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Game Info
Year
2025
Players
1-4
Age
13+
Playtime
60 min
Collection
Your Tier
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Mechanic profile
Percentile rank vs. all games
Vibe profile
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Description
Around five thousand years ago, a resilient group of farmers and hunters built a thriving community on the Orkney Islands of Northern Scotland. Rather than discarding their empty shells, broken tools, bones, and other waste, they used them to form large mounds of earth over hundreds of years. Later generations dug into these midden piles to create a series of rooms and tunnels to shelter from the harsh winds and cold winter months.
The aim of Skara Brae is to gather various resources in order to feed, clothe, and shelter the growing number of settlers. Players take turns drafting cards and using their workers to furnish, cook, craft, clean, and trade. At the end of each round, players need to provide for their settlers and will likely create more midden that needs to be cleaned up. After four rounds, the player with the most points wins.
—description from designer
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All mentions
Browse transcript mentions, sentiments, pros/cons, mechanics, topics, quotes, and references.
Total mentions: 13
This page: 13
Sentiment:
pos 11 ·
mix 1 ·
neu 0 ·
neg 0
Showing 1–13 of 13
Video 0Zsl0JiC4fo
Getting Games Games Radar Vlog at 43:55 sentiment: positive
video_pk 88045 · mention_pk 231027
Click to watch at 43:55 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
Cautiously Positive
Pros
- Unique and fascinating theme based on Neolithic Scotland and midden piles.
- Designed by Shem Phillips, known for enjoyable games with interesting elements.
- Appreciated art style.
- Fits into the light to medium weight category.
Cons
- Not coming out until 2025.
- Limited information available online.
- The host notes it's not a game they would rush out to try but is interested in learning more.
Thematic elements
- Gathering resources and sheltering settlers
- Neolithic Northern Scotland
- Historical narrative about midden piles
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Card Drafting — Players draft cards.
- Chaining — Mentioned as a mechanic.
- Resource Management — Gathering resources to feed, clothe, and shelter settlers.
- track movement — Mentioned as a mechanic, likely related to resource gathering or settler needs.
- Variable player powers — Mentioned as a mechanic.
- Worker Placement — Using workers to furnish, cook, clean, and trade.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- Tiny Epic Game of Thrones it's a 2024 game it says assume the role of a mighty House of the Seven Kingdoms
- players utilize an Innovative limited action dice mechanism M to strategically choose cards such as plot whisper event March and sail with the options to follow other players actions
- players will yield an immense amount of Power with their respective houses through a versatile hand of multi-use cards that allow players to plot against the influential houses of Westeros orchestrate grandio events and partake in exhilarating battles
- Worms span I'm being factious this is like one of the most talked about games over the last few weeks this is a reimplementation of wingspan all about dragons
- Build a cavernous Sanctuary for Dragons of all shapes and sizes
- your player board starts out small they're caves and at the beginning of the game your cave is Tiny I think there's only room for one Dragon but as you play through the game you can dig out your cave allowing you to put more dragons in there
- Wormspan looks cool I like dragons I think they're cool I think the artwork looks neat
- I'm intrigued like wingspan is one of the more popular games to come out in the last seven years and here is a follow-up game with a new theme and some new mechanics I want to see how this one goes
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video HZoKc1rJc40
The Board Game Garden Discussion sentiment: positive
video_pk 81720 · mention_pk 204186
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
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)
- Send help, please.
- My shelf of opportunity. There are a few games on here that I want to bring.
- This bag is already full and I haven't even gone out to the board game room.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video HZoKc1rJc40
The Board Game Garden Discussion sentiment: positive
video_pk 81720 · mention_pk 271036
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
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)
- Send help, please.
- My shelf of opportunity. There are a few games on here that I want to bring.
- This bag is already full and I haven't even gone out to the board game room.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video LosTl-AIbrE
BoardGameCo Other at 3:42 sentiment: mixed
video_pk 81260 · mention_pk 200775
Click to watch at 3:42 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
mixed
Pros
- Been enjoying so far
Cons
- Uncertain if it will be added to the collection.
- Uncertain if it will be liked for a few plays or many plays.
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)
- Would not recommend.
- I feel like I must be missing something with this one because Coimbra is a game that I I I thought was fine. Like not even like good. It was just fine.
- Coimbra was a complete miss for me and my group.
- This one also did not work for me.
- It is a fast, light, simple game, but it's also not easy and it's also incredibly like so little decision making in this game.
- the game is random as far as you may get slapped in the face really, really hard in four out of five of the games and then get like a little lucky in the way things come out.
- I just think that I spent enough time on BoardGameGeek over the years that when ratings have been incentivized in some way...
- The vibe I got, like if I found out, I guess the way I'd put it is if I found out they ran a get $5 off your next purchase with us if you go rate the game on BGG, I wouldn't be surprised.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video ByGBv7zhjfk
Board Games UnLocked Top List at 40:50 sentiment: positive
video_pk 80952 · mention_pk 198806
Click to watch at 40:50 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
Positive
Pros
- Best played solo
- Engaging resource manipulation
- Small box size
- A step in the right direction for the designer's recent games
Cons
- The designer's previous games in the same vein can become repetitive.
Thematic elements
- Resource gathering and manipulation for survival
- Small Village / Community Building
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Card Drafting — Drafting cards as you go through the game.
- Resource Management — Gathering and manipulating various resources.
- Set Collection — Gathering specific resources.
- Worker Placement — Using workers to perform actions.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- We're just redoing this because 5 years is when we did this last time and after looking at my list then and look at my list now, there was been a metric ton of changes.
- Um so that changes a lot of it. Plus, companies are almost bullied into having a solo mode.
- So, these are going to be like games I play by myself, whether it's, you know, two-handed or or strictly solo games.
- It's a narrative game. Uh and uh you are running through you're like these these uh it's there's a lot of espionage like you're a spy.
- The app doesn't like take away from the game. It's not an app game where you also have cards. It's Yeah, it's a it's a perfect blend with that app driven.
- This has that Marvel Champions feel where you have your alter ego side.
- This one is just a really good uh 40k um
- Man, we we don't know how good we had it back then
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video Wt_g5AxtwDk
The Board Gaming Doctor Discussion at 27:02 sentiment: positive
video_pk 80784 · mention_pk 197922
Click to watch at 27:02 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
Positive
Pros
- Satisfying despite lighter complexity
- Easy to learn
- Fun to play
- Good for its depth of turns and decisions
- Worth a shot
Cons
- Not the deepest strategy game
- Strategy-wise it's not the deepest game
Thematic elements
- Farmers and hunters
- Ancient northern Scotland
Comparison games
- Rosenberg games
- Labor
- Laav
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Asymmetric Player Powers — Players select one of two asymmetric actions at the start of the game to steer their strategy.
- Card Drafting — Players draft cards that provide increasing abilities to gather resources or offer one-off abilities.
- Resource conversion — Players convert one type of resource into another to perform actions.
- Set Collection — Players can gather additional cards for points in a set collection manner.
- Waste Management — Players must clean up waste produced from feeding workers, as it can lead to point loss.
- Worker Feeding — Players must feed their workers with gathered resources.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- I've done this before on the podcast. It wasn't the and the and the YouTube channel as well. It wasn't the most high yield type of video, but I I think I I just kind of want to do it because they I played a lot of new games or games that I haven't played in the past for that I haven't played for a while that I played in the past.
- My overall rating is a 7.2 2 out of 10.
- It feels like a lot of other games of this ilk, right? Um kind of a mediumw weight worker placement style of game.
- Barrage is a classic worker placement game that features a cutthroat worker placement and a very interactive board.
- This game, you might have noticed, is on the lighter side. It's a pretty much a mediumwe game.
- I think it does the kind of a Euro hybrid with a 4x civilization experience justice. I
- I played a bunch of board games in the month of May and I wanted to talk about some of them that I did not dedicate a script and special time to to their own video in this format.
- But the aspect of building out this town and gaining more, you know, uh, mines available and everything like that really changes up the economy of how much resources cost or or how much they're worth when you collect income from having, you know, as many fingers in the pie that is these resources, if that makes sense.
- So overall, you know, I'm I'm a fan of resource conversion.
- But it was still a lot of fun. I wasn't suspect suspecting to have as much fun as I did with this game.
- So that is Scar Bray. The last game that I want to talk about and it's actually a group of games. It's food chain magnate and splatter games in general.
- And so this game obviously is highly rated among Splatter games.
- So my goal is to make a big video comparing and talking about all of these games and ranking them in order from my least prefer preferred to most.
- So I'm super excited to Oh, still coming still coming soon. um to have a chance to uh really dive into these games further and uh play them.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video NBiugoNxm7U
People University Top 10 List at 7:38 sentiment: positive
video_pk 74197 · mention_pk 178563
Click to watch at 7:38 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- fun on BGA
- playing on phone will speed things up dramatically
Cons
- 16 different resources
- lots of little bits when played physically
Thematic elements
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Engine Building — Has a lot of upgrades.
- Resource Management — Resource management is really tight.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- This is a long game, but I feel like Terforming Mask is longer.
- I enjoy Arknova on BJ as much as I do in person, I think.
- It's a game that on paper shouldn't actually work as a turnbased game because of how much you have to remember from turn to turn, but it's always been a nice one.
- it's a very very great game on board game arena because there's less maintenance like because otherwise there are some maintenance there are some icons that can be just explained easily on board game arena mouse hovering action
- Such a great game. Like it's such a great game in real but then the maintenance also less. So in board game arena.
- A two-player cooperative game of limited communication which is that's what happened in Board Game Arena.
- We pretty much had a game of The Crew going non-stop for a year, a year and a half.
- BGA gives us the chance, even in slow turn-based version, to play those tough scenarios. I've had a lot of fun with many of those scenarios.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video cM2q2rDUuWU
Meeple University Rules Teach
video_pk 69889 · mention_pk 166778
Pros
none
Cons
none
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)
- Scar is a game of resource management
- the vast majority of your actions will involve gaining spending or exchanging resources
- Victory points are represented by this icon positive or this icon negative
- after four rounds the game is over
- you'll gain the resources you need to make your villages Thrive
- end of the round you must pay food for each of their settlers
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video CoZrE_BiBuE
Top List at 5:28 sentiment: positive
video_pk 68039 · mention_pk 164359
Click to watch at 5:28 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- From acclaimed designers Shem and Sam Phillips.
- Combines worker placement, drafting, and resource management.
- Features satisfying action chaining.
Cons
none
Thematic elements
Comparison games
- The North Sea Saga
- The West Kingdom Saga
- The South Crow Saga
- Ezra and Nehemiah
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Chaining actions — pretty cool chaining that players can do on their turns.
- Drafting — drafting
- Resource Management — resource management
- Worker Placement — Worker placement
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- It's been a tiring task, but it's getting me stoked.
- Can I first just say how stressful it was making this list?
- narrowing it down to only 10, it felt brutal.
- There's some really cool looking games that you can demo at Gen Con, but this list isn't about those.
- It looks like a total blast.
- I mean, I just have to get pumped about anything he's working on at this point.
- This is exactly what I love about Clank, and it looks like this strikes that same chord.
- To be honest, it's not really fair to the rest of the games on a preview list if there's a new Jaime Stagmar game, or as I like to call them, a Jaime Gamy coming out.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video Q2RVOzqjL4w
Totally Tabled Discussion at 4:28 sentiment: positive
video_pk 41894 · mention_pk 149325
Click to watch at 4:28 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- thematic setting is compelling
- solo-focused play is quick (45-60 minutes per BGG)
- combines multiple engaging mechanisms
Cons
- dense resource system may overwhelm newcomers
Thematic elements
- resource management and community survival
- northern Scotland circa 5,000 years ago; mound-building culture
- mythic/historic with archaeological flavor
Comparison games
- other card drafting/placement resource management titles
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Card Drafting — draft and utilize cards to drive decisions
- Resource Management — manage a diverse set of resources to optimize actions
- resource management with many resource types — manage a diverse set of resources to optimize actions
- Worker Placement — place workers to perform actions and advance goals
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- The Anarchy is incredible. I highly recommend checking it out.
- I'm a huge fan of dice drafting, so I'm really curious to see how that works.
- This is a moving telescope which governs your action selection in almost what seems to be a pseudo rondelle.
- BGG says this one plays best solo and only takes around 45 to 60 minutes. That is crazy quick.
- I'm definitely excited to get Scar Bray to the table.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video ItksFB8mpBk
The Board Game Garden Playthrough at 33:54 sentiment: positive
video_pk 41471 · mention_pk 148450
Click to watch at 33:54 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- deep, multi-layered resource management with a satisfying upgrade loop
- clear solo playthrough mechanics that mimic multiplayer drafting
- rich interlocking systems (cook, craft, furnish, trade, clean) that create meaningful choices
- highly thematic engagement with tactile components and a strong sense of progression
Cons
- high complexity and learning curve; not entry-level
- inventory management can feel fiddly and punishing if mismanaged
- end-game scoring is dense and can dramatically swing based on small mistakes
Thematic elements
- resource management, settlement building, and exchange on a modular table
- Islands with shifting resource pools and a developing settlement
- abstract historical island eco-systems rather than a driven narrative
Comparison games
- Dragon Academy
- Minos
- Mosa
- Legacy of You
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Crafting and cooking — resources can be converted through crafting and cooking actions to produce other resources and points.
- furnish, trade, and clean actions — three family of actions that advance tracks (furnish) for points, trade resources for other goods, and clean mitten/smut to free inventory and gain roof discounts.
- inventory management and end-game scoring — mitten-like resources occupy inventory space and must be cleaned; end-game scoring involves multiple tracks and sets, with penalties for unspent resources.
- Resource Management — players manage a large and varied resource pool (mitten/smut, bones, wood, seaweed, shells, etc.) that shifts upward over the course of the game.
- tile upgrading — tiles can be upgraded to improve actions, often enabling free actions or new efficiencies.
- Worker Placement — players place workers on tiles to activate actions and gain resources; placement increases availability across rounds.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- This game is absolutely crazy.
- This game is hella fun and it's very satisfying.
- This is the game of resource management. It is absolutely crazy.
- The edible seashells moment is wild, and the whole resource jam is very satisfying.
- This game is the best of resource management if you like that kind of puzzle.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video 8BwAwHmsLHw
The Board Game Garden Top 10 List at 11:03 sentiment: positive
video_pk 36840 · mention_pk 216797
Click to watch at 11:03 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- Satisfying resource exchanges
- Deep strategic decisions
Cons
- Complex for newcomers
Thematic elements
- Ancient/steampunk frontier exploration
- Resource management on a frontier
- Strategic, crunchy
Comparison games
- Hrien's Walls
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- action selection — Plan actions to optimize resource gain
- Resource Management — 16 resources to exchange and manage
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- I am not attending Gen Con this year
- Gen Con is really good for the channel
- it's hard for me to want to go and for me to afford to go
- fingers crossed, packs unplugged at the end of the year
- I cannot wait to try this one out
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video xtAbGekJTbw
The Dice Tower Top List at 9:23 sentiment: positive
video_pk 6902 · mention_pk 103385
Click to watch at 9:23 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- clever take on storage as a scoring/detriment mechanic
- tight turn-order drafting adds strategic depth
- balanced blend of engine-building and resource control
Cons
- resource balance can feel punishing if mismanaged
- some players may prefer heavier direct interaction
Thematic elements
- temporal resource flow and trash/garbage mechanics (age of storage)
- engine-building meets resource management with storage penalties
- planned efficiency with turn-order drafting
Comparison games
- Terraforming Mars (engine-building scale)
- Terramystica (resource-management ideas)
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Card Drafting — at the start of each round, you draft for turn order, influencing future actions.
- card drafting and turn order — at the start of each round, you draft for turn order, influencing future actions.
- Resource Management — you gain storage capacity but accumulating space adds penalties and costs; balance is key.
- resource management with penalties — you must manage resources and storage to avoid losing points and inefficiencies.
- storage management — you gain storage capacity but accumulating space adds penalties and costs; balance is key.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- the map has all these different ways, and where they're located is very deduction-based
- this is a nice marriage of the two—cooperative play and deduction
- I love the pieces on this
- it's a good heavy euro where you have action bidding; you don't just place out a worker
- the interaction of the player spaces and the gears that you put out that allow you to basically pick from adjacent action spaces
- everything in this game is so logical and cohesive
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Transcript Navigation
Showing 1–13 of 13