Find the campaign for Project L Pieces Missing Kickstarter Here.

Project L

Project L is a game that reminds me of the spatial puzzles that you maybe played as a kid. Though, this is much easier as thee is always a solution even if you don’t play in the most optimized way. Plus you mix in an engine building game.

In Project L you are placing down polyomino tiles onto different cards trying to fill them in. If you complete one it gives you or two things. You get a new piece to add to your collection to help fill in more tiles. And it might provide you points. The goal is to get the most points, but getting more pieces helps speed that along.

For more details on the game play, you can checkout my review here.

Why Back Now?

Normally I put my reasons not to back first. In this case, if the game interests you at all, back it. Mainly because of the tale that I’m about to tell of a board game company that came back from the dead. Details as to how, I don’t have all of them, but they don’t seem like malicious zombies or other undead.

Boardcubator’s Story

Boardcubator had good success with Project L. It is a very fun game that I enjoy quite well. I got in on the game during the second Kickstarter. But for them it was the first big hit and turned out to maybe be a one hit wonder.

With the funds that they raised, plus I’m guessing other funds they raised they started work on an ambitious project: Kingdom Come – Deliverance. This is based off of a video game by the same name. A very open world RPG system where you don’t start out as a class but can put stats into whatever you want and build up your character that way. Boardcubator invested heavily into developing this game and an app for it and went to Gamefound to launch it.

That’s where the issues started. The game gained some traction but not enough to make it financially feasible. That’s a secret, poorly kept one, of crowdfunding. Often the goal isn’t the goal. Mainly, it costs a lot to do some parts of games, and you need a certain volume to make it feasible. They didn’t hit those totals fast enough or were even on track to hit those totals.

So, they cancelled the project. But not only cancelled, the issue was, that ate up their money. They were developing this massive, ambitious game with an app. And they didn’t have more money to continue as a company. So they went again. Now, they are back. Don’t know the details, but they are back with a game that there is track record to show that this is a fun game.

What’s New

So, say you already have the game and you want to support Boardcubator, what is new in the game for you. You can get the Phoenix expansion. In that expansion it is just more tiles you play with and those give you additional scoring opportunities higher than any others in the game. But they are shaped in ways that you need to think about using the smaller pieces. So slower completion but a way to get even more points.

What Works?

This is a game that has nice slick actions to it. You do a few actions but they are all pretty easy to follow and understand. The hardest being the master build action where you add to each shape you are building. But even that isn’t too bad when it gets down to it, there are just a few times, early, when you need to figure out how you are trying to optimize it.

This is a very good engine building game for people who want that light engine building. I’d put it in the same weight as a Splendor or a Century: Golem Edition. And that’s a very nice thing about it. Those games give you engine building and something interesting, though hopefully not too repetitive, as you play. And while I find that Splendor plays out pretty much the same each time, I haven’t hit that point with Project L yet. And with the expansions, I’m not sure that I will.

Back or Brick

I telegraphed this one, it is a Back for me. I already talked about that I like the game. And I might even back for a second copy of the game to give as a gift to someone, it’s a game that I think is really accessible that way. But beyond that, the board game hobby has lost a few companies recently.

I am out a Kickstarter game, adventure puzzle book, potentially because money ran out. And another company as well had to close their doors with crowdfunding games unfulfilled. And Mythic Games, while still going, was touch and go there for a little bit. If you wonder why game prices are going up, why shipping is higher, don’t. If that means you can’t back or support as many, so be it, but these companies aren’t trying to rip you off.

Boardcubator, I am really happy, is back. But that is going to be the rarer story than those who are just gone forever. So, support a good company trying to do the right thing. Support a fun game that you can play with family and friends. But know if the game is for you. I back it because I like the game already. And I’ll share it because I think others will do.

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Via Kickstarter

Let’s start here because there are a number of note. A quick rundown on these will be good, but a number of them I already talked about in Back or Brick.

Once Upon a Line – The Butterfly’s Breath

This one I wanted to back because it looked incredibly different. It talks about how it is so new with it’s scratch off stuff for a board game. That isn’t “new” but to build a whole game around it is definitely is. This is an adventure game where you try and scratch off words or shapes to progress story. The concept just sounded fascinating, but also like it was pretty straight forward.

For that reason I didn’t go all in on this one. There is going to be plenty of content in the base game. But I didn’t have enough confidence in the game beyond the interesting mechanic to say that I wanted it all. But I also think that this game is unique, so I want to try it.

Marvel United: Multiverse

It’s more Marvel United, of course I backed it. Marvel United: Multiverse really describes the core box. But, the rest of the expansions, around events like Age of Apocalypse, Annihilation, or Civil War, and there are more as well, are very interesting.

Plus the game adds in a few news things as well. Mainly it adds in equipment cards that you can swap in generically or for specific characters. And then campaign decks as well which will change up how you can play a series of games. I like that idea for the game. And while I still want a dungeon crawl style game with these characters, CMON did a great job of offering so many fun things.

Catharsis Sagas: Nocturne

This, honestly, was not going to be a back because I have to play Catharsis still. The game does look like a ton of fun, so I want to get it to the table and chuck some dice. But do I need more, the answer is really no. But it is cheap, so I grabbed it. It is more adventure for Catharsis and new characters to face off against, or play as, I’m not completely sure anymore as this one has wrapped up. And when a crowdfunding campaign wraps up, I kind of forget about it between updates.

Fork

This is a small back, as was Catharsis Sagas. Fork is a trick taking game where Fork stands for Fox, Owl, Rabbit, and Kale. And depending on what you play down, it determines who wins. The concept seems simple, but like there is enough game there and enough different of a twist to trick taking that I wanted to give it a try.

Stonesaga

I am lucky enough to know one of the designers and game with him often. So this is one I got to playtest already and actually get to see the prototype this past weekend at The Source in Roseville Minnesota. But this is a fun survival exploration game as you build up your society, gather food, and try and survive.

It is played in a legacy type of experience. So you create your character(s) throughout the game and develop the society your way. I think that the mini games you play are good and easy to follow what is going on. It isn’t a cheap game, but the components are nice and there is a lot in the game.

Chomp, Sail, Couture, and Mind Space

Finally, from All Play (used to be BoardGameTables.com) there is a set of four small games. Chomp, Sail, Couture, and Mind Space. Each of the games looks interesting. And I backed it for all of the games. A couple of reasons for doing that, the games do all look interesting. I am least interested in Couture, but when you want to get three of them, it is better to get all four because you get the upgrades for free.

Chomp has a fun dinosaur theme. Sail is trick taking, and Mind Space is a roll and write game. So I am definitely interested in how all of those will work. And Couture is an auction game which might be very interesting. It just jumped off the page less to me than the other ones did.

Gamefound

Gamefound is generally slower than Kickstarter. Though there are some good projects on there that I backed as well.

Arabella

This is an interesting one for me to have backed. It is a roll and write game, I love roll and write games. There isn’t anything interesting about that. But it is an 18xx train, stock game as a roll and write game. I don’t play 18xx games. They don’t interest me that much because it’s really a whole system to learn and get good at. And the people who are good at them are very good at them. Plus, probably one that is harder to play.

But as a roll and write game. Now it is a more interesting to me. I like the idea of taking a big game like that and making smaller. It might still take a while, but it won’t take as long. And I hope that it offers a very big and different roll and write experience.

Witchbound

Witchbound is another one that I got to preview and one that I am very excited for. This and the next one are two similar games. But Witchbound is a game where you are the first witch on Coven Cove in over 100 years. And it is a point and click adventure as you interact with people and locations and solve puzzles, fight bad guys and more.

What I like about this one, besides the fun theme. Is that it is a simple gaming experience with a lot of story. So I can pull it out as a solo game and play around with minimal setup. Plus then a good amount of story with minimal setup which I think is a lot of fun and a sweet spot that not too many games are in, Lands of Galzyr being the best example I have.

Robomon

Finally we have Robomon. This is one that I almost backed when it was active and then I late pledged. But Robomon is basically a Pokemon game with robots instead of creatures. But it looks like a simple adventure game, and while there is more going on mechanically than Witchbound, my hope is that it’s not too much.

The style of game and the artwork in the game work for me as well. Again, I hope it is a sweet spot of story but also then good game play and ease to get to the table. Another game that I hope is a good easy to the table game with story that is fun to play.

Final Thoughts on Crowdfunding

I picked back up some of what I have been backing. A few reasons for that, but mainly, I knew there would be a few bigger games to start the year that I wanted to back. I know that in March there is going to be another one with the Chip Theory Elder Scrolls game.

What games will you be adding to your collection that you’ve backed in the past few months? Any ones that I maybe missed that you should I should checkout?

One that I had backed and dropped my pledge is Andromeda’s Edge. I want it still, but space Dwellings of Eldervale. While that sounds fun, and I am sure it is more than that, do I need two games that are going to be similar? I ended up deciding no on that one.

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This game, I’ll say, caught my eye because of the artwork and because I know one of the designers. With that said, as I look at what might not work and what might, I’ll try and be fair and balanced. I do want people to know, when reading this, that I have more of a connection to the game than sometimes. On the flip side, I’ve played it as part of OOMM Games playtesting, so I have experience with it. You can checkout the campaign here.

How To Play Stonesaga

Stonesaga is a legacy game where the decision you make about how to build up your society will affect the game. I will talk more about legacy aspects later. But the game play is pretty simple, you have a limited number of action points to take actions with each round and players can take their action(s) in any order.

The actions are things like gather resources, craft, hunt, fish, explore new areas and more. All of these things, or most, are done through there little game. For fishing, you are trying to complete fishing tracks to get fish as a reward and any other bonus, like more water. For hunting or foraging, you explore a tableau trying to avoid the monster and collet resources. And then you can craft using resources that you’ve found to invent or build new things.

Each of these actions is going to help you find and build towards different goals that you have. Each goal is going to lead to another though some of them are going to lead to another and to the end of that game session. And as you find stuff, your story will progress.

Why You Don’t Need This Game

Firstly, it is a legacy game. I did say that I was going to talk about that. I understand the risks of a legacy game. However, it is a legacy game that you can reset and play again, finding the story you missed maybe 2-4 times, depending on player count. But it will limit how many times you can play the game.

Also the price point of this game. It is not a cheap game, again for a legacy game as well. If you go all in, it’s a fair amount and is that worth it for a limited number of plays. To OOMM’s defense on this one I have Stars of Akarios and the products they put out are high quality. But for a game that isn’t minis filled, it is expensive, though the other content is what makes the price go up. Shipping, on the other hand, is very reasonable.

Finally, and this ties into the first one, it is a legacy game and the best legacy games for me have good story to them. I say that, but I also enjoyed Risk Legacy which is light on the story. But Pandemic Legacy seasons 1 & 2 had a lot of story and I liked them the best. Or they stuck with me the best. Charterstone was some mechanics with pasted on story. Where will Stonesaga land. And maybe it isn’t an issue for me, but I think about it.

Why You Need This Game

Let’s start out with that it is very mechanically sound and interesting. The minis games are a lot of fun as you start to dig into all of your options. Delving deeper and deeper and then needing to get back out is interesting. Fishing is a dice placement puzzle of trying to catch what you can but also not fail the check and have bad things happen. Foraging/hunting in the forest might cause you to come across a monster. But it also gives you a grid to layout to create your most optimal gathering.

Also, since I have played it, there is some solid story to it. Is it the most story, is it like Pandemic with story between missions that tells you how the world is changing, or a paragraph in Aeon’s End Legacy, no, it is less. But it is more than Charterstone. And the decision you make, how you build up your settlement, will make a difference in what you explore next as the story branches out. And I like that story but I also like how it does the branching as well.

Finally, this one is based off my experience with OOMM Games games not doing the playtesting or the company itself. But their games are a lot of fun. They offer a ton of different and unique things in them. Stars of Akarios is very ambitious but works really well with a hodgepodge of mechanics and provides a fun story. So based off of my gaming history with OOMM Games, I don’t know if this is a game you’ll want to miss.

Back or Brick – Stonesaga

This is a Back for me. And I backed it at the highest level. Now, I will say that if it wasn’t OOMM Games and I didn’t know the designer, I might have backed it at the lower level. The value seems just a bit stronger there for what you are getting. Though as the campaign goes on, that might change.

But this is a game that will have limited retail availability. OOMM does seem to get some extra stock but they don’t have wide retail releases. And things like expansions will be harder to get. Yes, that is leaning into the FOMO, but I’m doing so based off of playing it.

Now, there are reasons it won’t be for everyone. If you like to get two games a year and delve into them 50+ times each, legacy won’t work. But you already know that. I do think mechanically, with snappy quick actions it is accessible. I found that it is very collaborative as you play, and that players stay engaged because of the mechanics.

How about for you, is it a back or brick?

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This game caught my eye as one to cover because I enjoy trick taking games. And FORK doesn’t look too unique, but it looks solid and like it does some interesting things. You can see more details for that here. But what about it sets it apart that I’d want to look into it.

How to Play FORK

FORK, like I said, is a trick taking game. In FORK you are playing out different suits, terrains, and different animals or food. Fox, Owl, Rabbit, or Kale on the cards, hence FORK. The winner is the person with the highest card in the right terrain, or suit.

But that won’t always work. You play cards face down, so if two people play a Fox, for example, the foxes chase each other away. Now someone who played an Owl would score, unless no one did, then the highest rabbit would eat the Kale for scoring, assuming someone played the Kale.

The game is interesting in how you take cards for scoring. The Fox being the highest doesn’t score itself but instead scores a rabbit or an owl. So if you can get someone to waste a fox, they can score a low valued rabbit and it won’t be that worthwhile for them. As the player with the most points in the end wins.

Why Don’t Need This Game

This is a trick taking game, there are a lot of ones out there. In fact there are a lot of hot ones out there right now. So you can get those immediately and not have to wait on them. Plus, if you own a deck of cards there are quite a number of them that you can play.

It also has the potential to be too random. It definitely will benefit someone who is good at counting cards as you play through everything. But you’ll need to figure out how you play as you weed down your deck of cards. I am unsure if the game will feel that random but it is a concern.

Why You Need It

This is a faster trick taking game. A lot of them have you play multiple hands and add up scores over time. But FORK is going to be one hand and done. That is a big selling point for me as it becomes the trick taking game that I can pull out and play when there is a little bit of time. Yes, there are other faster ones out there as well, but FORK looks like it intentionally is going for that fast time frame.

I also think that the scoring is interesting. You don’t score everything. In trick taking like hearts, where you don’t want points, you take the whole hand and get all the points from the hears and queen of spades. Here, you want points and you keep one card from the trick and that is based off of what you won it with.

Also, the price point is great on this game. It is $10 for the pocket version and $18 for the box version. So the game isn’t big and it isn’t expensive to get. I like the idea of the pocket version best simply because it’ll make the game very portable. And trick taking games are good for taking to spots like a brewery or pub where you sit around for a while and hangout. It would give you something more to do while chatting and drinking.

Back or Brick – FORK

For me this is going to be a Brick. I saw it, thought it looked cute, but if it had cost more, I would be out. And I’m only in for the pocket version which is $10 plus $7 shipping. It’s because of that last point, I like the price point, but I prefer the portability. I will take this out places to play because I can stick it in my pocket.

But how about for you, do you like trick taking games? I don’t think that FORK will give you more than anything else and change your mind. But FORK, if you do like trick taking games, it might be interesting for you.

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The Game – Elden Ring: The Board Game

This section is going to be a little bit light. Mainly because there are a lot of videos out there on this game that are probably just better to checkout. But the basics are that this is a campaign game with each session being two parts (or every other session). But there is a part where you explore, possibly to find a boss or some bigger quest part. And then there is a boss battle. How those work, you can checkout the videos from Quackalope and BoardGameCo below.

What Doesn’t Work?

Let’s, as always, start about what doesn’t work for this game. And unfortunately one of the big things is the company that is doing it. Not that they don’t turn out fun games, they do, and from watching this game play, I think it’s the most fun of a game play that I’ve watched. So I appreciate that, but from a crowdfunding side of things, they are hard campaigns to back.

The base game level pledge doesn’t get stretch goals. So if you’re just looking at that, it’s not worth backing, grab it likely cheaper, after factoring in shipping at retail. The next level up is probably the best deal but it’s notably more expensive. And then the all in, while it might hold it’s value, is now extremely expensive.

I also do wonder about the replayability. The game is a campaign game with about 20 hours, they say 20+ in the core box. That isn’t bad, but for a campaign it’s not that long. And price point isn’t the issue here, it’s that 20 hours is something I can sit down and stream, but if it’s fun, would I want to play it again. The story, at least in the introductory scenario, which might be just that, doesn’t offer that many choices. It’s more a random exploration and then a boss fight.

What Works?

Now, to go back on what I said in some ways, I think both the exploration and boss fight look fun. Mainly because players can get into mini fights with creatures in the world during the game. And the fighting system, I think that looks really intriguing. It’s about positioning yourself so that you don’t take too much damage but can be in there and get damage. And I like that you can change your stance from aggressive to more defensive so there is good strategy in that.

Plus I like that the boss fight isn’t that much different, it’s just everyone versus the boss with the boss scaling on how much health it has. And the bosses lair, for lack of a better term, is just a bigger version of what you are fighting on. I think that works really well because you don’t need to learn a new system for the boss battle or lose the strategic decision making points for the smaller battles.

I also want to mention the minis in this game. Because Steamforged definitely does really good minis. And this doesn’t seem to be any different. So for a fan of the game and a fan of campaign games with minis, I think you’ll enjoy painting them a lot. And even for someone like myself who doesn’t paint minis, I like the looks of them a lot for this game.

Finally, I like that in exploration there is a timer. You need to complete everything by a certain amount of turns, or basically turns that you aren’t doing anything to progress quests or fighting a monster. If you can progress, then time isn’t ticking down. But otherwise, a turn of just exploring new locations, that is going to get you closer to losing the game.

Who Is It For?

I think this is for that medium weight board gamer to play with their friends who are video gamers. Maybe you got through all of Elden Ring and now you want to play something else but there isn’t a new video game out, well, this might work for you.

As for heavier or campaign board gamers, like myself, I think it’s one that we’ll enjoy. The exploration phase might be a bit simple. But the combat definitely looks like it offers a good challenge. And there are boss battlers out there already, but this might have an easier theme to sell.

Back or Brick – Elden Ring: The Board Game

This is a tough one for me. I really do think that the game looks interesting for Elden Ring, and it is a theme and world that I want to explore more, both in the video game and with this board game. But right now, this is a Brick for me. Might I regret it, I think that I might. Might I back it still, it is possible, but there is one big reason it’s a brick right now.

And that’s the pricing model. For a base pledge of something like a CMON Zombicide Game, you get the base game and all the stretch goals. From Steamforged, you need to pledge up a level to get the same amount of things. So do I want to back for $90 + shipping and not get stretch goals. Or do I want to back for $180 + shipping and get stretch goals and not that much extra. It’s a huge jump. So I am more apt to just wait for retail on the base box and probably get it for $90 or $100, and if it’s $100, I get free shipping. They really want you to play higher up.

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Roll Player Adventures: Gulpax’s Secret

I can talk a bit more about this game because this is a game that I’ve played. Roll Player Adventures is a big choose your own adventure, exploration, and fighting game. In the base game you try and explore to figure out what is happening with a conflict between three parties, the King, the Dragul, and the Starlight Door. Much of what you do is in a choose your own adventure style where you reach decision points and decide what to do as a group. But it is very open in that you can come back and probably do some of the options again.

But then there is the combat or skill tests as well in the game. Those are where the mechanical part of the game really starts to take hold. Roll Player Adventures is a dice management and hand management game. You expend points in stats to use them to get the color dice you need, and you expend cards to manipulate those dice to the right sides.

What Doesn’t Work?

So, I have one main knock on the game. I think that Roll Player Adventures doesn’t do one of the things that I expect campaign games to do well. That is, I don’t think that Roll Player Adventures scales super well. From what I know, two players can be very challenging, but four players, what I am playing at, is very easy. Well, not very easy, but almost always able to be solved.

We get into combat and we can generally win in two rounds. We’ve gotten enough cards and enough XP to push us to be able to win. Same with skill challenges which are I think easier. You only have one round, so they need to be. But, we can basically always solve them.

Now, some of this is how we built out our characters and what has come up. And it is not a fast process at times where we figure it out as a group off the bad. It often takes a lot of thinking and planning. So the game is still challenging to come up with a solution, but a solution can basically always be found. I’d like to feel a bit more crunch and pressure to get things right.

What Works?

On the flip side, the story in the game is fun. And I think that Roll Player Adventures has a lighter story with it as well. So game play where you are doing well, I think that makes sense. It is a campaign game that I can have fun with, who have played heavy campaign games, and I know of families who are playing it together. If Roll Player Adventures were harder, and it could be, I think that it’d push it further into the hobby side of the game.

And, I also very much enjoy the characters in the game. Nefras’s Judgement is to me a needed expansion to the game. Now, the downside is that it adds to the cost of the game and all it’s doing is adding in some backstory. But that backstory really helps you flesh out a character. And it does set your alignment. Which I think is important because often players feel like they don’t know what to pick for an action. But when you have a backstory that says you’re “chaotic good” or “lawful evil” that can help direct that decision making process.

Finally, I think the core mechanics of the game are fun. I called them easy because we win our encounters. We haven’t lost one or we haven’t had a player go exhausted during the game. But I like the puzzle of the dice manipulation. And I think it’s one that people can get into because it’s not too complex.

Who Is It For?

Now, who is Roll Player Adventures for, I think it’s an accessible campaign game. Now, not in the way that Gloomhaven: Jaws of the Lion is, a game in a small package. But more a game that has a massive box, but once you get into the box and you see the story books and maps, it isn’t nearly as component heavy as a lot of campaign games. So if you can get past the box size, it is an easier one to pick-up and play with any group.

What Is New?

So, why back it now? Firstly, it’s a big box, it won’t hit retail much because it doesn’t work well on a retail shelf. But also there is now Gulpax’s Secret. This is another story that you can play through, and it’s cheaper because it doesn’t need to give you all the dice and everything if you already have the base game.

On the flip side, if you haven’t played the game, I don’t think there is anything in the new stuff that you need to get. The base game offers a lot of options and I fully expect Gulpax’s Secret to be available again on a future crowdfunding campaign. Probably with another story that they come out with eventually.

Back or Brick: Roll Player Adventures + Gulpax’s Secret

I really like this game. I backed, or late pledged, the original. And I got to play it at Gen Con 2019 as a prototype. So I have a good connection to the game. I am also having a ton of fun playing through the adventure with friends. So for that reason it is a Back for me. Even if it shows up well after we are done, I can see coming back to it. If I were just looking at it now and with the reviews out there, I think that the base game is worth backing as well. But I’m just in for Gulpax’s Secret.

Is this game a Back or Brick for you?

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About Tainted Grail Kings of Ruin

Firstly, if you want to know how Tainted Grail plays, I have a number of articles written about it. My review can be found here. But for a quick recap, Tainted Grail is an epic game of dark Arthurian legend. You play not as heroes but people just wanting to survive this twisted land of Avalon. Unfolding story of monsters, kings, and horrors that lie in the weirdness.

Tainted Grail is a survival story driven game that I enjoy a lot Because of the story primarily. The mechanics are solid, I enjoy combat and I enjoy the leveling up a lot. But the story is the selling point of the game. Each campaign, there are three with Kings of Ruin being a fourth, does some interesting and different things with the story and with the mechanics.

Kings of Ruin is going to add in another campaign. But it will add in more than that. The location cards are now different. There are secrets to be read with a red filter lens to hide them. Mainly, though, it’ll be more of what there already is for Tainted Grail.

What Doesn’t Work?

This is interesting to say, because I feel like, what I know of the updated rules with fast travel and other things, it might fix some of the issues. And I haven’t found the game bad at all on story mode. Will this fix all of that, if you don’t like that grind, I doubt it, the game is about that survival to some extent. But it likely will improve it.

What Works or is New?

So a lot of the changes sound interesting to me. In particular, I like that exploring is now free. I’m sure that they upped the cost and how much it asks you to spend energy in the exploration, but being able to explore whenever you want is nice. Though, I wonder how it will affect the replayability of the game. One thing that likely will keep Tainted Grail: Fall of Avalon on my shelf is that there is a lot left to explore. Will I explore more in Kings of Ruin?

I also think that reworking diplomacy is interesting, but probably good. I’m not sure if it means that there will be more diplomacy or not, though. That is an area of the game is not utilized as well as it could be. It’s a fun part of the game, but it’s less important than combat. So hopefully reworking the system will mean that they make it as equally important.

It is also interesting ot me to have a pool of skills that are specific to each character in the game. I don’t mind sharing a pool in the base game, but it’s another way to develop more story and connection to the characters. Building up something like that is going to always be appreciated by me anyways.

Who Is It For?

I think that Awaken Realms is targeting two groups here. The first being the people who already like Tainted Grail. I think if you like Tainted Grail, it is an easy back. But the second group is for people the game missed with, but just missed with.

If you didn’t like the game at all, I don’t think a new version even with tweaks will change that for you. But if you enjoyed the exploration and story. But some of the parts of the game, the back and forth across the map or keeping the Menhir lit didn’t work for you as well. This might be a version that will work better for you. And the updated rules might even fix some of your issues in the original game.

Back or Brick Tainted Grail Kings of Ruin

For me, this is an easy Back. I really love Tainted Grail. I think the story is great and the mechanics are a lot of fun. I don’t even mind the game the way it is now, though, I do always recommend playing on story mode. So more story in Avalon, I’m interested in it. Plus, the changes seem interesting as well. I’m not sure it’ll make me like the game more, but they can’t hurt.

How about for you, Is Tainted Grail Kings of Ruin a Back or a Brick?

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Sagrada Artisans Quick Overview

Sagrada Artisans is going to keep much of what you already know about Sagrada. It is a die drafting game where you are picking dice and placing them onto a stained glass window. But in this case, you are doing that by drafting a die and then coloring in and putting the number down on the spot. Creating your own permanent creation.

The better you do in the game the more that you can unlock. New powers or tools to use, as you advance in the game. And story that unfolds. I like that this appears to be setting it up, thematically as going through generations.

What Doesn’t Work?

The one thing that stands out to me as something that doesn’t work is a reason to back this game now. I look at the price point, with shipping, and it’s not that cheap. I expect that the MSRP on Sagrada Artisans is going to be $80-$90 which seems fair and in line for other legacy games. But with shipping on this campaign it’s $90.

Yes, I’ll miss out on some extra stuff, but do I need extra colored pencils? Not really. Is the pencil sharpener cool and same with the gold stickers, sure, but again not needed. Now, I’m not saying that I want an exclusive to be extremely important. I just don’t know that I see the exclusives or price point as telling me that I need to back it now.

What Works?

I love that they keep the core of the game. Dice drafting in Sagrada is fun, and because they are making it so that you fill stuff in, you see windows that are not just a grid. That’s going to change up a game. If a spot is now adjacent to more tiles those placements are going to be trickier.

And I like that it comes with a pack, built into the Kickstarter but available later, that you can continue the game. I know that BoardGameCo talks about how often people play a legacy game that you can continue to play after the fact. He’s right, it isn’t that much. But with Sagrada Legacy, I could see continuing that. And while it seems like you might not be unlocking stuff, it might be more that you can still gain more access to things.

Who Is It For?

This is for fans of Sagrada. I really don’t know that it has much appeal beyond that. I doubt it’ll be a jumping in point for Sagrada. And I don’t think that people who don’t like Sagrada will like this game. Now, that said, Sagrada is really well liked. So it will do well, and I think it will do well at retail as well as solidly well on Kickstarter.

Back or Brick Sagrada Artisans

I’m split on this. I don’t really feel like I need to back it now, and that is a problem. So right now it is a Brick. My negative or the thing that doesn’t work is purely in me wanting to back the game now. I know that Sagrada Legacy is a game that I want to play. And I could even see playing it with my wife if I don’t get a group together. That sounds weird, I mean that it’s a legacy game that she’s excited and interested in as well, so I could see playing it just the two of us.

But, the way that I’m considering backing it right now is if I can get another couple to buy in on it. If I do that, then I can see backing it. But stuff like colored pencils, fine, but we have more and exact colors don’t matter. I have a lot in Cartographers because I got the big box. So I don’t feel like I’m missing out on much. On the flip side, I do like to support companies on Kickstarter because a strong Kickstarter means that they can do a bigger initial release of the game.

How about for you is this a back or brick?

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So you’ll notice a bit of a different format. This is more my review style format, but breaking down the page and game from what I can tell on the crowdfunding page.

RoboMon Quick Overview

RoboMon from Barrett Publishing probably seems familiar. It definitely builds on the ideas and themes that you get in Pokemon and Digimon. You are exploring a world, getting into robot battles, leveling up your robots until you can become a fully licensed RoboMon Ranger.

This game is trying to do a bit of everything, but in a way that looks like it could work. You go around maps which lead to fights, getting items, comic book style cut scenes and more in the game. But the core two pieces, from what I can tell are using that map book exploration and then the tactical combat.

Of course there are robots as well. And they are probably going to be the main part of the game. Getting and building up your team of robots and then leveling them up. So it appears to have either some resource gathering, or more likely, fighting, getting money from those fights, buying stuff to level up your robots and then doing that.

What Doesn’t Work?

Obviously this is just speculation, but I have two areas of concern for this game. Firstly is that there is no rulebook. There are rules reference cards and as you play through the game, and open the box, it is supposed to teach you. That is always a concern because if I need to reference something later, how is that handled. Yes, rules reference, but what if it’s not on that. I know it was covered but how can I find it again.

I also wonder a little bit about the open world and freedom of the game. You can do anything in any order, but generally that means that there is probably kind of an order that you want to follow. Sleeping Gods did make this work, though. In that, there are easy areas, and as you go other further in the book of maps from the center, you find harder things. So if it gives that sort of open feel to it, I like that. Plus, as a solo game, it can work better as well. It’s open and free and no turn order, well, it is just me, so that works.

What Works?

Firstly what draws me in is the theme. I don’t have a ton of connection to Pokemon or Digimon. I watched a little Digimon growing up, and I thought the show was entertaining. But I never played any of the Pokemon games, though I am tempted regularly to pick one up. This might push that over the edge. But I’ve always liked this idea of exploring, leveling up, getting new robots (monsters) and doing that some more.

I really like the aesthetic of the game as well. I think that the work is nice. And it gives a 16-bit vibe to it with being much cleaner and clearer. I think I’d be less interested in this if it was actually 16-bit or 8-bit artwork. But this just gives a little bit of that feel to the artwork which gives it a bit of a 90’s vibe.

The solo nature of the game also works for me. It looks like two player is just splitting up control of things, which is something that’s easy enough to do in any true solo game. This is one that I could see getting and having fun streaming because of the solo play. And I think that I gravitate towards games that give that balance between story and tactics in the game. It’s nice to be able to change it up every now and again.

Who Is This For?

I think someone who likes the video games for Pokemon and wants to get some of that experience in a board game. This to me is that perfect thing, or maybe if your significant other or a close friend who maybe doesn’t board game. Get this if they like Pokemon and play it two players to have that shared gaming experience in a world that is going to feel familiar.

But I also think it’s for gamers who like adventure games. And for people who don’t mind playing a solo game. My guess is that this will be easier to setup than a Sleeping Gods, or Stars of Akarios. But if you can leave it setup, even better. I really think this will give that lighter adventure gaming itch a good scratch.

Back or Brick

Final Thoughts on RoboMon

This is where I’m going to take about a few things with this game. Firstly the price of the game, because it doesn’t really fit into what works or doesn’t work. It’s unique and probably should always be talked about anyways. This is a solid price for this game. 300+ page adventure book, 70+ maps, 300+ cards, all of that is great. It even comes with a pencil for the character sheet. $80+shipping is a solid price. I also wonder how likely it’ll show up in retail so this might be your best chance to get it.

For me, though, I am torn on the game. I think I’d likely enjoy this game a lot. I like the artwork, I like the theme, and I love games with fun adventure, story, combat, everything that this game is offering. The question I am asking myself is do I need another game like this? Especially since I just got in Oathsworn, Stars of Akarios, and Etherfields with Chronicles of Drunagor not too far behind and ISS Vanguard not far behind that. But with some of those, Oathsworn and ISS Vanguard, I probably want to do in a group. This is one that is made for me to play solo.

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Oathsworn

This is for sure coming this year. Mainly, it is almost here. Some content creators, Quackalope and BoardGameCo to name a few are already doing some content on it. And I am excited. Now, I didn’t get everything like they did, I just got the core box. But that looks like more than enough content.

This is one of my most anticipated crowdfunding games for a while, though. Mainly because it’s something different than what I own. I own a lot of dungeon crawl games and story driven games. This is a game that has that story, but it is about that one boss monster fight. It gets compared to something like Kingdom: Death Monster (KDM) in that boss battler type of thing. But I don’t need to put together minis and it didn’t cost me $500+.

Spire’s End: Hildegard

This is one that I’m surprised how fast it is coming. Granted, it is just cards and a few dice. But still, it is a lot of story and a lot of cards. Spire’s End: Hildegard is going to be a story driven game for one or two players. Spire’s End is a weird dark world that you go through. I don’t know if Hildegard will be as dark, but I’m curious. Plus I just adore the artwork in this game. I would love to see this artwork and art style used in other games as well.

Tiny Turbo Cars

This is another one that I believe it is getting close. Tiny Turbo Cars just locked it’s shipping addresses. To me, that says that the game is getting ready to leave China and they want to know their numbers. I’ve been anticipating this one for a while, I believe it is a game that I backed in early 2020 and I am still really excited for it from Horrible Guild.

Tiny Turbo Cars is basically an RC car racing game. To move your car there is a sliding puzzle game that you do as fast as you can. But it’s not really a time element. The first person to finish theirs ends up moving first, so you are less likely to have another car blocking you. But if you go later, you might be able to shoot another car as well. It really looks like a silly fun game.

ISS Vanguard

I do think that it will show up this year, but I fully expect it to be close. ISS Vanguard is in production now and it isn’t a small game to get produced. So I wonder if it might take a bit for it to find it’s way onto boats and come around Christmas. Not that I would complain about getting ISS Vanguard for Christmas.

This is a big sci-fi adventure game. You are the crew of the ISS Vanguard who follow the clues of a signal from space to a mysterious location. As players you are trying to unravel that mystery. As well as maintain your ship, research and keep crew happy. And then there are the missions down to the planet as well. Another game that is long in production but I have extremely high hopes for it.

Grove

A small box game, follow-up to a solo game that I really like in Orchard. Grove, I believe, is shipping now, which has me excited. It has been a bit since I played Orchard but it is always fun when I do. Grove promises to add in a bit more. Yes, you still layer cards. But you now can layer with blank spaces that clear a spot for you but also potentially clear dice which are points. It’s an interesting twist.

And then on the back of the cards I believe that there are scoring objectives. So it isn’t just like Orchard where you layer the cards to get as many points as you can. I don’t know how that piece will go, but I’m curious to get my hands on this one. The only downside is with two kittens I can’t play this while watching TV like I did with Orchard.

Chronicles of Drunagor

I got in on the second crowdfunding campaign of the Chronicles of Drunagor, Age of Darkness Apocalypse expansion or stand alone base game. Now, that part is not coming yet. But Chronicles of Drunagor, I believe, from the last update, is getting close. Or at least to do the two wave shipping that is locked in place now.

This is going to be a dungeon crawl game with narrative elements as well. From what I understand, even for the base game, they beefed up the narrative elements. But what really caught my eye for this game is how you activate. Each character is limited to certain abilities that they have. And to activate them you use a colored cube that corresponds to the ability. But you only have a few cubes of a color. So it limits you as you play. Then you can pull back cubes, but at the cost of covering up an ability that you need to heal to get access to again.

Dice Throne: Santa vs Krampus

I won’t talk too much about Dice Throne. I wrote two articles on it yesterday including a Back or Brick for Santa vs Krampus. Dice Throne is my number 2 game of all time, as of 2021. And I want more content. I like how easy it is to add more to this game without making it harder to play. Their goal is Christmas for this, but again, shipping around then could be tricky.

Alba

This is a bit different than a lot of them. Alba is a game but it’s a game in a book. So almost a puzzle book of sorts. I backed it because the story sounded cool. Right now I believe they are trying to nail down a printer for it. The one that they were contracted with is either in lockdown or was in lockdown to delayed this. But it is a book, I expect it won’t take as much time to print as a lot of board games will. I’m very intrigued to get this one in my hands.

Hanamikoji: Geisha’s Road

This is another one that might not be too far out. I know that shipping is an issue for this game. It is at times cheaper for them to fly some of it over than to get containers for all of it. That is a bit crazy to me, but it is the state that we live in right now.

Hanamikoji: Geisha’s Road is going to be a new version of the two player game Hanamikoji or a spin on it. Now there is an area control sort of element to it as well. You want to win favor of Geisha but also get them to certain establishments to gain people. It is interesting, I am a bit worried it might take a simple and thinky game and add too much, but we will see.

Etherfields

Another one that is coming soon. I believe that the wave 2 shipping should be happening soon. What I am getting with Eitherfields, I don’t remember anymore. I didn’t go all in on it like I did with ISS Vanguard or all in game play like I did with Tainted Grail. So it’ll be a fun surprise for me.

Ehterfields is going to be a dungeon crawl loose story driven game in a world of dreams. What I like about it or what I’ve heard about it, is that the dreams you go through are so different. They mess around with the mechanics of the game to make the different dreams feel unique. And the one thing I don’t mind about getting it in wave 2 is that they fixed the rule book, or improved it. And they added a mode to the game, now in the rules that people seem to like better.

Frosthaven

Finally, Frosthaven. This is one that should be here this year. Right now it is printing, and I expect it will take a while for the whole thing to print. Still, if it is printing now, then assembling it. I’d guess that it’ll get on a boat late August or maybe early September.

I am so excited for Frosthaven to come in. We are reaching the end of the Tainted Grail stuff that is out so far. And Frosthaven maybe can line up to be our campaign game after that. Plus it is just more Gloomhaven, but Gloomhaven with more going on. The loot makes more sense, you get stuff not money, and the whole town building piece is so cool. I can not wait to get this in my hands.

Final Thoughts

It is going to be a busy year for Kickstarters and Gamefound campaigns coming in. And I would not be surprised if a game or two more snuck into the latter part of the year. I also expect that one or two of these will show up in 2023. And that is okay, right now it’s more just anticipation of games to come.

There are some that I am very confident won’t show up this year. Middara Acts 2 & 3, though the pledge manager is closing soon. I suspect that’ll be Q1 of 2023, though they are pushing for this year. 7th Citadel and Primal, both with updates make me think 2023, at least for sure for Primal. And maybe 2024 for 7th Citadel. it is annoying to wait on games, but I’d prefer a great game than a rushed okay game. And Village Attacks, I got no clue, no updates and no concrete plans in the last one. I hope it isn’t just a loss at this point. Though they did just deliver, or are delivering their other game.

What crowdfunding game do you anticipate showing up at your door this year?

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