The Plot of Summer Time Rendering (No Spoilers)

As it says, no spoilers in this section. You’ll just some synopsis of what you can see in that first episode and the theme of the show.

Shinpei is returning to his home island after going away to study in Tokyo. He hasn’t been back in two years, but when his friend passes away, one whom he’d grown up in her home after his parents died, he returned for the funeral. He didn’t plan on staying long. But on his journey there he has a bad dream that something is wrong. And when he gets there, there are a lot of things that tip him off that something isn’t as it should be. Is Ushio’s death really an accident or is there more going on?

What Doesn’t Work

I’m going to say that the end isn’t a 100% smash success for me in this series. It is still very good, but based off of where everything started and the twists and turns along the way, I’d have loved one more flashback element to it to just really flesh out the story and motivations.

I also want to say that I found the dub not completely consistent. By that I mean I think they got good voice actors doing the work for it. But how the audio comes across from some of the voice actors isn’t quite as consistent as I’d expect. It’s more of a situation where it sounds like one or two of the voice actors weren’t in a room where it was as well padded for sound as needed.

What Works

This is a time looping story, you get that right away in the show. And it uses it to great affect. It reminds me of something like Steins;Gate that way which I really enjoy that one as well. This one has some solid twists on it as well. It feels like it’s telling it’s own unique story as well.

The characters are very solid as well. I think that the main three characters, Shinpei, Ushio, and Mio are all well done. And the supporting character work is very good as well. The story does a good job of building up those supporting characters and while Shinpei and Ushio are the main characters with the most screen time, the rest feel like they impact the story a ton as well. Especially Hizaru is worked well into the story and given a lot to work with for those supporting characters.

Another aspect that I want to touch on is the mythology weaved into the story. I think that it was just great and really fleshed out the island and the superstitions there. I want to say that it gave me a Stephen King type feel in some of what it did with the mythology. Though, it did a better job of building it more and creating something that felt like there was a payoff in the end. While that payoff wasn’t 100% landed, I think it worked really well.

Who is Summer Time Rendering For?

If you like something that is a mystery, mythological, and spooky while still having emotional moments and heart to it, this is a solid show for that. I won’t way it’s a direct comparison, but there are elements of what the story does that remind me of Stranger Things. The question of who knows what is happening and who believes the kids is important to this story. And it also has that unsettling feeling that you get from Stranger Things and Steins;Gate.

My Final Thoughts on Summertime Rendering (Spoilers)

First off, I did really enjoy the show. My issues with it are minor. In particular with the voice work. I think that it was well done, it was just not mixed or recorded quite properly. Though that element of it does give it an unsettling feeling as well. The best way I can describe it is that it feels like there is too much empty space and you can just hear and feel that. Which, in a lot of the ways works with the story.

The Time Travel

Let’s talk about the story as well. The time travel is well done. I said that before and I’m sure I’ll say it again. But it works for the show. And I love how it works. The system is simple enough, Shinpei getting the power makes sense. It is the idea that this is a closed loop in some ways, while the world is still changing in others. The end is always decided but it works because you don’t really feel that until the end.

The fact that Shinpei has to die to reset the loop is great for the story as well. And when Ushio and Hiruko start traveling with him as well, that is an added element to the story. Especially with Hiruko it really ups the tension when we as the viewer start to understand that Hiruko is now so tied into the time loop.

Finally with the time travel, I like how the loop shortens every time. That means that Shinpei becomes more and more limited as to what he can change. When it stays longer, like in Steins;Gate it plays around more with the depressing and hopeless feeling aspect of it. But in Summer Time Rendering with the shortening loop you feel the stress and the tension more as more and more events become locked into place.

The Mythology

Since we’re talking about Hiroku/Haine, I think it’s great to talk about the horror and mythology that the story creates. This idea of these shadow people. Haine creating some to really save the island originally but it not just being that. That now these shadows copy people and are used to replace people is really interesting and horrifying. The tell for if they are are a shadow or not also works really well. The idea that the shadow doesn’t care about the “body” but they don’t want people to touch the shadow is great.

And the idea of Haine and how she came from this other land out of time is interesting as well. This idea that she lived in the ocean for a long time after crashing to Earth and only when she beached herself as a whale did she become a “god” so to speak. But at the same time while she is the god of the island, she is also just a little girl. And seeing those interaction with Hizuru really change how you see Hiroku/Haine.

Final Grade

I really like this type of anime or show. I don’t want to watch the likes of it all the time. But when I’m in the mood I really enjoy something that just leaves me feeling unsettled. And while it ends good with just little fragments and memories and people reconnecting, it doesn’t feel like that’s a big miss from the show. Nor does that make a ton of sense. It’s kind of like how most seasons of Stranger Things end with them “winning”.

And the journey along the way for Summer Time Rendering is just so well done. And, yes, I’m saying it again. The time travel just works so well and it sells me on the show. Another example I could give of this great and unsettling time travel is Dark. Summer Time Rendering isn’t as dark as Dark, but I think there are times it is as unsettling.

My Grade: A-

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Comments or Questions?

What are your thoughts on Moon Knight? Did you like the first episode or were you hoping that it would be darker? What do you think of Oscar Isaac’s and Ethan Hawke’s performances thus far? And what are you hoping to see from a Thor: Love and Thunder trailer?

You answer those questions or let me know other thoughts or comments you have over on Twitter. Tweet them to me @TheScando or by using #10MinMarvel. You can also leave a comment in the comments section below. We have five more weeks of talking about Moon Knight coming up, and then Doctor Strange in the Mutliverse of Madness.

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Sleeping Gods

This game is one that I almost backed on Kickstarter, but I didn’t for one main reason. Looking at the Kickstarter, I loved the artwork, I thought the game play looked interesting, I was just worried it would land for me like Near and Far did. I like Near and Far, don’t get me wrong. I think that that the game play is solid and the story is solid. But the story is lacking, for me.

So I was concerned that Sleeping Gods would kind of fall into that same line of things. And with a lot of other games out there to be back two years ago, I think, I didn’t jump on it. I also knew that the game would be available at retail as well. And then reviews for the game started coming in, and people really liked it. The game play seems more my style, and the story seems more focused. And, of course, the game sold out. Board Game Geek has it (or had) for pre-order, so I figured it was time to hop on it.

Ratcatcher

This one also was a Kickstarter that I wasn’t sure about. Firstly, it is a solo only game, which I have found out that I like more than I thought. But when it was on Kickstarter I wasn’t sure. And I’m a little hesitant to back, or was, a solo only game. This is one, however, I was less sure would actually hit retail.

In the case of Ratcatcher, what drew me in was a solo play on the GloryHoundd YouTube channel. I’ll put the video below. But that game play looked like a lot of fun. The game seems to do what I like in a solo game a lot of the time. It provides an interesting and shifting puzzle in a small package. Now, it does spread out on the table, but overall, I really think this one looks like fun.

Grove

Another solo only game on the list of things that I’ve pre-ordered. This one I did back on Kickstarter. You can read up on it in my Back or Brick article. This one I didn’t hesitate to back on Kickstarter because it’s a follow-up to a game that I already love, Orchard. Orchard is a great little solo game with a little footprint and super fast play time. Grove looks like it is going to be more of the same, and that’s very interesting to me because I’ve already played Orchard over 60 times. I can imagine Grove will get played as much.

Marvel Dice Throne

No shock on this one, I’d think. I love Dice Throne, it hasn’t been on my top 100, yet. But you take a game I really like and an intellectual property I’m clearly in love with, I’m going to back the game. It’s been under 24 hours and it’s just under $900,000. So it’s doing extremely well at a time when some Kickstarters are cancelling. I wasn’t really all that concerned about this one cancelling.

If you are interested in Marvel Dice Throne, it will be coming to retail. But the Kickstarter version does come in a single box, and the price point is going to be cheaper on everything. That means if you want to get the playmats, card sleeves, or the dice tray, the time to get it is now. I’ll be talking about it more tomorrow when I do a Back or Brick for it.

Similos Spookies

This one wasn’t pre-ordered, just ordered, so it’s in my collection, though it showed up a few days too late for the October board game night when it would have been perfect. Similos is a party game where you are working together to figure out clues as to what the groups card is. The game is a lot of fun and you can mix and match the different sets from Mythology to Animals and now to spooky monsters.

I knew I was going to get this one when it became available. The game play is a ton of fun, and if I can add in something spooky or spoopy to my game collection, I’m probably going to do that. And as replayable as Similos already is, I’m not going to say no to having even more sets that I can mix and match together.

Which game would you want to get to the table first? Are you backing either of the Kickstarters, Grove or Marvel Dice Throne?

Point of Sale

Normally I’d do a bigger article as I did sell a fair number of things recently, but they were all RPG books, so I wanted to talk about them in one lump, because there’s really one reason I’m getting rid of all of them. While I do like a lot of different RPG’s and I’ll gladly play them, I’ve come to realize I’m just running D&D. Dungeons and Dragons is the game that I know best. It is the game I buy the books for new character classes or settings for.

I am always going to have more D&D content to run. And I haven’t kept up with other games. While I have run some Star Wars games, I am not that likely to again. The same goes for the other systems, while they are fun, I won’t be playing them over Dungeons and Dragons, so might as well sell them.

Now, I did keep one non-D&D thing. That was the Fate core book and Fate Dresden Files. I haven’t ever used those books. I am not sure that I ever will, But I love the Dresden Files, so I wasn’t ready to get rid of that one right now.

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What is Lords of Ragnarok

It’s a area control, monster fighting, temple building, statue building, player power heavy board game. Now, that sounds like a lot and it is a lot in the Lords of Hellas. It isn’t what I’d call a “clean” game, there are weird interactions and things that happen, but the game is so much fun.

The main thing I talk about when I bring up this game is the end game, more details here. Basically, you win in multiple ways. Take over two areas, you win. Defeat three monsters you win. Control five temples, you win. Hold control of a statue when it’s done, you win. And that might be a lot, but in a five player game, everyone was close to winning.

That’s Lords of Hellas, Lords of Ragnarok is more of the same. This is going to be a very similar game with just a different theme. You can find more details for it over on Gamefound where there is a light preview page up.

When And Where Do I Find It?

Well, it is going to be crowdfunded on Gamefound instead of Kickstarter. You can sign-up for a notification when it goes live, and if you do and you decide to back it you get a free hero expansion, value approximately $8. The when part, no official date on when this one will launch. I am guessing that it’ll be going live around Thanksgiving, but I might be late on that.

Hype Level

1 of 5

Disclaimer like normal, I am hyped for this game, this is just how hyped I am.

1 of 5 might seem pretty low. But let’s remember that this is not a truly new game. This is a 2.0 version of Lords of Hellas or a reskinned version of Lords of Hellas. I own Lords of Hellas. So while I am excited for this because maybe some slight tweaks and a Norse mythology theme, I own it kind of already. So do I really need another copy, the answer is maybe.

Is Lords of Ragnarok a game that you’re interested in getting?

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But like any person, I enjoy certain themes more than others. You can probably guess some of them based off of the games that I talk about the most, but let’s run down my Top 10 favorite themes in board games.

The List

On this list, going back to yesterday’s post, you are going to see some things where you’ll think, that’s theme is a subset of another theme on the list. Some themes, Sci-Fi and Fantasy, for example, are really broad.

10. Fairy Tales

This is a theme that I don’t see enough in games that target adults. Fairy Tales are often used for kids games, and while that’s a great spot for them, let’s not lie, the original fairy tales were messed up stories that didn’t end well. The versions that we know, those aren’t w hat they first at the start. So I love to see that twisted, but maybe closer to the actual theme fairy tale games.

The Grimm Masquerade

So, my example is going to be The Grimm Masquerade. This creates a hidden role game that is actually pretty interesting for me. I don’t love games like Mafia, Werewolf, or the Resistance because they are generally too simple. The Grimm Masquerade is all about figuring out who is what character, but how it is done is really interesting. Mainly because you have a draw a card and either keep it or give it away, and then the other action with your second card. Simple mechanics and fun game play.

9. Exploration

Honestly, I think if I do this again in two years, explorations will be higher on my list. I have mainly played a couple games that use this theme. And you could argue that it’s more of a mechanic, but I am thinking of that Indiana Jones type feel, where you have fantastic things going on, and you are discovering it with the other people at the tables. There are a few other games that dabble in this in another category that comes up. But I like the feeling of going into that new area and not knowing what I might find.

Tainted Grail

Now, Tainted Grail falls into a few other themes coming up here as well, but it works well here. The biggest element of Tainted Grail is diving in and exploring the massive, well written world that Awaken Realms has created. They even have an exploration journal which has so many things that you can do in it, and some many different paths you can go. It is probably impossible to actually find all the different options which is amazing.

8. Zombies

Yes, Zombies get their own theme. There are so many zombie games out there, and I tend to like them. Zombie games fall mainly into two categories. You either are mowing down zombies to get away from them, or you are trying to survive and it’s about the people versus killing zombies. Both are a lot of fun, and I have games with both types. I even have one where you are the zombies, but that one is a bit themeless really with Zombie Dice.

Dead of Winter

No shock which one I picked here, there are a lot of zombie games, but this one I have played the most. This is one where it is about the survivors and trying to make it through the cold of winter and complete your objectives. It’s interesting because it is cooperative with the possibility of a traitor, but it’s not as well. Because each player has a secret objective they need to complete to be part of the winning group. It is an interesting dynamic that works pretty well but won’t be for everyone. It does help simulate what your survivor(s) might care about most.

7. Lovecraftian

So another one that has a darker theme, we’re talking about Lovecraft. Now, this is not like Lovecraft’s books, but more the investigative, pulp, noir, theme that has been put on it by Fantasy Flight Games, mainly, and other companies as well. The main thing that ties it back to Lovecraft is that it uses his monsters to create a more fleshed out world of intrigue, investigation and tentacles.

Mansions of Madness

A few options I could have gone with, there are a ton of games with a Lovecraftian theme because, well, it is a public domain. Don’t have a theme, slap Lovecraft on it. But Mansions of Madness is my favorite. It is taking this city view or world view that some of the other games have and focusing it down to a neighborhood or a mansion. Add in the app which changes things up so you can play the same scenario multiple times and things will vary slightly. Just a nice, deeply thematic game.

6. Detective

Building off of what Lovecraftian themes do with their horror added, I like games where you are the person trying to figure out who done it. I would still even play something like Clue which is one of the first games that did that. But the genre has improved so much over time and you can have Sherlock Holmes, though I haven’t played any of the Sherlock Holmes: Consulting Detective games.

Detective: A Modern Crime Board Game

It has Detective in it’s name, it has to be good, right? Well, not really, but it was very good. This takes all of the best parts of those procedural cop shows and drops you into it. You are the one making the decisions, picking up on clues, and trying to solve the case. The base box is amazing, and I have a bunch more stuff to play for it. They are now even doing a spy theme using the same system that I am really excited about.

5. Mythology

Welcome to the second category that Tainted Grail falls into it. But I really like games that can pull from different mythologies, Norse, Greek, Roman, Mayan, and more to create interesting board games. And the idea of playing as the gods or adjacent to the gods is always interesting. Especially because of the different powers the gods have and how that can translate into what you are doing. I also get to learn stuff about mythologies that I might not know much about.

Lords of Hellas

This takes a few things and puts them together. It is a bit like the world of Horizon Zero Dawn where the monsters look like creatures but are machines, and it has a cyber punk element. This game definitely leans more into the mythological side of things as you play different heroes and build towers to the gods. I love the different win conditions and the theme just makes the game that much more compelling.

4. Sci-Fi

Broad category #1, science fiction. There are a few different types, and I tend to prefer space exploration type of Sci-Fi versus weird future worlds. Though, things like Shadowrun are technically Sci-Fi and I like that Cyberpunk theme. However, I really like the grander feel that space exploration has in general. And there are a ton of great board games that fall into the realm of space.

Star Wars: Rebellion

Now this could be consider cheating a little bit because Star Wars could be it’s own theme. But it is also a space game. While you aren’t exploring as much, the empire is exploring planets trying to narrow down where the rebels can be. This feels like the original trilogy as it is cat and mouse. The empire trying to squash the rebel fleets and find their base, and the rebels trying to subvert the empires plan. It is also a big game, probably playing in about three hours or a bit less, if you know what you are doing. Ton of fun, Star Wars in a box.

3. Fantasy

Now, the second to last category that Tainted Grail could fit into, I love fantasy games. Unlike Sci-Fi where I prefer space sci-fi, I like almost any type of fantasy. Whether it’s a grim dark world like Tainted Grail, urban fantasy like The Dresden Files Cooperative Card Game, or silly fantasy like Smallworld, I like games that have fantasy in them. There’s just something about slinging spells and fighting dragons or other crazy monsters that is a lot of fun.

Gloomhaven

No surprise what game I am going with here, Gloomhaven is my favorite game of all time. It has you on this massive epic adventure as you try and figure out all that is happening in the lands. But beyond that, the game has amazing card play and really unique fantasy creatures to fight and play as. The amount of world building that went into Gloomhaven is amazing.

2. Superhero

I flipped the last two at the last second, but Superheroes, they are just below my #1, because, well, there are a lot of poor superhero games out there. So this theme will always get me interested whether I’m playing as a superhero or fighting against them. But because DC and Marvel are both very popular in general, that means that there are some poorer games out there. But tell me that a board game has a Marvel theme, I am always going to check it out.

Marvel Champions

A Marvel game, no surprise there. I really like Marvel Champions a lot. It is a great game that they keep on adding more great content for. This is the one that has me playing a hero that I know and love from Marvel and I feel like that hero. If I am playing Spider-Man, I can go in there with a swinging web kick, or I can flip over to Peter Parker, the bad guy won’t fight me, and I can recover. Of course, then the bad guy is scheming until I can get in there again to stop their plans and take them down.

1. Horror

Finally, my number 1, Horror. I love horror in board games. From games where it is a one off scenario to games where it is a full campaign. The grim dark fantasy nature of Tainted Grail makes it also dabble into horror. But Zombie and Lovecraftian games also fall into that category as well. Zombies can be more survival and Lovecraftian can be more investigative, so horror get’s it’s own. I love not knowing what’s around the corner, what horror might be popping up and the feeling of the impending doom if things don’t go well.

Betrayal at House on the Hill

Now, I know this one will be controversial. There are people who do not like this game, I love it. I think that it is really well done and it gives you that feeling of horror movies. You don’t know what is around the next corner, if a good twist happens, you don’t know who is going to be betray you, and you don’t know if you will survive. Is it well balanced, probably not, but I really like the thematic and cinematic feeling it gives me.

What Is Your Favorite Theme?

Let me know in the comments below or over on Twitter what themes in board games you like best. There are a lot of them out there. I could have broken down Fantasy and Sci-Fi more as well. Are there any that you feel are used too much?

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Now, that could be less exciting, because there are a lot of generic themes out there, and a lot of games that are using themes over and over again. Especially now with copyrights not being extended to kingdom come, there are more works that are now public domain. A few years ago Sherlock Holmes became public domain and HP Lovecrafts work some time before that.

So what are some of my favorite themes on board games?

Epic Fantasy –
Super generic, but I really do enjoy a good fantasy game. Especially since a lot of them have a better developed story than most. Now it helps that I’m a big fantasy fan, so I can quickly understand what is going on with the various fantasy tropes and it allows me to get quickly into the story being told. Games like Gloomhaven and Legends of Andor do a good job of baking story into the actual game play themselves. I think what I like about the fantasy theme on board games is that it gives me a bit of that feeling of playing an RPG in a lot of the games and I can make my decisions like I am that hero. In a lot of ways it scratches my itch to play an RPG when I can’t be in a game as a player or as the GM.

Lovecraftian –
I did a big board game battle post about all of the Fantasy Flight games that I’ve played with the HP Lovecraft world theme on them. I’m a bit surprised with how main stream Lovecraft is in board games, but it works in most of the cases. I will say that it gets slapped onto a lot of games that don’t need it. Like in Unspeakable Words, you’re just doing a pretty standard word game, but it has the Lovecraftian theme and cute Lovecraftian artwork on it. Now, that’s fine because it takes a game that wouldn’t have artistic direction and gives it some, but it’s kind of silly. Then there are games like Arkham Horror, Mansions of Madness, and Arkham Horror LCG that are just steeped in theme. Those games seek to make you feel like an investigator of some background who is really going through this world, dealing with the monsters, progressing the story, looking for clues, and sometimes dealing with the events of the normal world. It also does a good job of setting an aesthetic that is generally pleasing to play in but also being a horror focused game. It really doesn’t rely on blood and guts like some horror games would.

Sci-Fi –
Another super generic option, like epic fantasy, but I figured I should say more than just Star Wars. While the Star Wars games are great that I’ve played, Imperial Assault and Star Wars: Rebellion, there are other sci-fi games out there that I’ve liked as well. It’s interesting because you have a wide variety of scope with games in the Sci-Fi genre. Games like Star Wars: Rebellion, Battlestar Galactica, and Cosmic Encounters are planet level Sci-Fi games. And while Cosmic Encounters doesn’t feel like quire as grand a scope as Rebellion, it’s still a bigger game in some ways. Compare that to Imperial Assault and Clank! In! Space!, those games have a focus that is much more on a smaller part of the world. You’re on a planet or in a space ship dealing with things, but you aren’t as worried about the whole cosmos. Having that variety is what makes Sci-Fi such a strong genre to me.

Now, there are so many more genres out there, but you’re not going to have that much issue finding games in these genres, and I tend to gravitate towards them. There is one that I want to see more of though.

Weird West –
I really enjoy the weird west setting. Some might say that it’s a bit Lovecraft mixed with the wild west, and that’s probably pretty accurate. But when people say a Lovecraft game, that’s generally meaning 1920’s and Arkham area. Weird west can be a lot more than just that, and I like Shadows of Brimstone for that, though I’ve only gotten it to the table once. I need to go back and fix the monsters and hopefully stream that game at some point in time so I can actually play it some more. But the game is interesting and has some cool big moments to it.

Mythological –
Now, some might say this is part of fantasy, but I think I would qualify it differently than “Epic Fantasy”. Theming of games like Lords of Hellas, which I haven’t played or Santorini which is really an abstract game, but has the Greek mythology added to it, that’s a theme that I can get behind. What makes it generally pretty thematic is that all the deities have their own powers which really do track with the mythology that you’re in. Even if you aren’t going the standard Greek, there are now a lot of games with Norse Mythology. Blood Rage on the cards you draft does a really good job of creating that mythological feel for each deity that you can draft cards from. In fact, those cards are where you really get the theme of Norse Mythology in Blood Rage.

I could go on talking about more themes in board games. There are games with a heavily influenced theme by Japan and/or Anime. There are games t hat have cool adventuring themes that give you the Indiana Jones feel. There are a few themes that I’ll generally avoid though. If a game has the “trading in the Mediterranean” theme, that’s a hard pass for me. I’m also kind of done with the zombie theme at this point. I do like Dead of Winter, so I’m not opposed to it, but a zombie themed game isn’t all that interesting to me most of the time.

What are some themes you like in board games. What are themes that you want to see more of in board games?

Share questions, ideas for articles, or comments with us!

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