The Games

Mask of the Pharaoh

Mask of the Pharaoh is an outlier compared to the other games that I have on the list for unboxing. It isn’t a big and epic game. In fact, the box is quite small. But there is one thing that made me want to buy it. And that is that it uses an app. But it isn’t just that it uses an app, but how it uses the app.

Originally a game called Mask of Anubis coming out in 2016, it was picked up by Hasbro as Mask of the Pharaoh. The game uses an app, not as something to assist the game but as a core piece to the game. One person is navigating and looking around a tomb via the app. They give directions to the other players how to set it up. This is just novel for a board game, so I wanted to try it. Chronicles of Crime uses an app in a similar way, and I want to try it as well.

ISS Vanguard

Now onto the bigger games. ISS Vanguard is certainly that. I didn’t get everything you could in wave one, and I’m okay with that. Everything I didn’t get is not as important for game play. I received the core box, the miniatures, which look cool but also not important and the Personnel Files.

ISS Vanguard is an epic space adventure game. That premise is a signal was sent to Eartha and hidden within the DNA of humanity. It is discovered and uncoded. That leads humanity on a mission using and alien ship to find these coordinates. There, well, that is where the game begins.

There is a lot going on in the game. From exploring planets, flying to different solar systems, and unraveling the mystery. I like that you don’t play as a specific character, but as a specific part of the crew. You might be recon or engineering or security, but you get to pick. I also enjoy that you encounter a planet, but you also encounter things as you maintain your ship or upgrade your landing vessels.

Chronicles of Drunagor

Final game getting unboxed is Chronicles of Drunagor. Chronicles of Drunagor didn’t show up as recently, it has been on my shelf for a little bit. But it is one that I’m going to be playing soon for Malts and Meeples. In fact, it should get started next week. I just need your help figuring out who to play. See the section below to vote.

But Chronicles of Drunagor is an epic fantasy game where you build out 3D maps, unlock doors, fight monsters, and level up the characters. Two things stand out to me as really interesting in this game. The first being darkness. The idea of the darkness is that it pushes you forward in the dungeon. As you explore and fight, darkness is filling in behind you. So you can’t take too long, because if you do, it catches you and bad things happen.

And then the character game play. The game uses a cube system for what you are doing. You play with certain powers, which certain color of cubes needed to activate those various powers. For example, I might have a healing power that needs a yellow cube. I can only activate that if there isn’t already a yellow cube on there and I have a yellow cube. So it is a puzzle of when to activate things, when to not, or when to spend a turn to pull back cubes. But when I do that, I lose access to an ability and I pick which. Seems like an amazing puzzle to me.

Picking a Chronicles of Drunagor Character

Like I said, this is the game I’m playing next on Malts and Meeples. There are 12 different classes and 23 different characters. Help me pick two classes.

Upcoming Streams

So, next week, I will not be streaming on Monday. A week off from my Top 100 games because, well, next Monday is Halloween. So I am going to be busy with that. And then probably relaxing or editing podcast after that. But the following Monday, November 7th, at 8:30 PM, join me for a stream of 40 through 31 in my Top 100 Games (of all time) 2022 Edition.

And then of course, on Wednesday, it is diving into the dungeons of the Chronicles of Drunagor. I likely will play the tutorial scenario first to learn the game. So that might be on camera, or I might try and play that myself so I can delve into the bigger campaign with you all. To be determined with that. But 8 PM on Wednesday for that stream.

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Pros

• Price
• Theme
• Pedigree of Companies
• Campaign Game

Cons

• Shipping Discrepancies
• Campaign Game
• Mature Themes

The Page

This is a flashy page and it doesn’t even rely on minis to be flashy. It instead just puts you into the theme. That is what I expect when it comes to Lucky Duck Games and Van Ryder Games. They both create a lot of thematic games like Destinies, Chronicles of Crime, and Final Girl. So the page really gives you all of that theme and shows you the setting you are going to be in.

But I do want to talk about this leaning into it being a game with mature themes. That really feels to be coming from the Van Ryder Games side of things, though I am sure that both agreed to it. Van Ryder Games puts out more serious story games like their Graphic Novel Adventures. The question is, do you want a game with mature themes or not? And is it needed in this game? I do think it matches the theme quite well, but I also get that it is not for everyone. They at least advertise it so people know.

The Game

The game itself, I will go into some detail on it, because I know a bit more about it. With Lucky Duck Games, you know there is likely going to be an app. And with this game using systems that can be found in Chronicles of Crime, an app assisted game, and Destinies, another app assisted game, this is going to use an app. For some people that might be enough to keep them from backing, but for me, I’m intrigued by it.

The app is going to be used to let you know what skill checks you can do, and to interact with points of interest that you find during your investigation. This is very much a combination of both Lucky Duck Games that I mentioned. The advantage to a system like this is no single person needs to run a game. The story runs itself and everyone plays the same game.

The skill checks in the game are the same as what is found in Destinies. Basically, you look to roll high enough to pass certain thresholds or markers on your player board. The more markers you pass, the more success you end up with.

That’s it mechanically, but I want to touch on story as well here. Not to go back to it being mature. But in the previews or first impressions that I’ve seen, the story while cooperative, seems like it will vary between different characters. Certain characters excel at certain elements. Some might investigate better, others might be more apt to intimidate or fight. So while replay might be somewhat limited, it does seem like different characters provide different paths.

Back or Brick

For me, this is a Back. I generally like what both companies are doing, and their games tend to be thematic. I’m looking at games of theirs that I need to get to the table soon. I like the setting. I have heard it compared to Anne Rice, though that seems to be more for vampires in New Orleans. A better comparison might be LA Noir, the video game, in the sort of dark detective feel that you get from the game.

Now, with a mature theme, I think this game isn’t one for everyone. It might be too macabre for some people, too much blood or difficult story situations. But for me, that intrigues me. And if it isn’t one for me, I know that there was a period of time where Destinies was hard to find, so might be one that I can sell if need be. But I really suspect it’s going to be one that I play through, and then trade so someone else can have fun with it.

How about for you, is The Dark Quarter by Van Ryder Games and Lucky Duck Games a Back or a Brick?

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124-101

100 – 76

75 – 51

Unplayed Board Games 50 – 26

50: Arboretum

This is an abstract game about planting trees. What interests me so much in this one is that you play out cards to build up your arboretum, and you score points for having trees go in ascending order. But in order to score a type of tree, you need it in your h and at the end of the game. So do you risk it that you might not get a tree of the type you need in order to complete a longer route and score more?

49: Call To Adventure: The Stormlight Archive

Call To Adventure comes in a few different flavors. There is the base game which is generic fantasy. That has an expansion for Patrick Rothfeuss Kingkiller Chronicles. And while I do like that series, I knew there was a Stormlight Archives version coming out, so I waited for it. I love the setting of the game, and I think a game where you are building up your characters story is cool.

48: 7 Wonders Duel

I got this one a while ago using store credit after a trade. And the game I think is going to be fun and probably better for me than 7 Wonders which I think is just okay. This does a lot of the same things, drafting, fighting, and science, but all in a two player package. And you can win by doing more than just getting points. Though, points are one way to win. Get one of each science card, you automatically win. Push the combat all the way to your side, automatically win. I like that a lot.

47: The Dragon Prince: Battlecharged

And now we’re back to another IP (intellectual property) that I really like. The Dragon Prince is a great show. And this is a two player battling game. You put together games of characters to face off against each other in battle. Looks some like Super Fantasy Brawl with card play determine a lot of what you do.

46: Paper Dungeons: A Dungeon Scrawler Game

It’s one of a couple roll and writes on this part of the list. Paper Dungeons as it says is a Dungeon Scrawler. So it is going to give you a bit of that dungeon crawling feeling all while being in a roll and write package. I hope that between it, Doodle Dungeons, Deadly Doodles (which I know I like) and Drawn to Adventure, I’ll have some fun adventure focused roll and writes.

45: Yggrasil Chronicles

This is a bigger box game, some of that though, is because it comes with a tree. One that you put together, and then it’s a cooperative game where you are trying to protect Yggdrasil, possibly, my knowledge of this one is limited. But the game looks like a lot of fun, and I know that the original is really challenging. Plus a giant 3d tree that rotates is cool.

44: Forgotten Waters

Forgotten Waters is a campaign game that I wish I played already. It’s gotten bumped down the list a little just because I’m playing more in person. But it was a good one that could be played via Zoom. In this game you are pirates on a crew working together through an adventure. There is voice acting for the story, and overall just seem like a fun time. And it uses the Crossroad card system from Dead of Winter that I love.

43: Mythic Battles: Pantheon

Definitely a big game here. I don’t have the whole Kickstarter, just the base game and Pandora’s box and that is a lot. It’s another one of those head to head battling games, like The Dragon Prince or Super Fantasy Brawl. This one is pitting Greek gods against each other. And what really intrigues me about this one is how you can pick up trees, as a god, and use them as a weapon. So the terrain is very much in play.

42: Catacombs & Castles

We go from an epic minis game to a one versus all dungeon battling game where you flick discs. And that is what intrigues me. I like dexterity games, and Catacombs & Castles seems like a lot of fun. It also seems a bit more complex, otherwise might be higher on the list. But I think if I learn the game it’ll be pretty easy and fast to teach.

41: Adventure Land

While I’ve gotten a lot of games based off of Sam Healey’s reviews on the Dice Tower, I have less based on Tom Vasel’s but Adventure Land is one. In this game you are taking out adventurers trying to get treasure. And they move across the board right and down. That means if a treasure shows up to the left or higher on the board, you might not be able to get it. So how to balance that out getting the best treasure, but still hanging back?

40: Space Base

This falls into that category of Foodies, Machi Koro, and My Farm Shop. A game where you roll dice and no matter what you get something. I like those games, and this is supposed to be the most gamer version of that. It gives you a lot to think about and you can build up some powerful combos while you try and get points. And you have more tracks to control and keep track of.

39: Chronicles of Crime

This is a deduction based game that I’m confident I’ll love. Chronicles of Crime, from Lucky Duck Games, uses an app that you can scan cards with to interrogate them and so you can actually look around the crime scene. The concept is cool and while the cases sound a bit less in depth than Detective: A Modern Crime Board Game, it might work better for some people because of that.

38: Fleet: The Dice Game

Roll and write game and actually dropped further down the list than I’d have guessed. Fleet is a game about building up your fishing fleet and scoring as many points as you can. I’ve heard that it’s great for combos, which I love in roll and write games. And it’s also more complex. I think that it is going I’m going to play solo pretty often.

37: Raiders of the North Sea

Possibly the highest true euro game on the list, Raiders of the North Sea has you building up your crew and taking them out to plunder lands. What intrigues me so much about this one is that your turn you put a meeple on, and take a meeple off. You can’t do the same one twice in a row, so it gives some interesting strategy to the game. And as you push out further and plunder, you lock some meeples to those locations, but get stronger ones back.

36: Horizon Zero Dawn

Based off of the Playstation video game, Horizon Zero Down doesn’t take you through the story of the game, but it puts you out on hunts against monsters. I’m excited to see how this game works, I really like the video game, but need to play it more. And I like the idea of just going out on a hunt, and it being a scenario and then done. It’s a bigger minis game, but not a campaign.

35: Reichbusters: Projekt Vril

Now we’re onto a campaign and Reichbusters is one that I picked up because it looked like so much fun when GloryHoundd YouTube Channel played it. And I think it’s going to be amazing. I need to get the errata cards taken care of, but sneaking into bases in WWII and finding all sorts of crazy experiments going on, it’s very Hellboy. And that theme is just fun, plus it’s not just kick down the door and shoot the board game.

34: Bloodborne

Another video game board game with Bloodborne. Another one that it is a bigger game but doesn’t play over a massively long campaign. I believe this one comes together over three different plays. Or it might just be that’s how the chapters, that are in the box, come out. Still, fantasy, fighting monsters and bad guys. Story going on, and from CMON, I suspect I’m going to enjoy this one.

33: Time of Legends: Joan of Arc

And another big box game. Time of Legends: Joan of Arc is almost a miniatures game more in the lines of a Warhammer where you takes two armies up against each other. But it does away with all that measuring. And it comes down to scenarios, there are characters, NPC’s, that you can interact with. And it’s time of legends because it takes the legends from the Joan of Arc time period and historical records, so it can add in dragons and things like that.

32: The 7th Continent

The 7th Continent has been on my shelf for a while. And I need to get it played before The 7th Citadel comes in, because I suspect I’m going to like that one better. In The 7th Continent, you wake up on a continent cursed, and need to explore and find a way to break your curse. I’ve heard that the first one is tough and takes a lot of time to play. Mainly so you learn the continent, but as you do the other ones, you have more of an idea of where to go.

31: Dinosaur Island: Rawr ‘n Write

The final roll and write for this list, and might be the final one overall. Dinosaur Island is a big game about building out a dinosaur park with a lot of euro mechanics. The Rawr ‘n Write is similar in that you’re building out a park. And you are trying to breed dinosaurs, it just does it in a roll and write version. So I’m very excited to give it a go. Supposed to be a heavier roll and write as well.

30: The Crew: Mission Deep Sea

The Crew is a cooperative trick taking game where you have limited communication. And while there is a space version, the Mission Deep Sea is supposed to help improve a few things. Mainly because you have missions, Mission Deep Sea makes them variable. The space one they are set. I like trick taking, and I need to play more of them.

29: Land vs Sea

Land vs Sea is a tile laying game where you are trying to complete areas of land or sea. But I care about completing land areas where as you care about sea. And the tiles are four sided, so having two in your hand gives you a lot of options. I wonder if this might replace Carcassonne when I play it. A tile laying game, but one that seems like it could be simpler.

28: Heroes of Land, Air & Sea

Now we’re back to a big game with Heroes of Land, Air, and Sea. This is a massive 4x game where you’re taking over lands, exploring new locations, fighting your opponents and building up your power. Twilight Imperium 4th Edition is a massive 4x game as well that I’d love to play set in space, but Heroes of Land, Air, & Sea just spoke to me as a 4x game I wanted to own.

27: Champions of Hara

Champions of Hara is a pretty big game, and one that seems like it will be quite unique. It seems unique because all the characters seem unique, and I like that about it. It has a fantasy feel to it, but it isn’t fantasy in the normal way. And I believe that you play the game in two parts. The first part is competitive. Then the second part, really second game, is cooperative where you work together to complete the winner of the first games story.

26: Floriferous

Final one for this part of the list is Floriferous. A set collection flower game, this one looks amazing. The artwork is great, and I like the mechanics, or how they sound. You basically draft cards from the columns. But as you draft, you place your pawn next to the spot. So the higher in the column, the next round, is going to go, then the next. Plus you are drafting scoring cards, great ways to get more points, but you’ll go last in the next round.

Final Thoughts

One more list of this, and then you’ll know about all the games i need to play. I actually had a game night this past weekend and I didn’t play any new to me games. I did have a few pulled out. But with the group, and player count, not all of them would have worked.

This part of the list also had a lot of big games in it. And while some of them might be harder to get to the table, even something that is more campaign like Reichbusters, you can play on off scenarios. So I should be able to get a number of them to the table. And some of the roll and writes, probably all of them, can be played solo.

Which one should I play first from this chunk of the list?

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This is going to be a list article, with all my unplayed games ranked. But before I dive into that, I want to talk about some of the terms that I just used. Mainly shelf of shame and shelf of opportunity. They are the same term phrased in different ways. Let’s dive into them and then the big list of games to play.

Shelf of Shame vs Shelf of Opportunity

This is a term that I’ve heard thrown around for a few years now. The idea that games on your shelf have this title. First off, I think this is kind of silly. Games that you haven’t played don’t have a special spot in existence. Now, maybe they do have a special spot on your shelf, but they aren’t held in any sort of light. They are just a board game.

But the first term I heard is Shelf of Shame. The idea behind this is that you feel bad since you haven’t played all your games. This is silly. I go back to my talk about collection versus a hobby. Know what you have on your shelf. For me, board games are a collection and a hobby. That means it’s fine to not get to every game quickly. They are part of my collection. But I play them, as they are part of my hobby as well, and hobbies get used or worked on.

Then came the term Shelf of Opportunity. Shelf of Shame is very negative, and opportunity sounds much better. But I, again, find this not much better. Yes, they are games that you play eventually. And yes, it spins it in a positive light. But both terms keep a focus on the fact the games aren’t played.

What Do I Call Them?

I call them what they are. Board games to be played. A board game is just an object. In labeling them either way, it places power on that object. Yes, one puts it in the light of a game being an opportunity for something new, and new exciting opportunities are good. But it leaves the pressure on actually playing the game.

Like I said, I play games. I buy games. Board Games are a collection and a hobby for me. I own games that might take a long time to get played. Campaign games where I play one at a time or two, and I am already playing two. Those wait for when I have time, and that is okay. I feel like the label places a cloud, no matter what label, over the games, and in the end of the day, games are just games.

If I never play a game in my collection and it collects dust for five years. I shouldn’t feel bad about leaving that opportunity out there. I most definitely shouldn’t feel shame. It is a game and I play games. So I play other games and not the game that is sitting there. I am still enjoying the hobby without playing every game I own.

So Why Write This Out?

I gave myself a challenge at the beginning of the year. Not because I feel guilt about games that I haven’t played. But because it is fun to play games. And I want to play games, I want to experience new games, and I want to cover new games.

For me, my challenge isn’t to get all the games off the shelf. It isn’t because I feel like I miss out on an opportunity. And I care not about shame from it. For me it’s about trying new things and almost making a game out of it. If I don’t make it by the end of the year, I don’t care. I play these for fun.

Unplayed Board Game List

Let’s Talk About the List

124 Games on it, and my goal is to get it down below 100 by the end of the year. You add in a bunch of Kickstarter games coming in, and you can see why it is a big list and also a challenge. And of course, then, there are campaign games on the list. If we look at campaign style games, I think we’re sitting at 14 on the list. And that is a lot of games to play through a campaign of, so that isn’t going to happen. Though, with Sleeping Gods coming off the list to start the year, it will some over on Malts and Meeples.

There are also some kids games on the list. Right now, I don’t think I will play those this year. Monza looks fun, but the toddler isn’t quite ready for it. But the toddler is also three, so who knows, maybe by the end of the year, we can play those games a bit more. But right now I’m not expecting to.

I also think it’s important to note that a lot of big games are at the top. Those are the ones that I’m most excited to play and cover. And some of them should be getting played soon. Probably after this weekend I’ll be lining up a time to get started playing Roll Player Adventures.

To go along with that, there are a lot of solo games as well. I could play, in the top 20, around 75% of them solo and some of them are solo only games. So I need to start knocking those out first, because they are high on my list. That won’t be how I get under 100, though.

Final Thoughts

I think that it is fine to challenge yourself to play your unplayed games. I think it is fine to limit how many unplayed games you own. When that becomes the focus or the obsession, I think that is when we start to lose the focus on what we are doing. Or when tie to it other emotions, like shame.

When I see people post about clearing their shelf of shame, I am sure it feels good for them. But on the flip side, in the comments, you see people feeling guilty about their unplayed games. I am not that way. I don’t feel guilt over that. And you shouldn’t either.

This is an odd article, I wanted to talk more about the games, and I will soon. But before I could do that, I think it is import to talk about the shame or guilt that can be thrown around in the hobby. Not always intentionally malicious but always harmful.

Also, let me know what game you think I need to try first. What is your favorite on the list that I have too low, or that you know I would like or should try?

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Games Coming to Crowdfunding in 2022

Slay the Spire

This one I’ve been waiting on for a long time. In fact, the first two are ones that were supposed to come out in 2021 and then didn’t for some reason or another. Might be supply chain wanting them to hold back, but Slay the Spire, I believe that this one is because of development on the game. They weren’t completely happy where it was, so they wanted to refine it more. I give them credit for delaying for that reason.

But if you aren’t familiar, Slay the Spire is a video game that uses deck building to go through a rogue-like game. You start out as a character, fight monsters, get cards as rewards, as well as relics, potions and more. Sometimes curses even get added to your deck and you want to avoid those. I am really curious to see how this translates to a board game, because the deck building will obviously work. But will the game play as smoothly as the video game?

Iron Forest

Iron Forest is the other one, from the makers of Ice Cool. This game does some of the same things as Ice Cool with flicking. But it does some different things. Mainly that there are two levels. So you launch up from the bottom and go to the top. I got to mess around with this a little at GenCon in 2019, and it was fun. And that only was launching penguins.

This is a bigger game than Ice Cool. While Ice Cool is great silly fun, it doesn’t have many rules. Iron Forest looks like it will be more of a game. And it looks like it is team versus team. That is different and intriguing as to how it will work. But I hope it won’t end up being too complex. What I love about dexterity games is when they are easy to get to the table and play.

Unsettled

We went from two that were delayed to two that are reprints of games. Unsettled by Orange Nebula is a big space game. But it is different from something like ISS Vanguard which is a massive campaign. Unsettled is maybe more like TIME Stories, not with an over arching story that doesn’t matter too much. But because it plugs and plays a lot of different planets into the main system.

This is a game about exploring those planets and trying to complete objectives. But each time you play it’s its own separate game. And each planet has it’s own puzzle to work with as you try and do your job and leave before time runs out.

I almost backed this when it was on Kickstarter before. But I didn’t and now with reviews coming out, I wish that I had backed it. The new Kickstarter I’m sure will give me an option to get the base game, which might be all I need. But because of the plug and play nature, it is going to add in even more planets.

Sea of Legends

The other game that is coming back is Sea of Legends. This is a pirate game that changes up every time that you play it. If you watch the Top 10 of the year over on the Dice Tower with Chris, Camilla, Wendy and Roy, Camilla talks about how it works. But the app gives you a different story depending on who your lover and nemesis are. Plus gives you a lot of ways you can win.

This is another game that I almost backed. It was fairly expensive, and with a poor deployment of the app initially, I’m okay that I didn’t. But the concept of the game seems great. I like the variability that the app can provide as well for the story. If it had been cheaper used, I might have picked it up already from my FLGS.

Dark Quarter

This might be the one I know the least about, or close to it. And this one I think is coming to crowdfunding, but I don’t know for sure. But Dark Quarter is a game from Lucky Duck Games and Van Ryder Games. Van Ryder is known for their graphic novel adventure books and more. Lucky Duck Games for Chronicles of Crime and Destinies.

They are working together to create a darker version of something like Destinies. Destinies is a competitive adventure game where you are trying to complete your destiny. It’s kind of that Time of Legends: Joan of Arc type of setting. Dark Quarter is going to be set in French Quarter of New Orleans with monsters around in the summer of ’81.

This one is really interesting but I’ll know more after I play Destinies, which is coming to me soon. Now, this won’t be a 1 to 1 comparison between the two games, but I think it will help me decide. The theme is definitely right up my alley though.

Marvel Zombies – A Zombicide Game

Of course Marvel Zombies is on the list. I’ve talked about this one a bunch already. But basically you are superheroes who have been turned into zombies. But maybe you can play as the heroes as well fighting off zombies? I need more details on it eventually, but it’s Marvel and Zombicide so I’m interested.

Plus it’s from CMON so the sculpts are amazing. Including the giant 2.5′ or so tall Galactus that actually can be used in the games. That is just crazy. I did just back Zombicide: Undead or Alive, but this one, when it comes in, might replace that because I don’t know if I need two Zombicide Games.

Jurassic World: The Legacy of Isla Nublar

I haven’t gotten many of the dinosaurs games that have come out. Or at least many of the bigger ones. I have Draftosaurus which is great, plus Welcome to Dinoworld and Dinosaur Island Rawr ‘n’ Write. But this might be the first big box one I get because of one word, legacy. I love legacy games and dinosaurs.

I don’t know much about this game, it is probably the one I know the least about, that or Dark Quarter. But coming from Funko, yes, they make board games, I’m very curious. And it’s interesting that Funko is taking this to Kickstarter because they could just make it. I think they want to gauge the level of interest. And if it does well, then what I’m expecting will be a big box will go to retail.

But I really like the aesthetic of this. And I hope that it’s an interesting legacy game. Funko has been putting out good games, and not that complex games. If this is on the complexity level of legacy games like Aeon’s End Legacy and Pandemic Legacy that’d be perfect. I also imagine this will have more story than something like My City or Charterstone.

Catapult Feud: Hydra

This wouldn’t be on my list, except I’m getting the base set and the siege expansion on Saturday. This is a game, or activity, where you are launching attacks with catapults or other weaponry at your opponents castle. And you literally are launching them.

You build up your castle, put your guys on it. Then you take turns firing your projectiles at the other persons castle until their soldiers are knocked down. It’s a silly idea, and I have no idea what the Hydra is going to add. Maybe another way to attack? But I’m going to check it out. I don’t know how much of this game I need, but if I like it a lot before the Kickstarter comes out, then I might back it.

Rogue Angels

I wrote on Rogue Angels, as a preview, not too long ago. You can read my preview of it here. I am not putting it on the list because I previewed it. It was genuinely a really fun time. The story is solid, not the best, not the worst. The game play is really slick. I love the card cool down system.

This is another space campaign game, though. And I know I want to back Unsettled and have ISS Vanguard coming. With that said, this feels different. ISS Vanguard feels like a grand space odyssey. Unsettled is smaller planet missions. Rogue Angels is more story driven than either of them. So I do think Rogue Angels feels and seems different than other space games I have or have coming or want to buy.

Astro Knights

This is another one that I’m assuming is going to come to Kickstarter, why because Aeon’s End always has. And this is the successor to Aeon’s End. I believe that Aeon’s End is completely done now, maybe they’ll do a big box but the game is. Astro Knights looks like it will have some similarities but also build upon it.

I really am curious about this one because I love Aeon’s End. And I doubt that this will replace it for me. But I could also see wanting to have both to try them both out. And if this starts to grow on me, who knows. I really like the art for the game, though, so that’s always a good thing. I think the art is better than early Aeon’s End art.

What Crowdfunding Are You Excited For?

I did some quick research, not a ton for this list. I know some because I am part of a lot of board game groups and go to BGG (Board Game Geek) but still, I know more people will know a whole lot more than I do. If there is a different one you’re interested in, let me know. I want to look into more games always. But what from my list is the most interesting to you?

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Chronicles of Crime: Welcome to Redview

These first three are all fro a sale that was titled Gamer’s Choice, and they really were choice games. They had a lot of great ones in there. I decided to take the opportunity to grab this expansion for Chronicles of Crime. Mainly because it’s a kids on bike style expansion and story for the game.

If you aren’t familiar with the concept of kids on bikes, think of Stranger Things, that is a kids on bikes story. Or the Goonies would also meet that style of story. Basically it’s an adventure that kids have with only a little adult interference or interaction.

And if you aren’t familiar with Chronicles of Crime, it is an app assisted board game where you are investigating crimes. It gives you a view of the crime scene through the app as well as facilitates the questioning and story elements as you scan in QR codes to ask people about things. It allows the game to have a more dynamic world than you could without the app.

Under Falling Skies

The first of two solo games in the order. Under Falling Skies is a resource management dice game. It has you fighting off waves of aliens. The better the dice you activate are or the better the ability the faster the alien ships will make it to earth. So it’s a balancing act of using lower dice so that when you need to use a higher die value you can. I want to build out my collection of solo only games because I do enjoy them. Expect to see this on Malts and Meeples before too long, I just need to finish up Aeon’s End Legacy first.

Orchard: 9 Card Solitaire Game

While Under Falling Skies is a bigger solo game, but not a big solo campaign game, Orchard is clearly a small game. Nine cards is not much. I am hoping that this gives me a nice puzzle to try and solve and then maximize my points for. It has you laying out and overlaying cards while you are putting dice on them. This one really interests me because it is again a small footprint game and a fast game. It says 5-10 minutes so I could knock out a bunch of these fast while watching football or soccer in the upcoming months.

Ascension: Immortal Heroes + More

I didn’t list out everything I got for Ascension, but I got a few theme packs as well. Leprechaun, Rat King, Samael Claus, and Rat Queen. All of those were $2.50. Just like a fun extra thing for sure. The Immortal Heroes is a bigger box expansion which is always fun to add in. I now have a nice collection of different Ascension sets to play around with. Though, I do mainly play with the base game. The game as a whole is a lot of fun though. I do want to find a better way to track the different resources that I have in that game as a player.

Downforce: Danger Circuit and Wild Ride

So, after playing Downforce last weekend, you can see how much I liked the game here. Danger Circuit gives two new tracks and some new powers. And if you saw my complaint, you’d know that I wanted more powers. But Wild Ride adds in a number of things. There is one that features a water jump and ramps. The other side has wild animals that might show up on the track. I’m curious to see how those two different things play out but I think they’ll be a ton of fun. And I guess I should say, the Danger Circuit has loops and splitting roads. While the other side has rough terrain.

I’m definitely going to be creating a Downforce league at some point in time. Like a once a month Saturday racing league, that just seems like too much fun. Now I just need to find my racers.

So that’s everything new that I ordered. I did just sort all my board games on the shelves again, and I have one game I’m planning on leaving my collection so I’ll talk about that here as well.

Captain Sonar

Captain Sonar is a great game. I love the hidden movement trying to figure out where the other teams sub is in real time and sink it before they can sink yours. But I just know I’m not likely to play it much again. At least I won’t play my copy too much. Why, because the game is a lot to teach. Each different person, Captain, First Mate, Radar Operator, and Engineer all play differently. And that means that you need to teach four different things each time. While it has been fun to do in the past, I just have other games that are easier to get to the table that can play eight, or more. And that’s the other thing, Captain Sonar is ideal with eight.

Which of these games would you try and get to the table first?

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Pros

• Legacy Game
• App Integration
• Endlessly replayable
• Tile Placement
• Theme
• Price

Cons

• Short Legacy Campaign
• Possibly Light on Story

The Page

Lucky Duck, known for Chronicles of Crime, Destinies, Kingdom Rush and more board games, has done a lot of crowdfunding before. And that really shows because this is a well put together page. Though, as a legacy game, it can only really show so much. And while that isn’t a knock on if I’m going to back this game or not, it is something to know. The game is going to change in ways that they cannot tell without spoiling the game itself.

I will say for a legacy game the idea of as many stretch goals as there are is odd to me. It must come from the replayable mode after you are done with the legacy campaign. But in some ways I’d prefer to have had that locked in stone, or more of that content added into the legacy campaign itself.

The Game

The game itself looks interesting. They have released the first two scenarios to some content creators to show what is going on. The one that I have watched from Tablenauts, which I’ll have the video right below.

I like how the math works in this game. It’s rare for me to say that I like math, but this one makes sense as an interesting choice in the game. You use any combination of the dice and with addition and subtraction you use that to get tiles to put into your tableau. That piece of the game seems really simple.

And that’s one concern I have about the game. This is a Lucky Duck game so there will be story on the stuff that you scan, but is the game too simple by itself, and is there enough game in the box? I have to ask myself, will I play this after the legacy campaign. Because if not and with how light and fast the game seems to be, are 12 30-45 minute games worth it? Is there enough story and enough game for the price point.

Back or Brick

So is this a back or a brick for me? Right now it’s a back, but I’m a little bit on the fence. I think that the game play looks fun, but I worry about how much game play there is in the box and if I’ll play it after the legacy portion is done. The theme and the potential story that they can tell, I’m very interested in that. Do I think it’s going to be the best legacy game, I’m not sure about that, but I think it should be a very accessible one and should be a lot of fun. But I’m still a little on the fence.

Is this a Back or Brick for you?

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Descent: Legends of the Dark

So, Tom Vasel of the Dice Tower for a few years now has been predicting that we’ll get a Descent 3rd Edition. Well, he was almost right, but Descent: Legends of the Dark isn’t truly a third edition. This is more like a Lord of the Rings: Journeys in Middle Earth or Star Wars: Imperial Assault sort of game. By that I mean it has a nice campaign element to it and uses an app to help facilitate the game.

One thing that kept me for a long time from getting Descent 2nd Edition was that it was one versus all. Now, I’ve come to like that a bit more that I thought I would, at least in Not Alone, but it feels harder to get to the table. It’s all cooperative and app assisted now. And that intrigues me because it’ll be easier to get to the table.

Plus, the app isn’t the same one that they’ve used for Imperial Assault, Descent, Mansions of Madness, and Journeys in Middle Earth. This is a brand new app. With games like Chronicles of Crime, Forgotten Waters, and Detective using apps, Fantasy Flight needed to up their game. This seems to do that.

This, however is a massive and expensive game. I hope that it’s awesome as it looks cool and game play looked fun. But it’ll be played when it comes out just to mess around with the app for sure.

Similo

This is the one that I was least sure about ordering until I have been watching it played a lot. Horrible Guild over on their YouTube channel plays it fairly often. It’s a pretty straightforward game. There is one person who is it and that person has one of ten people or creatures that they are trying to get the other players to guess. They put down a clue that is either similar or different. First round, player eliminate one, next round two. And that goes up through round four which leaves two left. Then with one final clue players need to try and guess which one it is.

Similo looks like a good and simple party game. And it’s another cooperative party game. Yes, one player is playing a different game, kind of, as the clue giver, the game play looks really fast. And you can get some fun combos. Putting down wild animals and trying to get people to eliminate the right ones by giving clues with myths will be tricky.

Railroad Ink Challenge (Yellow Box)

So I just picked up the green box of Railroad Ink, and this will give me all the small boxes. I am excited to get in more Railroad Ink, in fact, that might be what I stream on Wednesday. The base game of Railroad Ink is fun, but I might prefer challenge. Mainly because challenge offers more challenges. While the original is more route connecting, this one keeps that but also gives you goals to work towards.

I don’t need to say that much more on this you can see some other thoughts all around the site. Here is the Railroad Ink Challenge app article. And here is my Beyond the Box Cover review of the base game. Plus my Back or Brick article, now I wish I had backed. Needless to say, I really like this game a lot and I know it’s one I’ll play often.

So that’s all the games, good thing I made some room with the games I’m getting rid of. But let’s see what game you want to play from all of those?

For me, I think I want to play Descent: Legends of the Dark the most, but all of them seem fun. And Similo might get played first at a game night.

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Fantasy Flight Changed Up Arkham Horror LCG

Fantasy Flight has made a ton of money by doing living card games (LCG’s). starting early with things like Lord of the Rings LCG and Android Netrunner. This has then led into a lot of other successful games like Arkham Horror The Card Game and most recently Marvel Champions. But Fantasy Flight is changing up it’s distribution model for Arkham Horror LCG.

The old model went something like this. A big box and then six mythos packs that rounded out the story. So you’d be in on the big box for about $30-40 and each Mythos Pack for $15. A whole cycle of Arkham Horror LCG would then run around $120. Now they are changing up that release cycle to just be two boxes. The first will still be the same $30-40 box, the next will be a $60 for all of the mythos pack content. If you’ve done the math, that comes out to be about $100, so saves you a bit of money.

So why is Fantasy Flight doing this? Honestly, my guess is because of logistics. Trying to get things printed and shipped at a reasonable cost is really hard right now for gaming companies. And shipping a bunch of small/cheaper products doesn’t make as much sense. I know that they have delayed stuff and moved stuff around for Marvel Champions LCG already because of this. Why did they do it the pack way in the first place, more consistent income most likely, but currently, the box method is likely to work better for them.

Lucky Duck Announces Divinus

Lucky Duck is getting into the legacy game world. They already are known for doing story driven games with the likes of Chronicles of Crime and Destinies. As well as a lot more games such as Kingdom Rush and Jetpack Joyride. But Divinus is going to be a big project for them.

We don’t know a ton about it yet, but it’s a tile-laying, dice-manipulation legacy game with an app. So I guess we do no some about it and it’s going to be the gods fighting each other from different pantheons, but how it all comes together, we don’t know.

Now, I like apps in my games. Probably more so than the average person. But I always wonder a little bit about an ambitious type of game like this. How will the app work, will it hold up to other legacy games that don’t need it. How much more work will it add. There are a few companies, actually talking about two of the three, that I like it when they do apps. I think that Lucky Duck, Awaken Realms, and Fantasy Flight do apps well.

In particular, I think that Lucky Duck Games has really changed how apps are used in a very good way. They have created games that need the app but also really need that physical component as well. I think that apps give more story telling possibilities. And the fact that this is a shorter legacy game, I think 12 sessions, makes me think that they can develop something really good.

Which Piece of News is More Interesting To You?

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Detective: Vienna Connection

One of my best gaming experiences in 2020 was playing through Detective: A Modern Crime Board Game. It shot it way up my list for Top 100 Board Games, see how high it got. And then I was waiting for more of it to show up, Dig Deeper and LA Crimes expansions. This takes the game in a totally different direction. You are less detectives, in the original think more FBI anyways, and you are spies or working against spies or both. I love the theme on this one and I like that it is taking it in a different direction. Why did I pre-order it, because you got some cool upgrades that I think will make the gamey even more fun.

Arkham Horror LCG: The Circle Undone & The Forgotten Age

Arkham Horror LCG is a game that I have really enjoyed. It’s bounced around my Top 20 games of all time and I really need to play it more. It works for me because it offers really interesting game play while still telling a story. I love the hand management aspect to it, the deck construction and leveling up. And you can just grab the big boxes and just play through those without getting all the small packs to play the arcs. This might actually be what I start tackling when I stream on Wednesday. The game is just a lot of fun.

Will I eventually get some of the small packs and finish off what I have, I might. But right now, I can play through the main campaign from the base box and go from there. Those expansions might be harder to get, but the game is just so much fun that I want to try and play it more. Also, it is so good solo.

Super-Skill Pinball: Ramp It Up!

I believe that I have said I like roll and write games. And Super-Skill Pinball: 4-Cade is one that is a ton of fun. It is surprisingly thematic for a roll and write. Can it 100% emulate a pinball machine, no, but it is close. I like the tables that I’ve played a lot, and this adds more. I think that sometime I might set-up a mini tournament sort of thing, play through all four tables a few times and see what my best combo of scores might be. That could also be fun to do on Malts and Meeples over a few times or with viewers who have the game.

From what I know, this is just going to add in more tables. Now, I don’t need that yet, but this is the part that is delaying it. Right now not 100% sure on the date that it’ll come out but best guessing put it around September. That is a long ways out.

Time of Legends: Destinies

I considered backing this when it was on Kickstarter. A game by Lucky Duck Games, known for Chronicles of Crime, this uses their QR code system for an app assisted story driven experience. The game comes with a number of scenarios to play through. So it’s more a scenario game than it is a campaign game. But it still should have immersive story telling elements. And that story telling and the hidden secrets that each character have, that really interested me.

I couldn’t swing it when it was on Kickstarter in 2019, but now I am grabbing it retail. Also a pre-order item, this one should be out sooner, though I won’t get it. That is the downside, of course to doing a pre-order, you have to wait for the latest game in the pre-orders to ship.

What Sounds Most Interesting?

Of course, I am excited for all of these games. I really enjoy all of them and the expansions are for games that are high in my Top 100. But Time of Legends: Destinies is really interesting to me. It is a story driven game, but it’s not a campaign game, it isn’t a cooperative game even. So I want to try it out and just see how it works. I think it might scratch that itch for some narrative gamers but who like competitive as well. How about you, which would you want to play first?

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