Modern board/card games
Discussion
My wife backed the Zombies Run game on kickstarter, for those not aware, it started as a running app, where you get supplies while out for a run, have to go quicker occasionally to get away form Zombies, and has an overarching story that goes on for ages. The game is card based where you have to create plans from different action cards, while there's an ongoing story via a phone/tablet app where other decisions you make effect the outcome of the game. It's not bad but it gets a bit repetitive.
Played a bit of Ticket To Ride and Takenoko over Christmas too, and bought my wife the Maths version of Fluxx, although it turns out to be numbers based but not really much maths (she's a maths teacher and loves that kind of stuff)
Kind of half an half tabletop and half computer game, a mate bought me "Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes" for Christmas. One of you plays on the computer, looking at a bomb and relaying info to the other players, who can't see the screen but have the manual to work out what to do and relay instruction on which wire to cut or buttons to press. Good fun. I'm currently abroad for work and we're going to give it a go over Skype at some point, I'm not aware of many games that could be played easily that way.
Played a bit of Ticket To Ride and Takenoko over Christmas too, and bought my wife the Maths version of Fluxx, although it turns out to be numbers based but not really much maths (she's a maths teacher and loves that kind of stuff)
Kind of half an half tabletop and half computer game, a mate bought me "Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes" for Christmas. One of you plays on the computer, looking at a bomb and relaying info to the other players, who can't see the screen but have the manual to work out what to do and relay instruction on which wire to cut or buttons to press. Good fun. I'm currently abroad for work and we're going to give it a go over Skype at some point, I'm not aware of many games that could be played easily that way.
Good fun in a group, I'd say you really need 4-6 players. We've tried 2 player a few times and it tends to be over quite quickly as you can manipulate the rules too easily (rules are cards that are played as part of the game, so change on every turn).
There's loads of different versions, and they'll have in jokes relative to the theme, eg the Monty Python one has a rule that gets you a bonus if you sing a Python song while taking your turn, and it gives you an idea what rules might be in the game if you know the theme. I think we've got the Standard, Monty Python, Martian and now Maths versions
There's loads of different versions, and they'll have in jokes relative to the theme, eg the Monty Python one has a rule that gets you a bonus if you sing a Python song while taking your turn, and it gives you an idea what rules might be in the game if you know the theme. I think we've got the Standard, Monty Python, Martian and now Maths versions
Two we played over christmas that went down well were: five crowns, this was a hit with everyone, fairly simple card game based around 5 suits and trying to create runs and pairs etc, the oldies loved this as its similar in style to a traditional card deck.
Exploding kittens was good fun too, the artwork is great and raised some smiles and the games are so quick its easy to pick up.
Exploding kittens was good fun too, the artwork is great and raised some smiles and the games are so quick its easy to pick up.
I ran the bomb game for a team build at work - excellent fun.
I got a couple of games for xmas, and played a couple others:
Machi koro - cute Japanese card game version of Catan. Easy to pick up and play - recommend it.
Tsuro - good for up to eight players, beautifully presented for a very simple game. Good to play with kids too.
Star Fluxx - geeky space themed version of Fluxx, quite enjoy it.
Carcosa - friend got this and we partly played it last week. It's a cthulhu themed reskin of Carcassonne with some added bits. I know nothing about cthulhu but it seemed like an interesting game. However, has serious issues with the tile design which are designed to be flipped over but both sides look like murky swampland. Throw in some obscure instructions and it's all a bit puzzling. Might be one to retry after watching a youtube video or two.
Incidentally, does anyone read the rules for games now or, like me, head off to youtube to watch someone explain them?
I got a couple of games for xmas, and played a couple others:
Machi koro - cute Japanese card game version of Catan. Easy to pick up and play - recommend it.
Tsuro - good for up to eight players, beautifully presented for a very simple game. Good to play with kids too.
Star Fluxx - geeky space themed version of Fluxx, quite enjoy it.
Carcosa - friend got this and we partly played it last week. It's a cthulhu themed reskin of Carcassonne with some added bits. I know nothing about cthulhu but it seemed like an interesting game. However, has serious issues with the tile design which are designed to be flipped over but both sides look like murky swampland. Throw in some obscure instructions and it's all a bit puzzling. Might be one to retry after watching a youtube video or two.
Incidentally, does anyone read the rules for games now or, like me, head off to youtube to watch someone explain them?
Excuse the crap picture, here's most of the current collection...
Carcassonne (and varying expansions) is still a firm favourite. Shadows over Camelot is loved by the other half and kids. Pandemic awesome, although we haven't played the base game for over a year as we're slowly still getting through Season 1 of Legacy with the Brother and Sis in Law.
Further, in recent months we've pretty much all started playing Warhammer 40k since the release of 8th edition. OK, a tad different in that it's a miniatures game, but the modelling/painting/army list development is ridiculously deep, before even getting into playing the game. The models are so damned cool, and the fluff/lore written around the universe is so brutally 'grimdark' it's superb.
Here's my most recent completed figure:
Carcassonne (and varying expansions) is still a firm favourite. Shadows over Camelot is loved by the other half and kids. Pandemic awesome, although we haven't played the base game for over a year as we're slowly still getting through Season 1 of Legacy with the Brother and Sis in Law.
Further, in recent months we've pretty much all started playing Warhammer 40k since the release of 8th edition. OK, a tad different in that it's a miniatures game, but the modelling/painting/army list development is ridiculously deep, before even getting into playing the game. The models are so damned cool, and the fluff/lore written around the universe is so brutally 'grimdark' it's superb.
Here's my most recent completed figure:
Linkee is a great one. Answer 5 questions and the winner is who can guess the link between them all
Over Christmas we played spit it out, you have to answer 6 questions in 30 seconds, but 2 of them you answer correctly and the other 4 you have to get wrong. It’s harder than it sounds
For instance, you could have what’s the opposite of big? But then you have to answer it wrong so the answer is big or massive etc.
Really teases your brain!
Cranium is another great board game, a mixture of sharads, Pictionary, making stuff with clay etc. General knowledge etc
Over Christmas we played spit it out, you have to answer 6 questions in 30 seconds, but 2 of them you answer correctly and the other 4 you have to get wrong. It’s harder than it sounds
For instance, you could have what’s the opposite of big? But then you have to answer it wrong so the answer is big or massive etc.
Really teases your brain!
Cranium is another great board game, a mixture of sharads, Pictionary, making stuff with clay etc. General knowledge etc
Forgot to say - I played this called Beasts of Balance...
https://beastsofbalance.com/en/?
It's reverse Jenga, scan an animal or an environment then add it to your stack. The ipad records evolution of the beasts you add - e.g. it might merge a hippo with an eagle. The pieces and build quality is exceptional, the tech is clever. The game is well, fine but nothing more and I wouldn't have spent £70 on it!
https://beastsofbalance.com/en/?
It's reverse Jenga, scan an animal or an environment then add it to your stack. The ipad records evolution of the beasts you add - e.g. it might merge a hippo with an eagle. The pieces and build quality is exceptional, the tech is clever. The game is well, fine but nothing more and I wouldn't have spent £70 on it!
Sway said:
Excuse the crap picture, here's most of the current collection...
Pandemic awesome, although we haven't played the base game for over a year as we're slowly still getting through Season 1 of Legacy with the Brother and Sis in Law.
How many "episodes" in a season of Pandemic Legacy? We've got several expansions of the original game (I especially like the one where one of you plays a bioterrorist), but I've not had a look at Legacy next. Is each one a bit different or would it get a bit samey after a while?Pandemic awesome, although we haven't played the base game for over a year as we're slowly still getting through Season 1 of Legacy with the Brother and Sis in Law.
Legacy is a story - effectively you play it 'once'. A really damned good story, where it feels like you're in a movie.
The story lasts a year, broken into months. Each game is playing a 'month' - if you succeed the objectives of that month the first time, you move onto the next month. If you fail the first time, you replay the month once (with a little extra help). Fail the second time, and you move onto the next month regardless (with a little bit more help).
You're ripping up cards and removing them forever, adding new things, sticking stuff all over the board, all sorts. Very different from the normal game, but very familiar.
Personally, I think it's an absolute masterpiece (as does both my other half and in laws). We've got the second season (story two) lying in wait for when we've finished season one.
As it's a bit confusing switching from legacy to normal game, we haven't yet bought any core game expansions. Also interested in the variants now available - there's the Iberian one, and also the very new one that's holding back the sea in the Netherlands a few hundred years ago. Both appeal.
The story lasts a year, broken into months. Each game is playing a 'month' - if you succeed the objectives of that month the first time, you move onto the next month. If you fail the first time, you replay the month once (with a little extra help). Fail the second time, and you move onto the next month regardless (with a little bit more help).
You're ripping up cards and removing them forever, adding new things, sticking stuff all over the board, all sorts. Very different from the normal game, but very familiar.
Personally, I think it's an absolute masterpiece (as does both my other half and in laws). We've got the second season (story two) lying in wait for when we've finished season one.
As it's a bit confusing switching from legacy to normal game, we haven't yet bought any core game expansions. Also interested in the variants now available - there's the Iberian one, and also the very new one that's holding back the sea in the Netherlands a few hundred years ago. Both appeal.
RizzoTheRat said:
How many "episodes" in a season of Pandemic Legacy? We've got several expansions of the original game (I especially like the one where one of you plays a bioterrorist), but I've not had a look at Legacy next. Is each one a bit different or would it get a bit samey after a while?
Don't hesitate, just get it bought! There are 12 months to get through, with a chance to repeat each month if you fail it the first time, so if you play really well then it'll be 12 episodes, play badly and you'll play 24 episodes. If you're already a dab-hand at Pandemic and it sounds like you are, then you should do well, but it tweaks the difficulty and constantly throws new twists and surprises at you. The whole legacy thing means that you'll end up putting stickers on the board, making certain cities no-go zones as you've constantly left them to rack and ruin. Your characters gain upgrades making them better equipped to handle each new threat it throws at you, until they pull the rug out from underneath you.It's seriously addictive and you're always wanting to cram another game in so you can find out what happens next.
RizzoTheRat said:
Says for 2-4 players but how many really for a decent game of Legacy? And is it best to aim to play the whole campaign with the same group of people?
We played it with 4 and it was great. it's actually easier with just 2 characters as you've got a 50% chance of getting the colour cards you need, but with 4 you can cover a larger area of the map and have more flexibility with the roles.My Wife and I are doing Season 2 with just the two of us, each controlling 2 characters, it's not as fun as having 4 people playing though.
I'd say it's best playing through the whole thing with the same group if you can, otherwise it's like trying to watch a season of Game of Thrones with separate people each week, constantly having to fill them in on what's happened.
Steve Evil said:
Holy thread resurrection, etc.
Popped down to my local game shop at 8pm last night to bag their last copy of Gloomhaven after reading nothing but good things about it recently.
Someone on BGG [Board Game Geek] recently resurrected an 11 year old thread! 11 years old.Popped down to my local game shop at 8pm last night to bag their last copy of Gloomhaven after reading nothing but good things about it recently.
I have watched Dice Tower and SU&SD [Shut Up & Sit-Down] reviews of Gloomhaven, and it isn't what I want from a Dungeon Crawler. A friend of mine bought Descent before Christmas, and my partner and our Little Man will be visiting her family for a month, so I will finally have time to actually play some games. A Descent session will be on of them.
For a dungeon crawler with a strong narrative, Kingdom: Death Monster appeals. However, current pricing and lack of time means that I shan't be picking this up any time soon.
Steve Evil said:
Anyone else played anything good recently?
Will let you know once my partner and son are visiting family, and I have time to meet up with my friend and attend a few London on Board meet ups.putonghua73 said:
Steve Evil said:
Holy thread resurrection, etc.
Popped down to my local game shop at 8pm last night to bag their last copy of Gloomhaven after reading nothing but good things about it recently.
Someone on BGG [Board Game Geek] recently resurrected an 11 year old thread! 11 years old.Popped down to my local game shop at 8pm last night to bag their last copy of Gloomhaven after reading nothing but good things about it recently.
I have watched Dice Tower and SU&SD [Shut Up & Sit-Down] reviews of Gloomhaven, and it isn't what I want from a Dungeon Crawler. A friend of mine bought Descent before Christmas, and my partner and our Little Man will be visiting her family for a month, so I will finally have time to actually play some games. A Descent session will be on of them.
For a dungeon crawler with a strong narrative, Kingdom: Death Monster appeals. However, current pricing and lack of time means that I shan't be picking this up any time soon.
Steve Evil said:
Anyone else played anything good recently?
Will let you know once my partner and son are visiting family, and I have time to meet up with my friend and attend a few London on Board meet ups.Just had a spin through the tutorial game for Arkham Horror.
Took a fair bit of headscratching when setting up, only thing I can relate to is a mix of pandemic legacy with scenarios and so on, with deck building (which I've never done before). Quite dark, and clearly encouraging a level of role playing. Will be worth a proper game and see where the 'story' (don't really know yet how well developed a story it is) will go.
Single player, or two player co-op.
Took a fair bit of headscratching when setting up, only thing I can relate to is a mix of pandemic legacy with scenarios and so on, with deck building (which I've never done before). Quite dark, and clearly encouraging a level of role playing. Will be worth a proper game and see where the 'story' (don't really know yet how well developed a story it is) will go.
Single player, or two player co-op.
ecsrobin said:
Has anyone played Arkham horror? I've had it say in my Amazon basket for a while and read some good things from game reviewers but interested in real world players if anyone has?
It is long. Complex so needed a few plays and proper dedicated board game people. Half interested people/children need not apply. I gave my copy to a charity shop just before Christmas as knew it wasnt going to get a play again.
Gassing Station | The Lounge | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff