my favorite, probably my favorite adventure dungeon crawl style game. A 10 out of 10.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video W7Crxtf79sg
Chairman of the Board Top List at 0:00 sentiment: mixed
video_pk 9605 · mention_pk 84301
Click to watch at 0:00 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
mixed
Pros
- Simple, accessible card-driven play
- Clear strip-back design with elegant minimalism
- Fast play and easy to teach
Cons
- Limited depth and fewer juicy combos
- Transparent decision space reduces replay value
- Not much incentive to revisit after first play
Thematic elements
- temple conquest, resource management, exploration
- Temple-island exploration; ships travel along rivers to temples
- strip-back, card-driven actions with immediate feedback
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Card-driven actions — Players play cards to perform actions; value is determined by card overlays.
- movement along rivers/streams — Ship tokens move along rivers to reach temples and enhance actions.
- overlay/overlap cards — Overlapping cards changes the sum of values and determines available actions.
- Resource Management — Gather gems of different colors; wind tokens modify card values.
- resource management (gems, wind tokens) — Gather gems of different colors; wind tokens modify card values.
- temple progression / end condition — First to reach temples or build temple presence for points.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- It's a very light Euro game that's card driven.
- I love the strip back nature of the game where all you do is you play a card and you take that action.
- I don't think Aolos quite cut it.
- for what I want now in a Euro, I want it to be a little bit more interesting and just a bit more going on.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
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