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Game Info
Year
2016
Players
1-5
Age
13+
Playtime
60 min
Collection
Mechanic profile
Not enough video data yet
Vibe profile
Not enough video data yet
Description
In The Networks, you and your opponents are new television networks, and you need new programming. For this, you’ll need Shows, Stars, and Ads.
Shows need Stars and Ads. Stars give you bonus viewers (points), and Ads give you extra money. You’ll need everything you can get; you'll have a small amount of resources and time, and you must grab the latest hot show before your opponents.
And some Stars will give their best effort only if you put them on in the proper conditions. For example, some Stars only want to be put on dramas. Other Stars want to be the only Star on the show. And your Ads will give you the most money only if you put them on in the correct time slot.
Finally, Shows age and viewers lose interest, so you have to keep your line-up fresh by canceling shows and sending them into reruns. Fortunately, you can get viewers from your reruns, and you'll get bonuses if you get a lot of shows of the same genre throughout the game.
If you need a special push, Network Cards can give you special powers — but will a Network Card be better than another action? You'll have to make that call.
The player with the most viewers after five seasons wins!
Featured Videos
Review
The Networks
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All mentions
Browse transcript mentions, sentiments, pros/cons, mechanics, topics, quotes, and references.
Total mentions: 4
This page: 4
Sentiment:
pos 4 ·
mix 0 ·
neu 0 ·
neg 0
Showing 1–4 of 4
Video Rwn69Bd-tIw
Review at 0:03 sentiment: positive
video_pk 66775 · mention_pk 162583
Click to watch at 0:03 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- Really, really fun
- Hilarious cards
- Very thematic
- Modular expansion that doesn't make the game feel different
- Fantastic game
- Readily available and easy to get
Cons
- Starting cards don't matter
Thematic elements
- Running a TV network and competing with other networks
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- card drafting — Players can draft cards, including shows, stars, ads, and network cards.
- Modular board — Based on player count, the correct board is put on there. This tells you starting money, number of shows, types of cards, and pass bonuses.
- player interaction — Competing with all of the other networks.
- Push Your Luck — Deciding when to pass for the round, where passing early gets money and bonus viewers, while passing last gets more actions but a smaller bonus.
- Resource management — Managing money to pay for shows and stars, and cancelling shows if unable to pay.
- set collection — Tracking genres to get bonuses.
- Variable player powers — Different viewers want to watch certain shows at different times.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- When I saw it at my friendly local game store, I immediately had to pick it up.
- So, when I saw it at my friendly local game store, I immediately had to pick it up. As well as the Moguls or the Mega Corp expansion, Mogul is part of it.
- This is a really fun game where you are going to be running a network and you are trying to compete with all of the other networks.
- It's very thematic. It's a lot of fun. Um, I think the cards are hilarious.
- So, this is my green room. This is my reruns. That's all going on.
- So, this game works where you're playing over four rounds, and you get to decide when you're passing for the round.
- This game is so fun. It feels really thematic. At this point, it almost feels nostalgic because I don't know the last time I watch network TV, but I have such a great time with it, figuring out the best way to do things.
- I love bringing in the expansion because it gives you just enough of more but doesn't feel like a different game and it's modular so you can do all three modules or just one.
- I think this is an absolutely fantastic game and I am so excited that it is now readily available and easy to get.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video IC48Oa1NJrU
Allies or Enemies Discussion at 12:11 sentiment: positive
video_pk 66112 · mention_pk 160696
Click to watch at 12:11 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- plays well at two players
- expansion adds meaningful asymmetry
Cons
none
Thematic elements
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- tableau building — players curate networks of TV stations with asymmetrical goals.
- tableau_building — players curate networks of TV stations with asymmetrical goals.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- Arc Nova was our most played game last year in terms of the length of time that we played it.
- the audio bit is holy cow nine days it's such a difference
- I love cats Explore and Draw every single day of the week
- it's just it's great to have a framework for fun
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video C1vom3q8A8w
The Board Game Garden Playthrough at 0:00 sentiment: positive
video_pk 41852 · mention_pk 151974
Click to watch at 0:00 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- Cheeky, humorous card texts and theme
- Accessible and straightforward solo mode
- Paced, self-contained rounds with clear transitions
- Engaging endgame scoring through reruns and genre alignment
Cons
- Expansion content can add complexity
- Some card text references may feel dense or tangential for new players
Thematic elements
- satirical look at media production, advertising, and celebrity culture
- Television networks and shows with a focus on prime time scheduling and ads
- card drafting and tableau-building to create a TV network
Comparison games
- Adulthood
- Ark Nova
- Luier
- Distilled
- Too Many Bones
- Pursuit of Happiness
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- card drafting — Players draft TV show cards to build their network.
- Combat: Deck/Hand — The solo version uses a solo deck and a non-scoring AI opponent; scoring is determined by a solo chart.
- Endgame scoring via reruns and genre tracks — Shows placed in reruns and genre tracks contribute to final victory points.
- Solo mode with AI using a simplified deck — The solo version uses a solo deck and a non-scoring AI opponent; scoring is determined by a solo chart.
- tableau building — Cards must attach to shows with specific requirements, constructing a network tableau.
- Tableau building / set collection — Cards must attach to shows with specific requirements, constructing a network tableau.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- This is the networks, specifically the networks prime time.
- This is just the base game.
- It's a very simple game for the most part.
- The solo mode for this version, the solo mode is a very simple solo mode.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video V5kpkztGMkM
Stonemaier Games Discussion at 16:57 sentiment: positive
video_pk 3315 · mention_pk 89594
Click to watch at 16:57 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- Clever theme with industry flavor
- Solid engine-building decisions
- Flavorful shows and parodies
Cons
- Can be heavy for shorter sessions
- Potential learning curve
Thematic elements
- Media industry, scheduling and ratings
- Running a television network, selecting shows, stars, and time slots
- Engine-building with hand-management flavor
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- engine building — Create an efficient slate of shows and management sequence to maximize points.
- engine_building — Create an efficient slate of shows and management sequence to maximize points.
- set_slot_management — Choosing time slots and star lineups yields varying points.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- The hobby business is from different sides.
- It's a wonderful experience.
- This podcast has brought me a lot of joy.
- The experience at PAX Unplugged was wonderful.
- The passion and generosity of publishers is special.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
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