Game Info
Year
2018
Players
3-5
Age
14+
Playtime
2 min
Collection
Your Tier
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Mechanic profile
Percentile rank vs. all games
Vibe profile
How this game feels to play
Description
The great and forgotten Kami have returned from the underworld, displeased with the affairs of the Empire’s present Shōgun. At the start of spring in the Great New Year, the Kami have gathered their sacred clans with one quest: reclaim the lands of Nippon and return them to their honorable, spiritual traditions. However, each clan is bound by their own proud traditions to a unique vision for this great return and must wage a powerful diplomatic war across eight provinces. Alliances must be forged, betrayal is inevitable, honorable standing rises and falls. Political mandates must be navigated and devastating war must be fought, each won by expert skill and cunning negotiation. And only one may stand victorious at the coming of winter. You, honorable Shōgun, lead one of these great clans. Do you have the strength of honor, virtue, and spirit, as well as the mastery of steel necessary to deliver on this ancient promise?
Rising Sun is a board game for 3 to 5 players set in legendary feudal Japan. Each player chooses a Clan and competes to lead theirs to victory by accumulating Victory Points over the course of the Seasons. Each Clan possesses a unique ability and differs in Seasonal Income, Starting Honor Rank, and Home Province.
Over the course of the game, players will forge and break alliances, choose political actions, worship the gods, customize their clans, and position their figures around Japan. In the process, Honor is a palpable element in Rising Sun: Having high Honor gives several advantages, while having low Honor may grant the allegiance of the darker elements of the world. But above all, Honor settles all disputes: Whenever there is a tie, the tied player with the highest Honor wins.
In Rising Sun, players are encouraged to use diplomacy, negotiation, and even bribery to further their cause. Players can make deals at any point in the game but no deals are truly binding.
Victory Points can be gained in several ways, from winning battles, to harvesting the right provinces, to playing to the Virtues accumulated by your Clan.
The game is played over the course of 4 rounds or Seasons: Spring, Summer, and then Autumn; when Winter comes, the game draws to a close and players calculate bonuses to decide who is the winner.
Each Season is divided into five phases:
1) Seasonal Setup because every Season has a certain Season deck with different cards,
2) Tea Ceremony in which players sit down and negotiate their Alliances for the Season,
3) Political Phase during which players will select Political Mandates to prepare their Clans and position their forces,
4) War Phase, during which players battle over several Provinces, and
5) Seasonal Cleanup.
As already mentioned, the start of the Winter Season signifies the end of the game. Peace falls over the land as it gets covered in white snow, and a new Emperor will rise under the power of the great Kami.
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All mentions
Browse transcript mentions, sentiments, pros/cons, mechanics, topics, quotes, and references.
Total mentions: 64
This page: 50
Sentiment:
pos 31 ·
mix 6 ·
neu 6 ·
neg 3
Showing 1–50 of 64
Video NNaZUvVQahI
The Discriminating Gamer Top List at 4:54 sentiment: positive
video_pk 100017 · mention_pk 278095
Click to watch at 4:54 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- Epic game
- Fun gameplay
- Beautiful map
- Great minis
- Excellent production
- Filled with surprises
- Wonderful Japanese theme
Cons
- No longer in collection due to moving
Thematic elements
- Japanese theme, forming alliances and taking out opponents
Comparison games
- Blood Rage
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Alliance building — Players form alliances between factions.
- Area Control/Combat — Players move to take each other out across the board.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- You know, whenever I think of the '80s, I think of a boombox. But that's just a stereotype.
- My number three is a war game that is very unusual. And again, this is one that I really liked and I don't think I appreciated it as much when I had it cuz again, when I left Japan, I think I ended up giving this to a friend and uh it's one I'm thinking, "Huh, like ah."
- I've never played a Command and Color Colors game I didn't like. I've liked some more than others, and this one was great.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video Z7laxJni19w
Rolling Dice & Taking Names News at 27:12 sentiment: positive
video_pk 95196 · mention_pk 261272
Click to watch at 27:12 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- Great game
Cons
- Missed playing it
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)
- 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 TJrnLVJrpc8
Watch It Played Analysis at 7:54 sentiment: positive
video_pk 92098 · mention_pk 247282
Click to watch at 7:54 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- Successfully funded on Kickstarter, exceeding expectations.
- Considered a spiritual successor to the popular game Blood Rage.
Cons
- Does not have a two-player mode.
Thematic elements
Comparison games
- Blood Rage
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Area Control — The game involves controlling territories, and it's mentioned as a spiritual successor to Blood Rage.
- Kickstarter — The game's Kickstarter campaign launched and was quickly funded, exceeding its goal significantly.
- Negotiation — Negotiation is implied as a key element, making a two-player mode difficult.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- it's not that I wouldn't play more stuff you know if something's really cool and interesting sure why not but my laptop on camera by the way the uh uh probably that blocks it a little bit it's a little bit but it's fine it's fine you guys don't mind
- if if she ever ends up over this way on the East Coast love to have her on for sure
- I just don't I would say right now I don't have anything like planned specifically
- I've been a little self-conscious about the space that I shoot in and having guests
- Oh yes because I feel like the the illusion would be shattered for them
- well Landon um thanks for the question I I guess I started initially just because I I I enjoyed watching other people who created YouTube videos especially around board games and I wanted to do something like that but I wanted to do something different than what was being done already
- and this is again as I've said famously before this was before tabletop so everyone thinks a tabletop right but this was before that even existed
- I have not played I didn't know you had the copy but I oh no I did I remember seeing it but I have not either
- I do have a publisher at one point want to come actually to they were going to fly down to the watching PL Studios to actually teach us a game so that we could feature it on the channel
- I felt like that wasn't going to be good because yeah you could teach it to me but unless you're willing to fly to everyone who buys a copy of this game I'm having a I have a really weird unfair advantage
- My Hope Is that with the videos it is yeah it's a compliment to the rule book so that you can watch this and go I wasn't getting it the rule book I see it now I get it
- Pete good friend Pete good friend of the show as well I self serving question self-serving I'm sure that seon's curious though about that too
- I I think on the strength of blood rage which was a real hit for them knowing this is coming from the same designer and seon is kind of pushing it and promoting it as a spiritual successor to blood rage I think it has the potential for sure
- well I recently updated my inventory and I believe on B you can H to your collection right
- you know what I mean like if kep takes on more of the editing stuff and and I can continue to do some of the shooting but also doing his own shooting as well
- well you answer I've been talking a lot oh no I do answer but I'll let you go
- normally I try to run a fairly serious game and I said you know what let's try to be a little more silly and not be quite as serious it ended up being very serious as the game went on anyway
- This is where my favorite experience was okay so normally they were going through things one at a time they went through two different of the scenarios one at a time yeah and then they said okay what we need to do now is we need to scout ahead
- so the two of them pop into this location one of them's literally blind the other one like suddenly lost half of their powers and they have no way to contact the rest of the party great Scouts
- we did it over Skype and I had a marvelous time I had such a good time it was really fun it made me go oh this is role playing so great
- I actually contracted somebody to create an art print of that game that we played together featuring us as our characters in like this sort of action set piece
- well listen if you had any questions about anything you saw there feel free to put them in the comments below and I'll gladly answer them as soon as I get a chance
- yeah we really are going to get very polished with these things as they go on I someday someday we can make jokes about you know how rough some things are
- I find that with Cooperative games you you tend to get at least one or two players kind of as the game dies down just have less interest or or less invested in it
- This is what they call I think roll and right games
- if you're looking to start and you don't know exactly who all your players are going to be you're going to invite people over for the first time my biggest tip is to is to pick games that are going to be light friendly kind of games
- The quickest thing to kill the group is to have everyone show up drop Scythe on the table or Twilight Imperium or Twilight Imperium or something like that and then everyone's like I think video games are much more peeling
- I I do wake up feeling like I have a knife in my back almost every day even when we're not playing games
- I have a very difficult time playing Dark playing Sinister because I I do kind of like I I I want to be the hero of the story
- and so I try to I someone damel in distress I try to go save it someone needs the the rats cleared out their Cellar I'll go do it you know like I just it feels like that's who I want to be ultimately in the game and I suppose ultimately in life
- I don't think it's an acceptable risk you know and so I I I don't play either good or evil
- well listen guys uh thanks again for joining us for another live show this has been a lot of fun it's been crazy
- I'd love to do a convention here at some point like a small convention
- beaches um just the scenery is just lovely
- so the box of Neapolitan ice cream had specifically like a column of of chocolate um vanilla and strawberry and Christ's like what do you want and you were like I I like give me the strawberry and I'm like I like the chocolate
- well yeah yeah no that happened there's more to this exciting thrilling story yeah there was just time on the live show telling a story about scooping ice cream I'm so sorry everybody
- you know I I I see for the foreseeable future anyway like I think as long as Luke's in school um then we'll definitely stay here
- oh I I I see these games I get excited about them and then I go okay what do I have to work on this week
- I was actually hoping you would say it
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video TJrnLVJrpc8
Watch It Played Analysis at 38:20 sentiment: positive
video_pk 92098 · mention_pk 247306
Click to watch at 38:20 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- Has potential to be a big Kickstarter.
- Is a spiritual successor to Blood Rage.
- Is coming from the same designer as Blood Rage.
- CMON is pushing and promoting it.
Cons
none
Thematic elements
Comparison games
- Blood Rage
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
Mechanics unknown.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- it's not that I wouldn't play more stuff you know if something's really cool and interesting sure why not but my laptop on camera by the way the uh uh probably that blocks it a little bit it's a little bit but it's fine it's fine you guys don't mind
- if if she ever ends up over this way on the East Coast love to have her on for sure
- I just don't I would say right now I don't have anything like planned specifically
- I've been a little self-conscious about the space that I shoot in and having guests
- Oh yes because I feel like the the illusion would be shattered for them
- well Landon um thanks for the question I I guess I started initially just because I I I enjoyed watching other people who created YouTube videos especially around board games and I wanted to do something like that but I wanted to do something different than what was being done already
- and this is again as I've said famously before this was before tabletop so everyone thinks a tabletop right but this was before that even existed
- I have not played I didn't know you had the copy but I oh no I did I remember seeing it but I have not either
- I do have a publisher at one point want to come actually to they were going to fly down to the watching PL Studios to actually teach us a game so that we could feature it on the channel
- I felt like that wasn't going to be good because yeah you could teach it to me but unless you're willing to fly to everyone who buys a copy of this game I'm having a I have a really weird unfair advantage
- My Hope Is that with the videos it is yeah it's a compliment to the rule book so that you can watch this and go I wasn't getting it the rule book I see it now I get it
- Pete good friend Pete good friend of the show as well I self serving question self-serving I'm sure that seon's curious though about that too
- I I think on the strength of blood rage which was a real hit for them knowing this is coming from the same designer and seon is kind of pushing it and promoting it as a spiritual successor to blood rage I think it has the potential for sure
- well I recently updated my inventory and I believe on B you can H to your collection right
- you know what I mean like if kep takes on more of the editing stuff and and I can continue to do some of the shooting but also doing his own shooting as well
- well you answer I've been talking a lot oh no I do answer but I'll let you go
- normally I try to run a fairly serious game and I said you know what let's try to be a little more silly and not be quite as serious it ended up being very serious as the game went on anyway
- This is where my favorite experience was okay so normally they were going through things one at a time they went through two different of the scenarios one at a time yeah and then they said okay what we need to do now is we need to scout ahead
- so the two of them pop into this location one of them's literally blind the other one like suddenly lost half of their powers and they have no way to contact the rest of the party great Scouts
- we did it over Skype and I had a marvelous time I had such a good time it was really fun it made me go oh this is role playing so great
- I actually contracted somebody to create an art print of that game that we played together featuring us as our characters in like this sort of action set piece
- well listen if you had any questions about anything you saw there feel free to put them in the comments below and I'll gladly answer them as soon as I get a chance
- yeah we really are going to get very polished with these things as they go on I someday someday we can make jokes about you know how rough some things are
- I find that with Cooperative games you you tend to get at least one or two players kind of as the game dies down just have less interest or or less invested in it
- This is what they call I think roll and right games
- if you're looking to start and you don't know exactly who all your players are going to be you're going to invite people over for the first time my biggest tip is to is to pick games that are going to be light friendly kind of games
- The quickest thing to kill the group is to have everyone show up drop Scythe on the table or Twilight Imperium or Twilight Imperium or something like that and then everyone's like I think video games are much more peeling
- I I do wake up feeling like I have a knife in my back almost every day even when we're not playing games
- I have a very difficult time playing Dark playing Sinister because I I do kind of like I I I want to be the hero of the story
- and so I try to I someone damel in distress I try to go save it someone needs the the rats cleared out their Cellar I'll go do it you know like I just it feels like that's who I want to be ultimately in the game and I suppose ultimately in life
- I don't think it's an acceptable risk you know and so I I I don't play either good or evil
- well listen guys uh thanks again for joining us for another live show this has been a lot of fun it's been crazy
- I'd love to do a convention here at some point like a small convention
- beaches um just the scenery is just lovely
- so the box of Neapolitan ice cream had specifically like a column of of chocolate um vanilla and strawberry and Christ's like what do you want and you were like I I like give me the strawberry and I'm like I like the chocolate
- well yeah yeah no that happened there's more to this exciting thrilling story yeah there was just time on the live show telling a story about scooping ice cream I'm so sorry everybody
- you know I I I see for the foreseeable future anyway like I think as long as Luke's in school um then we'll definitely stay here
- oh I I I see these games I get excited about them and then I go okay what do I have to work on this week
- I was actually hoping you would say it
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video j6ANvz9Teo8
Getting Games Discussion at 27:31 sentiment: neutral
video_pk 91995 · mention_pk 246960
Click to watch at 27:31 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
neutral
Pros
none
Cons
none
Thematic elements
Comparison games
- Battle for Rokugan
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
Mechanics unknown.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- I read rules once and then I read the rules again to catch all the mistakes I made.
- I breathe rules constantly like I probably get 5 to 10 emails a week of people asking me to cover their games on YouTube.
- Corkle is a brilliant two-player game and it's really really good in the iOS adaptation.
- I’m my own boss now … the success of this drive is going to help dictate how many conventions I go to.
- I design a game called Mutation, a dice rolling and stacking game.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video Tc7KknN10_Q
JestaThaRogue Discussion at 0:17 sentiment: positive
video_pk 91720 · mention_pk 246126
Click to watch at 0:17 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- great components and fantastic minis
- strong thematic flavor and setting
- engaging alliance dynamics
Cons
- slightly more complex than Blood Rage
- hidden information regarding mandates can hinder teaching
- board is large and can feel overwhelming at the start
Thematic elements
- honor, negotiation, and alliances with political manipulation
- feudal Japan-inspired setting with clan politics
- mythic, intrigue-filled, alliance-driven warfare
Comparison games
- Blood Rage
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Area Control — control regions across a map to gain points and influence.
- Combat — combat interactions to win battles and advance toward victory.
- deck management / season cards — season cards introduce varied strategies and possibilities.
- Negotiation — players form strategic alliances with others to gain advantage.
- negotiation / alliances — players form strategic alliances with others to gain advantage.
- Set Collection — players acquire upgrades and monsters to expand capabilities.
- set collection / development — players acquire upgrades and monsters to expand capabilities.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- the minis are fantastic
- The Alliance rule is really great - is what made me back the game a Kickstarter
- Rising Sun is based on honor negotiation and alliances
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video bhdLprueM1o
Shelfside Playthrough at 1:57 sentiment: positive
video_pk 90493 · mention_pk 241830
Click to watch at 1:57 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- deep diplomacy and negotiation opportunities
- strong thematic flair and artwork
- high replayability due to shifting alliances and player interactions
Cons
- complex rules and longer playtime
- potential for player elimination and heavy social deduction fatigue
Thematic elements
- diplomacy, alliance-building, and warfare
- Feudal Japan, Sengoku period-inspired fantasy world
- season-based negotiation and political intrigue with shifting alliances
Comparison games
- Diplomacy
- The Godfather (board game)
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- alliances and back-stabbing — temporary alliances with potential betrayal dynamics among players
- Area Control — control regions on the map to gain points and influence
- combat resolution — combat uses dice and faction bonuses to resolve conflicts
- season track / scoring — game progresses through seasons with scoring phases leading to end-game scoring
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- puppets they are dancing to my wings
- you lied to me
- i feel so betrayed when you lie to my face
- we've never lost when we work together
- you are like my best friend after all
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video JnqWwGDVXQs
Nights Around a Table Other at 2:51:23
video_pk 90346 · mention_pk 241281
Click to watch at 2:51:23 · 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)
- if you're working I'm working I don't know just have me on in the background and I'll be yapping and yammering
- editing a video seems extremely complicated or am I wrong
- I refuse oh this shot's very blurry
- I'm a numerophobe
- it's the stupidest is that not the stupidest thing you've ever heard in your life
- I can't believe I'm remembering all this stuff on the spot
- I am horrendous at math like just awful with numbers they freak me out
- If you can get yourself properly micked people will forgive dim imagery but they won't forgive crappy audio
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video It_mW7aST24
All You Can Board Collection Roast at 40:55
video_pk 89707 · mention_pk 238687
Click to watch at 40:55 · 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 one of those things where you spin it around it's sand and all the sand comes down like this isn't here
- top shelf billing goes to the anniversary edition of cartoons beautiful like such yeah for those who don't know i love carcassonne
- this has been fed to me on ads on my like it's like facebook instagram everything i'm getting ads fed for it to me for this thing constantly
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video rPHBSUtYc_A
Shelfside Review at 1:30 sentiment: mixed
video_pk 89181 · mention_pk 236588
Click to watch at 1:30 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
mixed
Pros
- Exemplary component design with strong color-coding and large, distinctive minis
- Rich, negotiation-heavy diplomacy paired with codified alliances
- High replayability driven by faction asymmetry and card sets
- Nuanced and thoughtful combat bidding that rewards planning and psychology
- Thematic cohesion and striking visuals that reinforce gameplay
Cons
- Rulebook is cluttered with jargon and lacks a glossary, making onboarding difficult
- Base-game balance is uneven across clans; expansions shift balance and add complexity
- Performance can be long and socially intensive, particularly with alliances and diplomacy
- Storage and components can be unwieldy, with expansion content expanding the footprint
- Turn order stability and alliance dynamics can be punishing for newcomers
Thematic elements
- Array
- Mythical feudal Japan
- Epic, negotiation-driven
Comparison games
- Dune
- Scythe
- Twilight Imperium
- Root
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- action tile drafting — On a player's turn, draw four tiles, select one to play, resolve its effect, and return leftovers on top
- Alliance/Diplomacy — Ceremony phase negotiates alliances that persist through a season, with risk when betrayals occur
- Area Control — Players fight to control provinces and earn points; province control yields scoring opportunities
- Bidding/Combat War Phase — All fights involve hidden bidding across multiple bonuses; win conditions depend on bids and honor
- End-of-season scoring and province control — Provinces yield points and end-game scoring accounts for provinces won across seasons
- Kami/Shinto system — Kami tiles and Shinto minis provide activation opportunities; selecting Kami bonuses affects the season-wide strategy
- Negotiation — Ceremony phase negotiates alliances that persist through a season, with risk when betrayals occur
- Turn order by honor — Turn order is determined by starting honor; higher honor generally shifts positioning and initiative
- Turn Order: Last Goes First — Turn order is determined by starting honor; higher honor generally shifts positioning and initiative
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- the base game Rising Sun is a 8 out of 10.
- you will never defeat the Lotus Clan
- money flows from winner to loser in each fight
- Rising Sun's diplomacy system is so good at keeping things balanced yet dynamic
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video CZ2gdT5pxxQ
Shelfside Top 10 List at 12:10 sentiment: negative
video_pk 88394 · mention_pk 232916
Click to watch at 12:10 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
negative
Pros
- Ambitious setting with deep strategic potential
Cons
- Very unintuitive at many points
- Constant sacrificing can be frustrating and not enjoyable
Thematic elements
- Area control with bidding and negotiation
- Fantasy feudal Japan-inspired realm
Comparison games
- Game of Thrones
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Area Control — Bidding and negotiation shape control and scoring.
- area control and negotiation — Bidding and negotiation shape control and scoring.
- Sacrificing units for points — Deliberate sacrifices can affect power and scoring.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- I just want to play games with my friends and have it be utterly Solitaire the game
- this game is absolute trading Mayhem
- it's a fever dream
- money is King with the bidding
- the birds are all kind of copies and derivatives of each other
- I think Vagabond is complete BS
- this is a heavy game with lots of rules
- Manchester Madness to be the best modern day Dungeon Crawler experience
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video pkI25DaHAWo
BoardGameBollocks Top List at 0:42 sentiment: positive
video_pk 86660 · mention_pk 225055
Click to watch at 0:42 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- One of his best designs
Cons
none
Thematic elements
- feudal Japan
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- action selection — You'll be choosing an action from a load of to and these actions will allow you to put new units on the map.
- Area Control — This is a dudes on the map area control game.
- Monster Summoning — You'll be able to summon spectacular monsters.
- Quest Completion — You'll be able to obtain quests that will allow you to get victory points that will allow you to win the game or not.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- if your top 100 ball games aren't on this list that's because a we haven't played them B we think they complete dog [ __ ]
- You could accuse Eric M Lang of copying a lot of ideas from his other games and just reimplementing them in Rising Sun but it's different enough from another couple of games that he's done for us to pick it up and keep playing it
- ordinarily I hate roll and move you must know that by now but like a lot of these games I can make exceptions for formula D
- it does tell one of the most hilarious and memorable stories that you likely to get in a board game
- This is one of those rare occasions where the theme isn't pasted on and it actually attaches itself to the mechanics of the game in a kind of sort of expert manner
- You win if at the end of the game you got more white swords on the board that and black s
- It's like a two- tiered mechanical system going on here
- It can be a little bit hairy bit like my knck sack if I run out of Lady Shavers
- The fact that you're going to be getting stuff on other people's turns and the game moves really really quickly means that there is basically zero downtime in this game here
- Eldj horror ended up with more [ __ ] babies than alucino at 86
- it's another one of those Amor trash storytelling games where sometimes you just want to sit back put your feet up and let the dice do the talking and have a good old rump around the world and not give a flying [ __ ] about what is going on around you
- If you're not really that good at fondling people's sacks then Eclipse may not be for you
- have you decided to jump off a Motorway Bridge without a trampoline I hope not
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video dVh7C1jgyZo
Brains On Games Interview at 14:45
video_pk 85997 · mention_pk 221672
Click to watch at 14:45 · YouTube ↗
Pros
none
Cons
none
Thematic elements
- feudal statecraft, warfare
- Feudal fantasy empire diplomacy
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 a friendly place to be
- the board game industry is not a pie it's a smorgasbord with new dishes coming out every year in the tune of 5 to 7,000 new games
- we are the Dear Abby for gamers
- rising tide lifts all boats
- open gaming area and play to win games is a fantastic concept
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video bs-dBDa7Trw
The Brothers Murph Top List at 0:36 sentiment: negative
video_pk 84665 · mention_pk 215320
Click to watch at 0:36 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
negative
Pros
none
Cons
- Unfortunate. Don't enjoy
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)
- It's time to do a blind board game ranking.
- I'm going to get five games, but as I see them, I have to put them into their slot one through five wherever I want and without knowing what's coming next.
- This is a divisive
- Not a fan of this one. I really am not.
- It's only going up here from here. It's only going to go uphill. It's only going uphill.
- Love this game.
- This is a very early one. This might have been number one. Easy.
- Unfortunate. Don't enjoy, but it is three per this list. This particular list.
- our favorite Zombie Side. I happily make that number two.
- My list one and two looking real good. It's kind of shaky from there, but it is what it
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video GN1Q6HtfFg4
Board Gaming Ramblings Review at 3:01 sentiment: positive
video_pk 81325 · mention_pk 201286
Click to watch at 3:01 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- still good after many years
- many things to do
- alliance system
- bidding in combat
- losing combat yields coins
Cons
- not for everyone
Thematic elements
Comparison games
- Blood Rage
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- bidding in combat — The bidding in combat is described as a favorite mechanism, where losing combat yields coins from the winner, balancing the game.
- Card Drafting — Instead of drafting cards and playing them, there's an open card market where players choose actions, with allied players potentially getting bonuses.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- This is the worst month when it comes to gaming that we have had in like 10 years.
- It is the worst month we have had in in 5 years at least.
- We played 40 escape rooms. Which means we have played a lot in April, just not a lot of board games.
- But it's games.
- All In Predictions was a cooler game than I thought it was going to be.
- Rising Sun was a surprising how good it still was.
- Farmhand is an amazing game and it still is
- Farmhand is quick, it's fun, it's simple
- Rising Sun was fantastic to get back to the table.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video XXiMOpQvy8s
The Dice Tower Top List at 14:45 sentiment: positive
video_pk 81006 · mention_pk 199023
Click to watch at 14:45 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- Features deities and mythological figures.
- Interesting mechanics for gaining favor.
- Strong strategic elements.
Cons
- Mentally draining.
- Challenging to play.
Thematic elements
- Deities and mythological figures influencing the game.
- Feudal Japan with mythological deities
Comparison games
- Dune: Imperium
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Area Control — Players deploy units to control areas of the map.
- Hand Management — Organizing actions in sequence for desired effects.
- Worker Placement — Sending units to specific areas to gain favor.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- This is heavy metal as a board game.
- Almost no space of the board is more than two steps away from another space. So pressure is always on.
- push your luck worker placement in a co-op game. Bizarre, but it works really well.
- I think the mythological part is much stronger.
- a really solid auction game. One of the best auction games there is.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video XXiMOpQvy8s
The Dice Tower Top List at 50:44 sentiment: positive
video_pk 81006 · mention_pk 199039
Click to watch at 50:44 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
Positive
Pros
- Strong mythological themes and monsters
- Engaging mechanics and variety
- Considered the best of the Lang trilogy by one speaker
Cons
- Miniatures can be visually disturbing when painted.
Thematic elements
- Oni, mythological monsters, gods, Japanese folklore
- Feudal Japan with mythological elements
- Political intrigue and warfare influenced by mythological beings
Comparison games
- Blood Rage
- Ankh: Gods of Egypt
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Area Control — Players compete for control of territories.
- Negotiation — Implied through political intrigue and player interaction.
- Variable player powers — Each faction has unique abilities, and monsters add further variation.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- This is heavy metal as a board game.
- Almost no space of the board is more than two steps away from another space. So pressure is always on.
- push your luck worker placement in a co-op game. Bizarre, but it works really well.
- I think the mythological part is much stronger.
- a really solid auction game. One of the best auction games there is.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video nr3eyRXZ1Rc
Board Game Critique Top List at 0:52 sentiment: positive
video_pk 80202 · mention_pk 194780
Click to watch at 0:52 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- Creates exactly the right social geometry at five players.
- Combat system encourages reading people and bluffing.
- Becomes a social ecosystem where tracking relationships is key.
- Diplomacy becomes the game's heartbeat.
Cons
none
Thematic elements
- Clan leadership, political mandates, summoning monsters, area control
- Mythic Japan
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Area Control — Players fight over provinces across a series of seasonal rounds.
- Negotiation — Players can pair up and share benefits, coordinate positioning, and create temporary partnerships.
- secret bidding — Players secretly choose from dramatic war options like taking hostages, committing seppuku, hiring ronin, or fighting for victory points and casualties.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- Five players gives them the exact amount of tension they seem to need.
- Every alliance has to think not only about what it gains, but about what it's accidentally giving the outsider.
- At five, there are enough minds at the table for bluffing to become a real art form.
- The fifth player looks under control. And then one mandate later, the whole thing shatters.
- With Five, the diplomacy stops being a side feature and becomes the game's heartbeat.
- At five, when the company stumbles, it's rarely one player's fault in a neat way. It's usually the accumulated result of half a dozen self-interested little compromises.
- Five gives the game enough voices to feel like politics rather than bargaining.
- The table pushes back.
- The friction [in John Company] sings.
- At five, there are enough possible relationships and enough normal mistakes that doubt has room to grow.
- At five, those explanations coexist long enough for paranoia to become fun.
- With five players, there are multiple plausible suspects, which makes that conversation dramatically better.
- The game feels like a desperate, barely coordinated crew trying to survive catastrophe.
- That balance is what makes Five so strong.
- If you throw me in the brig, you are handing the game to the monsters.
- And five is where the table starts to feel like a real pirate crew.
- Five gives you enough energy for that without burying individual characters.
- The next scene feels less like what action do we take and more like, what kind of crew are we becoming?
- Five makes the game feel like an ensemble
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video rGr6RjuCCtc
Analysis at 17:38 sentiment: positive
video_pk 77052 · mention_pk 185560
Click to watch at 17:38 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
Positive, but least favorite of its trilogy
Pros
- Great area control game
- Does really cool stuff with turn order and order of operations
- Marries roll selection with area control
Cons
- Least favorite out of the trilogy (Blood Rage, Rising Sun, Ankh)
- If one game were to move out of the collection, it would be Rising Sun.
Thematic elements
- Area control
- Feudal Japan
Comparison games
- Blood Rage
- Ankh
- Game of Thrones board game
- Puerto Rico
- El Grande
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Area Control — Mentioned as a core mechanic, similar to Game of Thrones board game.
- Card Drafting — Mentioned as a fun element in Blood Rage, implying its potential presence or comparison point for Rising Sun's mechanics.
- order of operations — Mentioned as a key strategic element.
- Roll selection — Compared to Puerto Rico, indicating a strategic choice based on dice rolls.
- Turn Order — Highlighted as a 'cool stuff' aspect of the game.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- it's probably my least favorite out of the trilogy but I still like it
- it does some really cool stuff with like turn order and order of operations and kind of roll selection similar to like a Puerto Rico kind of thing and it kind of marries that with some traditional sort of area control jocking you know kinds of stuff
- it's another one I played I think only only once I might have played it twice I didn't really care for it
- the rule book was probably the main problem with it
- it felt like a big dud when it actually did come out
- we just got bored of and that's not that's all I can only say about it like there was nothing really terrible about it
- it just was like mediocre I think it's the right word for it
- season two I like better
- it's definitely the weirder quirkier sort of sister of the first one
- pandemic Legacy season one was the number one game
- mark my words or some other arrogant comment I said this will be the number one game on Board Game Geek by the end of the year
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video 9UaMrh3nEvo
Top List at 1:44 sentiment: mixed
video_pk 69714 · mention_pk 166361
Click to watch at 1:44 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
mixed
Pros
- Lavishly produced (Kickstarter version)
- Nice mechanics
Cons
- Flaws starting to be exposed
Thematic elements
- Dudes on a map game where players place units to gain control of territories, control monsters, and play cards for victory points.
- Feudal Japan (implied)
Comparison games
- Blood Rage
- Ank
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Area Control — You'll be placing your units out onto the board to try and game control territories.
- Monster Control — You'll be taking control of a load of huge monsters that do loads of damage.
- Set Collection — You'll be playing cars to get victory points.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- if your super duper favorite board game isn't on this list then that's because a we ain't played it or B we think it's complete and out of [__]
- the fact that it's so chaotic and so unpredictable it's wildly unbalanced
- it's one of the most lavishly produced games ever made made
- it's just an enjoyable Euro style romp in the Uwe Rosenberg fashion
- it's a stripped back auction game that is immensely fun
- the thing injects a novel twist into the genre
- ethnos is a fast paced set collection area control game that whilst it looks like a dog [__] it plays really well
- it sort of straddles the void between classic sterilized Euro and a sort of thematic experience
- roll and move shouldn't really work for some reason formula D manages to pull it off
- it's got a host of different personal cards or event cards that you can use billions of them
- each player is going to have a take control of a personality it's going to give you absolutely stunning game breaking ability
- we still love playing the Voyages of Marco Polo cuz it's [__] awesome
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video WafjMS6TaTM
Top List at 2:17 sentiment: positive
video_pk 67948 · mention_pk 164242
Click to watch at 2:17 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- Best produced games
- Always exciting
- Very accessible
- Balanced variable player powers
Cons
- Designer hasn't made any decent games since
Thematic elements
- Feudal Japan
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Area Control — Vying for control of different regions.
- Card Drafting — Buying cards that give special abilities.
- Variable player powers — Each faction has a unique special ability.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- But today, we're going to be talking about another top 10 list.
- So, what do we mean by variable player powers? Well, I'll tell you what we mean by variable player powers. It means that each player is going to have a different ability, right?
- It's a tragedy that Forbidden Stars is out of print and it looks like it's never going to be making a comeback in its current form.
- Rising Sun is one of the best produced games we have ever played yet.
- This is a hidden traitor game.
- Blood on the Clocktower presents itself as something a little bit different to the norm, even though it isn't.
- The fact is, there's so many of these people that once again, it provides you with infinite replayability.
- And it's just wonderful playing this game for like 8 to 12 hours waiting for the variations in races to do their thing and make a compelling story for you to tell for years to come.
- Station 4 is a masterpiece of design.
- The fact that you can use other people's characters and in effect they use other people's special abilities means that this turns the variable player powers mechanism on its head and kind of pisses in its own mouth.
- All of the player abilities are absolutely [ __ ] awesome.
- There are an astonishing 238 alien. Sorry, sorry, sorry people. Sorry to offend anyone. Sentient abilities available for this game.
- Cosmic Encounter, probably one of the most popular games ever made.
- In terms of everything we've spoken about in the games we just listed, Cosmic Encounter delivers everything that they've got, but bucket loads more.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video KcBS0Y0ZIrM
Unknown Channel Top 3 List at 2:45 sentiment: negative
video_pk 66179 · mention_pk 160856
Click to watch at 2:45 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
negative to mixed
Pros
- ambitious theme and dramatic combat feel
- dense bidding and negotiation create tense moments
Cons
- punishing for newcomers
- predicting money flow is very hard
- the bidding-and-money dynamic can feel unfair or opaque
Thematic elements
- Array
- Feudal Japan-inspired fantasy politics
- Critical, reflective
Comparison games
- Ankh: Gods of Egypt
- Dune: Imperium
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Auction / Bidding — Bidding and resource allocation drive combat outcomes.
- Bid and war funds management — Bidding and resource allocation drive combat outcomes.
- Negotiation — Players form alliances, leverage diplomacy and betrayal within a hostile negotiation space.
- Negotiation/Alliance mechanics — Players form alliances, leverage diplomacy and betrayal within a hostile negotiation space.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- Ankh was the hardest script to write
- it's a giant home run swing that didn't quite make it
- this mobster area control work replacement is now at the top of my list for a standard game night
- this is the worst game I've played all year and that is Rising Sun
- twilight imperium for prophecy of kings expansion
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video eIz2zP6cqbs
Game Night Picks - Pair Of Dice Paradise Top List at 9:53 sentiment: positive
video_pk 65536 · mention_pk 159226
Click to watch at 9:53 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
none
Cons
none
Thematic elements
Comparison games
- Blood Rage
- Risk
- Diplomacy
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- diplomacy — Players must master diplomatic negotiations, form and break alliances, and conduct warfare.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- These are the games that are generating the most traffic and discussion on that website
- This is a big game with lots of moving parts to track
- so when it's done it's gone
- This game is heavy and I'm not just referring to its rules or mechanisms
- Rising Sun was a phenomenal success on Kickstarter raising 4.2 million dollars
- setting a new record by being board game geeks hottest game for a fifth month in a row
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video tKVUZDt12bw
All You Can Board Top List at 44:35 sentiment: positive
video_pk 62972 · mention_pk 156169
Click to watch at 44:35 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- gorgeous miniatures
- alliances and negotiations add depth
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)
- blue lagoon is a great game
- it's got so colorful so much fun
- there's this great moment in blue lagoon where you just realize that you've got a certain island secured
- it's a sandbox style pirate game
- i'm going to buy this for myself 100
- Ethnos is an awesome very simple area majority game
- Ticket to Ride Europe
- Nidavellir
- Dune Imperium
- Code Names is just so great that it's word games are just easy for no i shouldn't say they're easy for everyone to get into
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video PDYbLIaOjV0
Board Game Critique Review at 1:24 sentiment: positive
video_pk 62514 · mention_pk 155178
Click to watch at 1:24 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- Rich social dynamics and diplomacy depth
- High replayability due to asymmetric clans and unique abilities
- Secret bidding adds dramatic reveals and negotiation depth
Cons
- Longer playtime at higher player counts
- Steep learning curve and heavier teaching
- Production can be perceived as expensive for some
Thematic elements
- Negotiation, alliances, betrayals, and secret bidding
- Feudal Japan with diplomatic intrigue and fantasy elements
- Diplomatic, negotiation-driven play with secret agendas
Comparison games
- Blood Rage
- Inis
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- alliances and betrayals with seasonal resets — players form and break alliances; betrayal is allowed each season, reshaping diplomacy
- hidden bidding and table talk — negotiation and information management drive the experience; reveals can shift power dynamics
- season/mandate action selection — players draft mandates and perform them in fixed clockwise order, with allies affecting who acts first
- structured combat in provinces — combat happens in predefined provinces with multiple battles per season
- war phase with secret bidding for advantages — coins are bid for war advantages; tension and strategic prioritization shape outcomes
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- They're cousins from the same family, not siblings.
- The moment someone gets a pretender token and starts working toward meeting more conditions, the entire table turns against them.
- If you want negotiation and table talk with the highest strategic ceiling, Rising Sun is the natural fit.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video S9MbApV03Sg
Shelfside Discussion at 1:22 sentiment: neutral
video_pk 60701 · mention_pk 153118
Click to watch at 1:22 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
neutral
Pros
none
Cons
none
Thematic elements
- Array
- Historical
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Area Control — Players compete for influence over regions on the map.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- house rules are in my opinion one of the best parts of board games as a medium
- we almost never do house rules this isn't because we're like opposed to them
- it's really easy to break something and destroy a game's balance
- i encourage you all to think about what you're looking for in board games
- it's technically possible to be playing a board game incorrectly because you got rules wrong
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video 4yBOnjcMvlo
Shelfside Review at 2:09 sentiment: positive
video_pk 60652 · mention_pk 153055
Click to watch at 2:09 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- Thematic coin aesthetics align with Rising Sun's setting
- Large heavy coins add to tactile feel
- Versatile use across games when not tied to Rising Sun
Cons
- Price of the bundle and cost-per-coin
- Not all coin sizes fit every game's coin slots
- Coins may be too large for some game components
Thematic elements
- Array
- Fantasy/feudal Japan-inspired world
- Mythic/epic
Comparison games
- Scythe
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
Mechanics unknown.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- these coin chips deliver that in Spades
- it's actually pretty tiring to constantly be lifting this case up
- ultimately this is all just for aesthetics and more tangible feel to your games
- obviously for talking games like Rising Sun which already have super thematic coins
- Deluxe coin upgrade for Scythe which is 80 coins for like 30 bucks and usually less on Amazon
- pirate gold isn't a good match
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video XfjIzg5Bh7c
Shelfside Discussion at 5:36 sentiment: mixed
video_pk 60710 · mention_pk 153140
Click to watch at 5:36 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
mixed
Pros
- Rich thematic flavor and large player count
- Deep political intrigue and alliances
Cons
- High complexity
- Long setup and play time
Thematic elements
- Array
- Fantasy-inspired feudal politics
- Competitive negotiation and alliance-building
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Area Control — Players compete for influence across a map and battle for control of regions.
- Negotiation — Players form and break alliances through dialogue and diplomacy.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- dungeons and dragons yeah i got an entire campaign prepped
- i set up dune while you're gone
- what do you mean you're not available for rising sun
- it's nice to have someone willing to play board games like this
- let's play
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video oFbxL3xebZg
JestaThaRogue Rules Teach at 0:00 sentiment: neutral
video_pk 59878 · mention_pk 152386
Click to watch at 0:00 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
neutral
Pros
- Rich negotiation and alliance dynamics that influence diplomacy
- Strong thematic integration of feudal Japan with mythical elements
- Layered systems (season cards, mandates, war, monsters) that support varied strategies
Cons
- High complexity and a long setup/playtime (~120 minutes per session)
- Can be daunting for new players to learn due to multiple subsystems
- Non-binding alliances can lead to unstable play and potential power swings
Thematic elements
- area control, diplomacy, honor, and warfare with supernatural elements
- feudal Japan with mythic monsters and temples
- thematic, faction-driven warfare with negotiation and alliances
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- alliances and Ronin — alliances grant bonuses but are non-binding; Ronin tokens signal alignment and bonuses
- Area Control — players control regions and temples to accumulate victory points and influence
- hostages and income — hostages convert into season income and scoring opportunities; strategic hostage management
- mandates and political track — political phase uses mandates to determine actions and bonuses; link between war and governance
- monsters and kami mechanics — monsters and kami alter control dynamics, provide powerful effects, and interact with temples
- season card deck — season-specific cards drive actions, provide bonuses, and shape rounds
- temples and Shinto/Kami interactions — temples act as focal points; Shinto, Kami, and related rules influence control and scoring
- war phase and combat — seasonal wars resolve battles with coins, forces, and war tokens; multiple steps to determine winner
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- Rising Sun an area of control and negotiation game
- This is a game for three to six players
- remember that deals are not binding in this game so be aware
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video wtrHczuFGoM
No Pun Included Analysis at 0:00 sentiment: mixed
video_pk 42938 · mention_pk 130607
Click to watch at 0:00 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
mixed
Pros
- Stunning visual design and high production value (miniatures, neoprene elements, deluxe components).
- Rich thematic storytelling reinforced by components and art.
- Deep strategic potential with meaningful choices in alliance formation and bidding.
Cons
- Balance concerns due to powerful monsters and asymmetric clan abilities.
- High complexity that can overwhelm casual players and introverts in negotiation-heavy sessions.
- Very high price point and reliance on playing with a compatible group to shine.
Thematic elements
- Alliance-building, betrayal, ritual power struggles, and large-scale battles
- Mythological feudal Japan with clans, monsters, and political intrigue
- Grand, lore-forward display pieces paired with stylized, story-driven components
Comparison games
- Blood Rage
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Area Control — Players vie for influence across map regions using bids, alliances, and military presence.
- Area control / regional influence — Players vie for influence across map regions using bids, alliances, and military presence.
- Auction / Bidding — Players secretly bid coins on actions; the highest bidder executes the action, shaping tempo and timing.
- Monster / card-driven engine — Monsters and special cards introduce power spikes and strategic timing cues for score and control.
- Negotiation — Tea ceremony and diplomacy phases incentivize deals, pacts, and strategic cooperation.
- negotiation and alliance-building — Tea ceremony and diplomacy phases incentivize deals, pacts, and strategic cooperation.
- Secret bidding / auctions — Players secretly bid coins on actions; the highest bidder executes the action, shaping tempo and timing.
- Simultaneous action selection — Bids are revealed at once or resolved in synchronized steps, creating tension and information trading.
- Simultaneous Actions — Bids are revealed at once or resolved in synchronized steps, creating tension and information trading.
- Unique Player Powers — Each clan starts with a unique ability that can dramatically alter strategy and mobility.
- Variable player powers per clan — Each clan starts with a unique ability that can dramatically alter strategy and mobility.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- Rising Sun is split into three rounds that are then each split into three distinct phases.
- the tea ceremony can be quite awkward at the beginning of the game.
- the key to getting what you want out of it is not just focusing on what you want but also figuring out what everybody else wants.
- it's incredibly generous the monsters are big the card sets of plentiful the plastic is lush.
- Rising Sun is best when played with the same group of people.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video chQGzFXVOgs
Board Stupid Discussion at 9:10 sentiment: mixed
video_pk 41777 · mention_pk 126688
Click to watch at 9:10 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
mixed
Pros
- Epic scale and presence with a dramatic table presence
- Rich thematic setting and grand setup create a memorable experience
- Social dynamics and alliance-building can be highly engaging
Cons
- High complexity and long playtime can be daunting
- Heavy components and setup can slow flow for some groups
- Requires coordination; can be less satisfying online due to lack of tangible components
Thematic elements
- Political intrigue, alliance-building, and large-scale conflict centered around a grand map and faction powers.
- Epic conflict among competing factions in a mythic, feudal Japan-inspired world with heavy political/diplomatic overtones.
- Theme-driven, negotiation-influenced conquest with dramatic, table-presented moments.
Comparison games
- Oathsworn
- Nemesis
- Twilight Imperium (TI4)
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Area Control — Players vie for control of regions on a shared map, influencing scoring and power dynamics.
- area_control — Players vie for control of regions on a shared map, influencing scoring and power dynamics.
- combat_resolution — Dice-based or opt-in combat with player power interactions to resolve battles.
- Negotiation — Players form temporary alliances and agreements that affect turn-by-turn strategy and outcomes.
- negotiation/alliances — Players form temporary alliances and agreements that affect turn-by-turn strategy and outcomes.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- the soul of the game is the people interacting with the pieces
- online board gaming is a separate experience
- the physical space enhances the experience
- beginning and end of it is is it fun
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video g6T2TRO3I0w
Board Stepid Discussion at 2:17 sentiment: neutral
video_pk 39556 · mention_pk 119418
Click to watch at 2:17 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
neutral
Pros
- stylish production
Cons
- potentially long playtime
- heavy interaction
Thematic elements
- area control with combat and diplomacy
- mythic fantasy Asia, clan warfare
- epic, oligarchic conflict
Comparison games
- Avalon
- Cascadia
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Area Control — clan piece placement and territorial influence with combat resolution
- area-control — clan piece placement and territorial influence with combat resolution
- Negotiation — alliances and back-channel deals influence outcomes
- Negotiation/diplomacy — alliances and back-channel deals influence outcomes
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- it's going to be the hit of the Q4 next year
- absolute topnotch game we are super excited to play that again
- production quality is phenomenal
- one versus one asymmetric
- it's a fan service game if you like Mass Effect
- we're going to pre-order it because it's a great price point
- Dirty Harry
- World Order my goodness that sounds amazing
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video gQH-dBZSi3M
Bower's Game Corner Analysis at 2:37 sentiment: neutral
video_pk 38043 · mention_pk 114323
Click to watch at 2:37 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
neutral
Pros
- Beautiful components and production
- Deep strategic negotiation
Cons
- Learning curve and potentially long playtime
Thematic elements
- negotiation, alliances, and conflict
- mythic feudal battles in an alternate Japan
- epic, diplomacy-driven warfare
Comparison games
- Blood Rage
- Zombicide
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Area Control — territory influence across a stylized map
- area-control — territory influence across a stylized map
- combat resolution — dice- or card-based combat outcomes
- Combat: Dice — dice- or card-based combat outcomes
- Negotiation — players form and break alliances to gain advantage
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- They're trying everything they can to keep things afloat.
- Skeleton crew right now.
- Expansions... the expansionfest mentality that Sean latched on to.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video IEdlF7HmTRw
Board Stupid Top 5 List at 14:43 sentiment: positive
video_pk 36240 · mention_pk 108529
Click to watch at 14:43 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- strong political layer and thematic cohesion
- engaging bid/seasonal mechanic adds tension
- spectacular minis and production value
Cons
- heavy and complex; learning curve can be steep
Thematic elements
- political intrigue, alliance-building, and epic conflict
- mythological Japan with fantasy elements
- thematic diplomacy married to tactical conflict
Comparison games
- Blood Rage
- Ankh: Gods of Egypt
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Area Majority — control of territories yields points and benefits
- area majority control — control of territories yields points and benefits
- asymmetric factions — each faction has unique powers that create varied strategic options
- hidden bidding on actions — secret bids determine which actions you can take in a season
- seasonal politics and alliances — players form and break alliances over seasons to influence outcomes
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- The Wolves is such a phenomenal phenomenal game
- it's a tremendous game
- each one with a different twist but we stay with the alternative to Risk
- Twilight Struggle... absolute classic at this point
- Inish is a tremendous game... area control done very wonderfully using card drafting
- the political layer goes over this game which is very intriguing
- the king is in whichever territory... you cannot do any action on that
- this is the OG majority
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video 9dMwrGQcz3g
Board Stupid Top 10 List at 13:06 sentiment: positive
video_pk 33898 · mention_pk 100953
Click to watch at 13:06 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- Beautiful production and art
- High interactivity and diplomacy
- Asymmetry between factions creates varied play
Cons
- Complex rules with many exceptions
- Can be long and heavy for some groups
Thematic elements
- Political intrigue, alliance-building, and betrayal
- Mythic Japan with samurai, daimyo, and diplomacy
- Seasonal shifts with explicit alliances and backstabbing
Comparison games
- Twilight Imperium
- Blood Rage
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- alliances and betrayal — Form and break alliances with other players to gain advantage
- Area Control — Dominate regions to gain actions and influence
- Drafting and tile placement — Draft tiles to build actions and power on the map
- Tile Placement — Draft tiles to build actions and power on the map
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- this is the expert game category so you're going to be head first into it
- it's Star Wars in a box, it's absolutely brilliant
- this is a huge long heavy game
- everything cascades from one mechanism to the next
- the theme and production are incredible
- you'll be talking about it until you play the next game
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video 2vshqDnCDz0
Board Gaming Ramblings Top 100 List at 0:00
video_pk 33399 · mention_pk 99271
Click to watch at 0:00 · 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)
- it's mostly going to be like a check it out yes if we have played it or not
- the counter for how many games that we have played
- we are inspired by Foster Maple Series
- it's a free world and you can comment on stuff
- we have played it and we own it
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video 90H8HHsJmw8
Board Stupid Discussion at 23:51 sentiment: positive
video_pk 32757 · mention_pk 97063
Click to watch at 23:51 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- Thematic and social negotiation-driven experience
- Rich, immersive setting with dramatic moments
Cons
- Complex negotiation can slow play
- Rulebook can be dense for newcomers
Thematic elements
- Diplomacy, alliances, and intrigue
- Mythic feudal conflict in a fantasy world
- Epic negotiation and strategic action
Comparison games
- Brass: Birmingham
- Hansa Teutonica
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- alliances/diplomacy — Players form and break alliances to influence combat and control regions.
- combat with asymmetrical powers — Different factions have unique abilities affecting combat outcomes.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- the library I've had to look is freaking awesome
- the board gamer community is one of the finest community of all the obbies it is
- 99.999% people are nice and just want to play games and have fun
- wash your hands wash your hands damn it
- probably don't plan too much
- it's four days long
- airon is known as the friendly and inclusive gaming space
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video 1QqJKvobq0U
TheGameBoyGeek - Hi Quality Hi Energy Board Game Reviews Review at 0:00 sentiment: positive
video_pk 30767 · mention_pk 90674
Click to watch at 0:00 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- honor track for ties is awesome
- negotiation is deep and central to strategy
- open, non-binding deals keep negotiations flexible
- rules are streamlined yet deep
- strong thematic integration of honor and alliances
- negotiation generates bluffing and head games
- war and alliance dynamics create dynamic strategic choices
Cons
- remembering modifiers when many figures are on the map can be tricky
- modifier tracking may require temporary aids or overlays
- negotiation can become mean for some players
- keeping track of modifiers on various monsters/figures can be challenging
- no built-in easy method to mark temporary force modifiers
Thematic elements
- honor, alliance, betrayal, spiritual powers
- Legendary feudal Japan with clans, honor, kami, and monsters
- mythic-political with negotiation and warfare
Comparison games
- Blood Rage
- Tammany Hall
- Nothing Personal
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Area Control — players compete to control provinces and regions on the map to gain points and power
- honor track and tie-breaking — an honor track influences tie-breaks and strategic risk-taking
- Negotiation — open, non-binding deals shape alliances and strategic moves throughout the round
- negotiation and alliance-building — open, non-binding deals shape alliances and strategic moves throughout the round
- resource management and card drafting — players gather resources and purchase powerful cards to influence outcomes
- war phase and blind bidding — seasonal battles proceed in a random order with blind bidding to gain war advantages
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- I absolutely love this game
- it's streamlined and it's something it's Frey I would be very surprised if this isn't at least on my top 10 best games of the year
- the negotiation throughout is the best part of the game
- Tammany Hall on steroids
- the blind bidding is awesome
- you can win points by losing the battle if you've won the right war advantage
- honor track for ties is awesome
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video O5sOKOaReN4
Meeple Mountain Discussion at 2:52 sentiment: positive
video_pk 28647 · mention_pk 84006
Click to watch at 2:52 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- fluent themes and diplomacy entwined with strategy
- beautiful production and table presence
Cons
- heavy negotiation can lead to analysis paralysis
- scaling and player-count quirks
Thematic elements
- alliances, diplomacy, and delicate balance of power
- fantasy Japan-inspired realm with feudal politics
- large-scale negotiation and ritualized diplomacy
Comparison games
- The Godfather: Corleone's Empire
- Way of the Panda
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Area Control — control key regions through influence and presence
- asymmetric factions — each clan has unique abilities and win conditions
- Negotiation — players form and break alliances to gain advantage
- negotiation & alliance building — players form and break alliances to gain advantage
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- it's a thug placement game where you're controlling a family who's trying to jockey for the position to take over
- you can do different jobs and some of them like maybe a car bomb
- when you take out a thug or a family member you lay them face down in the hood
- the darkness part where they can hide in the shadows to gain additional powers
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video jSqNLUB5Iq0
Chairman of the Board Discussion at 14:13 sentiment: positive
video_pk 13526 · mention_pk 39570
Click to watch at 14:13 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
none
Cons
none
Thematic elements
Comparison games
- Twilight Imperium
- Castles of Burgundy
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
Mechanics unknown.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- this for me is not work it's fun and I intend to keep it that way
- I value meaningful decisions more than anything else, what is the consequence to my actions
- I would 100% choose to teach a game over being taught to the game
- quantity over quality is a key point I think harms the hobby
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video ntwCRbk3z5k
Going Analog Top List at 8:01 sentiment: positive
video_pk 13302 · mention_pk 38990
Click to watch at 8:01 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- epic scope and player interaction
- spectacular components
Cons
- long playtime
- steep learning curve
Thematic elements
- diplomacy, warfare, and alliances
- mythical feudal Japan
- epic, faction-driven
Comparison games
- Beyond the Sun
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Area Control — control influence over regions on a map
- bidding — auction-style mechanism for key abilities and reinforcements
- Variable player powers — factions with unique abilities affect strategy
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- we call him a beige gamer because the color of my skin
- it's basically monopoly with cows
- beige is fine I like beige
- Rising Sun is the behemoth of modern euros
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video 4lnm7sI18bc
Board Game Coffee Review at 2:33 sentiment: positive
video_pk 13070 · mention_pk 38185
Click to watch at 2:33 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- Fantastic gameplay with multiple paths to victory
- Great negotiation and alliance mechanics
- Beautiful game component design
- Flexible strategies - can win through battles or other shenanigans
Cons
none
Thematic elements
- Area control and military conquest with mythological elements
- Feudal Japan with mythological monsters
- Strategic with negotiation and alliance gameplay
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Area Control — Players recruit monsters to control territories on the map
- Asymmetric powers — Different army units have unique abilities - some can fly, others have special benefits
- backstabbing — Players can break alliances and betray partners for strategic advantage
- Dudes on a map — Players move armies with different benefits and powers
- Negotiation — Tea Ceremony phase where players form alliances and partnerships
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- you can recruit monsters to your army that give you super powers
- it's a beautiful scary, it's a beautiful looking game
- this game is just a mini explosion, it's great
- gizmos is a lot of fun so we're giving this away our very first giveaway gizmos
- this little box the game when you see it it's not very pretty but it's so fun
- blood rage is a fantastic game
- massive Darkness two is freaking amazing
- the origami zombie side black plague is by far our favorite zombie side
- if you're gonna buy any zombie side game off the shelf Black Plague favorite one favorite one
- Cthulhu death may die is absolutely fabulous
- we can't stop playing this game
- zombie side Gear Up is getting another board game coffee seal of approval this game is so much fun
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video dfCcLi9vSC0
The Secret Cabal Gaming Podcast Discussion at 1:47 sentiment: mixed
video_pk 12722 · mention_pk 37102
Click to watch at 1:47 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
mixed
Pros
- Strong thematic flavor and visual impact
- Dynamic negotiation and alliance-building
Cons
- Rule complexity can be daunting for new players
- Balance can feel uneven between factions in some playgroups
Thematic elements
- diplomacy and faction-based conquest
- mythic feudal Japan-inspired world
- grand strategy with mythic trappings
Comparison games
- Blood Rage
- Empires of the Void II
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- area control / area majority — Players vie for influence across territories and key locations.
- Conflict resolution — Engagement-based combat with distinct phases and powers.
- Negotiation — Players form and break alliances during strategy phases.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- Artwork does have a big impact on my interest in playing the game.
- I bought games just for artwork that I've never played.
- Santorini doesn't turn me off, and Arcadia Quest doesn't turn me off exactly but I would prefer it to be more realistic in general.
- I think games with Xavier Colette his kind of artwork he did the a lot of the dixit stuff.
- I love getting up and coming down here and shooting a video and editing a podcast and developing content for the next show.
- quit drinking soda it's poison.
- Feast for Odin is a Viking-era title that rewards careful planning.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video 9tReR2V0iNk
The Secret Cabal Gaming Podcast Top List at 10:06 sentiment: positive
video_pk 12498 · mention_pk 36456
Click to watch at 10:06 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- great social interaction
- beautiful components
Cons
- ramp-up time
- alliances can be unpredictable
Thematic elements
- diplomacy, alliance, and war
- fantasy feudal Japan-inspired world
- mythic diplomacy and negotiation
Comparison games
- Blood Rage
- Chaos in the Old World
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Area Control — territory and influence drive scoring
- combat resolution — battles determined by cards and rewards
- Negotiation — alliances and deals shape the game state
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- Eric Lang is the rock star of board-gaming
- artwork and production matters; artwork and production matters; it's not just putting a game out
- Jamie Stegmaier... Kickstarter guru
- it's not just putting a game out, artwork and production matters
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video U4mbStneq6M
Going Analog Discussion at 5:24 sentiment: positive
video_pk 12449 · mention_pk 36363
Click to watch at 5:24 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- Deep faction asymmetry
- strong table presence
Cons
none
Thematic elements
- Diplomacy, negotiation, and combat
- Fantasy feudal world
- Faction-driven conflict and negotiation
Comparison games
- Blood Rage
- Game of Thrones: The Board Game
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Area Control — gain points through influence and control
- Combat — combat with units and power differentials
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- yeah i'm also working on this crazy fast 4x space game called last light that's gonna be coming out
- you can actually build residential buildings and double triple stack tiles to make them taller
- it's a spin-off of the katan series
- final score is 14 out of 20
- you are correct it is rising sun
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video Db_Z358hJBE
The Secret Cabal Gaming Podcast Top List at 8:23 sentiment: positive
video_pk 12343 · mention_pk 35993
Click to watch at 8:23 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- thematic depth and negotiation tension
- high-quality components and production
Cons
- rules complexity
- can be long and heavy to run smoothly
Thematic elements
- Diplomacy, alliance-building, and area influence
- Mythic Japan-inspired fantasy setting with feudal factions
- Negotiation-driven, alliance-centric
Comparison games
- Blood Rage
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- area control / negotiation — players negotiate and form alliances to influence regions
- asymmetric factions — factions have unique powers and goals
- Dice-based combat — combat resolved through dice and card play
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- Battlestar Galactica that you're in love
- it's like you're playing a game with a supercomputer
- I love complex games more than I like simple games
- Rising Sun which is an amazing game
- Eric Lang helped make people want to get board games
- you see his face everywhere
- the showman of the tabletop gaming world
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video OX1rhDo-xxE
BoardGameBollocks Top List at 0:52 sentiment: positive
video_pk 11811 · mention_pk 34605
Click to watch at 0:52 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- beautiful production
- strong thematic feel
- deep strategic choices
Cons
- learning curve
- combat can be heavy
Thematic elements
- area control, negotiation, mythic combat
- Feudal Japan with mythic creatures and clans
- mythic-epic conflict
Comparison games
- Agricola
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Area Control — Players compete for control of territories on a map.
- area_control — Players compete for control of territories on a map.
- end_game_scoring — End-game scoring based on various objectives.
- monster_summoning — Monsters may be summoned to affect the board.
- tile_actions — Actions are chosen from a set of tiles and executed.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- Rising Sun is absolutely fantastic.
- La Havre broke the cycle of Agricola clones and gave us something brand new.
- Ra was given a deluxe reprint not that long ago.
- The Voyages of Marco Polo is a dice placement game.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video 5qWnVoXu2bQ
Foster the Meeple Top List at 7:30 sentiment: positive
video_pk 11033 · mention_pk 32468
Click to watch at 7:30 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- Fell in love with it
- One of few games in its genre they both enjoy
- Great time at the table
- Unique bidding mechanic
Cons
- Out of print
- Expensive
Thematic elements
- Area control and warfare
- Feudal Japan - Shinto worship
- Thematic feudal Japanese setting
Comparison games
- Ankh
- Blood Red and Rose May
- Other area control games in the genre
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Area Control — Controlling areas through placement and combat
- Auction — Auction-based action selection
- Auction / Bidding — Bidding mechanic for fighting actions which is unique
- bidding — Bidding mechanic for fighting actions which is unique
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- Azul is just a classic classic game
- I will always want to play this game it's a staple
- Racing is my favorite game mechanic
- I love watching everything kind of like waterfall off of each other
- Castles of Burgundy is incredible I love Castle's birdie
- I love this game so basically like the world is dying
- The best part about Black Angel the little robot guys
- Bet on yourself always always I don't even care if I lose the game believe in yourself
- Dice Throne is an incredible 1v1 battle Yahtzee game
- Wingspan I am almost always in a game of Wingspan on BGA
- This game is beautifully designed it just feels good when you play it
- I can't win and I am getting freaking sick of it
- It's always a great time when it hits the table
- Paint the Roses is a Cooperative deduction game
- I've fallen back in love with it
- Some of the best gaming experiences I've had is playing that game
- I really really love Flamme Rouge it is an excellent game
- I will fall in love with this game it's got the recipe for it to be like a top 10 game
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video AI1omwj64kE
Going Analog Discussion at 40:32 sentiment: positive
video_pk 10964 · mention_pk 32303
Click to watch at 40:32 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- epic feel with big decisions and dramatic diplomacy
- designed by Eric Lang; polished production and strong theme
Cons
- longer playtime; potential stalemate if negotiations stall
Thematic elements
- alliances, negotiation, and conquest through cards and powers
- feudal, mythic Japan-inspired setting with supernatural diplomacy
- mythic grandeur with social negotiation
Comparison games
- Rising Sun
- Blood Rage
- Ank Gods of Eg
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- card-driven powers and conflicts — cards grant special actions and can affect conflicts and diplomacy
- miniatures-style area control — players vie for territories using allied or opposing forces
- temporary alliances — players form and break alliances with shifting loyalties
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- Silos is all about area majority and being in the right spot at the right time because the UFO is moving around the board and you have to predict where it's going.
- It's basically a meeting of a strategy game and a pure party game; it's hilarious.
- The Cosmic Silos Trilogy—Silos, Ego, Orbits—launched as a bundled Kickstarter with big box content.
- El Grande is a classic; Silos flips the idea by making the card actions feel like a slot machine, more frequent and dynamic.
- I love the retro Quan Moria art; it's quirky and visually striking.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video MIiFVyDZLUg
The Brothers Murph Top List at 0:39 sentiment: neutral
video_pk 9345 · mention_pk 27550
Click to watch at 0:39 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
neutral
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)
- oh dang I only got a minute to talk about some board games
- let's blind rank five games I don't know what's coming next
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.