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Game Info
Year
2021
Collection
Your Tier
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Description
Shamans try to restore harmony in a world threatened by Shadows. You'll need to pick a side.
The game combines with ingenuity: hidden roles, competitive play and an original card playing mechanic.
Each played card allows you to stabilise the spirit world, perform a Ritual, acquire an Artefact ; and together they will bring you closer to the final showdown between Shadows and Shamans.
When time comes, the victor will be the one who managed to read through his rivals and stuck to the right side in this never-ending confrontation.
—description from the publisher (translated)
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All mentions
Browse transcript mentions, sentiments, pros/cons, mechanics, topics, quotes, and references.
Total mentions: 9
This page: 9
Sentiment:
pos 9 ·
mix 0 ·
neu 0 ·
neg 0
Showing 1–9 of 9
Video 6UGtBD-Rmh8
UndeadVikingVideos Discussion at 374:33:32 sentiment: positive
video_pk 87433 · mention_pk 228474
Click to watch at 374:33:32 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- Excellent writing by James Robinson.
- Features relatable human characters.
- Self-contained story.
- Can be read in one large trade paperback.
Cons
- Had to wrap up quickly due to flagging sales.
Thematic elements
- Inheriting the superhero mantle
- DC Comics Universe
- Comics
Comparison games
- Justice Society
- Batman
- League of Extraordinary Gentlemen
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
Mechanics unknown.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- why is it that you set up appointments with do with doctors that never keep them?
- I’m sure she’s seen dozens if not a 100 kids at this point getting physicals
- It’s a really solid game. I’ve played it a bunch since it came out.
- It’s a cooperative game where you and your friends are gonna work together to achieve a common goal.
- Terraforming Mars is a game that really rewards long-term planning.
- The engine building in this game is just fantastic. You really feel like you’re building something.
- Wingspan is such a beautiful game. The artwork is just stunning.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video X-KLCesuCRU
kovray Top 10 List at 1:13:35 sentiment: positive
video_pk 84379 · mention_pk 214383
Click to watch at 1:13:35 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
Extremely Positive
Pros
- Beautiful art and presentation
- Unique use of trick-taking mechanics
- Engaging social deduction and role swapping
- Strategic depth
- Good for various player counts
- Considered a sleeper hit
Cons
- Some players may not be fans of social deduction games.
Thematic elements
- Hidden role deduction
- Thematic integration with roles and abilities.
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- bluffing — Players can bluff about their role to mislead others.
- Deduction — Players try to deduce the roles of others through their actions.
- Hidden Roles — Players are secretly assigned as either a Shaman or a Shadow.
- Resource Management — Managing cards and abilities to achieve objectives.
- Role Swapping — Roles change from round to round, allowing players to experience both sides.
- Trick-Taking — Players play tricks to progress the game and achieve their role's objective.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- The player who played the second highest card in the lead suit wins the trick.
- You're trying to sting the other players with bees.
- If you collect the same valued bee, same color, same value, you get eliminated by going into anaphylaxis shock.
- This is the meanest trick taking game I've ever played.
- The market adds a lot of unique and interesting aspects to this game because of the way that everybody else can see it.
- The hierarchy gets really difficult to follow like there's so many different combinations that occur.
- The first phase is actually trick taking for cards. And the cards that you win, you'll be playing the second phase in a card shedding phase.
- The way that this game works is you'll shuffle those two decks together.
- I find it chaotically pleasing.
- I think that experience along with the trick taking is very unique.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video QxzcT_U9ahI
Board Game Critique Top List at 2:01 sentiment: positive
video_pk 80034 · mention_pk 194082
Click to watch at 2:01 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- Betrayals hit harder due to quieter, more psychological meanness.
- Specific decisions can be pointed to for earned betrayals.
Cons
- Trick-taking can slow down social deduction at higher player counts.
- Less loud and chaotic than other games on the list.
Thematic elements
- Rituals and hidden roles
Comparison games
- Masquerade
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Hidden Roles — light hidden role elements.
- Ritual completion — You're playing cards to complete rituals.
- Sandbagging — Someone can sandbag for a long time while pretending they're just not very good at the cards.
- Trick-Taking — combines trick-taking with light hidden role elements.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- We're going through the list from the more accessible and chaotic ones up to the heaviest hitters, and we're going to be pretty direct about which ones are worth your money and which ones you can safely skip.
- The deduction here blends careful clue interpretation with social deception rather than pure voting.
- What we loved is how mean the discussion can become without anyone raising their voice.
- It rewards subtle, clever lying and reading people more than loud accusations.
- The traitor can be incredibly patient.
- The social deduction is deep because of the shared board state and multiple crisis phases.
- The Resistance: Avalon is still the one we recommend most often when people ask for a classic that's actually available and holds up.
- Every quest vote is a minefield of lies, half-truths, and careful observation.
- The Thing: The Board Game is the one that feels the most like actual horror.
- Every test and every shared resource carries real tension because you really don't know who's still human.
- Feed the Kraken is one of the best modern takes on the three-faction hidden role style.
- Blood currently sitting at number one for us.
- Dead players continue participating fully, which creates this incredibly rich information economy that most other social deduction games simply don't have.
- It requires a good storyteller, but when it clicks, it's the meanest, most satisfying social deduction experience we have right now.
- Roma XLI is the newest game on the list and it fits right into the facade game style we've come to enjoy.
- Being able to politically remove someone from the game through clever maneuvering is deeply satisfying in a way that feels very Roman.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video XlDHkAH9N88
The Board Game Garden Top List at 25:13 sentiment: positive
video_pk 40149 · mention_pk 148641
Click to watch at 25:13 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- unique trader dynamic adds tension
- stunning aesthetic
Cons
- player count variability can affect balance
Thematic elements
- trick-taking with deception and role discovery
- hidden trader theme with witchy artwork
- tense, interaction-driven
Comparison games
- Resist
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- hidden trader mechanic — some players are Traders with unique objectives
- Trading — some players are Traders with unique objectives
- Trick-Taking — last-card triggers dagger or track effects
- trick-taking with special abilities — last-card triggers dagger or track effects
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- Chakra is wonderful
- I absolutely love it and I'm so freaking happy I didn't get rid of it
- Dutch Blitz is the best time
- Rove is absolutely amazing
- Witchcraft is a fantastic card based game
- Azul I am so excited to talk about my number 72
- Role Player is wonderful wonderful game
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video hwCDHCjt6m0
The Board Game Garden Review at 0:09 sentiment: positive
video_pk 36275 · mention_pk 108632
Click to watch at 0:09 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- Engaging blend of trick-taking and deduction that creates constant tension
- Unique and visually striking card art that enhances immersion
- Interaction-heavy decisions with meaningful consequences from tokens and rituals
Cons
none
Thematic elements
- Hidden identities, deception, ritual power, and calculated risk within a trick-taking framework that blends social interaction with strategic control of a central objective.
- A fantasy-mythic lunar arena where two factions—Shamans and Shadows—vie to influence a Moon-driven objective. The play area features a Moon track and a collection of tokens that shift power, with a modular board layout guiding each round.
- Emergent, player-driven storytelling where roles are revealed over time, rituals trigger board shifts, and the outcome hinges on how players balance bluffing, following, and aim-driven decisions.
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Dagger elimination — Certain tokens allow a player to be eliminated on a future turn, creating high-stakes decisions and potential swing turns late in the game.
- End-of-round scoring and lead — After all cards in a trick have been played, the highest-numbered card typically leads the next trick, while the lowest-numbered card may secure a token or advantage, depending on the round state.
- Hidden Roles — Each player is assigned a hidden role (Shaman or Shadow) at the start, with different victory conditions and subtle incentives that encourage misdirection and inference.
- Moon track / Shadow track — Tokens and card outcomes move a Shadow pawn along a Moon-based track. Movement affects scoring, end-game timing, and potential elimination or advantage on future turns.
- Player Elimination — Certain tokens allow a player to be eliminated on a future turn, creating high-stakes decisions and potential swing turns late in the game.
- Ritual resolution — When all cards of a single suit have been played, a ritual effect is triggered. This can exchange cards, shift roles, adjust the Moon track, or trigger other board-wide changes that reshape the round.
- Round-based victory to a target — The game continues across multiple rounds until a player reaches eight points, at which point the round ends and the winner is determined from accumulated scores.
- Secret roles — Each player is assigned a hidden role (Shaman or Shadow) at the start, with different victory conditions and subtle incentives that encourage misdirection and inference.
- Token variety and effects — Tokens provide diverse effects such as advancing the Shadow, granting points, revealing a player's role, or placing a dagger for potential elimination, adding layers of strategic planning and risk.
- Trick-Taking — A lead suit is established each trick; players may follow or not, but non-matching cards influence the Shadow track and overall position. Lead management and card counting drive strategic tension.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- Shaman's is fun and intense really unique and one of my favorite trick games so I definitely recommend you check it out
- the most beautiful art I've ever seen in cards
- an interesting blend of trick taking as well as deduction
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video DUSDvTpEh-Q
The Board Game Garden Discussion at 23:18 sentiment: positive
video_pk 34798 · mention_pk 103754
Click to watch at 23:18 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- Stunning evolving art across suits
- Adorable and varied character illustrations
Cons
- Can be complex for new players
Thematic elements
- Magical shamanic rituals and transformation
- Mythical witchy world
- Art evolves with card numbers; tarot-like progression
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Card Drafting — Drafting cards across rounds to maximize scoring
- Trick-Taking — Heavier trick-taking with color-coded suits
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- I am obsessed with the art in this game
- art is very important to me
- these cards are absolutely stunning
- I just love the watercolor art in board games
- these backs with the parchment vibe are gorgeous
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video IIPgreIALCM
The Board Game Garden Top List at 21:00 sentiment: positive
video_pk 32302 · mention_pk 95467
Click to watch at 21:00 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- Gorgeous artwork and thematic ambition
- Deep trick-taking with hidden roles adds tension
Cons
- Complex explanation can slow early sessions
Thematic elements
- murder mystery with good vs shadow players
Comparison games
- other trick-taking games with hidden roles
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- role-based abilities — Shadows vs good players have special actions linked to specific suits.
- tile-mitigation/discovery — Tiles offer actions and can murder other players for advantage.
- Tile/Map Shifting — Tiles offer actions and can murder other players for advantage.
- Trick-Taking — Players follow or bend suits with hidden information influencing outcomes.
- trick-taking with hidden roles — Players follow or bend suits with hidden information influencing outcomes.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- I love Wizards of the Grimoire if you guys haven't checked it out yet I definitely recommend trying it at least on BGA
- this is the first game from Eerie Idol games
- Barcelona is oh such a fantastic game
- I'm so so happy I now have it in the collection
- I am not the hugest fan of Cooperative games
- oh my goodness I love the way it looks
- you are going to be killing the guests in order to get money from them
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video z7UB15VzCHY
Watch It Played Top 10 List at 14:57 sentiment: positive
video_pk 29356 · mention_pk 86259
Click to watch at 14:57 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- engaging blend of strategy, ingenuity, and social deduction
- strong thematic hook with tense final showdown
Cons
- hidden-role mechanics can be opaque for new players
- variance in group dynamics may affect experience
Thematic elements
- spiritual conquest and ritual competition with hidden roles
- spiritual world with shamans and artifacts
- social deduction and card-based actions toward a showdown
Comparison games
- Don't Mess with Cthulhu
- The Crew
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Card-driven actions — cards are used to acquire artifacts and perform rituals
- cooperative vs competitive balance — players align to achieve collective goals while pursuing individual aims
- Hidden Roles — players have concealed objectives and identities
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- this game takes place just after an evil overlord with ruthlessly poor decorating taste has died
- this is a flip and write game meaning that the active player reveals a card on their turn that has a polynomial shape and then everybody plays one of the monster cards
- llama land looks like a mixture of the game's gingerbread house and number nine
- the loop offers four different game modes in which altruistic agents gather powerful artifacts
- set in the whimsical world of alice in wonderland you and your teammates have been appointed as the new royal gardeners
- these objectives will bring players closer to the final showdown between the shadows and the shamans
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video uVb9OiFu7Uk
Board Game Garden Top 10 List at 26:16 sentiment: positive
video_pk 27777 · mention_pk 81113
Click to watch at 26:16 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- art and production quality highly praised
- unique combination of deduction with trick-taking
Cons
- hidden-trader style can be polarizing
- learning curve for new players
Thematic elements
- mystical deduction with hidden traitor dynamics
Comparison games
- Veiled Fate
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Hidden Roles — shamans and shadows use moon-tracker mechanics to trigger effects and determine victory conditions
- hidden roles and moon tracker — shamans and shadows use moon-tracker mechanics to trigger effects and determine victory conditions
- Trick-Taking — players play tricks while some players are shaman/shadow with shared or hidden objectives
- trick-taking with deduction — players play tricks while some players are shaman/shadow with shared or hidden objectives
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- Park life is a trick taking game that has this really cool kind of spin on trick taking where basically you are going to win a trick if you play the lowest number
- I think it's really cool the solo version of the game is very fun where you are playing two open hands and basically each round you trying to get both hands to win an equal amount of cards or points
- Naku Dice is a game that I have wanted for so long I played it actually early last year and fell in love with it
- Seas of Strife is my favorite trick taking game
- there is no Trump suit in Rebel Princess as well but the princes kind of act like a trump suit
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
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