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Game Info
Year
2018
Players
2-4
Age
14+
Playtime
90 min
Collection
Ratings
Creator Score
Mechanic profile
Not enough video data yet
Vibe profile
Not enough video data yet
Description
Way of the Panda is a worker-placement game in which players control three different figures — monk, merchant, and warrior — on a board. With a worker-placement mechanism, the players choose their action to move around the board, build buildings, train their character in fighting, and gain wisdom (which nets victory points at game's end and serves as a multiplier), but they also have to pay action points to choose these actions. If they choose stronger actions, they must pay more and cannot go back on the action board (as in Egizia).
The players train their characters and fight against the evil guys on each street on the map. Also, they construct buildings to try to connect north and south with their own streets.
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Way of the Panda: Discussion
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All mentions
Browse transcript mentions, sentiments, pros/cons, mechanics, topics, quotes, and references.
Total mentions: 7
This page: 7
Sentiment:
pos 5 ·
mix 1 ·
neu 0 ·
neg 0
Showing 1–7 of 7
Video 3SnP36NVyhw
Rolling Dice & Taking Names Event Coverage at 27:58 sentiment: positive
video_pk 151842 · mention_pk 425918
Click to watch at 27:58 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- unique theme
- interesting action selection and management mechanics
Cons
none
Thematic elements
- mobsters
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- action selection — Players manage action points to perform actions, with choices impacting future turns.
- Area Control — Moving pandas around a map to build cities and gain victory points.
- Worker Placement — Assigning workers to action spaces with increasing costs and placement restrictions.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- Terrence is my favorite game of all time and so this going into space and being streamlined and tweaked a little bit I was just so excited
- it's gonna have to be distinguished from castle panic because when you look at the game yes it looks exactly like the castle panic board
- basically you can talk about that now where it's the complete opposite of what you do from pandemic legacy season one where the world collapse now at seventy years later you our own little outposts in the ocean trying to save humanity and you have to try to supply the world with these cubes and we'll call them that because that's what they are and that helps you trying to build the outpost from there so you're trying to rebuild the world not save it trying to rebuild it
- it was like an emotional experience it's like holy cow this one guy had an idea to have get some miniature gamers together who eventually decide I'm gonna make an RPG to the event that we have now with 70,000 people in it
- if we were to sum up Gen Con in one word what would it be I think it was just pretty darn neat very neat
- it's becoming the thing to do at GenCon it's nice it's like a way to cap off the show you know for me once that's over I'm ready to go home I've had my Gen Con
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video 4V87T-_vb48
Board Games UnLocked Review at 0:21 sentiment: mixed
video_pk 116856 · mention_pk 329747
Click to watch at 0:21 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
mixed
Pros
- Interesting action selection mechanism
- Strategic action point system
- Good production quality
- Endgame scoring can be strategic
- Unique theme
Cons
- More complex than needed for the payoff
- Unsatisfying way to gain points by benefiting from others' work
- Game can feel boring and solitaire
- Lack of meaningful player interaction
- Point scoring can feel outrageous and less meaningful
Thematic elements
- Pandas
Comparison games
- Masters Trial
- Blood Rage
- Rising Sun
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Action Point Allowance System — Players have a limited number of action points per turn, influenced by the actions taken and guards placed in the previous turn.
- Area Control — Players place guards on roads to clear ninjas and build structures in villages, affecting scoring and movement.
- End-game scoring — Significant points are awarded through end-game bonuses related to city completion, building majority, and collected items.
- Set Collection — Collecting masks for end-game multipliers based on the number of swords owned.
- Variable player powers — Players control three champions (noble/monk, warrior, guardian) who have specific building roles (shrine, pagoda, market).
- Worker Placement — Players place guards to take actions, with a cost associated with the number of guards and the specific action column.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- it's kind of more complex than it needs to be for for little payoff
- the fact of someone doing all this work that someone else can just you know basically win the game alpha doing that and I did win the game off of doing that so that's my biggest complaint with the game
- The way that you select actions in this game I is actually really neat
- The point scoring is just outrageous
- I could walk away from the board for thirty minutes come back and not care what anyone else did which in my opinion is a negative
- I feel comfortable with with a five five out of ten
- Don't expect like a blood rage or a rising sun from this game expect a light game I don't know it's not a Meritage
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video My1TO7FtTd8
Board Games UnLocked Unboxing at 10:06 sentiment: positive
video_pk 116868 · mention_pk 329781
Click to watch at 10:06 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- Looked really neat in a run-through.
- Pandas are super cute.
Cons
- Host is running out of places to put games.
Thematic elements
- Pandas
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 basically love this game so I have to order everything for it
- this I think this is a standalone single unum scenario
- I guess this uh creates more conflict that's uh that's interesting
- there's no room in the early on box I'm very surprised they have not made like a wooden insert for it
- this game is absolutely fantastic
- I just saw a run-through for it and I thought it looked really neat
- most of my kicks are lately have been I've been dead
- I hope I didn't do that for anything else I'm gonna be super upset if I did
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video 8zwChQ9CUKI
Rolling Dice & Taking Names Discussion at 14:27 sentiment: positive
video_pk 93519 · mention_pk 253170
Click to watch at 14:27 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- Solid medium-heavy Euro game
- Strategic depth and layered gameplay
- Cool action selection and worker placement mechanics
- Tight tension and player interaction
- Distinct roles with unique abilities
- Elegant endgame and scoring
- Good components and artwork
- Variability through random objectives and board setup
Cons
- Can be AP-inducing, especially early on
- Players can fall behind if they make poor early decisions
- Symbology on the action board can be a learning curve
- Game length can approach 2-2.5 hours for 4 players
Thematic elements
- Martial arts pandas
Comparison games
- Council of Four
- Lorenzo il Magnifico
- Lignum
- Mombasa
- Gentes
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- action selection — Features a board with five rows and four columns, where placing a worker to the right or below an existing one incurs action point costs based on the row.
- Area Control — The map board is described as a 'victory point map' where players aim to have their guards surrounding cities, and winning control of roads is important, though not traditional area control.
- Set Collection — Players collect quest tokens for their champions, and the limited availability of these tokens creates a race.
- Worker Placement — Workers are placed on an action board, and also on a separate map board to claim roads and contribute to building cities, with resource management tied to both.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- I was going to get upset because we wanted to play The Omen and our friend who let us borrow that game mark from the scurry reports now upset because he's never played the game and now he wants to play it but now we're gonna be able to because you backed it
- for me this game can hit the table anytime more than the other game definitely more than the other game
- you can definitely play poorly and maybe be out of the game
- I think we're there with with board games now right and it's the quality of the components as long as the components are there I'm good with it
- I apologize to anybody I talked into buying Star Wars destiny
- as long as the components are there I'm good with it
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video C2Wv9d3HxNQ
Board Gaming Ramblings Discussion at 6:23
video_pk 85358 · mention_pk 218506
Click to watch at 6:23 · YouTube ↗
Pros
none
Cons
none
Thematic elements
- Panda
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
Mechanics unknown.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- My biggest let down is the rules for uh Transgalactica.
- I think it's fun that a game can be the biggest disappointment and number one in the same month.
- It's an old school Euro. Like it's high interaction, very low on the rules overhead, but a lot of interesting choices.
- I still am unbeaten in Shipyard, which I think I I just have to stop playing it now because at some time I will not I will not win.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video 40HlDNfJkhM
Game Night Picks - Pair Of Dice Paradise Discussion at 5:32 sentiment: positive
video_pk 33235 · mention_pk 98671
Click to watch at 5:32 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- distinct action-ordering mechanic
- charming panda components
- family-friendly thematic presentation
Cons
- CMON production scale and setup may be a barrier for some players
Thematic elements
- pandas, monks, merchants, and warriors working toward goals
- fantasy/medieval panda-themed world
- theme-driven Euro-style with cute components
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- action selection order — players must select actions lower on the track than previously chosen
- building/training/combat — buildings and train characters to gain abilities and victory points
- Worker Placement — players control three figure types to take actions on a board
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- this game may seem like just a you know big box office movie tie-in
- it's actually pretty darn decent game
- it's a good family weight game
- perhaps this game would do a little bit better just describing itself so here are some words and pictures directly from the crypto to explain this game a little bit further
- this is almost more of a euro e pinkie type game way of the Panda is a worker placement game
- the actions selection board in which players can only select actions further down the list than what they have already picked
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video O5sOKOaReN4
Meeple Mountain Discussion at 4:22 sentiment: positive
video_pk 28647 · mention_pk 84007
Click to watch at 4:22 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- adorable panda minis and thematic charm
- clever action loop creates meaningful decisions
Cons
- some players may outpace others due to action timing
Thematic elements
- clan politics, honor, and panda-themed fantasy
- Panda Kingdom besieged by human ninjas
- light-hearted but clever twists on worker placement
Comparison games
- Richard the Lionheart
- Council of Four
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- action-purchase loop — you buy actions with apprentices; choosing an action blocks preceding ones
- clan variety / asymmetric units — three panda clans with unique sculpts and abilities
- Worker Placement — pandas are used to take actions each turn
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- it's a thug placement game where you're controlling a family who's trying to jockey for the position to take over
- you can do different jobs and some of them like maybe a car bomb
- when you take out a thug or a family member you lay them face down in the hood
- the darkness part where they can hide in the shadows to gain additional powers
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Transcript Navigation
Showing 1–7 of 7