/pic8478387.png)
Collection Status
Your Rating
Description
It is the year glork-too-vleep, or mid-20th century according to Earthling time. We recently stumbled across this planet called Earth and discovered intelligent, albeit primitive, life. The most intelligent and valuable of these specimens are the creatures known as cows. Many precious secrets of the universe have already been discovered through our studies of these cows, but to our frustration, we've found these particular Earthlings to be far too tranquil to harness for our political purposes. Alas, for our galactic goals we must settle upon the second-most intelligent form of life on Earth: the human being. These creatures are just intelligent enough to meet our puppetary standards. Their brains appear eager to be molded, and their civilization perfect for our siloing, so we've selected a small municipality to begin our trial invasion.
Aliens have come to silo humans — brainwash, steer, and preserve human civilization — for their cosmic purposes! In SILOS (Secret InterLopers from Outer Space), players control competing factions of aliens who abduct and brainwash humans and cows while secretly invading their community. Players tussle for majority influence in the key locations of this small town as they seek to activate location powers and control human specimens for societal power.
Players take turns repositioning their alien figures and activating an event card. The objective is to collect a complete set of humans: politicians, government operators, influencers, and professionals. A complete set will earn a player a societal power emblem, and the first player to earn five emblems wins the game. Cows are particularly valuable and thus count as wild tokens toward forming a complete set.
SILOS is a remastered edition of Reiner Knizia's Municipium that introduces many innovations by:
Restructuring the player psychology via clear, public, and easy card counting
Increasing the gameplay variety and strategies with modular location power tiles
Enhancing tactical considerations with powerful leader figures
Broadening the appeal of the theme and presentation with wacky alien conspiracy art by Kwanchai Moriya and Brigette Indelicato
Enlivening the production with disguised alien figures, abductable cows, and a roaming UFO
The separate Crop Circles Expansion introduces more elements of long-term strategy through the crop circles module, while also featuring diverging asymmetry through the permanent skill tiles module.
—description from the publisher
Year Published
2025
Featured Videos
Playthrough
SILOS 4 Player Live Play
Transcript Analysis
Browse transcript mentions, sentiments, pros/cons, mechanics, topics, quotes, and references.
Total mentions: 12
This page: 12
Sentiment:
pos 10 ·
mix 1 ·
neu 0 ·
neg 0
Showing 1–12 of 12
Video 6lrG_Rxy_2w
Board Game Buzz game_review at 1:58 sentiment: mixed
video_pk 62388 · mention_pk 154919
Click to watch at 1:58 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
mixed
Pros
- Strong theme integration with aliens and cows
- Interesting use of shared and personal decks
- Two-player mode works surprisingly well with a blocking dummy color
Cons
- Area control can feel flat due to card-driven randomness
- Limited long-term planning due to deck reveals
- Theme-specific components may feel niche to some players
Thematic elements
- aliens abduct cows to harvest power and influence in human zones
- Earth under alien infiltration; cows as central resource
- whimsical, humorous portrayal of aliens disguised as humans
Comparison games
- El Dorado
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Area Control — Players compete to have majority in various zones to collect cows and color tokens.
- Card-driven actions — Turns resolve either a shared deck or personal one-time use cards that drive actions.
- Focus groups and mind control — Certain cards trigger mind-control events when focus groups are filled.
- set collection — Collect colored tokens to exchange for emblems; need one of every color to cash in.
- Token collection and set completion — Collect colored tokens to exchange for emblems; need one of every color to cash in.
- Token Pairing — Cows count as wild colors to complete color requirements for tokens.
- Wild tokens (cows) — Cows count as wild colors to complete color requirements for tokens.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- The very first thing that I heard about this game was the theme where you are um aliens are coming to Earth abducting cows because cows are the most intelligent life form on the planet.
- Turns go by so fast because that's literally all you're doing is you're simply playing a card, doing a couple movements, boom, next person, play another card.
- I would absolutely introduce this to people as primarily a push your luck game.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video -OH-YiepSfE
Unknown Channel playthrough at 0:00 sentiment: positive
video_pk 62049 · mention_pk 154649
Click to watch at 0:00 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- Vibrant, cute artwork and approachable theme
- Clear color-set collection loop combined with area control
- Power-event cards add strategic depth and variability
Cons
- Board-state readability can be challenging during play and camera shots
- Some players may find the color-role mappings abstract or fiddly
Thematic elements
- Alien encounters, mind control, and a lighthearted town-vs-town competition with a satirical civic vibe.
- Alien-themed area control in a small town where UFOs abduct cows and humans; players vie for majority in spaces to trigger UFO advances and collect color sets for scoring.
- Abstract, comedic, with playful props and livestream commentary.
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Area Control — Players compete for majority on board spaces; control determines action and scoring potentials.
- area_control — Players compete for majority on board spaces; control determines action and scoring potentials.
- event_cards — Players draw and resolve event cards that activate powers affecting multiple spaces or players.
- Events — Players draw and resolve event cards that activate powers affecting multiple spaces or players.
- movement_and_tie_breaks — Movement is planned with tie-breaks decided by town hall influence; routes like the bus station allow redistribution.
- Network/route building — Movement is planned with tie-breaks decided by town hall influence; routes like the bus station allow redistribution.
- set collection — Collect color tokens until you have a full set to exchange for a point token.
- set_collection — Collect color tokens until you have a full set to exchange for a point token.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- The artwork on this is really cute.
- The new theme for it is really cute.
- I really like this kind of card counting mechanic.
- Yay for education.
- Go home, aliens. You're drunk.
- I actually really like this.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video qfFdziT_JMY
Unknown Channel playthrough at 8:21 sentiment: positive
video_pk 62021 · mention_pk 154631
Click to watch at 8:21 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- Engaging, quirky theme with strong character and art (80s vibe).
- Rich interaction through mind-control, area control, and timed events.
- Clear escalation path toward a five-emblem win with a tangible end-condition.
Cons
- Rule interactions can be complex; tracking influence, tiebreakers, and exchanges is dense.
- Game can run long with multiple phases, potentially challenging for large groups.
- Some players may find the weight high for a casual session.
Thematic elements
- Alien influence and municipal power, social satire expressed through quirky characters and hats.
- A modern, quirky town with aliens, cows, and a social-political undercurrent where factions vie for influence.
- humorous, satirical with competitive tension and evolving board state
Comparison games
- Wonderland War
- Slay the Spire
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Area Control — Players compete to control regions to gain power tokens and advance toward victory.
- Card activation — Each turn, a player activates a card from the deck (shared or personal) that triggers actions and influences.
- Mind control and location powers — Power cards trigger mind-control events and location-based powers that affect focus groups and board state.
- Movement along roads — On a turn, players move up to two spaces following road layouts to position for control and effects.
- set collection — Players collect societal emblems by completing color sets; five emblems (tokens) typically ends the game.
- Set collection and emblem economy — Players collect societal emblems by completing color sets; five emblems (tokens) typically ends the game.
- Town Hall tiebreakers — Tiebreakers are managed via Town Hall actions, reshaping the order and control dynamics.
- UFO movement and abduction events — A sequence of UFO movement events triggers abductions that award cows to the leader in an area and humans to the second place.
- Variable setup (Astrid vs non-Astrid variant) — Optional variant that randomizes board locations to balance the game and introduce variety.
- Wild cows and incentivized exchange — Cows are wild tokens that affect scoring and exchanges; players must exchange under certain conditions.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- The game is so fun.
- Silos from Bite Wing Games designed by Reno Knizia.
- This is a area control game at its core.
- Cows are wild.
- Oh, I didn't realize we got different art. That's cute.
- The theme is great.
- I like that the art is very 80s overall.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video hAurN38710g
Unknown Channel top_10_list at 0:09 sentiment: positive
video_pk 40375 · mention_pk 122223
Click to watch at 0:09 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- simple core rules with deep timing and position-based decisions
- unique alien theme with cows as wilds adds flavor
- strong interaction around location majority encouraging thoughtful play
Cons
- rules can be non-intuitive at first due to location interactions
- best with 3–4 players; fewer players can reduce timing tension
Thematic elements
- alien invasion with area majority and set collection dynamics
- a small town invaded by aliens; alien abductors targeting humans and cows (cows used as wilds).
- abstract/strategy-driven with location-based abilities
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- area majority — players vie for the most abductions at each location to gain points and trigger location-based effects.
- Card Play — play a card from hand or deck to trigger effects that interact with location abilities.
- Location-based abilities — each location has its own ability that can influence scoring and actions.
- set collection — collect a complete set of different humans to score points; cows are wilds for completing sets.
- wild substitutions — cows can substitute as any human to complete sets, increasing flexibility.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- The game itself at face value feels very simple, but there's a lot of different nuances you want to be thinking about as each location has its own abilities.
- And the person who gets to trigger that actual effect is the one who has majority at that location.
- I've really enjoyed my time with Silos, and this is a game I'd really pull out only for three to four player groups.
- This is Moon Colony Bloodbath—engine-building survival with a communal deck that creates constant tension.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video 4MhnO04ufSY
top_10_list at 0:04 sentiment: positive
video_pk 39813 · mention_pk 120283
Click to watch at 0:04 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- simple but tricky area control
Cons
none
Thematic elements
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- action_selection — Players choose actions each turn to influence board control and scoring.
- Area Control — Players compete for majority on board regions by placing influence tokens.
- area_control — Players compete for majority on board regions by placing influence tokens.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- a simple but tricky area control game.
- a ladder climbing game, but with a fun little twist.
- a fast-paced word game.
- simple but hilarious betting game.
- Moon Colony Bloodbath, a deck building game about survival, and woo, so good.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video WElec5l2CYg
Unknown Channel game_review at 0:00
video_pk 37520 · mention_pk 112741
Click to watch at 0:00 · YouTube ↗
Pros
none
Cons
none
Thematic elements
- Array
- Array
- Area majority / influence in a town setting
- Array
- A town where alien figures move to gain influence over areas
- Array
- Array
- Array
- positive
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 really fast to play.
- You're constantly jocking for position and you have clever opportunities to outmaneuver your opponents.
- If you like area majority games with low rule overheads and also tactical depth, then Silos is definitely worth checking.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video 6Zo6ocgkSZE
Board Game Garden preview at 0:00 sentiment: positive
video_pk 32811 · mention_pk 97230
Click to watch at 0:00 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- Beautiful table presence with colorful tikis and impressive board layout
- Unique scoring puzzle emphasizing diversification over simply maximizing the tallest stack
- Strong thematic integration with Hawaiian folklore and volcano setting
Cons
- Components shown are prototypes and may change
- Scoring system can be intricate and may require careful teaching
- Two-player variant may affect river layout and pacing
Thematic elements
- Hawaiian folklore featuring mo'o lizard spirits and sacred tikis
- Hawaii volcanic island around the Kiloa volcano
- mythic, folklore-inspired
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- board-driven scoring and tile transfer — as forest rows empty, move volcano tiles to the volcano board and score based on stacks
- canoe movement and action selection — move the canoe at least one space; extra movement via empty canoe slots or paying holy stones; actions available depend on adjacent forest and volcano sections
- open drafting and allocation (snake draft) — initial draft of tikis from the central board to players' canoes, with strategic taking
- Resource management — manage holy stones and coral tiles; offerings to volcano influence actions and scoring
- resource management and offering — manage holy stones and coral tiles; offerings to volcano influence actions and scoring
- scoring by color stacks — score per section by color stack height; highest stack yields 1 point per tiki, others yield 3 per tiki; aim to maximize second-place colors
- set collection — collect tikis from forests and place on your canoe or boards; stacks by color with growth rules
- set collection and placement — collect tikis from forests and place on your canoe or boards; stacks by color with growth rules
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- Kiloa is actually a volcano in Hawaii.
- this game has some amazing table presents.
- the stacks of tikis and just the way that it all ends up looking is really, really cool.
- the volcano goddess, Pelle.
- you want to have a lot of the other colors and not of the highest stacked color.
- For a two-player game, you are going to cover up some of these sections on the river that you're going to skip with the canoe.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video UrG867fpu8g
Board Game Animal game_review at 2:02 sentiment: positive
video_pk 28917 · mention_pk 84895
Click to watch at 2:02 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- Stellar production and upgraded components that elevate gameplay
- Vibrant theme and flavor that feel distinct from many Euro-area games
- Strong player presence and interaction throughout the game
- Expandable variety via modules and replayability
Cons
- Not a long-term pull for the author; may sit lower in personal rankings
- Might be less appealing to players seeking a pure heavy Euro
- Some players may overlook it in favor of other area-control games
Thematic elements
- alien abduction and resource control with a colorful, characterful vibe
- Alien abductors operate in a space-themed area control context, abducting humans or cows from locations.
- cinematic, playful, with humorous flavor
Comparison games
- Municipium
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Area Control — Players compete for control of locations to gain humans/cows and convert them into victory points.
- area_control — Players compete for control of locations to gain humans/cows and convert them into victory points.
- set collection — Collect humans or cows from locations; tally points via a set collection mechanic.
- set_collection — Collect humans or cows from locations; tally points via a set collection mechanic.
- variable_power_and_events — UFO movement and one-time abilities create swings; event-driven turns with timing decisions.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- Silos is quite a bit of a romp
- the incredible theme and vibes that have been infused in this version
- Orbit's got that clean conitio charm of outward simplicity with a lot of inward depth, super quick turns that are elegantly simple.
- Ego is something else.
- Is this my new favorite Kitia game?
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video AI1omwj64kE
Going Analog general_discussion at 2:08 sentiment: positive
video_pk 10964 · mention_pk 32298
Click to watch at 2:08 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- innovative re-skin and streamlining of a classic Knizia layout
- clear, thematic shift to an alien abduction/retro-futurist vibe with strong art by Quan Moria
- tight tempo with a race-to-endorser-like climax; tension builds toward a five-emblem end condition
Cons
- theme may be less accessible to players seeking a traditional fantasy/Euro vibe
- heavy emphasis on timing and probability may frustrate players who love pure luck or pure strategy
Thematic elements
- alien abduction, brainwashing, and territory majority strategy
- 1980s small-town America with alien influence
- cosmic-alien satire meets strategic tension
Comparison games
- El Grande
- Quo Vadis
- Age of War
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- area majority — competing for control across multiple locations to gain emblematic benefits
- area movement and placement management — players influence which locations they can dominate as the UFO token moves and powers activate
- card-driven power timing — cards determine which majority benefits will trigger next, creating a predictive push-your-luck cadence
- multi-tier majority rewards — three levels of majority (local, secondary, and power emblems) that unlock different benefits
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 whLUEBFwU8U
Going Anog Podcast general_discussion at 35:31 sentiment: positive
video_pk 5266 · mention_pk 15589
Click to watch at 35:31 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- Accessible, light-to-midweight
- Fun theme and quirky components
Cons
- Prototype feel; may differ in final production
- Some players may prefer heavier euro strategies
Thematic elements
- Aliens capturing cows; strategic polling influence
- Retro UFO-themed area control
- Lighthearted and humorous with sci-fi flavor
Comparison games
- El Grande
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Area control with moving UFO piece — Positioning UFO affects control and scoring.
- Area control with UFO piece — A moving UFO piece influences control as it travels
- Minimalistic, streamlined rules — Focused on quick rounds and interactions.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- it's an epic game it's a follow-up to dwellings of everdale
- it's a space themed and the idea is you're at you're in Andromeda the Galaxy Andromeda
- there's a lot of replayability in terms of stuff to explore
- the deluxe edition is so well made
- Layers you are creating a dungeon behind a privacy screen
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video xSdEfO9evIs
Going Analog general_discussion at 47:21 sentiment: positive
video_pk 2086 · mention_pk 6082
Click to watch at 47:21 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- Clever asymmetry and thematic execution
- Beautiful art and quirky theme
Cons
- Some learning curve due to multiple faction abilities
Thematic elements
- Aliens masquerading as humans navigating a grid
- Retro UFO-themed area control
Comparison games
- Orbit
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Area Control — Compete for influence on locations; timing and movement matter
- Turn order and impact — Factions influence different areas with various powers; aliens can gain advantages through placement
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- "It's so simple, but it's really clever."
- "This is a two-player head-to-head card combat game."
- "We are the aliens."
- "Bot or Not has me laughing a lot more."
- "Gen Con party game of the show, Bot or Not, unanimous."
- "Flip Tunes is my Gen Con game of the year."
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video hS0iC_fAycI
Unknown Channel game_review at 0:36 sentiment: positive
video_pk 574 · mention_pk 1704
Click to watch at 0:36 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- Accessible and quick to learn, with tight area control focus that remains engaging throughout.
- Minimalist design logic clicks early: personal cards feel powerful but require timing and restraint.
- Strong thematic flavor through goofy, stylized 90s sci-fi aesthetics that support the feel of play.
- Smart design choices like board-area prompts and visible future options offset potential passivity from the deck.
Cons
- Theme may not feel essential to some players, making it harder to classify as a 'must own' despite solid mechanics.
- Some players may wish for more direct interaction or higher drama beyond strategic positioning rather than pure contest.
Thematic elements
- Cosmic efficiency and social manipulation through area control, with playful nods to 1990s sci-fi tropes.
- A retro-futuristic, tongue-in-cheek sci-fi setting where alien agents invade a society of cows and humans to recruit specimens and score galactic points.
- Playful, quirky, and thematic, blending humor with strategic tension.
Comparison games
- Municipium (2008) - original reimplementation lineage
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Area Control — Players vie for control of locations using a mix of pawns, with scoring determined by control thresholds and token allocation (two for the leader, one for the second place).
- Deck visibility and planning — The game design places remaining common cards around the board, allowing players to gauge future options before the deck exhausts and reshuffles.
- Deck-driven actions — A common deck drives most activations. Top cards move the Mother Ship, place humans, or trigger location powers, creating cascading effects on the board.
- Graduation caps (influence multipliers) — Graduate-cap tokens upgrade teams, doubling their influence and impacting end-game scoring dynamics.
- Location powers — Locations grant special abilities that can rearrange pawns, influence tiebreakers, or alter the order of play, adding depth to planning.
- Personal power cards — Each player has a small set of personal one-time-use cards that can be flipped to create strategic opportunities at critical moments.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- Silos is an incredibly tactical.
- It's incredibly easy to pick up, and the goofy, very stylized '90s sci-fi aesthetic makes the game a charming breeze.
- Without attachment to the theme, it's hard to call Silo a must own with a myriad of other incredible output by this designer.
- it's a tight area control game that's still light on its feet and veers more towards contest than conflict
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Transcript Navigation
Showing 1–12 of 12