How long does a game of ICE take?

A typical game of ICE takes approximately 120 minutes.

What are the best video reviews of ICE?

MindForge has curated 12 video reviews of ICE from top board game content creators.

ICE - Board Game | MindForge

Video 5Wwcex5YCyc Getting Games Top 24 List at 19:07 sentiment: positive

video_pk 91083 · mention_pk 244111

Click to watch at 19:07 · YouTube ↗

Overall sentiment (raw)

positive

Pros

art and box art are striking
heavy emphasis on exploration

Cons

none

Thematic elements

archaeology and expedition
frozen world, city under ice
adventure/archaeology

Comparison games

none

Mechanics (from transcript analysis)

tile exploration and removal — explore tiles and uncover a buried city across four tile levels

Video topics + discussion points

No key topics recorded for this video.

Quotes (from this video)

I love rondelle's as a mechanism in general
wandering around an island in a hot-air balloon and the whims of the wind
endless variability or replayability

References (from this video)

No references stored for this video.

Video 5Wwcex5YCyc Getting Games Top 24 List at 19:07 sentiment: positive

video_pk 91083 · mention_pk 346950

Click to watch at 19:07 · YouTube ↗

Overall sentiment (raw)

positive

Pros

art and box art are striking
heavy emphasis on exploration

Cons

none

Thematic elements

archaeology and expedition
frozen world, city under ice
adventure/archaeology

Comparison games

none

Mechanics (from transcript analysis)

tile exploration and removal — explore tiles and uncover a buried city across four tile levels

Video topics + discussion points

No key topics recorded for this video.

Quotes (from this video)

I love rondelle's as a mechanism in general
wandering around an island in a hot-air balloon and the whims of the wind
endless variability or replayability

References (from this video)

No references stored for this video.

Video 3FziBeJZ9Z0 Getting Games Rules Teach at 0:16 sentiment: neutral

video_pk 90419 · mention_pk 241637

Click to watch at 0:16 · YouTube ↗

Overall sentiment (raw)

neutral

Pros

none

Cons

none

Thematic elements

exploration/archaeology with artifacts and decree cards
ice sheet with hexagonal tiles arranged in multiple layers
board game exploration/archaeology

Comparison games

none

Mechanics (from transcript analysis)

Action Points — players spend action points to explore around the terrain
artifact abilities — accumulated artifacts unlock specific abilities for those artifacts
Artifact collection — artifacts are collected onto the guild board from tiles and unlock abilities
decree cards — decree cards vary each game and incentivize different behavior
end-of-day artifact spending — artifacts are spent to enable various decree/request cards that grant prestige under conditions
Excavation — excavate tiles to remove them and access lower layers; discounts depend on figures present
neutral archaeologists — neutral archaeologists can be brought along to assist exploration
Prestige scoring — points are earned at the end based on artifacts and decree cards

Video topics + discussion points

No key topics recorded for this video.

Quotes (from this video)

now ice is a one to five player game
the tiles that you take will either give you one shot abilities on the back
to put these artifacts onto their guild
these cards will give players a conditional amount of prestige
going to keep going until eight days have happened

References (from this video)

No references stored for this video.

Video 2wOBFvN0Vto UndeadVikingVideos Discussion at 38:24 sentiment: mixed

video_pk 88088 · mention_pk 231261

Click to watch at 38:24 · YouTube ↗

Overall sentiment (raw)

mixed

Pros

Great art
Cool 3D board
Sci-fi/futuristic/post-apocalyptic feel

Cons

Feels too much 'in your face'
Stealing resources is not always fun
Missing something, not loved

Thematic elements

sci-fi

Comparison games

none

Mechanics (from transcript analysis)

Resource stealing — Players steal resources from each other to perform actions.

Video topics + discussion points

No key topics recorded for this video.

Quotes (from this video)

the most gamery one I did was definitely Blood on the clock tower
welcome to time Jinx you know we almost called this the dating game but they sent us a cease and desist
the outlier doesn't know they're the outlier it could even be you so think about whose answers don't quite fit or seem a bit odd then on your device vote for whom you think the outlier most likely is
the curtain for hypnot is about to go up you'll love it there's hypnosis and people thinking they're cartoon characters or inanimate objects then they have to figure out each other's identities laugh Riot
sadly it was a bunch of you know get this old white men that weren't all that excited about the fact that there was a young woman that wrote a wrote a like a basically an RPG based on D and D that was people were that was doing well and so they were just like shock and awe
I posted a video of uh of uh the the computer reading Ticket to Ride rules I just threw it up see what would happen in your feed throw it out in the world yeah
it's actually like reading stuff out of order
I've never seen that kind of play it's never been done I mean yeah he's and here's this thing that sucks is he's his YouTube channel he's a kid right so he can't have comments turned on
the lead actor in parasite the main the father not the not the um the businessman father that's it yeah it's a it's odd yeah

References (from this video)

No references stored for this video.

Video 2wOBFvN0Vto UndeadVikingVideos Discussion at 38:24 sentiment: mixed

video_pk 88088 · mention_pk 321475

Click to watch at 38:24 · YouTube ↗

Overall sentiment (raw)

mixed

Pros

Great art
Cool 3D board
Sci-fi/futuristic/post-apocalyptic feel

Cons

Feels too much 'in your face'
Stealing resources is not always fun
Missing something, not loved

Thematic elements

sci-fi

Comparison games

none

Mechanics (from transcript analysis)

Resource stealing — Players steal resources from each other to perform actions.

Video topics + discussion points

No key topics recorded for this video.

Quotes (from this video)

the most gamery one I did was definitely Blood on the clock tower
welcome to time Jinx you know we almost called this the dating game but they sent us a cease and desist
the outlier doesn't know they're the outlier it could even be you so think about whose answers don't quite fit or seem a bit odd then on your device vote for whom you think the outlier most likely is
the curtain for hypnot is about to go up you'll love it there's hypnosis and people thinking they're cartoon characters or inanimate objects then they have to figure out each other's identities laugh Riot
sadly it was a bunch of you know get this old white men that weren't all that excited about the fact that there was a young woman that wrote a wrote a like a basically an RPG based on D and D that was people were that was doing well and so they were just like shock and awe
I posted a video of uh of uh the the computer reading Ticket to Ride rules I just threw it up see what would happen in your feed throw it out in the world yeah
it's actually like reading stuff out of order
I've never seen that kind of play it's never been done I mean yeah he's and here's this thing that sucks is he's his YouTube channel he's a kid right so he can't have comments turned on
the lead actor in parasite the main the father not the not the um the businessman father that's it yeah it's a it's odd yeah

References (from this video)

No references stored for this video.

Video Pks4ZXnnnjI Board Gaming Ramblings Other at 3:06 sentiment: positive

video_pk 85609 · mention_pk 219886

Click to watch at 3:06 · YouTube ↗

Overall sentiment (raw)

positive

Pros

Very good game
Enjoyed it more than friends did
Straightforward rules
Nice interaction
Nice tactical choices
Super cool layered board
Surprisingly fun

Cons

none

Thematic elements

Artifact recovery
Under the ice, digging down layers to find artifacts.

Comparison games

none

Mechanics (from transcript analysis)

Action Points — Uses action points for taking turns, characteristic of Eurogames.
Layered Board — Features a multi-layered board (five or six layers) representing digging down through ice.

Video topics + discussion points

No key topics recorded for this video.

Quotes (from this video)

It's going so fast. It's going faster and faster.
Number one, uh, you will get our happy faces on your in on your screen.
It's called improv. Oh, I mean scripted.
A lot of trick takers, some other fun games, some not so fun games.
It is our own Easter hunt that our friends Osa and Christ made for us.
My my biggest and most fun experience was again for like I think the third month in a row.
Basically he made like a list. These are just like a bunch of games I want to play that I haven't played.
My biggest surprise is in the name.
It's weird because you put it up and it looks like a game like a game. Yes. But it is basically just like abstract puzzle.
It's like Ticket to Ride but with bolts.
Yes, indeed you forget.
Thank you. Bye.
Trickeron is gonna be my number star because I was not allowed to do my own number one this time.
Blood Rage is fantastic. I love Blood Rage. I think Blood Rage is it's not that complicated to get into and it has so much fun depth and strategy and tactics and I just enjoy my time with it a lot.
Blood Rage you like more than Rising Sun.

References (from this video)

No references stored for this video.

Video Pks4ZXnnnjI Board Gaming Ramblings Other at 3:06 sentiment: positive

video_pk 85609 · mention_pk 340744

Click to watch at 3:06 · YouTube ↗

Overall sentiment (raw)

positive

Pros

Very good game
Enjoyed it more than friends did
Straightforward rules
Nice interaction
Nice tactical choices
Super cool layered board
Surprisingly fun

Cons

none

Thematic elements

Artifact recovery
Under the ice, digging down layers to find artifacts.

Comparison games

none

Mechanics (from transcript analysis)

Action Points — Uses action points for taking turns, characteristic of Eurogames.
Layered Board — Features a multi-layered board (five or six layers) representing digging down through ice.

Video topics + discussion points

No key topics recorded for this video.

Quotes (from this video)

It's going so fast. It's going faster and faster.
Number one, uh, you will get our happy faces on your in on your screen.
It's called improv. Oh, I mean scripted.
A lot of trick takers, some other fun games, some not so fun games.
It is our own Easter hunt that our friends Osa and Christ made for us.
My my biggest and most fun experience was again for like I think the third month in a row.
Basically he made like a list. These are just like a bunch of games I want to play that I haven't played.
My biggest surprise is in the name.
It's weird because you put it up and it looks like a game like a game. Yes. But it is basically just like abstract puzzle.
It's like Ticket to Ride but with bolts.
Yes, indeed you forget.
Thank you. Bye.
Trickeron is gonna be my number star because I was not allowed to do my own number one this time.
Blood Rage is fantastic. I love Blood Rage. I think Blood Rage is it's not that complicated to get into and it has so much fun depth and strategy and tactics and I just enjoy my time with it a lot.
Blood Rage you like more than Rising Sun.

References (from this video)

No references stored for this video.

Video EcTPI_-KUeE Maple University Rules Teach at 0:19 sentiment: neutral

video_pk 70213 · mention_pk 184024

Click to watch at 0:19 · YouTube ↗

Overall sentiment (raw)

neutral

Pros

none

Cons

none

Thematic elements

archeology/exploration/renown
Valley of the Elders
instructional/tutorial

Comparison games

none

Mechanics (from transcript analysis)

Action economy — Players spend one or two exploration points to take actions; there is no strict action limit per turn beyond the cost in exploration points.
Action Points — Players spend one or two exploration points to take actions; there is no strict action limit per turn beyond the cost in exploration points.
Artifact loading and scoring — Artifacts loaded to the ship's hold score during final scoring; artifacts on the player board do not score and cannot be used to complete requests.
Artifacts, snow tiles, and effects — Artifacts and snow tiles provide effects; each snow tile has a printed effect and can be discarded to the bag to gain that effect; artifacts have five colors with specific effects and can be activated up to once per round.
Call action — Spend one exploration point to recruit a new archaeologist or move your leader to a camp tile.
Camp building and leader placement — Build camps by spending one exploration point and place your leader on a tile with a camp.
Compound Scoring — Artifacts loaded to the ship's hold score during final scoring; artifacts on the player board do not score and cannot be used to complete requests.
Edifices and Guilds expansion features — Two new guild boards (Enlightened and Alchemist), a guild favors board with seven effects, and edifice rules enabling campaign-style play and new tactical options.
End Game Bonuses — Base game includes variants like fluent movement; expert mode uses the Nuka's Curse board with curse tokens that alter costs and movement, and can modify scaling of archaeologists.
End of day and renown — At end of day, players resolve steps and Renown is awarded; end-of-day steps determine progression to the next day.
Endgame variants and expert mode — Base game includes variants like fluent movement; expert mode uses the Nuka's Curse board with curse tokens that alter costs and movement, and can modify scaling of archaeologists.
excavate — Core action to gather tiles from the map; cost depends on tile type and can be reduced by other factors; tiles are placed on the player's board and may affect the distribution of maples.
Fluent movement (variant) — In 3-player games, each player gets one fluent movement per round; in 2-player games, each player gets two fluent movements per round.
move action — Spend one exploration point to move your leader and up to three archaeologists to a connected space.
Plan token — Spend one exploration point to gain a planning token; available once per day and spent at the start of the next day to gain an extra exploration point; not available in the two-player game.
Prismatic artifacts and wild color — Prismatic artifacts count as a wild color and can be reallocated; prismatics influence both colors and activation costs.
Requests and decrees — Load artifacts to ship's hold and optionally validate requests from hand to gain points; decree cards provide endgame scoring objectives that all players can score.
Study action — Check the artifact on the current leader's tile and gain the matching study token; tokens count toward activating artifacts.

Video topics + discussion points

No key topics recorded for this video.

Quotes (from this video)

the edifices and Guild's expansion to ice comes with three new features for you to enjoy the game
first among them are the two new Guild boards the enlightened and The Alchemist
the guild favors board once per turn you can spend a Renown Point token from your supply to use any one of these seven effects
edifices which allows you to play the game over a multi-episode campaign

References (from this video)

No references stored for this video.

Video 7edsTkeoo4k Discussion at 12:54 sentiment: negative

video_pk 69000 · mention_pk 165306

Click to watch at 12:54 · YouTube ↗

Overall sentiment (raw)

negative

Pros

Production quality is fine.
The board with multi-layered tiles that you dig through is liked.

Cons

Sucked.
Boring.
Punishing.
Luck driven.
Went on for faking ever.
Massive identity crisis.
Tries to do everything and pleases nobody.
Box states 90-120 minutes, took over 3 hours.
Objectives are not particularly interesting and if you don't get them, you lose points.
No way to tell if you've found the right artifact shape before excavating.
Can be screwed over by turn order.
Player powers are not balanced.
Rulebook is not clear.
Reference aid misses key details.
Movement system is clunky and not intuitive.
Gimmick wears off quickly.
Mechanics, objectives, and player powers all have problems.
Very little redeemable in the first edition.

Thematic elements

Archaeology
Archaeological dig site

Comparison games

Ticket to Ride

Mechanics (from transcript analysis)

Action Points — The AP nature of this game, oh my god, because it's tactical.
Set Collection — Artifact tiles are set collection for objectives, for points.
Take That — It doesn't know whether it wants to be some silly haha in your face, oh, I screwed you over game with take that mechanics.

Video topics + discussion points

No key topics recorded for this video.

Quotes (from this video)

If you feed me generic like, you know, this is a Euro game about building an industry in the 19th century in Birmingham. Yay. Great.
So, I do love deck building, but it's being used a ton.
I'm no longer putting too much emphasis on the name on the box, but the name on the box would certainly maybe get me less excited for a game.
The industry can afford to slow down a bit, not release thousands and thousands and thousands of games every year because we can't physically play them all.

References (from this video)

No references stored for this video.

Video 4xusEcU6-vI Getting Games Rules Teach at 0:32 sentiment: neutral

video_pk 63393 · mention_pk 156782

Click to watch at 0:32 · YouTube ↗

Overall sentiment (raw)

neutral

Pros

none

Cons

none

Thematic elements

archaeology/excavation and exploration of ruins under ice
frozen icy wastes with a multi-layer ice sheet
instructional

Comparison games

none

Mechanics (from transcript analysis)

Action Points — Excavation costs start at three action points and are reduced by the number of archaeologists on the tile; costs can be increased by tents or special tiles; excavated tiles reveal deeper layers and artifacts.
Area Movement — Expedition leaders move to adjacent tiles; leaders can carry up to three neutral archaeologists with them when moving.
Artifact management — Artifacts appear on revealed tiles; they can be active or inactive, and there are prismatic (wild) artifacts; artifacts can be activated by placing other artifacts on stacks and can grant ongoing abilities.
Campsite building — Players place neutral campsites on the board with a rule that campsites must be at least three hex tiles apart; placing a campsite also moves the expedition leader onto the new campsite.
End Game Bonuses — Game ends after eight days or when an ancient edifice tile is completely revealed; scoring involves requests, side requests, decree cards, and artifacts.
End game conditions — Game ends after eight days or when an ancient edifice tile is completely revealed; scoring involves requests, side requests, decree cards, and artifacts.
End of day actions — At end of day, players can spend artifacts to activate various request cards; end-of-day actions typically do not cost action points and can rearrange artifacts on the board.
Excavation — Excavation costs start at three action points and are reduced by the number of archaeologists on the tile; costs can be increased by tents or special tiles; excavated tiles reveal deeper layers and artifacts.
exploration and movement — Expedition leaders move to adjacent tiles; leaders can carry up to three neutral archaeologists with them when moving.
Resource Management — Artifacts appear on revealed tiles; they can be active or inactive, and there are prismatic (wild) artifacts; artifacts can be activated by placing other artifacts on stacks and can grant ongoing abilities.
Tile collapsing — Tiles can collapse when excavated, removing collapsed tiles and returning any on-top pieces to their respective pools or boards; collapsed tiles may reveal deeper layers or artifacts.
Tile/Map Shifting — Tiles can collapse when excavated, removing collapsed tiles and returning any on-top pieces to their respective pools or boards; collapsed tiles may reveal deeper layers or artifacts.

Video topics + discussion points

No key topics recorded for this video.

Quotes (from this video)

for ice in this video i'll be teaching you the rules to the game as it's being played
in the middle of the table we have a hexagonal grid of tiles
five layers of hexagonal tiles out here on this board
the basic cost to excavate a tile is three action points
we are going to be the starting player down here

References (from this video)

No references stored for this video.

Video DYA_pKUPmh4 Board Stupid Discussion at 3:42 sentiment: positive

video_pk 32775 · mention_pk 97143

Click to watch at 3:42 · YouTube ↗

Overall sentiment (raw)

positive

Pros

Very strong production values
Highly anticipated by the community

Cons

Limited information available in the discussion
Availability may be restricted

Thematic elements

Cold environment-related competition
Arctic/ice-themed setting
Discussion of a 2023 release with anticipated popularity

Comparison games

none

Mechanics (from transcript analysis)

Unspecified — Mentioned as a highly anticipated 2023 release with strong production values.

Video topics + discussion points

No key topics recorded for this video.

Quotes (from this video)

"we are not sponsored or paid or anything by any of these people"
"this is not an indication of quality we’re just looking for things that look cool"
"please in the comments below tell us which of these games excites you the most"
"it’s free it’s free and you’re getting gifts"
"back to back games and spend money that we will probably regret"
"I love the idea of space pirates and exploration games I like them"
"this looks super fun"
"looks busy"
"looks super nice"
"I would really like to know if it's a reimplementation"
"it's basically Harry Potter without being Harry Potter"
"legally distinct from Harry Potter"

References (from this video)

No references stored for this video.

Video nUk8uUb2YEI cardboardrhino Playthrough at 0:14 sentiment: positive

video_pk 11965 · mention_pk 125089

Click to watch at 0:14 · YouTube ↗

Overall sentiment (raw)

positive

Pros

Interesting tile excavation mechanism
Multiple layers of strategy
Unique archaeological theme

Cons

Complex rule set
Time-limited gameplay

Thematic elements

Exploration and excavation
Archaeological expedition
Solo adventure

Comparison games

none

Mechanics (from transcript analysis)

Action point allocation — Spending action points to move, excavate, and call archaeologists
Action Points — Spending action points to move, excavate, and call archaeologists
Set Collection — Collecting different types of artifacts
Tile mining — Excavating layers of tiles from ice sheets

Video topics + discussion points

No key topics recorded for this video.

Quotes (from this video)

to win the solo game you need to uncover an entire edifice style
i'm pretty sure we got loads of points, i'm pretty sure we won

References (from this video)

No references stored for this video.

ICE

Introducing - ICE

ICE - Solo Playthrough | Cardboard Rhino

Images

ICE

Introducing - ICE

ICE - Solo Playthrough | Cardboard Rhino

Images

Welcome Friend

Create a New Guild