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Game Info
Year
2021
Collection
Mechanic profile
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Vibe profile
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Description
Vienna Connection is a standalone game inspired by the game mechanisms of Detective: A Modern Crime Board Game. In this game, players take on the roles of CIA agents sent to Europe in 1977 during the Cold War to investigate the mysterious death of James Werner, an American citizen murdered in Vienna.
The international plot involves various secret agencies, and players will travel around Europe visiting a dozen destinations and discovering secrets.
Vienna Connection, although inspired by Detective, is a standalone game with new rules and game mechanisms that bring the spy theme to life. Players will manage resources (such as informants, bribes, and pieces of information), decode reports (including secret messages, codes, and wiretapped conversations), and will have to outsmart enemy spy agencies.
—description from the publisher
Featured Videos
Rules Teach
Vienna Connection - How To Play
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All mentions
Browse transcript mentions, sentiments, pros/cons, mechanics, topics, quotes, and references.
Total mentions: 5
This page: 5
Sentiment:
pos 4 ·
mix 0 ·
neu 1 ·
neg 0
Showing 1–5 of 5
Video e1KLLlAb3iI
watch it played Rules Teach at 0:13 sentiment: neutral
video_pk 64491 · mention_pk 157955
Click to watch at 0:13 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
neutral
Pros
- Cooperative, group decision-making
- Campaign structure with evolving story
- Web-assisted content and integrated clues
Cons
- Complex setup with many components
- Puzzles/paperwork can be heavy and potentially tedious
Thematic elements
- spies and deception
- Cold War era
- campaign-style with ongoing story across missions
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- difficulty adjustment — Game includes ways to adjust difficulty.
- files and lead stack — Gained files and leads from envelopes; files used across missions; some lead to puzzle solving.
- final report and further actions — After mission end, players submit results and choose subsequent actions for the campaign.
- lead selection — Players examine a start set of leads and choose one to pursue; multiple leads exist.
- man in black tracking — Crossing off spaces in the 'man in black' section as exposure increases.
- Multi-use cards — Perform operations paying with tokens that are spent and then flipped to reveal effects.
- operational cards with costs — Perform operations paying with tokens that are spent and then flipped to reveal effects.
- puzzle skip option on website — If a puzzle is stuck, players can use the website to skip and get the answer.
- puzzles and codes — Code deciphering using password cards and cross-referencing numbers to reveal files.
- record-keeping (diary/map/calendar) — Campaign diary and maps used to track clues across missions.
- replay option with reset — Campaign can be reset to replay missions with different choices.
- Scenario / Mission / Campaign Game — After mission end, players submit results and choose subsequent actions for the campaign.
- Score-and-Reset — Campaign can be reset to replay missions with different choices.
- zone exposure management — Exposures from leads cross out spaces in a zone on the mission sheet.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- Vienna Connection is part of the detective series of games
- you and your team are leading a special covert CIA operation to untangle a web of deception
- this will be a spoiler-free tutorial
- four different ways to gather information
- you won't be taking turns instead you decide as a group
- it's the cold war era a time of spies
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video LdmwpKX3rUQ
Rolling Dice & Taking Names Discussion at 25:50 sentiment: positive
video_pk 6306 · mention_pk 18634
Click to watch at 25:50 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- accessible entry point with deeper investigative feel
- brings a tighter, more affordable investigative package than some rivals
- sits well with detective-style fans who want a cooperative/co-opish vibe
Cons
- some players may find the reading and setup a bit heavy
- solo play is less polished than group play
Thematic elements
- spy/investigation across a city
- Cold War espionage in Vienna
- campaign-driven investigations with online/database integration
Comparison games
- Detective: A Modern Crime Board Game
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- campaign-style storytelling — scenarios connect across the box, building a larger narrative
- exposure-based progression — players increase exposure as investigations unfold, unlocking paths and missions
- hand management / resource management — manage actions and resources to pursue missions and gather clues
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- I love deck builders always have
- this game was top notch
- it's a pizza game to me
- it's basically like Tetris 99
- the exposure mechanic is brilliant
- Azul meets Patchwork with cat fluff
- you want to go through your deck as fast as you can to add in those new cards
- it's a pizza game to me, you bring in a pizza
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video GWVbYkT88Xg
Rolling Dice & Taking Names Discussion at 50:28 sentiment: positive
video_pk 4812 · mention_pk 14156
Click to watch at 50:28 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- strong thematic feel and tension
- engaging investigative pacing
Cons
- rule complexity can be intimidating for some players
Thematic elements
- investigation, undercover operations, puzzle solving
- Cold War espionage context
- historical thriller with detective flavor
Comparison games
- Pandemic (cooperative deduction feel)
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- cooperative deduction — players work together to uncover a network
- time/decision pressure — mechanisms simulate tense investigative pacing
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- the fact that people are getting educated in how the market works is just good for everyone
- it's a tile lane game
- co-op, 100% co-op
- everybody wins
- the memes have changed over the year
- you cannot rotate the tile you have to lay it down
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video CSjUhUKJaeM
The Broken Meeple Discussion at 23:16 sentiment: positive
video_pk 641 · mention_pk 1840
Click to watch at 23:16 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- deep detective narrative
- solo play option
- strong production value
Cons
- steep learning curve
- heavy rules complexity
Thematic elements
- investigation and spycraft
- Cold War espionage across European cities
- story-driven
Comparison games
- Imperial Settlers
- Neuroshima Hex
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- case-based progression — players progress through linked scenarios with evolving narrative
- cooperative deduction — players collaborate to solve cases using clue gathering and detective-style mechanics
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- this is look at the broken meeple watching live and streaming from my channel best wishes to you all
- Portal does a good job with story-driven board games
- 11 is a redone club stories
- the book of adventures just giving us more scenarios could be really cool
- the vienna connection is right now on the pre-order
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video f4YJdZpHq4Q
Rolling Dice & Taking Names Discussion at 1:07:28 sentiment: positive
video_pk 549 · mention_pk 1660
Click to watch at 1:07:28 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- Atmospheric spy theme
- Tight, puzzle-like co-op gameplay
Cons
- Complex rules
- Longer play time
Thematic elements
- case-solving and espionage-driven investigation
- Cold War espionage in Vienna
- cooperative with hidden roles and case progression
Comparison games
- Keyforge
- This War of Mine
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- cooperative deduction — Players solve cases using clues and actions.
- deduction — Players solve cases using clues and actions.
- Role-based actions — Each player has a unique role with special actions.
- Story-driven campaign — Multiple scenarios with evolving narrative.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- the action selection... that was the best part of the game
- it's an amazing game; the art looks gorgeous on the table
- the chaos and intrigue make this game memorable
- this is engine building right
- behold the nightmare
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Transcript Navigation
Showing 1–5 of 5