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Vantage box art

Vantage

Game ID: GID0375724
Collection Status
Description

Vantage is an open-world, co-operative adventure game for 1-6 players that features an entire planet to explore, with players communicating while scattered across the world. With nearly eight hundred interconnected locations on four hundred cards and over nine hundred other discoverable cards, the world is your sandbox.

You begin each game of Vantage on an intergalactic vessel heading towards an uncharted planet. After crashing far from your companions, you have complete freedom as to how you explore, discover, and interact with the planet. You view your location from a first-person perspective, and you can communicate with and support other players, but you are separated by vast distances, so only you can see your current location.

Vantage is not a campaign game, and it is completely self-contained with no expansions — just a few accessories like metal coins.

—description from the publisher

Year Published
2025
Transcript Analysis
Browse transcript mentions, sentiments, pros/cons, mechanics, topics, quotes, and references.
Total mentions: 76
This page: 50
Sentiment: pos 39 · mix 6 · neu 1 · neg 1
Mentions per page
Top Next
Showing 1–50 of 76
Video AV7fyn3Idm8 the mill general_discussion at 2:29 sentiment: positive
video_pk 62812 · mention_pk 155519
the mill - Vantage video thumbnail
Click to watch at 2:29 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
none
Cons
none
Thematic elements
Comparison games
  • Wingspan
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
Mechanics unknown.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
  • What has wings but cannot fly? It was Finsspan
  • Apiary
  • Wingspan expansion 4
  • Wingspan fan promo cards. We've had so much fun playing with them.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video bpz6agv5ArE the mill general_discussion at 3:01 sentiment: neutral
video_pk 62841 · mention_pk 155579
the mill - Vantage video thumbnail
Click to watch at 3:01 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
neutral
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)
No quotes stored for this video.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video bul_IYdChKE The Mill general_discussion at 3:23
video_pk 62827 · mention_pk 155545
The Mill - Vantage video thumbnail
Click to watch at 3:23 · YouTube ↗
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)
  • and just sounded like a really cool way to show off the game.
  • And we are going to get fan design bird pack for wingspan.
  • Tokido duo is also in components.
  • Terrammystica, a non Stonemire game, is finally going to get their kind of fan-made or designer made factions out
  • Very exciting.
  • be nice, be kind, help each other out, and play some board games because it's nice to escape into those sometimes.
  • they should fit in the box.
  • You just might get a little lid lift.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video bGIziGQE6fc the mill general_discussion at 3:30 sentiment: positive
video_pk 62853 · mention_pk 155615
the mill - Vantage video thumbnail
Click to watch at 3:30 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
none
Cons
none
Thematic elements
  • open world exploration with narrative elements
  • open world
  • open-world narrative exploration
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 am a huge dice throne fan and I am absolutely estatic about the dice Throne realm
  • Sleeping Gods is one of my absolute favorite
  • Vantage is going to be a 2025 game
  • 7-year Journey seems like forever
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video Mn5HYn7355I general_discussion at 4:29 sentiment: positive
video_pk 62833 · mention_pk 155561
Vantage video thumbnail
Click to watch at 4:29 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
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)
  • Their goal is joy is always their goal.
  • In 2025, my goals are to welcome both new and experienced gamers into the gaming community and bring joy to their tabletops, to support my amazing co-workers, and to lead with kindness, compassion, and empathy.
  • What's the balance of randomness and luck versus control and agency advantage?
  • The core hook advantage is that you are far away from your crew mates, yet you're still connected to each other through the skills, impact dice, slots, information about the world, the shared challenge dice, a variety of actions geared towards assisting other players, puzzles, and accomplishing your mission and destiny.
  • It's supposed to be more intuitive, not straight up guessing.
  • There really isn't much worry about spoiling something from going and looking at like a like going through the story books because there's so much in there.
  • I would put it at like 90% control agency and 10% luck.
  • you have to choose from the six different location choices what you are going to do.
  • the heart of Vantage is exploration, discovery, and that freedom.
  • there isn't an app for Vantage because it's meant to be an escape.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video RGuinwL-gpk general_discussion at 9:05 sentiment: positive
video_pk 62845 · mention_pk 155599
Vantage video thumbnail
Click to watch at 9:05 · YouTube ↗
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)
  • I'm so excited about I played it for the first time this week my youngest son who's eight was begging to play it again tonight and I was just thinking this is such a chill game I would love a solo mode
  • we're going to get solo mode which I'm so excited about
  • Wings span's my most played Stone Mar game at this point
  • Let's go to Jaan also a great family game I have learned this week
  • they are not making any more of that deluxe Kickstarter
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video 4abdDaKHvP4 Where There's a Will as There's a Play top_10_list at 14:04 sentiment: positive
video_pk 62375 · mention_pk 154911
Where There's a Will as There's a Play - Vantage video thumbnail
Click to watch at 14:04 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
  • highly anticipated from a well-regarded publisher
  • strong solo and cooperative appeal
Cons
none
Thematic elements
  • survival and discovery with a focus on limited visibility
  • Open-world planet exploration with modular, open-ended exploration
  • solo-friendly, open-world exploration
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
  • Cooperative Game — players work together to achieve goals in a shared world
  • cooperative play — players work together to achieve goals in a shared world
  • Open-world exploration — players explore a planet with limited visibility and randomly revealed content
  • solo mode — designed to be engaging even when playing alone
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
  • The fate of creatures touched by the spark of intelligence hangs in the balance
  • This is a flip and roll and scratch and stamp and whatever else you want to do and write
  • open world Cooperative Adventure game even for solo
  • windmill valley was a big hit for me Solo in 2024
  • you start as a child and as such you will have limited sense of interest and skills that will determine your development
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video zQW8sdIcTSI playthrough at 0:18
video_pk 61556 · mention_pk 154186
Vantage video thumbnail
Click to watch at 0:18 · YouTube ↗
Pros
none
Cons
none
Thematic elements
  • Array
  • Array
  • Exploration, survival, discovery, and the tension between nature and unknown artifacts
  • Array
  • Aboard a spaceship on an uncharted planet with alien terrain and shifting environmental conditions
  • 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)
  • This game really truly makes you feel like you're lost on a different planet.
  • No Man's Sky vibe... you're exploring, you have no idea where you are, you don't know anything about this place and you're just going to have to figure something out in surviving.
  • I absolutely love this game.
  • I love the exploration and the finding of the items and everything.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video dROtC8ozWKc game_review at 0:18
video_pk 61689 · mention_pk 154349
Vantage video thumbnail
Click to watch at 0:18 · YouTube ↗
Pros
none
Cons
none
Thematic elements
  • Array
  • Array
  • Choose-your-own-adventure storytelling driven by dice and card-driven actions
  • Array
  • Intergalactic mission to an uncharted planet, exploring 21 missions
  • 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)
  • Genuinely, this is a fantastic choose your own adventure story with DICE. I really do love this game.
  • it's punishingly hard at times.
  • This is a head scratcher. I love it.
  • Always choose flirt. It's quite fun.
  • This is a really good exploration game.
  • It's a wonderful solo game experience.
  • It's a wonderful multiplayer experience where you're trying to talk to each other to discuss what you can see on the planet and what your friend can see on the other side of the planet where they've crashlanded.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video g77Ptrv5vbo Unknown Channel game_review at 0:04 sentiment: positive
video_pk 61406 · mention_pk 154082
Unknown Channel - Vantage video thumbnail
Click to watch at 0:04 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
  • Open yet guided experience that provides direction without sacrificing exploration
  • Highly replayable due to many missions and dynamic card/gear interactions
  • Strong solo play support and flexible group size (1-6 players)
  • Dice and card-driven mechanics that offer mitigation and strategic choice
Cons
  • Open-ended exploration may be daunting for players who want more guard rails
  • Much of the experience is revealed during play, which can make discussion of specifics challenging
  • Potential pacing questions about how long it takes to see everything in the game
Thematic elements
  • exploration and discovery with guarded agency and mission-driven progression
  • underground cavern exploration in a fantasy/dungeon environment
  • dice-driven and card-driven exploration with hidden information revealed during play
Comparison games
  • Dungeons & Dragons
  • Dungeons & Dragons
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
  • book-driven progression — A book (location pages) guides the narrative and determines what happens next based on current location and chosen actions.
  • dice pool — Players roll a pool of dice to perform actions; outcomes are mitigated or enhanced using tokens and boosts.
  • location cards (double-sided) — Actions are chosen from location cards, which offer different options and outcomes depending on the journey position.
  • missions and destinies — Each game has objectives (missions) and optional destinies that drive exploration and end-game conditions.
  • Narrative choice — A book (location pages) guides the narrative and determines what happens next based on current location and chosen actions.
  • tokens and boosts — Tokens (ability tokens and movement tokens) are spent to affect dice results, movement, or other actions.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
  • I was skeptical of this game.
  • This game does an amazing job of being open but giving you choices so you feel like you have direction.
  • I'm absolutely loving Vantage.
  • I'm loving it. I am exploring.
  • I would love to know how long it takes to where you literally have seen everything in this game cuz I can't even imagine that being possible.
  • So, thank you to Stonem Games for sending me this copy to try.
  • Blanks are great.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video 59s5Qsn_3Qg Allies or Enemies game_review at 0:10 sentiment: positive
video_pk 61021 · mention_pk 153431
Allies or Enemies - Vantage video thumbnail
Click to watch at 0:10 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
  • Vantage's limited-view mechanic creates a personal, immersive exploration experience
  • High replayability with numerous locations and quests
  • Tight card tableau with a clear cap keeps decisions focused
  • Cooperative play scales well from solo to larger groups
  • Quality components and clear visual design on tableau cards
  • Brief, effective narrative text enhances immersion without overwhelming
Cons
  • Playtime can feel long or open-ended depending on mission and luck
  • Maps can be confusing and memory-heavy; notebook recommended
  • Not a traditional campaign; non-linear structure may not suit everyone
  • Heavy reading and book mechanics may not appeal to all players
Thematic elements
  • cooperative exploration with limited visibility and story-driven progression
  • alien planet exploration; player crew from space arrives on a mysterious world
  • brief, atmospheric text integrated into action cards; non-linear, choose-your-own-adventure style
Comparison games
  • Dungeons & Dragons
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
  • action selection — On your turn you choose one action from location, tableau, or mission board, colored by type
  • Cooperative interaction — Dice slots can be shared via lightning bolt slots, enabling teammates to use others' dice
  • Dice rolling — Actions require rolling a number of black dice equal to the action cost; successes gain resources while failures damage health
  • Dice-based resolution — Actions require rolling a number of black dice equal to the action cost; successes gain resources while failures damage health
  • health tracking and Book of Secrets — If health tokens reach zero, you read an entry in the Book of Secrets leading to potential loss
  • missions and destinies — Completing missions and destinies leads to victory; epic win if both are achieved
  • tableau and resource management — Each player has a limited tableau with slots for dice, tokens, and special actions; eight cards max
  • temporal card replacement — Moving forward replaces your current card with a new front card, revealing new options
  • world exploration structure — Open-world style via card locations and many books; replayability through many locations and secret cards
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
  • This game surprised me cuz we've heard about it for like 8 years and I knew it was an open world exploration game.
  • It's not a campaign game, but every time you visit the world, you're learning a little bit more about it.
  • This is very much a choose your own adventure game.
  • The mechanics are really streamlined that it still feels like a game.
  • Cuz a key part really is exploring the world.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video UFwQ58qefk4 Danielle playthrough at 0:02 sentiment: positive
video_pk 60831 · mention_pk 153274
Danielle - Vantage video thumbnail
Click to watch at 0:02 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
  • Engaging solo playthrough with a varied card/dice system
  • Diverse card interactions allow multiple viable paths and strategies
  • Varied missions and quest hooks create a sense of discovery
  • Endgame options (mission victory) provide a satisfying wrap-up
Cons
  • Occasional rule/label ambiguity (e.g., token counts like unexpectedly six skill tokens)
  • Complex system with many moving parts that could overwhelm new players
  • Some randomness can slow down progression and require careful tracking
Thematic elements
  • Exploration, diplomacy with sentients, resource management, and discovery
  • An uncharted planet orbiting a distant system; a downed ship and a mixed crew exploring mysteries
  • Mission-based, choice-driven with Book of Secrets, quests, and modular story turns
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
  • Book of Secrets and missions — Read mission cards (e.g., 1582) to trigger objectives, gather sentients, and advance the story
  • Dice pool management — Assemble a total challenge dice pool (eight base dice plus two per player); roll, reroll, and manage results to advance actions
  • Item generation and consumption — Create and equip items (e.g., saber, magic items) that modify stats or grant bonuses; substitute items as needed
  • Location actions and grid management — Place and resolve actions at locations; track boosts, time, and heart tokens on character boards and grids
  • Quests and sentients — Recruit sentients, engage in negotiations, and complete quest lines (e.g., 1345 Craig the cloud talker) to progress
  • Skill tokens and character skills — Each player gains a different skill at setup, which influences actions and outcomes during play
  • Unique player powers — Each player gains a different skill at setup, which influences actions and outcomes during play
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
  • I'm doing a solo playthrough of Vantage.
  • I think I enjoyed this a little more.
  • This was um a quick one.
  • Thank you again to Stonemire Games for sending me a copy of this game to cover.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video mqETBn59qHA Shellside general_discussion at 0:00 sentiment: mixed
video_pk 60569 · mention_pk 152960
Shellside - Vantage video thumbnail
Click to watch at 0:00 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
mixed
Pros
  • High component quality and clever storage design (box organization, label clarity, player aids)
  • Impressive amount of art and very large card count; hundreds of cards with rich location art
  • Massive world with tons of locations, unlockables, and quest diversity
  • Minimal flavor text support accessibility and reduces reading burden in multiplayer
  • Pivoting the main quest and many side destinies allows open-ended exploration
Cons
  • Thematic cohesion is weak; world feels generic and disjointed
  • Multiplayer scalability is poor (especially with 4+ players); downtime and coordination suffer
  • Mechanics can feel bare-bones and fail to generate meaningful tension since checks often succeed
  • Rulebook, glossary, and setup can be confusing or poorly organized
  • Open-world design leads to pacing issues and an overabundance of cards without cohesive payoff
  • Ending and storytelling can feel unsatisfying or arbitrary, with little weight to victories
Thematic elements
  • Array
  • Uncharted planet
  • Open-ended, sandbox exploration with minimal flavor text
Comparison games
  • Gloomhaven
  • Seventh Continent
  • Pandemic Legacy: Season 1
  • Pandemic Legacy: Season 2
  • Isis Vanguard
  • Kingdom Death Monster
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
  • 3x3 character grid — Each character has a 3x3 grid around them that can be filled to strengthen the character over a playthrough
  • Boost tokens and resource management — Boost tokens (cubes) are earned and spent to pay for actions or improve checks, and some boosts allow rerolls
  • Challenge dice — Resolve checks by rolling a pool of challenge dice; boosts and skills can reduce dice, and mismatched results can be mitigated by card interactions
  • closed economy — Items have sell values and can be bought or sold; there is currency and an economy element in populated areas
  • Currency and item economy — Items have sell values and can be bought or sold; there is currency and an economy element in populated areas
  • Location-based action menu — On a turn, players choose from six options for their current location and perform the corresponding action
  • Open-world exploration with a card-laden map — Hundreds of location cards, items, secrets, and encounters drive exploration and discovery across a large map
  • Square Grid — Each character has a 3x3 grid around them that can be filled to strengthen the character over a playthrough
  • Story books, destinies, personal missions — Gameplay is guided by story book entries, with destinies and personal missions shaping progression and victory paths
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
  • World advantage is huge.
  • This world is so big, and there are hundreds of cards and entries that resolve in this choose your adventure.
  • There is no DM. There's no setup according to your mission.
  • Instagram effect on board game design.
  • Vantage is broken me, broke me, and then reforged me.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video x2nXnc-fVPc Board Game Animal interview at 14:20 sentiment: positive
video_pk 41498 · mention_pk 125829
Board Game Animal - Vantage video thumbnail
Click to watch at 14:20 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
  • Huge, immersive world with extensive content
  • Non-campaign design supports one-off sessions and discovery
  • Strong creator passion and world-building depth
Cons
  • Potentially overwhelming amount of content for some players
  • Not a quick-play experience; may require significant time investment
Thematic elements
  • Discovery and exploration in a non-campaign, single-session experience
  • An expansive, planet-based exploration world with multiple locales
  • Open-world exploration with curated mystery
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
  • Action-per-location system — Six actions per location, with rich exploration and memory challenges.
  • First-person exploration — An 800-location world with unique art and 900+ cards to discover.
  • Non-campaign structure — Single-session experience with a focus on discovery rather than a campaign arc.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
  • the personal discard piles that you mentioned
  • between this and its predecessors Wingspan and Wormspan are the way the tokens work unlike those other games you can hatch eggs into something
  • we're not just reskinning the game we're not just taking the same exact mechanisms from wingspan and putting uh different art and different names on the cards
  • it's a living board that's kind of fluctuating kind of like the ocean where things drift around and move around a lot
  • Rolling Realms has been one of my most played games over the last few years because I do live plays of it
  • kindness costs nothing like a copper in Dominion
  • Vantage is my the game that I've worked on for the last eight years
  • 800 different first-person locations all with unique art and 900 different other cards
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video _awC6ECRs0g Totally Tabled playthrough at 0:00 sentiment: positive
video_pk 39917 · mention_pk 120585
Totally Tabled - Vantage video thumbnail
Click to watch at 0:00 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
  • Exploration-driven narrative with discovery focus
  • Clear solo playthrough flow with rulebook learning
  • Engaging lookbook-and-book of secrets mechanics
  • Tension and pacing through challenges and rewards
Cons
  • Learning curve and rulebook complexity for first-time players
  • Rule book references across multiple books may slow early sessions
  • Potential for hesitation in decision-making due to branching options
Thematic elements
  • Discovery, cooperation with sentients, survival, exploration
  • An uncharted planet explored by a single crew member aboard a ship on a mysterious world.
  • lookbook-driven, narrative-focused exploration with branching discoveries
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
  • Board and card interaction — Using location cards, mission cards, and story cards to drive gameplay and narrative.
  • Book-based events and quests — Book of Secrets and Look/Depart stories guide events; some actions trigger quests like 1669, 1582.
  • Dice pool management — Core dice pool (eight dice plus per-player dice) with challenge dice that can inflict time, morale, or health penalties; boosts can modify rolls.
  • Exploration outcomes with 'never fail' rule — Actions always succeed; outcomes become the challenge to manage, with potential penalties.
  • Location actions vs card actions — Players can take one location action or one action from their character/mission cards; some actions chain via 'continue'.
  • Lookbook exploration and look/story books — Players consult lookbooks to interpret scenes and guide exploration with themed actions.
  • Skill tokens and boosts — Skill tokens reduce penalties and enable special actions; boost cubes allow rerolls or extending options.
  • Trackers for health, morale, and time — Three markers track player's status; penalties can push markers toward zero, risking loss.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
  • Vantage is a new cooperative openw world adventure game from designer Jamie Stegmire of Stonemire Games.
  • This game is called Vantage because each of these cards is basically displaying what we see.
  • We always succeed.
  • It's about discovery.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video hTU_F09ke0U Unknown top_5_list at 0:45 sentiment: positive
video_pk 38306 · mention_pk 115304
Unknown - Vantage video thumbnail
Click to watch at 0:45 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
  • Deep world-building
  • Interesting grid of items
  • A sense of discovery and scale
Cons
  • No cons explicitly mentioned in the transcript
Thematic elements
  • massive world-building and exploration
  • fantasy world with ancient ruins
  • epic discovery with pet companions
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
  • exploration and encounters — fights monsters and discovers artifacts
  • Pet companions — pets assist in exploration and combat
  • world-building grid — grid-based item/weapon unlocks
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
  • "weather in this game affects what you do"
  • "Each character plays completely different and has their own unique deck"
  • "Character building goes crazy in this game"
  • "the rule book is heavy and it's a time investment"
  • "The story is dark, but it's really well written and voiced."
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video WppvOW5-OJY Totally Tabled playthrough at 0:03 sentiment: positive
video_pk 37913 · mention_pk 113929
Totally Tabled - Vantage video thumbnail
Click to watch at 0:03 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
  • Rich, branching narrative with substantial player agency and a strong sense of discovery.
  • Animal companions and loyalty mechanics add tactile depth and narrative flavor.
  • Artifact crafting and refinement create meaningful, tangible progression toward a goal.
  • Diverse paths (combat, diplomacy, trade, exploration) promote replayability and experimentation.
  • Dynamic encounters and encounters-without-certain-answers keep the playthrough fresh and unpredictable.
Cons
  • High variance and luck can dominate outcomes, potentially diminishing the value of careful planning.
  • Complex rules and a large number of interacting subsystems may intimidate new players or slow early game progress.
  • Inventory management and reserve handling can become cumbersome without meticulous tracking.
Thematic elements
  • Exploration, improvisational storytelling, and high-stakes artifact retrieval set against a backdrop of diplomacy with sapient energy beings, factional power plays, and a traveling crew of animal companions.
  • A distant, neon-infused spacefaring frontier where a diverse cast of energy sentients and bizarre locales intersect with a gritty heist narrative. The journey spans alien ruins, floating towers, academies, bustling cities, harbors, and wilderness domains as players chase rare artifacts and rescue signals.
  • Open-ended, choice-driven storytelling with branching paths, destiny tracks, and interleaved micro-narratives driven by encounters, loot, and interactions with sentients and animals.
Comparison games
  • Pokémon
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
  • Artifact crafting and refining — Collected items can be refined or crafted into more valuable artifacts (gems, amulets, rings, weapons). Crafting combines dice outcomes, resource costs, and sometimes risk through drawing or rolling for success, with the possibility of upgrading items to higher point values.
  • Branching exploration and location-based actions — The board is a mosaic of regions, interiors, and encounter locations. Players choose actions like greet, search, loot, trade, depart, or backtrack, with outcomes shaping the story, rewards, and narrative progression.
  • card crafting — Collected items can be refined or crafted into more valuable artifacts (gems, amulets, rings, weapons). Crafting combines dice outcomes, resource costs, and sometimes risk through drawing or rolling for success, with the possibility of upgrading items to higher point values.
  • Companion loyalty and taming — Animals can be tamed and become loyal allies, providing combat or utility benefits. Loyalty can be increased by actions and spent cubes, and loyal companions may unlock additional options or help in challenges.
  • Destinies and the Book of Secrets — Destinies provide long-term goals and potential endings. Reading entries from the Book of Secrets or achieving destiny-related milestones can unlock powerful options and influence victory conditions, often enabling multi-destination play.
  • dice-based challenge resolution — Players resolve actions by rolling a set number of skill dice, often modified by boosts, companions, or items. Outcomes include blanks, hearts, or special symbols, and multiple dice rolls or rerolls are common as players chase success against escalating difficulty.
  • Diplomacy and negotiation with sentients — Interactions with sentients involve persuasion, diffusion, trading, and choosing sides after conflicts. These negotiations can yield money, morale, or allies but may also incur costs or lost items depending on the choice.
  • negotiation — Interactions with sentients involve persuasion, diffusion, trading, and choosing sides after conflicts. These negotiations can yield money, morale, or allies but may also incur costs or lost items depending on the choice.
  • Resource cubes and tokens — Boost cubes, health, morale, and其他 tokens track character state and empower rerolls or special actions. Managing these resources is essential for survival, discovery, and progression.
  • Resource management — Boost cubes, health, morale, and其他 tokens track character state and empower rerolls or special actions. Managing these resources is essential for survival, discovery, and progression.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
  • I'm joining a magical university.
  • This is a three challenge. Steal the blue crystal as it's the most likely to not be missed.
  • The ring of transients.
  • This is my Pokemon playthrough.
  • Oh man, we got the amulet. It's only worth nine, but now we could refine it into a ring.
  • Epic victory if you have completed the mission.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video 4X-AgkEwYDg Unknown Channel playthrough at 0:03 sentiment: positive
video_pk 36795 · mention_pk 110495
Unknown Channel - Vantage video thumbnail
Click to watch at 0:03 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
  • Engaging dice-and-grid system that rewards careful planning and adaptability
  • Rich thematic flavor with dragons, artifacts, and gateways that drive exploration
  • Flexible narrative progression through multiple routes and artifact choices
  • Tense decision-making under risk that keeps the playthrough dynamic
Cons
  • Learning curve and some rule interactions can be confusing or easily misinterpreted
  • Certain actions depend on precise timing and order, which may slow early runs
  • Potentially punishing when multiple setbacks compound without sufficient resources
Thematic elements
  • Exploration, alliance with sentient beings, the lure of ancient artifacts and hidden knowledge
  • A cavernous alien world with sentient artifacts and dragon encounters on a distant planet; exploration across varied locations via portals and gateways.
  • Procedural, branching storytelling with in-game lore and quest-like decisions
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
  • artifact integration and activation — Artifacts grant boosts and unlock special abilities; activating or placing them modifies state and can create significant momentum shifts.
  • Dice pool management — Players roll challenge dice and allocate results to actions; dice may be refreshed or reset as the grid and quest mechanics dictate, with outcomes affecting health and morale.
  • gateway traversal and branching paths — Gates transport players to new caves or regions; each gateway presents unique options and costs, enabling non-linear exploration.
  • Grid-based card placement — Cards are placed on a grid where rows and columns grant boosts or unlock new actions; positioning and card count influence available options and strategic depth.
  • movement and evasion — Players can attempt to move or evade threats (like dragons) using dice; success avoids damage and progresses through terrain to new zones.
  • resource tracks and risk management — Time, morale, and health are tracked throughout; decisions influence these resources and failures can deplete them, shaping overall strategy.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
  • So, here we have a colossal elder dragon
  • What do I do? What do I do? What do I do?
  • Observe the dragon while it prepares for another strike.
  • We don't reset because we only need three.
  • We did it.
  • Oh no. This is a five challenge. Enter the gateway after swinging up onto the rock.
  • As you touch the massive crystal, you feel an instant connection with every other crystal on the planet.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video Am-jaYopamo Dice Tower general_discussion at 1:05 sentiment: positive
video_pk 35867 · mention_pk 107378
Dice Tower - Vantage video thumbnail
Click to watch at 1:05 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
  • Beautiful, coastal-themed art and production values that feel premium for the price
  • Approachable, family-friendly weight that is accessible to casual gamers and non-gamers
  • Tactile components (bag, 3D lighthouse) contribute to a deluxe feel without a deluxe price tag
  • Intuitive shell-delling and wave progression that maintain a smooth game flow
Cons
  • Scoring can interrupt the flow of play and feel like a separate mini-game within the game
  • Some scoring categories can be underutilized or appear underpowered relative to others
  • Luck in acquiring key shells via the snail/crab mechanic can feel impactful in ways players might not expect
Thematic elements
  • Shell gathering and coastal exploration as a light, nature-inspired activity; vacation/beach ambience idealized.
  • Coastal beach environment with waves washing ashore on an island and a lighthouse motif; shell collecting on a scenic shoreline.
  • Descriptive, experiential; emphasizes mood and setting over conflict or drama.
Comparison games
  • Tokaido
  • Wingspan
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
  • bag building — Shell tokens are placed into a personal bag and later drawn or placed, influencing scoring and available actions.
  • bag-building — Shell tokens are placed into a personal bag and later drawn or placed, influencing scoring and available actions.
  • Crab/Snail interaction — Special tokens allow taking a shell from another location, enabling tactical disruption and planning, but cannot be used to disrupt the space you just used.
  • End-game scoring via diverse categories — Scoring happens across many different tile types and collections, creating multiple potential paths to victory.
  • Pattern-oriented placement — Shells are laid to form patterns; placement blocks spaces and creates strategic options for other players.
  • tile-drafting and placement — Two tile types (hexagons and diamonds) are drawn from separate bags and placed on the board/bag, with placement affecting future opportunities.
  • Turn order by position — The player who is farthest behind acts first, shaping risk and reward decisions.
  • Wave/sea progression — A wave piece advances through sections, adding more tiles and altering the pool of available shells as play progresses.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
  • The art in this game is really well done.
  • The game looks cool. This is a production from Avalon Hill and it is not particularly I wouldn't call this a deluxe production in any way.
  • It feels deluxe for I think the box size for the price point. It feels deluxe in that it comes with a very nice bag, a nice 3D lighthouse which is also a feature at Santael's that's known for its lighthouse there.
  • The shells falling is nice. It's intuitive.
  • This is a very approachable game.
  • I'm not sure some gamers if you're like a gamer I think you're gonna think this is too light.
  • It's a great game for people who don't play a lot of board games.
  • I love the art direction that they went here.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video ETyMug9k0yE Unknown Channel game_review at 0:12 sentiment: mixed
video_pk 35721 · mention_pk 106826
Unknown Channel - Vantage video thumbnail
Click to watch at 0:12 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
mixed
Pros
  • Strong emphasis on visual storytelling via art that drives exploration and interpretation
  • Vast number of location prompts enabling thousands of narrative threads
  • Interactive dice mitigation and storage mechanics that create risk management opportunities
  • Fail-forward system that preserves player agency while maintaining tension
  • Distinct world-building feel; the game invites curiosity and repeated play to uncover layers
  • Standalone session design that can be enjoyed in shorter plays yet still reveals depth over time
  • Flexible objective structure with open-ended win conditions that encourage experimentation
  • High production value in components and tactile feedback from dice and tokens
  • Independent review stance that seeks to discuss the game on its own terms
Cons
  • The game contradicts its marketing promises by implying a campaign experience that is not truly persistent
  • Group play is problematic due to hidden information and the need for everyone to view different vantage and location cards
  • Narrative cohesion can feel disjointed; many prompts feel arbitrary without a strong through-line
  • Some puzzles and minigames lean toward bloated content rather than meaningful depth
  • The world can feel like a loosely connected montage rather than a cohesive setting
  • Lack of lasting consequences between sessions reduces sense of permanence
  • Repetitive or heavy emphasis on unrelated references can dilute thematic focus
  • The design relies heavily on visual input which can disadvantage players who cannot see or share the screen easily
Thematic elements
  • discovery, emergent storytelling, choice and consequence without fixed outcomes
  • Crash-landed on an alien planet; exploration of an uncharted world through visuals and prompts
  • emergent, prompt-driven, non-linear narratives with fail-forward mechanics
Comparison games
  • Groundhog Day (concept)
  • Minecraft
  • Scivethe
  • Vitty Culture
  • Libertalia
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
  • character creation and skill tokens — six color-coded characters align with six skills; players gain a token and a mission card
  • Dice pool and tests — players roll a variable number of dice for tests, affected by skill tokens; outcomes reduce health pools and may end the game if a pool reaches zero
  • dice-slot storage and card-based mitigation — dice can be stored on cards; dice slots on cards allow some dice to be sacrificed or restored; storage reduces immediate action options
  • fail-forward design — choices produce meaningful outcomes, but the next steps are determined by chance and its narrative prompts
  • location, mission, and autonomous vantage cards — each location offers six actions tied to skills; mission and vantage cards guide exploration and perspective
  • Narrative choice — choices produce meaningful outcomes, but the next steps are determined by chance and its narrative prompts
  • per-session continuity with no fixed campaign — each session is largely self-contained with resets; long-term permanence is minimal, encouraging stand-alone plays
  • visual narrative prompts — illustrations act as prompts and invitations to act; all prompts may mislead intentionally
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
  • Vantage is a storytelling game of discovery.
  • Wait a minute, folks. Science can solve this problem. We make all choices more or less rewarding, but we will also hide what the choices actually are. We'll still give little hints visually and verbally so they don't feel entirely arbitrary, but we'll retain the sense of mystery and suspense because there's still a surprise no matter what choice you make.
  • The core design element here is illustration.
  • There are hundreds and hundreds of location cards, and each offers at least six things you can do.
  • This is a genuine failforward system in a narrative adventure game that just works.
  • Vantage has a distinct feel of working as a game world, not a real world.
  • The rules of this world are an illusion because anything goes.
  • I want a bigger vision for this world than a bowl of pasta.
  • There are thousands of interesting narrative prompts to ride.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video ZxXxKPkBJeU Brothers Murf top_10_list at 26:49 sentiment: positive
video_pk 35186 · mention_pk 105038
Brothers Murf - Vantage video thumbnail
Click to watch at 26:49 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
  • Strong thematic feel and colorful world design
  • Compact, bite-sized campaign sessions with meaningful exploration
  • Flexibility in how groups approach missions
Cons
  • Hidden-information mechanism may frustrate players who prefer full transparency
  • Replay value tied to card diversity; might feel same over many plays
Thematic elements
  • exploration and discovery with asymmetric visibility
  • alien world exploration; location-based storytelling
  • story-driven exploration with limited shared information
Comparison games
  • Gloomhaven: Jaws of the Lion
  • Dune: Imperium (in exploration mode)
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
  • cooperative exploration — players explore a vast planet with varied biomes while sharing limited information.
  • hidden card/location information — each player sees a card/location that others cannot, encouraging radio-style information sharing.
  • modular/location-driven campaign — cards provide different environments, quests, and encounters for each session.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
  • This is a living website, which one we really like about it.
  • The list is a snapshot in time; it will morph over time as people rate more games.
  • BG is this living website; the community can contribute their own photos, their own feelings about a game.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video 0wTdlvVcbNc Bo stupid general_discussion at 9:49 sentiment: positive
video_pk 34933 · mention_pk 104148
Bo stupid - Vantage video thumbnail
Click to watch at 9:49 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
  • Innovative first-person perspective in a board game context
  • Supports solo play and large group play (up to six players)
  • Ambitious sandbox/open-world approach with strong thematic potential
Cons
  • High complexity and scope may increase setup/learning curve
  • Balancing an open-world design in a tabletop format can be challenging
Thematic elements
  • co-op sandbox adventure in a first-person game world
  • cooperative space exploration with crash-landed crews
  • immersive, sandbox
Comparison games
  • No Man's Sky
  • Western Legend
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
  • Cooperative Game — Up to six players work together to explore and survive
  • cooperative play — Up to six players work together to explore and survive
  • first-person perspective integration — Game offers a first-person viewpoint integration into tabletop play
  • Location-based progression — Players explore interconnected locations and pursue varied skills
  • sandbox exploration — Open-ended exploration with storybooks, cards, coins and dice
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
  • it's a different game
  • it's more complex
  • it's going to be a big hit
  • the year of the two player game
  • I can't wait to play somew as well it's going to be fantastic
  • Sandbox open world
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video zcw9AczDlKo Totally Tabled general_discussion at 0:00 sentiment: positive
video_pk 30357 · mention_pk 89374
Totally Tabled - Vantage video thumbnail
Click to watch at 0:00 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
  • Very quick and easy to set up (playable in minutes).
  • Strong open-world exploration rewards and replayability.
  • Solo-friendly with a satisfying, emergent feel.
  • High variability due to randomized missions, locations, and characters.
  • Sessions are self-contained and typically 2-3 hours, making it easy to fit into a day.
Cons
  • Multiplayer rules feel less satisfying or less well-integrated than solo play.
  • Some players may find the rulebook/book-reference aspect fiddly without an app.
  • Lacks a campaign backbone, which may disappoint players who want long-form progression.
  • Some may miss traditional Euro-style control and planning due to the emphasis on discovery and risk-reward decisions.
Thematic elements
  • Discovery, exploration, and emergent storytelling driven by player choice.
  • An open-world planet full of locations and adventures to discover, with a randomized setup each session.
  • Emergent, non-linear storytelling where outcomes depend on actions and discoveries.
Comparison games
  • Robinson Crusoe
  • Primal
  • Earthborne Rangers
  • Aridia
  • Frost Punk
  • Mage Knight
  • Voidfall
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
  • action_selection — At each location you have six actions and typically only one (or two) are feasible, forcing painful but meaningful choices.
  • Dice rolling — Dice determine the consequences of actions (costs and outcomes) rather than whether an action succeeds.
  • dice_resolution — Dice determine the consequences of actions (costs and outcomes) rather than whether an action succeeds.
  • one_shot_scenarios — Each game is a separate scenario with reset progression, enabling frequent replay without campaign commitments.
  • open_world_exploration — Large, richly populated world with diverse locations and events that reward exploration.
  • randomized_setup — Session setup is randomized: 21 possible missions, 6 characters, and 126 possible starting locations.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
  • Vantage really is a pure exploration game.
  • This is an open world that's just filled to the gills with stuff.
  • Not a campaign game.
  • One-off scenarios.
  • I love this game. I can't wait to explore it more.
  • I'm a big fan of the dice resolution mechanic.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video th3OFeuJfYg Unknown Channel playthrough at 4:21 sentiment: positive
video_pk 28640 · mention_pk 83997
Unknown Channel - Vantage video thumbnail
Click to watch at 4:21 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
  • Rich world-building and modular story elements
  • Engaging dice/dialogue-driven decision points
  • Solid solo-play options with clear progression
Cons
  • Puzzle-resolution can be opaque and slow on stream
  • Rule density may overwhelm casual viewers
  • Inventory/gear management can feel fiddly without setup
Thematic elements
  • Survival, discovery, interaction with alien sentients, quest-driven progression
  • Uncharted alien planet with a crash site and multiple locales to explore
  • Open-world, story-driven with modular book-based entries guiding actions
Comparison games
  • Uprising: Curse of the Last Emperor
  • Pursuit of Happiness
  • Beyond the Rift
  • Slay the Spire
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
  • Card-driven actions — Character cards grant unique actions and abilities, with spending and placement rules.
  • Dice pool and dice management — Colored dice are allocated to actions; penalties, boosts, and overflow are tracked.
  • Gear grid and equipment management — Items are placed on a grid; red/green/blue actions interact with equipment and tokens.
  • Narrative choice — Entries in storybooks dictate outcomes and branching events.
  • Open-world exploration — Players explore a planet with many distinct locations and story hooks.
  • Puzzles and artifact interactions — Puzzles grant powerful items or abilities and drive story entries.
  • Resource tracking and destiny pathways — Health, morale, time, boosts, and destiny influence endgame victory conditions.
  • Story books and book of secrets — Entries in storybooks dictate outcomes and branching events.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
  • There’s a whole planet to explore.
  • Conquer part of a city. Perform this action on a city location and read this entry in the overpower story book.
  • I’ve done Vantage a lot, but it’s always new in its own way.
  • The book of Vantages is a guide for action and progression.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video VMqE5tu1BCo Stonemire Games analysis at 0:05 sentiment: positive
video_pk 27921 · mention_pk 81541
Stonemire Games - Vantage video thumbnail
Click to watch at 0:05 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
  • Clever one-way action selection track that still encourages planning and forward progression
  • Two twists on the track (one-way with section-based progression and two-way dynamics)
  • Integrated wave refill mechanism that adds tiles and is highly visible
  • Mechanics encourage players to slow play and anticipate future needs
  • Wave mechanism is inclusive; younger players can participate by controlling the wave
Cons
none
Thematic elements
  • Coastal foraging and shoreline exploration with a wave-driven replenishment mechanic.
  • A coastal beach with a lighthouse, where players move pawns along the shoreline and collect shell tiles.
  • Abstract-naturalist theme focusing on beach ecosystem and wave dynamics.
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
  • One-way action selection track — Players move along a single-direction track with footprints indicating the number of tiles they can take; movement progresses through sections, not staying put in the same section.
  • Two-way twist within a one-way track — Although the track is conceptually one-way, the section structure creates a two-way dynamic by forcing progression to the next section and allowing strategic choices about where to stop.
  • Wave refill mechanism — A wave token acts as a quasi-player that moves and replenishes shells onto the beach on its turns, providing tile options and integrating the refill into gameplay.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
  • I really, really like how it's used.
  • The wave is not a player. The wave moves, but the wave kind of acts like a player in that when all tokens are ahead of the wave, it is the wave's turn.
  • It's a brilliant refill mechanism in Santa that I really really appreciated.
  • Also, it's a nice thing to give if you have someone that's really really young, maybe a two or three-year-old who wants to play along with you.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video gWTZo0xANOc game_review at 0:00 sentiment: positive
video_pk 13552 · mention_pk 39614
Vantage video thumbnail
Click to watch at 0:00 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
  • Exploration with lots of location variety
  • Huge amount of narrative content and items
  • Items mitigate dice rolls and enable tactical play
  • Easy to set up and learn, approachable
  • Tailorable difficulty through starting resources and memory carryover
  • Strong standalone storytelling that can be played solo
Cons
  • Poor multiplayer experience; not ideal for group play
  • Lack of a concrete end goal or broader strategic objective
  • Feels less like a traditional board game and more like a choose-your-own-adventure
Thematic elements
  • Exploration, storytelling through modular narrative, risk and resource management
  • Space exploration and survival after a crash; landing on various locations
  • Paragraph-based narrative with branching outcomes via story books
Comparison games
  • Earthborne Rangers
  • Sleeping Gods
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
  • Action selection at landing locations — Choose actions to perform at the current location to progress and trigger events
  • Dice rolling — Roll dice to resolve actions; failures cost resources
  • dice-based skill checks — Roll dice to resolve actions; failures cost resources
  • Equipment/items cards — Acquire items that mitigate dice risks and alter outcomes
  • Memory carryover between runs — Only memories carry over; new run starts with fresh board but memories affect play
  • Narrative choice — Read narrative entries that guide exploration and consequences
  • Resource management — Managing resources; depleting to zero ends the run
  • Resource management and death threshold — Managing resources; depleting to zero ends the run
  • Story books and paragraphs — Read narrative entries that guide exploration and consequences
  • Tailored difficulty/setup — Optional starting resources to customize experience
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
  • Don't go into this as like this is gonna be the crunchy board game
  • It's a sandbox game.
  • the setup is really easy
  • tailored experience to the way you love to play
  • you will always move forward
  • Just enjoy the ride. I think it's the best sandbox board game out there.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video IOh6mVuP5Zo Dice Tower game_review at 0:40 sentiment: positive
video_pk 13477 · mention_pk 39443
Dice Tower - Vantage video thumbnail
Click to watch at 0:40 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
  • Infinitely replayable with hundreds of locations and cards that spawn new experiences each game
  • Feels like a time-storage mission while delivering a cohesive story experience instead of a traditional campaign
  • Excellent art direction and components; a consistent thematic look with recognizable elements (stars, hearts, etc.)
  • Mechanics are designed to mitigate bad dice outcomes through items, locations, and narrative structure
  • Book of secrets and book of vantages invite ongoing discovery and hidden content
  • The non-campaign structure shifts emphasis from winning to experiencing and uncovering story beats
Cons
  • Not a traditional campaign or legacy game, which may disappoint players seeking long-form storytelling with a fixed arc
  • Complex and dense rule set; potential learning curve for newcomers
  • Hidden content and Easter eggs can feel overwhelming or opaque until experienced through multiple plays
  • Large content volume may be intimidating to exhaust fully or collector-driven players may worry about missing content
Thematic elements
  • Narrative-driven exploration with a focus on discovery, personal perspective, and evolving puzzles rather than a traditional victory ladder.
  • Space exploration and planetary missions conducted within a self-contained, non-campaign, non-legacy framework; players discover a world through vantage-card storytelling and book-based clues.
  • Slice-of-story experience: a single ‘story’ unfolds over many short sessions, with each play offering a new perspective and new hidden content via the book of secrets and book of vantages.
Comparison games
  • Time Stories
  • Seventh Continent
  • Agricola
  • Caverna
  • Scythe
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
  • book of secrets and book of vantages — Two books provide lore-based revelations and hidden nuggets; content from these books can dramatically alter the player's approach and discoveries.
  • card actions — Interact with character and equipment cards; actions include mastering, buying, equipping, or engaging with NPCs to unlock benefits or unlock narrative branches.
  • depart actions — Travel between locations via depart actions; players read depart entries to determine the next location and associated narrative cues.
  • dice pool and skill mitigation — A dice pool is rolled based on the chosen action; players may reduce dice by spending colored skill tokens, influencing risk and success chances.
  • dice results and resource flow — Outcomes on dice (stars, hearts, hourglasses) feed into stat changes, potential failures, or redraws; some results can be placed onto terrain slots to mitigate dangers.
  • interconnected locations and items — Hundreds of locations and item cards are interconnected; players explore a web of possibilities with many paths and hidden outcomes.
  • Location actions — Players perform actions at a chosen location (e.g., steer, listen, consult, craft, scavenge, fish) to advance their personal objectives and potentially influence shared state.
  • non-campaign, non-legacy structure — There is no persistent campaign or legacy progression; instead, the game emphasizes a cumulative storytelling experience where each session feels distinct yet connected.
  • terrain and slot mechanics — Terrain types (e.g., purple/orange) interact with symbols; boost cubes and slot placements affect difficulty and what can be resolved on a given action.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
  • This is not a campaign game. It's not a story game. Sorry, it's not a campaign or a legacy game.
  • Vantage gets a 10 out of 10 from me.
  • It feels infinitely replayable, yet it feels like a time-storage mission every time.
  • There are hundreds of locations. There are hundreds of item cards. There are connectivity between the locations.
  • The book of secrets, the book of vantages, there's so many little hidden nuggets in Easter eggs.
  • This is not going to be a flash in a pan. I think this is going to be a game people are going to play for a long time because it does the impossible.
  • It feels like there's this one overarching story that's happening, and when you play, you're just getting a slice of it as opposed to, you know, playing Agricola or Caverna or something like that.
  • Vantage gets a perfect 10 out of 10 from me. I love this game. It is incredible.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video VoueHTR24Us Jimmy's Board Games top_10_list at 18:19 sentiment: positive
video_pk 13120 · mention_pk 38355
Jimmy's Board Games - Vantage video thumbnail
Click to watch at 18:19 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
  • highly approachable; great for non-gamers
  • strong narrative potential when played with others
  • compact setup; quick to teach
Cons
  • some players may want more mechanical depth
  • story outcomes can feel variable; less deterministic strategy
Thematic elements
  • minimalist card-driven exploration with mood-driven twists
  • exploration and interaction around a single location card
  • lean, atmospheric storytelling through tiny cards
Comparison games
  • Ark Nova
  • Cascadia
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
  • exploration on a single-card map — each location shows multiple interaction options; choices direct future cards and outcomes.
  • story-driven replayability — different choices reveal different stories; audience-driven storytelling enhances replay value
  • up-down-left-right navigation — player movement between cards determines encounter results and path to next sites.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
  • This is the epitome of like first round very short not a lot going on. Last round much much longer.
  • You look bougie. Speak Easy is the new hot Euro game from Vital Lecerda.
  • This is my number one game of the year: Covenant.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video hiIpHLx-ANk Board Game Design Lab general_discussion at 27:30 sentiment: positive
video_pk 12979 · mention_pk 37979
Board Game Design Lab - Vantage video thumbnail
Click to watch at 27:30 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
  • Massive scope and replay variety
  • Endings designed to reflect long playtime and milestones
Cons
  • Pent-up production/loading complexity
  • Potential for fatigue if not playtested in deep stretches
Thematic elements
  • Exploration and mission-driven progression
  • Epic, open-world planetary exploration
  • Narrative arc revealed through play with evolving storytelling
Comparison games
  • Sleeping Gods
  • Gloomhaven
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
  • Campaign-like journey with branching outcomes — Multiple missions, final destination and end conditions
  • Deck/hand management on a 1300+ card system — Massive card pool with six options per location and branching paths
  • variable end conditions — End can be determined by mission goals, destinations, or time
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
  • it's essentially 1,700 cards and 8 or and 400 of those cards are double-sided
  • you've turned Wingspan not into you built it into more than just a game
  • no zero days
  • the ending has to live up to the X number of hours that somebody just put into it
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video _Ge4QumTNWs Game Night playthrough at 0:00 sentiment: positive
video_pk 12877 · mention_pk 37667
Game Night - Vantage video thumbnail
Click to watch at 0:00 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
  • accessible shell-themed aesthetic with appealing components
  • strong 2-4 player scaling and interaction
  • diverse objective tiles and lighthouse bonuses encourage varied strategy
  • clear tactile feedback from bag placement and tile drafting
Cons
  • scoring can be fiddly and requires careful tracking
  • board space and bag management can feel tight on higher player counts
Thematic elements
  • shell collection, habitat observation, and tidal cycles
  • Santael, a Florida island beach environment with shells washing ashore
  • Array
Comparison games
  • Wingspan
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
  • bag building — players draft shells into their bags, organizing resources for scoring.
  • board/bag placement with openings — tiles must fit into openings; holes must be kept open to continue placement.
  • endgame sequencing via waves — the wave determines how many tiles appear per section and shapes the mid-game shifts.
  • lighthouse bonus tiles — randomized lighthouse tiles grant end-game scoring bonuses and synergy opportunities.
  • set collection / pattern scoring — points come from patterns and unique sets of shells (purple echinoderms, blue valves, orange snails, etc.).
  • tile drafting / bag-building — players draft shells into their bags, organizing resources for scoring.
  • tile placement — tiles must fit into openings; holes must be kept open to continue placement.
  • wilds and special tiles — crab and diamond wilds can be used to access flexible placements and scoring bonuses.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
  • It's like Tetris. You can slot in.
  • We fill every single section as you're passing along the beach.
  • The wave is doing the endgame, and the lighthouse bonuses are huge.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video T5KH8nwiX4A BoardGameGeek playthrough at 0:00 sentiment: positive
video_pk 12929 · mention_pk 37837
BoardGameGeek - Vantage video thumbnail
Click to watch at 0:00 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
  • Immersive narrative
  • Flexible exploration
  • Multiple mission paths
  • Interesting decision-making
Cons
  • Complex rule interactions
  • Potential for frustrating dice rolls
  • Unclear endgame conditions
Thematic elements
  • Space exploration and rescue mission
  • Uncharted alien planet
  • Choose-your-own-adventure style exploration
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
  • Dice rolling — Challenge dice used for actions with reroll mechanics
  • Narrative decision-making — Player makes choices that advance story and mission
  • Resource management — Managing boost cubes, health, morale, and skill tokens
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
  • This is my game plan at the moment.
  • We rescued the Traveler. We won a difficult mission.
  • It's cool... we're in this completely different thing on this completely different mission.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video X2HhvTKNlNI Brothers Murphus top_10_list at 9:09 sentiment: positive
video_pk 12853 · mention_pk 37556
Brothers Murphus - Vantage video thumbnail
Click to watch at 9:09 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
  • Eight years in development
  • Theater of the mind experience
  • Replayable
  • Much more contained than Seventh Continent
  • 1000 cards
  • All content included
Cons
  • Similar to Seventh Continent which becomes sprawly
Thematic elements
  • Crash landing and exploration
  • Alien planet
  • Cooperative survival exploration
Comparison games
  • Seventh Continent
  • Breath of the Wild
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
  • communication — Players convey information to find each other
  • exploration — Open-world exploration inspired by Breath of the Wild
  • Mission-based — Different missions with different objectives
  • Resource management — Manage resources based on challenges
  • Vantage Point System — Players can only see from their vantage point
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
  • It's hitting people's hands now
  • Really captured people
  • This is one of the greatest games ever made. I don't care what anybody says
  • This is a big sandbox and just go play in it
  • There's something so compelling about this game
  • I think board games are art
  • Fight me I don't care. Best party game ever probably
  • It creates so much laughter. It delivers so hard, man
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video U5gXlEzrYAc Board Game Co general_discussion at 8:32 sentiment: mixed
video_pk 12804 · mention_pk 37364
Board Game Co - Vantage video thumbnail
Click to watch at 8:32 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
mixed
Pros
  • exploratory feel
  • solo and multiplayer support
Cons
  • divisive among players
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 don't have time to play them all.
  • There are none of those [on my shelf] this month because I looked around and it made me sad.
  • The newest stuff is usually the easiest to go.
  • I might do a full video on this at some point.
  • These are basically all in the passing through category.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video rujLg6Xp5WQ Stonemire Games top_25_list at 0:51 sentiment: positive
video_pk 12595 · mention_pk 36732
Stonemire Games - Vantage video thumbnail
Click to watch at 0:51 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
  • Encourages communication and cooperation through information asymmetry
  • Tension between progress and resource costs creates meaningful choices
Cons
  • Relies on active table talk; may slow pace for some groups
Thematic elements
  • Cooperative exploration under resource pressures
  • First-person exploration of a location with limited visibility to others
  • Immersive, information-asymmetry driven
Comparison games
  • Origin Story
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
  • Action success with resource costs — Actions always succeed; the cost comes in time, morale, and health.
  • First-person location perspective — Players see their location from a first-person viewpoint, not a shared top-down map.
  • Limited information / table talk emphasis — Seeing different information drives communication and cooperative decisions.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
  • Actions always succeed in Vantage; the challenge is how much time, morale, and health you lose along the way.
  • the limited information of I can see something that you can't see and how that encourages communication and cooperation.
  • one player is playing a card and that card has instructions that the other player must follow or you lose.
  • if you roll seven bells on your turn, you just instantly win.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video ma8LY3nU4bA Unknown Channel general_discussion at 6:49 sentiment: positive
video_pk 11830 · mention_pk 34639
Unknown Channel - Vantage video thumbnail
Click to watch at 6:49 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
  • strong solo experience
  • engaging storytelling
Cons
  • niche appeal
  • not for all players
Thematic elements
  • indie sci-fi exploration
  • space frontier storytelling
  • story-driven
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
  • engine_building — Builds an autonomous engine to drive progress.
  • solo_mode — Designed with strong solo play experience.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
  • I'm down to 150 games. Thank you for watching.
  • Bye-bye eclipse and remix stays.
  • This is one game. It all stays. We're not going to take it out right now.
  • My number one game of all time stays obvious.
  • I love it. Love it.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video rj3krBN4qZ4 The Dice Tower top_12_list at 10:51 sentiment: positive
video_pk 10819 · mention_pk 31946
The Dice Tower - Vantage video thumbnail
Click to watch at 10:51 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
  • vast content and high replayability
  • beautiful artwork and a strong sense of discovery
Cons
  • complexity can be intimidating for new players
  • the breadth of content may overwhelm some groups
Thematic elements
  • adventure-focused with exploration, discovery, and commerce
  • planetary exploration with social interaction and adventuring
  • open-ended, sandbox-like adventures with variable goals
Comparison games
  • Gloomhaven
  • Too Many Bones
  • Pillars of Eternity-inspired RPGs
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
  • Character progression — build a personal arc through exploration, tests, and side activities.
  • exploration and encounters — players explore a shared planet, meeting sentient beings and undertaking tasks.
  • variable goals — each playthrough can yield a different concluding objective.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
  • This is incredibly impressive and players can work together to try to solve these cases.
  • There are thousands of cases; it scales in complexity and replayability.
  • There are so many scenarios so that every game doesn't feel the same.
  • This one is back to being really unique because this is based in the entire Dungeons and Dragons world.
  • Two versions of it. There's retail and the miniatures, and they both play the exact same, which is what I love.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video I7eIfX2wRBc Unknown Channel top_10_list at 15:25 sentiment: positive
video_pk 10677 · mention_pk 31517
Unknown Channel - Vantage video thumbnail
Click to watch at 15:25 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
  • vast world with a ton of exploration
  • high replay potential through varied gear and actions
  • beautiful components and design
Cons
  • large footprint and setup may deter shorter sessions
Thematic elements
  • discovery and progression via a gear grid
  • planetary exploration after crash-landing
  • exploration-driven, open-world feel
Comparison games
  • None explicitly named
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
  • dice- and card-based checks — dice determine outcomes with resource-like tracks
  • gear grid and actions — use cards and gear to train, move, and purchase items
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
  • It's got a really cool dice system for the players
  • I absolutely love it
  • There is an absolutely like huge world in there
  • The solo mode is really easy to run
  • it's the most exciting spreadsheet you will find
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video tk_y44tug04 Before You Play playthrough sentiment: positive
video_pk 10629 · mention_pk 31308
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
  • Highly replayable with 21 different missions
  • Over 1000 unique cards
  • Unique exploration mechanics
  • Asymmetric character abilities
Cons
  • Complex rule system
  • Potential for long play sessions (2-3 hours)
  • High complexity in action resolution
Thematic elements
  • Exploration and survival
  • Uncharted alien planet after spaceship crash
  • Open-world card-based adventure
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
  • Card-based exploration — Players navigate through different locations using location cards and actions
  • Dice rolling — Challenge dice used for actions and resolving events
  • Resource management — Managing time, morale, and health tokens
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
  • We have about over a thousand unique cards in the game
  • The chances of you going down the exact same route that we'll be going down is very rare
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video btZncfi13OM Brothers Murf top_10_list at 10:41 sentiment: positive
video_pk 10624 · mention_pk 31298
Brothers Murf - Vantage video thumbnail
Click to watch at 10:41 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
  • unique, intriguing mechanic
  • lots of components and discovery
Cons
  • mystery may not land for all players
Thematic elements
  • cooperative isolation and information visibility
  • alien planet vantage perspective
  • story-lite, vantage-based exploration
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
  • hidden information / perspective — view from a landing vantage while others see differently
  • shared information communication — team coordination based on what you can see
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
  • I really love this idea of designer diaries.
  • There are designer diaries actually at this point pretty much constantly on board game geek.
  • There's tons and tons of reviews coming out on BG. People are asking questions.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video RsMAXeMN3d4 top_10_list at 6:18 sentiment: positive
video_pk 10545 · mention_pk 30989
Vantage video thumbnail
Click to watch at 6:18 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
  • unique exploration experience
  • story progression per turn
  • rich, immersive theme for solo or group play
Cons
  • no fixed end condition may fatigue some players
Thematic elements
  • unknown / exploratory storytelling
  • exploration logbook
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
  • exploration / variable action — each turn offers a few actions, you reveal books, roll dice for risks, and advance story cards
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
  • The perfect filler game
  • This is the best version yet and gorgeous
  • it's a simple party game where we all play together as a team
  • it's the perfect intro to deck-building
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video dzEhLZz3lfc Unknown top_list at 56:36 sentiment: positive
video_pk 10231 · mention_pk 30239
Unknown - Vantage video thumbnail
Click to watch at 56:36 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
  • Legendary designer Jamie Stegmaier
  • Cooperative gameplay
  • Open-world exploration theme
  • Strong production quality
  • Mysterious secrets
Cons
none
Thematic elements
  • open world exploration
  • science fiction
  • first-person perspective
  • planet exploration
Comparison games
  • Charterstone
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
Mechanics unknown.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
  • I'm not here to talk about that I'm here to talk about games
  • catch-up games has been on fire
  • I love his Cooperative design sensibilities
  • how does this game not already exist
  • I want more games that tell in 2025 a positive story about how we can work in unison with nature
  • 2025 might be the year of co-ops
  • pure Feld simple Elegance that leads to deep challenging decisions
  • Coming of age is by far my number one most anticipated game
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video s3htrl_xJtU Tantrum House top_10_list at 25:41 sentiment: positive
video_pk 10084 · mention_pk 29704
Tantrum House - Vantage video thumbnail
Click to watch at 25:41 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
  • Exploration-focused gameplay
  • Simple to play and set up
  • Variable play time based on player choice
  • Focus on journey over destination
  • Flexible player count from 1-6 players
  • Streamlined and efficient gameplay
  • Great table presence
  • All players participate in shared exploration
Cons
  • Play time varies greatly depending on exploration level
Thematic elements
  • Exploration of a crash landing with individual perspectives
  • Alien planet
  • Narrative exploration and discovery
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
  • communication — Players explain to other people what they're looking at
  • exploration — Players explore a planet that is crash-landed on
  • Hidden Information/Vantage Point — Each player has their own vantage point they're looking at that no one else can see
  • Mission-based — Players try to complete missions while exploring
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
  • I love cards that score off of other cards and trying to create combos and synergies
  • if I turn this, then this wheel's turning
  • I love tile lane games
  • that is definitely a different kind of theme that you don't see in board games
  • We're big fans of The Crew
  • is something better going to come or or do I take what's here
  • There hasn't been any deduction games that I know of. Um, I mean, there probably are. Our Gen Con release, but this is the one that really stood out to me
  • it's more about the journey than the destination
  • pleasantly surprised with how I much I enjoyed uh this two-player fighting game
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video aNkQ_67F9jk Unknown Channel general_discussion at 1:21 sentiment: mixed
video_pk 9848 · mention_pk 29011
Unknown Channel - Vantage video thumbnail
Click to watch at 1:21 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
mixed
Pros
  • Standalone sessions with replayability
  • Accessible to new groups
  • Unique exploration experience
  • Potentially family-friendly and kid-friendly
  • Different from other games in the collection
Cons
  • Polarizing reception
  • Not driven by heavy mechanisms; may not appeal to mechanism-driven players
  • Unclear long-term campaign or progression
  • Content maturity considerations for younger players
Thematic elements
  • Exploration, discovery, and survival on an alien world
  • A mysterious planet to explore, in a standalone session
  • standalone exploratory sessions with potential world-memory effects across plays
Comparison games
  • Seventh Continent
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
  • Cooperative Game — players coordinate actions to achieve objectives
  • cooperative play — players coordinate actions to achieve objectives
  • dice mechanics — dice-based actions or resolution used to interact with the world
  • exploration — open-world, location-based exploration with discovery and problem solving
  • non-linear/objective discovery — uncover objectives and potential larger goals through exploration
  • standalone-session design — each play is self-contained with potential incremental knowledge about the planet
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
  • Um, the strength of it is just a standalone session. Like there's no campaign here.
  • This could be a very fun type of game to play with a kid.
  • It's unlike anything I have in my collection.
  • It's been getting a lot of hype. I think it's going to be polarizing as far as whether people like this style of game.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video jzSsS-TKwYs Unknown Channel top_100_list at 6:12 sentiment: negative
video_pk 9915 · mention_pk 29167
Unknown Channel - Vantage video thumbnail
Click to watch at 6:12 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
negative
Pros
none
Cons
  • mechanics feel vapid and lacking agency
  • story moments feel rare
Thematic elements
  • narrative exploration with dice placement
  • story-driven with matchless agency
Comparison games
  • Kingdom Death Monster
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
  • dice placement — dice-driven encounters with skill checks
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
  • This is obviously an S tier game.
  • I'm combining a few Clank games here, but they're all A tier.
  • I hate Kingdom Death Monster. I hate it.
  • This is an easy A tier game.
  • This is an S tier game.
  • Don't yuck yums.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video rkl3EOldMR8 Stonemire Games general_discussion at 28:08 sentiment: positive
video_pk 9120 · mention_pk 26874
Stonemire Games - Vantage video thumbnail
Click to watch at 28:08 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
  • distinct action economy that feels fresh
  • strong interconnection between actions
Cons
  • expansions unlikely; ownership of the core may limit future add-ons
Thematic elements
  • interface-driven action with a first-person perspective
  • Planet-spanning web of interconnected systems
  • systematic/world-building
Comparison games
  • Rolling Realms
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
  • action_system — Unique action system used to perform tasks and progress on the planet web.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
  • World Wonders is a polyomino game where you're placing mostly flat tiles, but every now and then you're placing a big chunky wonder and it has just a really good set of mechanisms.
  • Fairy Ring was a really really neat twist on a drafting game where you're drafting cards like in seven wonders, but you were also moving a fairy around the table onto all the stacks of cards that other players have played.
  • I love the joy of browsing without buying.
  • It's unlike anything else we've ever played and we love it.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video a66rQr_23ys Stonemire Games general_discussion at 2:44 sentiment: positive
video_pk 8252 · mention_pk 24181
Stonemire Games - Vantage video thumbnail
Click to watch at 2:44 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
  • Solid core design, well integrated with newsletter-style world-building
  • Engages players with environmental dynamics
Cons
  • Learning curve and potential ambiguity without playthroughs
Thematic elements
  • Forecasting and ecosystem dynamics
  • Environmental systems and weather-driven world shaping
  • Mechanics-first with thematic framing
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
  • unknown — Not explicitly detailed in the transcript; discussed in relation to weather/environment systems
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
  • Origin Story and Vantage again this past weekend and they are so so great.
  • It was the best game of Flip Seven that I've ever had.
  • I played Dave the Diver for about an hour last night and had a lot of fun with it.
  • I've played Point Salad, but I have not played Point City.
  • I run a board gaming club at my school in which I have been playing Obsession and Brass Lancashire.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video Q-v8QNJzjnE Unknown top_10_list at 4:43 sentiment: positive
video_pk 8176 · mention_pk 24022
Unknown - Vantage video thumbnail
Click to watch at 4:43 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
  • Pre-order / preorder possibility noted
  • Studio pedigree (Stonemaier-analogue)
Cons
  • Limited info in transcript
Thematic elements
  • Strategic planning with possible bidding or resource optimization
  • Unknown strategic framework, likely Euro-style
  • Mechanics-forward, with light theme
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
  • unknown — Unspecified mechanics discussed; used for strategic decision-making
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
  • we have only 20 minutes to research and buy games
  • you will be able to write in the comments which game we should buy
  • it's accessible and not that expensive
  • it looks like a lot of fun
  • real time betting
  • it's a betting game where the horses run and you're betting in real time
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video 4dBAH4__gVA The Dice Tower top_10_list at 1:22:03 sentiment: mixed
video_pk 8099 · mention_pk 23829
The Dice Tower - Vantage video thumbnail
Click to watch at 1:22:03 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
mixed
Pros
  • Huge scope and depth; deep strategy
  • Thematic weight and long-term planning
Cons
  • Contested opinions on accessibility and balance
  • Can be polarizing due to its heavy design
Thematic elements
Comparison games
  • River of Gold
  • Lords of Water Deep
  • Kingdoms
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
  • Hidden/deck-building and modular actions — Players build a personal tableau that evolves, unlocking new options as the game progresses.
  • Resource management and worker placement-like decisions — High interactivity and tension as players invest in actions that influence others.
  • Variable board/modules — Different map layouts or modules impact strategy and end-game scoring.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
  • Would you say that the main message behind this game is that only suckers take the bus?
  • It's a masterpiece of a game.
  • This is a big game actually. A roll and write, Tend.
  • Aridia is a masterpiece of a game.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video hcusoF2kXrA Board Gaming Ramblings game_review at 0:07 sentiment: mixed
video_pk 7932 · mention_pk 23337
Board Gaming Ramblings - Vantage video thumbnail
Click to watch at 0:07 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
mixed
Pros
  • Accessible to learn, simple setup in practice
  • Strong solo mode and six-player potential
  • Clear emphasis on exploration and player storytelling
  • Multiple win paths beyond fixed scoring
Cons
  • Ambiguous win conditions may frustrate players seeking clear goals
  • No campaign or campaign-like persistence between games
  • Pacing can be slow and open-ended for some groups
Thematic elements
  • Exploration through shifting viewpoints and personal interpretation; non-linear goals
  • Aboard a spaceship orbiting a planet; landing across a diverse range of locations on the planet
  • Emergent, player-driven, minimal fixed narrative
Comparison games
  • Seven Continent
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
  • Card-driven outcomes and placement — Each action reveals a card with cost and outcome, which may require placing a die result on a card to track progress; cards provide resources or effects
  • Dice-based action resolution — On your turn you perform a single action by rolling dice tied to your character, potentially paying skills to roll more dice; higher dice costs more resources
  • Exploration and discovery loop — The planet features many landing locations (around 120) to explore; the journey itself constitutes the experience
  • Mission and Destiny objectives — At game start you receive a mission; players can also pursue destinies; multiple victory paths and a non-fixed end condition
  • Open information localised cards — In multiplayer you view others' cards through a display or book; you can hide information and view only your own card to plan actions
  • Resource management — Resources such as time, health, and morale are spent; hitting zero ends the game; actions either succeed and cost resources or fail with consequences
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
  • This is a very unique game.
  • You win if you have fun.
  • the journey is kind of your destination.
  • There are no points; you win by fun and enjoy the journey.
  • The game play is very basic.
  • This is a weird game.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video NDmQDFN3rw8 Tantrum House Studio D game_review at 0:32 sentiment: positive
video_pk 7332 · mention_pk 21652
Tantrum House Studio D - Vantage video thumbnail
Click to watch at 0:32 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
  • Strong open-world, exploration-driven design with a cohesive mission structure that supports both variety and a sense of forward momentum.
  • Meaningful asymmetry and character upgrade options significantly enhance replayability and provide distinct paths through the game world.
  • Cooperative play is well-supported by shared information mechanics and the ability for players to contribute tokens and support actions for teammates.
  • High-quality components and well-designed location cards contribute to ease of play and the clarity of what each choice represents on the board.
  • Setup is relatively efficient for a heavy game, and the sweet spot in player count tends to be 2–4, reducing downtime while preserving strategic depth.
Cons
  • Downtime can become substantial at higher player counts, hampering pacing and potentially diminishing engagement during long sessions.
  • The sheer volume of cards (and their organization) can be cumbersome to set up, manage, and store, especially in multi-session play or large tables.
  • Because many location cards offer one-action-per-card options, there is potential for 'FOMO' as players weigh which path to pursue and may regret not choosing alternate options.
  • Teaching the game and learning the rules can be a non-trivial barrier for newcomers, given the cooperative complexity and the interaction between dice, tokens, and story outcomes.
  • The game is not campaign-based, which some players may see as both a relief and a drawback depending on preferred play styles; it requires deliberate time investment in single sessions rather than building a long-running arc.
Thematic elements
  • cooperation, exploration, problem solving, and adaptive storytelling in a procedurally generated world
  • Crash-landed on an alien planet with multiple biomes to explore and a shared goal that unfolds through player-driven discovery
  • story prompts delivered via color-coded books read aloud by players, driving the outcomes of actions
Comparison games
  • Tales of Arthurian Knights
  • Tales of Arabian Nights
  • Western Legends
  • Seventh Continent
  • Sleeping Gods
  • Time Stories
  • Lord of the Rings: Journeys of Middle Earth
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
  • asymmetry with upgrades — Each character has unique starting traits and upgrade paths that shape playstyle over time. Upgrades unlock new options and can alter how challenges are approached, providing a sense of progression within single sessions and across multiple plays.
  • Cooperative action economy — On a given turn, players collectively pursue a shared objective by taking one primary action each, with other players able to contribute in supportive ways (sharing information, providing resources, or allocating tokens) to influence outcomes. This creates a sense of joint problem solving rather than a strict turn-by-turn individual pursuit.
  • destiny cards and mission structure — A randomly generated main mission at setup, plus optional destiny cards that add longer-term goals. This framework supports varying story arcs and increases replayability by altering objectives across sessions.
  • dice resolution and card-slot placement — Players roll a pool of challenge dice to determine the tier of effort required to complete a chosen action. The outcome can be mitigated by spending matching skill tokens, and any excess dice that cannot be placed on available slots are activated later, integrating a tactile puzzle aspect into action resolution.
  • location- and card-driven actions — Locations present multiple action choices, but the base rule often restricts a card to a single action per game, which forces players to prioritize, manage risk, and weigh the benefits of immediate gains versus future possibilities.
  • open-world exploration with non-linear progression — The game emphasizes exploration across a diverse planetary map, allowing players to pursue different routes, encounter a range of locations, and improvise paths toward mission completion rather than following a fixed script.
  • puzzle-like dice management — Rolling challenge dice and then assigning them to slots creates a logical puzzle: which dice to place where to optimize results, and which actions to prioritize given current resources and board state.
  • skill tokens and mitigation — Skill tokens tied to action types function as a resource that can reduce the number of dice rolled for a given action. Other players may also spend tokens to support a teammate, reinforcing the cooperative aspect and encouraging coordinated planning.
  • storybook-driven outcomes — After resolving dice, a designated reader consults a color-coded story book to determine the narrative result of the action. The reader then feeds back the consequences to the players, tying mechanical resolution to short, digestible narrative segments rather than lengthy prose.
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Quotes (from this video)
  • Vantage is an open-world mission-driven board game for one to six players that takes about two to three hours to play.
  • You'll always be successful with your action. It just may cost more depending on your role.
  • Two to four players is probably the sweet spot for us. Two to three is actually probably even a little sweeter for this game.
  • I think there's like 800 cards. Did he say? Wow. Lots of cards.
  • Open world but with rails; it's open world but with guided choice that keeps the game moving.
  • This is probably risen to the top on how it has put this open world into a board game.
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