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Game Info
Year
2021
Collection
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Description
Shiver Me Timbers is a highly thematic, strategic sandbox game set in the Golden Age of Piracy. The game is heavily Euro-inspired: It uses a tactical card-based combat system and takes lots of strategic planning to use your available actions to optimal effect and become the most notorious pirate of your era.
Each playing will vary as you randomly reveal five of ten vastly different victory conditions: One game, you'll be rescuing your lost family, the next you might have to conquer enemy ships and fortresses or face the hideous Kraken.
At the beginning of the game, each player secretly chooses two of the revealed conditions as their personal goals. After all players have chosen, they set-up the fully modular board, each of them trying to find a constellation that optimally supports their hidden agenda. Then they outfit their modable ship miniatures, select their starting abilities and equipment and set sails to fight, conquer, trade, loot, hunt for treasure and much more.
During play, every achievement is rewarded with victory points. The game continues until all five victory conditions have been met. There's a final scoring in which players collect extra points if they managed to achieve the goals they chose, and highest point total wins.
—description from the designer
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Shiver Me Timbers
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All mentions
Browse transcript mentions, sentiments, pros/cons, mechanics, topics, quotes, and references.
Total mentions: 11
This page: 11
Sentiment:
pos 6 ·
mix 2 ·
neu 1 ·
neg 0
Showing 1–11 of 11
Video 51XC0KGzmak
Getting Games Playthrough at 0:00 sentiment: mixed
video_pk 91608 · mention_pk 245859
Click to watch at 0:00 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
mixed
Pros
- Deep system with interlocking mechanics
- Varied strategies (treasure, missions, combat, monster fights)
Cons
- Prototype components; not final art
- Rule interactions can be complex; potential rule misunderstandings in video
Thematic elements
- piracy, treasure hunting, naval combat
- Caribbean pirate world with Port Royal, Isla Obscura, Saint David, La Juanita, and other islands
- live playthrough with rule explanations
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Combat and duels — Duels use a track; players draw four cards; guards, various attacks, and defensive cards; outcomes influenced by speed differential and fog banks.
- Combat: Deck/Hand — Duels use a track; players draw four cards; guards, various attacks, and defensive cards; outcomes influenced by speed differential and fog banks.
- Fortresses and fort battles — Fortresses have strength values; defeating fortresses yields gold and points; fortresses have special abilities.
- Map setup and exploration — Map is built collectively during setup and pieces can be varied; islands have banners with available actions.
- Monsters and rituals — Sea monsters (Sea Serpent, Kraken) can be summoned by ritual cards (Maelstrom); battles involve positions on track and dice and strength.
- Movement and wind modifiers — Movement speed is shown on sails; wind tokens can increase or decrease movement; travel can be modified by dice (blue/white) occasionally.
- Pestilence and round-end effects — End-of-round pestilence may block island entry; wind tokens reset; map reseeded with ships periodically.
- Public and secret life goals — Life goals provide end-of-game points; tokens give extra end-game bonuses; some are public, some secret.
- Resource Management — Gold is spent to upgrade ships; cargo holds store sugar, cocoa, and rum; treasure cards can be stored in chests.
- Resource management and upgrades — Gold is spent to upgrade ships; cargo holds store sugar, cocoa, and rum; treasure cards can be stored in chests.
- Trading — Goods can be sold at ports for gold, with different buy/sell values per resource.
- Trading and selling — Goods can be sold at ports for gold, with different buy/sell values per resource.
- Treasure hunting and treasure track — Treasure hunts use strength and treasure hints; can gain treasures or tokens; best friend and lost daughter son daughter interactions produce points and special powers.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- this game is being funded through Kickstarter
- each player is in charge of a pirate ship in the Caribbean
- we built this map up collectively as part of setup
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video YlPOlvbUN2c
Rob's Tabletop World Discussion at 0:41 sentiment: positive
video_pk 81687 · mention_pk 204001
Click to watch at 0:41 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- Described as a really great pirate game
- Host expresses love for the game
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)
- a really great pirate game, Shiver Me Timbers
- Gunpowder Glory
- So, we are going to be checking that out uh very soon, my good friends.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video eNIjs2RlcFk
Rob's Tabletop World Discussion at 15:03
video_pk 81384 · mention_pk 201706
Click to watch at 15:03 · YouTube ↗
Pros
none
Cons
- Quality of the prototype isn't good.
Thematic elements
- Pirate
Comparison games
- Pirates on the PC
- Sega
- Commodore
- Xbox
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Solo rules — The expansion adds solo rules to the game.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- I've been trying to walk with the boot. Well, I not walk, but I I I have a boot that I put on, but I keep it off most of the time because I'll be honest with you, it is bigger and bulkier than the cast.
- The lots that we do have, okay, everybody's waiting to find out what what's been bid on and and you know, it's been not that bad, but
- This may be probably the best baseball game I've ever played and I can't believe I didn't know about it.
- It is the most realistic, fast-paced, easy to learn baseball game I've I've ever played.
- This is a game that has everything except cold beer and hot dogs.
- I'm really on the fence with keeping Chronicles of Drungore.
- I think I'm going to more talk about the expansion than show it because the quality of the prototype isn't good.
- This game feels like you're playing Sidmer Pirate and nothing better than finding treasure, going through life, taking people down, you know, sinking ships, taking them.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video eY3H3WoNknQ
Rob's Tabletop World Discussion at 35:30
video_pk 80949 · mention_pk 198789
Click to watch at 35:30 · YouTube ↗
Pros
- expansion released
Cons
none
Thematic elements
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
Mechanics unknown.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- I'm not looking to cause drama. Sometimes I do because humans do that. You know what I mean? But I'm going to be very human.
- If you swing, I'm going to swing back harder. Okay, that's my vulnerabilities. I'm showing my vulnerabilities. I'm not a piece of plastic in front of the channel.
- I don't worry about my perception with the rest of the board gaming world. I'm worried within these little Hold on. I'm trying to do this.
- The idea is with things as tough as it is, if I can point you to something really rare or a small game that you can get hours and hours of fun with such as, and not spend $2 million.
- So, my friends, countrymen, and all you wonderful gamers out there.
- We're going to do a list. Okay. Um, and the list goes out tomorrow if you want it. I'm not going to shove it down your throats.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video cYUO7cRsIx8
Bower's Game Corner Preview at 0:51 sentiment: positive
video_pk 80214 · mention_pk 194868
Click to watch at 0:51 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- The game has a great theme and the description for it is well-written.
- The expansion includes a substantial 'choose your own adventure' book with many stories.
- The 3D components and modular miniatures look very nice.
- The game has strategic depth and meaningful decisions.
- The expansion offers solo modes.
- The game was previously awarded the 'Spotlighting Award' by Cardboard Republic.
- The game is a reprint and has a previous successful campaign.
- The deluxe all-in pledge of $160 feels reasonable.
- The base game for $70 with assembleable plastic ship pieces feels reasonably priced.
- The expansion for $38 feels fine.
Cons
- The main image and artwork are not great and look generic.
- The marketing and presentation on the Kickstarter page do not effectively showcase the game's best features (e.g., components, awards).
- The reviewer felt the expansion was treated as an afterthought in the campaign's presentation.
- The price for the 'all-in legendary' is not clearly the most popular pledge.
- The rules can be ambiguous or raise questions, requiring multiple reads.
- The decision to focus marketing on artwork instead of game features like the expansion's narrative or component customization was a missed opportunity.
Thematic elements
- Piracy, becoming the most notorious pirate
- Golden age of piracy
Comparison games
- Final Fantasy 11
- Tiny Epic series
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Asymmetric gameplay — The game focuses on the asymmetry of player experiences and goals.
- Card-driven combat — Combat is resolved using cards in tactical duels.
- Choose Your Own Adventure — The expansion includes a book with over 100 stories and endings, similar to the Choose Your Own Adventure format.
- Euroinspired mechanics — The game incorporates mechanics that are inspired by Eurogames.
- modular miniatures — Players command a miniature ship that can be upgraded.
- Secret Agendas — Each player has a secret goal to pursue.
- solo modes — The expansion includes two exciting solo modes.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- The artwork is why I don't know why we're putting that there. It looks like you copied that off of a Final Fantasy 11 game.
- Very meh. Like I will say at least I like the box and I like the expansion. I like the mini. So I can't go me.
- Generic artwork is not what I want to see.
- Yes, this is what I'm talking about. Main image that zoom in on that showcase that these things actually have little things that pop out and so it's like, oh, I have two cannon shots.
- The best pirate game I've ever played from Rob's tabletop word.
- What's in the box? Four colored bags, double-sided scoring life goal boards for board.
- First and foremost, you can't say choose your own adventure stories. Um, they will slap you with a little minor cease and assist.
- What's more deluxe than a color printed wooden box insert?
- It's the classic trying to put too much when you don't have enough room.
- I hate it so final grade is a C plus
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video eFNa-XSrEaQ
Review at 0:01 sentiment: mixed
video_pk 79654 · mention_pk 193195
Click to watch at 0:01 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
mixed
Pros
- The price points for the deluxe, base game, and expansion feel reasonable.
- The game has cool looking components.
- The game has plastic minis that you're going to assemble.
- It has the potential to be a massive and epic game.
Cons
- The artwork looks like it could be AI generated and doesn't look special.
- The presentation focuses too much on artwork and not enough on gameplay features.
- There's a lot of wasted space in the presentation that could have been used better.
- The presentation doesn't make returning backers feel special.
- The main image of the artwork is unnecessary.
- The game is described as having a 'piraty' theme but other than a telescope, it looks like generic artwork.
Thematic elements
- Pirate
- Choose your own adventure
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Asymmetric — Mentioned as part of the description of the game.
- Choose Your Own Adventure — Described as a choose your own adventure style game with 100 choices.
- crafting — Mentioned as part of the description of the game.
- sandbox — Described as a sandbox game where players can do various things.
- Ship in a bottle — Mentioned as a constructible element in the game.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- Shiver me timbers, the reprint was a brand new expansion. Do I want it? Yes, I do.
- I feel like you didn't do the greatest job of getting me there in a quick and concise manner at all.
- And it just felt like instead of like this is you literally just talking about how you're a sandbox game and some of the stuff you can do in the sandbox game while showcasing artwork.
- Like that's incredibly valuable. I just feel like the decision to do that. Do I want it? Yeah, but I felt like you really could have done it a lot better.
- So, final grade is solid. But I definitely feel like there's a lot to love and there's a lot to love more that they just didn't do.
- If I'm a returning backer, you didn't make me feel special at all in any way, shape, or form, and you should.
- Final grade, yeah, C+.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video 9O7qJ3X-UqE
Review at 0:23 sentiment: positive
video_pk 79500 · mention_pk 192950
Click to watch at 0:23 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- One of the best pirate games ever played.
- High quality components.
- Engaging exploration and discovery.
- Satisfying ship progression and upgrades.
- Fantastic solo rules in the expansion.
- Expansion enhances the base game significantly.
- Feels very much like Sid Meier's Pirates.
Cons
- The prototype of the expansion was a little rough around the edges quality-wise.
Thematic elements
- pirate
Comparison games
- Sid Meier's Pirates
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Combat — Players will 'run into all kinds of pirates' and engage in fighting, which involves playing cards and progressing through a back-and-forth area until an opponent is defeated.
- Resource Management — Players collect and trade goods like bananas, adjusting dials to represent what they are carrying.
- Set Collection — At the end of the game, players count up 'seals' and other items to determine victory points.
- Ship Customization/Upgrading — Players can add masts and guns to their ship as they acquire more goods, which helps in battle.
- Tile exploration — Players go over 'different tiles' that 'fold out' to make 'all kinds of different things' as they enter certain areas.
- Variable Map — The map can be configured in 'all kinds of different things' by using different tiles.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- The best pirate game I have ever played.
- The greatest pirate game ever made that you've never heard of.
- This is a remarkable remarkable game.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video McwhgNp2qnU
Review at 0:09 sentiment: positive
video_pk 66539 · mention_pk 162176
Click to watch at 0:09 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- Awesome toy factor with upgradable ships.
- Captures the vibe of Sid Meier's Pirates.
- New events and bounty cards add fun objectives.
- Exploration module is cool, rewarding longer routes.
- Allegiance tokens add interesting actions at islands.
- Voting module is clever, pushing player strategy.
- Solo modes (challenge and life map) are clever and fun.
- Expansion adds meat and direction to pick-up-and-deliver gameplay.
- Pirate Republic module is cool with a central island to build.
- Game is significantly better with the expansion.
- Great for those nostalgic for Sid Meier's Pirates.
- Good pick-up-and-deliver game.
- Romanticized pirate theme is fun.
Cons
- Game is best at 3+ players; expansion exacerbates this.
- Exploration feels very slow with only two players.
- Voting module is less interesting with only two players.
- Attacking pirate forts requires at least two players, less interesting in 2-player.
- Takes up a ton of space, even more with the exploration module.
Thematic elements
- Pirate simulation
Comparison games
- Sid Meier's Pirates
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Area Control — Players compete for allegiance tokens on islands, and there are special pirate forts to attack.
- Modular Board — The expansion introduces modules like the Pirate Republic expansion with a central island and the exploration module where the board is not pre-built.
- Pick-Up and Deliver — The game involves picking up and delivering goods, which the expansion adds more direction to.
- Set Collection — Allegiance tokens are collected on islands, which are used for scoring and contributing to building towers.
- solo mode — Includes a challenge mode and a 'life map' mode for solo play.
- Variable player powers — Players choose allegiances at the start of the game, which can guide their strategy.
- Voting — A voting module is introduced where players decide allegiances at the start of the game, influencing strategy and scoring.
- Worker Placement — Taking an action to build a sea lane and place an island at the end is mentioned.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- Shiver Me Timbers is basically Sid Meier's Pirates in board game form.
- And it has this awesome toy factor as you upgrade your ship, you actually pull it apart and you add more hull, and you put more cannons on it, and it's very, very silly and very, very cool.
- This game is best at three plus.
- It takes up a ton of space.
- I still think it is one of the best pick-up-and-deliver games, and I think this expansion makes it better.
- I was high on it back in the day. I'm still high on it.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video W1-GEfCQf2M
Meeple Mountain Review at 0:14 sentiment: positive
video_pk 39443 · mention_pk 119065
Click to watch at 0:14 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- Rich sandbox design with high player agency and emergent narratives
- Strong sense of theme supported by modular components and tactile rewards
- Deep yet approachable combat with a balanced dueling system
- High feel and quality of components (metal coins, chest upgrades) that enhance immersion
- Map is highly replayable due to player-driven layout and modular routing
- Rulebook is clear, comprehensive, and well-illustrated
Cons
- Table footprint is considerable; setup and storage can be intimidating
- Setup can be tedious with many decks and pieces to organize
- PvP emphasis may frustrate groups seeking a purely cooperative or non-interactive experience
Thematic elements
- Revenge, treasure hunt, power struggles among pirates, and familial redemption
- Open seas pirate world with modular islands and quests spanning the Caribbean-inspired archipelago
- Asymmetric, emergent storytelling within a highly modular sandbox
Comparison games
- Western Legends
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Asymmetric play — Players begin with unique talents, starting locations, and paths to victory, enabling varied strategies per game.
- Combat: Deck/Hand — Duels on a plank use red attacker vs blue defender cards; speed determines who acts first; outcomes push captains off the plank or repel/retaliate.
- deck-driven action economy — Four decks (green spells, black crew, red missions, yellow pests) feed powerful, high-impact actions with costs and benefits.
- dueling system — Duels on a plank use red attacker vs blue defender cards; speed determines who acts first; outcomes push captains off the plank or repel/retaliate.
- end-game objectives and missions — A pool of end-game objectives is shuffled and revealed; players secretly select mission markers and vie for points.
- Modular Board — Coins, chests, boards, and multiple decks create a substantial table presence and a tangible, tactile experience.
- Monster Hunting — Sea serpent and Kraken provide high-value targets; monsters are summoned and pursued via crew or spell effects and yield tokens and bonuses.
- ship customization — Each player's vessel starts with base stats (speed, cannons, haul) and can be upgraded with modular components to alter performance.
- table presence and modular components — Coins, chests, boards, and multiple decks create a substantial table presence and a tangible, tactile experience.
- treasure and treasure maps — Treasure items and maps guide point accrual, with mechanics for storage in chests and potential theft during raids.
- wind and movement — A wind deck introduces variable movement each round; speed interacts with wind, altering a player's travel options.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- this sandbox style pirate high seas Adventure where really the quests and the journey that you go on are entirely up to you
- every aspect of shiver Timbers is asymmetric and gives you freedom nothing in this game feels constricting
- it's a very modular open world sandbox style game
- the map is modular and built by the players
- the rule book is exceptional in this game
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video o0AhERKnFC4
Meeple Mountain Review at 0:00 sentiment: positive
video_pk 28143 · mention_pk 82339
Click to watch at 0:00 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- High degree of asymmetry and customization
- Modular, player-driven map and lengthy sandbox play
- Beautiful components and thematic assets (coins, chests, etc.)
- Excellent rulebook with clear illustrations and examples
- Multiple viable paths to victory and strong replayability
Cons
- Table space required; large footprint and setup
- Initial setup can be tedious and fiddly
- Not a pure co-op; PVP elements can be reliant on negotiation and timing
Thematic elements
- Pirate adventure centered on treasure, lost family, and sea monsters
- A modular pirate open-world on a high seas map with islands and ports
- Sandbox, emergent storytelling with player-driven quests
Comparison games
- Western Legends
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Asymmetric Player Powers — Each player starts with a unique talent that shapes travel, combat, or treasure gathering.
- Combat: Damage Based — Attack and defend using ship stats and card resolution for naval combat.
- Combat: Deck/Hand — Combat uses attacker/defender cards and a plank mechanic to determine outcomes.
- dueling system — Combat uses attacker/defender cards and a plank mechanic to determine outcomes.
- Modular map and trade routes — The map is built by players with removable trade routes, changing each game.
- Quests and objectives as endgame goals — Randomized objectives give variable scoring and strategic targets.
- Resource-based combat and raids — Attack and defend using ship stats and card resolution for naval combat.
- Ship customization and upgrades — Players modify their vessel (speed, cannons, haul capacity) to tailor their strategy.
- Three actions per turn — On a turn you can move, trade, or engage in combat/duel or treasure hunting.
- Treasure and loot management — Treasure chests and coins create scoring opportunities and risk of theft.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- this sandbox style pirate high seas Adventure where really the quests and the journey that you go on are entirely up to you
- it's a modifiable open World sandbox Style game
- The rule book is exceptional in this game
- it's a big table hog
- this is an awesome title that I was really excited to play and share with you guys
- it's Unique it's Innovative
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video xGcDYlsbxvM
The Dice Tower Discussion at 9:18 sentiment: neutral
video_pk 12689 · mention_pk 37028
Click to watch at 9:18 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
neutral
Pros
- Getting reprint and new expansion
Cons
none
Thematic elements
- Piracy and treasure
- Pirate adventure
- Adventure
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
Mechanics unknown.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- To me, the fun of Monopoly isn't really in playing it. Once you open a box, you lose about 90% of its value.
- The guy has something he's passionate about.
- That made me happy seeing that. I completely forgot about Quake till I saw this.
- Game fountain's killing it.
- I would play it again with this. That's one that stuck with me.
- If I'm going to be a dinosaur and go head-to-head with other dinosaurs, I'm kind of in on that game.
- The fact that this company can continue to thrive by producing new versions of it. Why wouldn't they?
- I hate this one particular. I think it looks terrible. I would never want to play this game.
- No Thanks is one of the best card games I think ever made.
- Do you have enough Wingspan? No. No one does.
- I love stuff like that.
- I really do love Federation.
- Trading card game mechanisms such as those referred to in the law are not subject to needless legal actions.
- Eat first, die last.
- Winners don't quit, Tom.
References (from this video)
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