-
Hey, guest user. Hope you're enjoying NeoGAF! Have you considered registering for an account? Come join us and add your take to the daily discourse.
New Board Gaming |OT2| On Tables, Off Topic
- Thread starter Karkador
- Start date
BassForever
Member
Bgg rankings are kind of like rotten tomatoes in that people confuse them for some concensus score ala a meta critic when that's not what it's trying to do. Bgg's entire rating system is based upon how often you want to play a game now how good you think the game actually is. When you look at bgg's rankings the number you see should reflect the games people most want to play at a given point in time so it makes sense the new hotness games will generally gravitate to the top.
-tetsuo-
Unlimited Capacity
I still think lists like BGG aren't necessarily bad because they give a quick overview of wat 'good' games are and which of those are 'not so good'. What you will actually like depends on the mechanics you want out of a game and so your personal list will definitely look different. Debating whether something should be at #7 or #13 is pointless, just as it is pointless to compare metacritic scores. You just know that a 90 MC is most likely better executed on its premise than a 68 MC.
Played also my very first official game against the Scythe Automa. I lost, but I know have a general feeling for what I should do better and what works and whatnot. Love the game though, and can't wait to play four player.
Think I'm biting the bullet on it, it's expensive but I don't want to wait until third print.
We could try, right?
Yeah, I've seen that game already. Need to research a bit into it, looks expertedly crafted, but theme seems weird, I guess?
I'm also definitely going to pass on Odin, watched a video review of it and the puzzle thing is not for me. There's also very limited player interactivity, feels more like gardening while seated together at a table.
What video reviewers does everyone recommend that can explain game mechanics well and who you know have a fair view if the game is good or not?
Played also my very first official game against the Scythe Automa. I lost, but I know have a general feeling for what I should do better and what works and whatnot. Love the game though, and can't wait to play four player.
Think I'm biting the bullet on it, it's expensive but I don't want to wait until third print.
We could try, right?
Yeah, I've seen that game already. Need to research a bit into it, looks expertedly crafted, but theme seems weird, I guess?
I'm also definitely going to pass on Odin, watched a video review of it and the puzzle thing is not for me. There's also very limited player interactivity, feels more like gardening while seated together at a table.
What video reviewers does everyone recommend that can explain game mechanics well and who you know have a fair view if the game is good or not?
None of those belong, aside from maybe TM.
My hatred of MK rivals my love of Inis.
TEAR IT ALL DOWN.
BassForever
Member
I haven't played almost any of the games mentioned on this page outside of Pandemic 🙃
witchedwiz
Member
I use bgg ranking but with a grain of salt..
Boardgaming is a forest..
Plus LOT of people only play a relatively small number of largely available games.. thus older games, greater games with low print and great games that come in a relatively crowded timeframe with a low print are easily screwed..
I mean.. I tried one game of scythe and it was good.. but not top 100 good if you ask me
Boardgaming is a forest..
Plus LOT of people only play a relatively small number of largely available games.. thus older games, greater games with low print and great games that come in a relatively crowded timeframe with a low print are easily screwed..
I mean.. I tried one game of scythe and it was good.. but not top 100 good if you ask me
toddhunter
Member
My rules for BGG
* The top list is a useful resource for seeing what new games are out and about are coming up. Think of it as a new release list, not a ranking.
* Subtract 2 from the complexity rating to get an idea of how a game really plays.
* It is important to keep through the ages at the top of the list as a warning to everyone that the site is never to be taken too seriously.
A NeoGAF list? We would be torn apart over destiny alone.
I like Rahdo https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCoLvU6o3JnE341uPAQ9KCUQ (who has recently improved his top 10s by showing images of the game). You have to stop the final thoughts at the point where he whinges that either "it isn't a two player game" or "there is too much conflict" but beyond that he explains things well, explains the strategy behind decisions and will also generally call out flaws.
* The top list is a useful resource for seeing what new games are out and about are coming up. Think of it as a new release list, not a ranking.
* Subtract 2 from the complexity rating to get an idea of how a game really plays.
* It is important to keep through the ages at the top of the list as a warning to everyone that the site is never to be taken too seriously.
A NeoGAF list? We would be torn apart over destiny alone.
I like Rahdo https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCoLvU6o3JnE341uPAQ9KCUQ (who has recently improved his top 10s by showing images of the game). You have to stop the final thoughts at the point where he whinges that either "it isn't a two player game" or "there is too much conflict" but beyond that he explains things well, explains the strategy behind decisions and will also generally call out flaws.
BassForever
Member
My favorite use for bgg is seeing the recommended player counts and adding games that I like to my "to buy" category like Medici the card game which I played the other day and really enjoyed.
CreatureX3
Member
Mine:
1. Pandemic Legacy
1. Pandemic Legacy
SapphiCine
Member
The FLGS in my city is pathetic. Can't wait until I can move to a better city.
And thus you see how opinions differ.
I wouldn't put TM on any top 10 list, probably not even top 20.sasimirobot
Junior Member
Glass road sucks. kinda weird this opinions thing huh?
RelentlessRolento
Member
Currently on the safe side of hurricane Irma. My parents are staying so my daughter taught my mom how to play Sushi Go! I gave her then some tips. She had a hard time with it partially due to not being familiar with sushi, but she still enjoyed it.
Then immediately after we opened up Herbacious and played out first game. Damn that one is fun. My mom said she greatly prefers it over sushi go. After thinking about it I think I do as well. Everything about it is great and oddly competitive and relaxing at the same time (I hear solo play is just straight up relaxing and easy). Plus the art to boot is damn fine.
Lastly a few min ago my daughter then opened up Flip City. The mechanics are a bit off initially and my daughter started getting frustrated with me explaining the rules (she's normally in bed no later than 10pm and this happened at 2am). She gave up (and gave attitude) so as a parent sent her to bed. I think it might be more fun solo tbh.
We also got Go Nuts for Doughnuts but will dive into it later (doesn't look fun to me, but picked it up for my daughter's sweet obsession).
So far board gaming has done better than expected for the hurricane wait so far.
If my parents weren't staying with us id be playing alot of Lord of the Rings LCG.
Then immediately after we opened up Herbacious and played out first game. Damn that one is fun. My mom said she greatly prefers it over sushi go. After thinking about it I think I do as well. Everything about it is great and oddly competitive and relaxing at the same time (I hear solo play is just straight up relaxing and easy). Plus the art to boot is damn fine.
Lastly a few min ago my daughter then opened up Flip City. The mechanics are a bit off initially and my daughter started getting frustrated with me explaining the rules (she's normally in bed no later than 10pm and this happened at 2am). She gave up (and gave attitude) so as a parent sent her to bed. I think it might be more fun solo tbh.
We also got Go Nuts for Doughnuts but will dive into it later (doesn't look fun to me, but picked it up for my daughter's sweet obsession).
So far board gaming has done better than expected for the hurricane wait so far.
If my parents weren't staying with us id be playing alot of Lord of the Rings LCG.
-tetsuo-
Unlimited Capacity
Oh we had a game gathering that went very well. Played Handful of Stars, Terraforming Mars, Shadowrun Crossfire, and Trials of Indines. I wish we could have swapped that 3 1/2 hour game of Terraforming Mars with the Lisboa and Cthulhu Wars we brought, but you can't play what you want all the time
It would be fun to try though :b
You are wrong. Glass Road is a excellent design. Its balanced and the ressource/production wheel is a work of art in what it does with so few components.
Its fair to say that you dont like it, but Its not a badly designet game.
Where are they? I just got the Millennium Blades pro characters mini expansion but didn't realize there were new battlecon characters.
And insane in a power creep way?
Maybe the good part of BGG top list is that it is made by plebs like me for plebs like me, so if they are interested in a game I might like it too. Kinda like how someone can enjoy a recommended €5 wine from the supermarket, while a wine connoisseur will think it's pure piss.
If Scythe isn't even top 100 to you, I'm really interested in what you consider top 10.
Thanks for the heads up. His video on Clans of Caledonia seem to explain the game really well, I had trouble figuring out how this game even worked.
If Scythe isn't even top 100 to you, I'm really interested in what you consider top 10.
Thanks for the heads up. His video on Clans of Caledonia seem to explain the game really well, I had trouble figuring out how this game even worked.
TerminalDogma
Member
There's a lot of talk about people's top 10's the last page or so, but no one is actually posting their top 10's. No need for a community top 10, you guys are clearly afraid of too much conflict there, but what about individual top 10s? Gotta admit, this is mostly to give me more ideas for board games to get. Seems like I'm finally getting a weekly group together. But I generally do use BGG top 100 for those ideas now, realizing it's mostly newer games.
I'd post my own top 10, but I'm still relatively new to board gaming...I think if I made a list it would just be the 10 games I've played, haha. Which also would be mostly deck builders, thinking on it.
I'd post my own top 10, but I'm still relatively new to board gaming...I think if I made a list it would just be the 10 games I've played, haha. Which also would be mostly deck builders, thinking on it.
OK. My top ten in alphabetical order, with expansions not separated from the base games:
#1: Age of Steam
#2: Dixit
#3: Hanabi
#4: Imperial
#5: Lords of Waterdeep
#6: Kingdoms
#7: One Night Ultimate Werewolf
#8: The Princes of Florence
#9: Race for the Galaxy
#10: Terra Mystica
To be honest, though, this isn't really a collection of my absolute favorite games, as I've limited the Gerdts and Knizia entries and included Lords of Waterdeep and Hanabi for the sake of diversity. So it's more of a "board gaming essentials" or "rebuilding my library if it were lost" list. By my BGG ratings, Battlestar Galactica (with Daybreak) would be up there, too, but I'm unwilling to play that game with uncommitted/new players, so having my own copy is unnecessary.
EDIT: Top three for a core library would be Imperial, Race for the Galaxy (with Gathering Storm), and one of Codenames/Dixit/One Night Ultimate Werewolf/Resistance: Avalon.
#1: Age of Steam
#2: Dixit
#3: Hanabi
#4: Imperial
#5: Lords of Waterdeep
#6: Kingdoms
#7: One Night Ultimate Werewolf
#8: The Princes of Florence
#9: Race for the Galaxy
#10: Terra Mystica
To be honest, though, this isn't really a collection of my absolute favorite games, as I've limited the Gerdts and Knizia entries and included Lords of Waterdeep and Hanabi for the sake of diversity. So it's more of a "board gaming essentials" or "rebuilding my library if it were lost" list. By my BGG ratings, Battlestar Galactica (with Daybreak) would be up there, too, but I'm unwilling to play that game with uncommitted/new players, so having my own copy is unnecessary.
EDIT: Top three for a core library would be Imperial, Race for the Galaxy (with Gathering Storm), and one of Codenames/Dixit/One Night Ultimate Werewolf/Resistance: Avalon.
SapphiCine
Member
Played two games of Pandemic: Reign of Cthulhu and I think I like it better than base Pandemic. The artwork could be better, definitely not on par with FFG's work. Also both games were on the easy side and I could see the difficulty being swingy, especially dependent of if you get the Elder Sign relic. If you are playing well, the risk of awakening rituals due to cultists is low. The shoggoths are easy to handle and haven't had a single one go through a gate. Two of the investigators, the magician and doctor, are both inferior to the rest.
I'll go with my current top 10. Not really ordered, except for #s 1 and 2. This is definitely skewed to what I've been playing this year.
1. Arkham Horror: The Card Game
2. Gloomhaven
3. Castles of Burgundy
4. Codenames
5. La Granja
6. Voyages of Marco Polo
7. Ulm
8. Fugitive
9. Mansions of Madness
10. Pandemic: Legacy
My list would have been a lot more Euro-centric in the past, but I've really gotten back into more thematic stuff over the past year, as well as really enjoying legacy and co-op games a lot.
1. Arkham Horror: The Card Game
2. Gloomhaven
3. Castles of Burgundy
4. Codenames
5. La Granja
6. Voyages of Marco Polo
7. Ulm
8. Fugitive
9. Mansions of Madness
10. Pandemic: Legacy
My list would have been a lot more Euro-centric in the past, but I've really gotten back into more thematic stuff over the past year, as well as really enjoying legacy and co-op games a lot.
Mr. Lemming
Member
My top ten:
1. Pandemic
2. Bohnanza
3. Powerboats
4. Coloretto
5. Ticket to Ride
6. Kingsburg
7. Vegas Showdown
8. Jamaica
9. Cards Against Humanity
10. Coconuts
Edit: Actually I lied, put Pit somewhere in there too... take out Jamaica or Kingsburg
1. Pandemic
2. Bohnanza
3. Powerboats
4. Coloretto
5. Ticket to Ride
6. Kingsburg
7. Vegas Showdown
8. Jamaica
9. Cards Against Humanity
10. Coconuts
Edit: Actually I lied, put Pit somewhere in there too... take out Jamaica or Kingsburg
Can't post a top 10 since I haven't even played 10 decent board games enough to rate them, but really interested in what other people cosnsider their favorite games. But would a NeoGAF recommended list really be so bad as long as we don't really rank the games?
I've bitten the bullet and preordered Gloomhaven too. And now I want that Scythe Legendary Box and Wind Gambit expansion, probably going to put in an order soon. Seems like a new store is opening up in a ten minute drive and they have a very well designed webshop and store owners seem really friendly. Finally some real competition for that LGS here that jacks up his prices and is just rude in general.
My sister is also buying Terraforming Mars for my birthday next month (even though I'm well aware that impressions are mixed), and my next game for Christmas will likely be Terra Mystica. Should be enough board games to start out the collection.
Charterstone and Clans of Caledonia look really good too if you ask me. Hope they will deliver on the gameplay when they release.
I've bitten the bullet and preordered Gloomhaven too. And now I want that Scythe Legendary Box and Wind Gambit expansion, probably going to put in an order soon. Seems like a new store is opening up in a ten minute drive and they have a very well designed webshop and store owners seem really friendly. Finally some real competition for that LGS here that jacks up his prices and is just rude in general.
My sister is also buying Terraforming Mars for my birthday next month (even though I'm well aware that impressions are mixed), and my next game for Christmas will likely be Terra Mystica. Should be enough board games to start out the collection.
Charterstone and Clans of Caledonia look really good too if you ask me. Hope they will deliver on the gameplay when they release.
In no order because I'd tear MYSELF apart;
War of the Ring (ok this is def #1. It's literally perfect)
Inis
Innovation
Twilight Imperium
Blood Bowl Team Manager
Concordia
BSG
Le Havre
Chaos in the Old World
Troyes
Honorable mentions to Monikers, Forbidden Stars, GoT 2nd Ed, Quantum, Chronicle, Lords of Vegas and a dozen more.
War of the Ring (ok this is def #1. It's literally perfect)
Inis
Innovation
Twilight Imperium
Blood Bowl Team Manager
Concordia
BSG
Le Havre
Chaos in the Old World
Troyes
Honorable mentions to Monikers, Forbidden Stars, GoT 2nd Ed, Quantum, Chronicle, Lords of Vegas and a dozen more.
Which is a fair statement. Id also rather play Arcadia quest than chess, even though the latter is a better design.
Oh and my top 10
1. Scythe
2. Race for the Galaxy
3. Through the Ages: A new story of Civilization
4. Glass Road
5. Theseus: The Dark Orbit
6. Pax Porfiriana
7. Arctic Scavengers
8. Star Wars LCG
9. Kingdom Builder
10. Castles of Burgundy
Dimitri2401
Member
Since we're doing top 10 now, here we go:
1. Keyflower
2. Five Tribes
3. The Great Zimbabwe
4. The Castles of Burgundy
5. 7 Wonders Duel
6. Yokohama
7. Tramways
8. Orleans
9. Mombasa
10. Yinsh
1. Keyflower
2. Five Tribes
3. The Great Zimbabwe
4. The Castles of Burgundy
5. 7 Wonders Duel
6. Yokohama
7. Tramways
8. Orleans
9. Mombasa
10. Yinsh
I've seen some videos of it, and it looks pretty good but I still don't get what makes the game so amazing. Any reason what makes this game special?
Also, what were they thinking with the box art, I first though this was a grim Cowboy shoot off game, not a cow trading market game.
TerminalDogma
Member
I kickstarted the original Cthulhu Wars game, but I've never played it. It's just chilled on my shelf for YEARS. Is it really good? I understand there's been two updated versions of it now, do you know if I need to get anything from those or should I just play the game as is?
BassForever
Member
Top 10's?
1. Blood Rage
2. Pixel Tactics
3. Time Stories
4. Pandemic
5. Smash up
6. Onitama
7. Cosmic Encounter
8. Battlelore
9. King of Tokyo
10. Sellswords
1. Blood Rage
2. Pixel Tactics
3. Time Stories
4. Pandemic
5. Smash up
6. Onitama
7. Cosmic Encounter
8. Battlelore
9. King of Tokyo
10. Sellswords
-tetsuo-
Unlimited Capacity
You should get all of the errata. Factions have been updated and balance tweaked since release. You need those 100%, but they have released upgraded components as well if that sort of thing interests you. Also the base game comes with 4 factions, and there are now 3 extra factions available with one more on the way. If you want to play 5 players you will have to pick one up.
hmmm what would I include on my top 10 list....
in no order
Legendary Marvel
Spirit island
Sentinels of the Multiverse
Love Letter
Red Dragon Inn
TALES OF THE ARABIAN NIGHTS
Pandemic Legacy
Dead of Winter
Tragedy Looper
Mysterium
I think that is a fine list even if I am forgetting some lol.
in no order
Legendary Marvel
Spirit island
Sentinels of the Multiverse
Love Letter
Red Dragon Inn
TALES OF THE ARABIAN NIGHTS
Pandemic Legacy
Dead of Winter
Tragedy Looper
Mysterium
I think that is a fine list even if I am forgetting some lol.
BassForever
Member
My list would probably radically change if I can play half the games I wanted to
TerminalDogma
Member
Sweet. Probably gonna have to end up picking a new faction up. I feel like my original kickstarter MAY have come with an extra that was delivered later, but I could be wrong. Gonna have to look at everything again.
Also, cheers for these top 10 lists people. I've been checking out every game on your lists and seeing which ones my play group and I would enjoy. Lots of stuff has been added to my board game wish list now!
EYEL1NER
Member
Same here. I've got several dozen games that would all probably be in contention for my top 10 if I could ever play them. I've been wrong about tons of things before though, so having a feeling of 'I'm pretty sure I'd love Catacombs' isn't enough.
I've read and researched Quantum quite a bit. I know there isn't too much overlap between it and Alien Frontiers other than 'space theme' and lots of dice, but that's enough to draw me in. I'm curious to know what you like about it though. I've noticed a lot of your posts are trashing other games, which there is nothing wrong with. I've read so many of your posts about disliking 'x' games (which again, I'm not complaining about your posts), so it does make me curious what about Quantum makes you like it and what your impressions of it are.
-tetsuo-
Unlimited Capacity
I got my Trials of Indines KS pledge in and we played a few games. Power creep not so much but just some of the unique abilities. One of the master characters is a fortune teller and you deal yourself a spread of 6 tarot cards (out of 10) facedown at the start of the match. End of beat each time you flip one up and you get the effect on it the next beat. Thing is, about half of them are dependent on being positioned next to faceup cards, and she has styles that allow her to look at facedown cards and swap positions. So you are fighting oyur fight while trying to position and flip the best tarot cards for the next beat at the same time. Once you flip your final card you keep that one, pick up the rest, shuffle with the left over from start of game and deal 5 new ones facedown. She was a very fun character.
EYEL1NER
Member
The Millennium Blades promo character, right? That sounds like how she plays based off of a quick reading of her kit when my stuff showed up. I really like her character design after being updated from the MB art style to the BattleCON style.
its just super tight game design. Its one of those "that's it?" games, that's incredibly easy to teach yet offers a nice amount of tactical maneuvering to outpace your opponents. Its fun chucking the dice and hoping for a new ship you need, but it's not just a luck fest. The board is infinitely customizable for replayability, you usually only go through a small portion of the cards each game so that keeps it fresh, and it plays quickly (a big plus for some -- I obviously don't mind long games). I don't think its particularly something that's going to shatter anyone's world when they play it, but I have an appreciation of packing a lot of game into little design space, so to speak (I know that's pretty ironic coming from someone who loves FFG shlock).
EYEL1NER
Member
Thanks for the reply. I was just wondering what it had to it that grabbed you. Those are all things that I think look good about it: the simplicity, the modular board, rolling dice (and that the dice represent ships; I like that about Alien Frontiers but this takes it farther with different dice faces representing different types of ships), the speed of play...
I've been reading the rules a lot for it recently in anticipation for when I finally pull the trigger on it. I'm surprised at how little I've heard of it, having only found out about it maybe two months ago when looking for games similar to Alien Frontiers.
I wasn't delivered Trials of Indine yet, but what you describe is what I love about the BattleCON. You would expect that kind of game with that many character, to all look kind of same, but it's really far from the truth ( at least based on what I own, Devastation and Fate ).
Too bad I have so few opportunity to play it. :'(
I haven't played enough game to make a decent top 10 tbh, and even then I wouldn't know how to choose. Like the one I played the most is Tick to ride ( europe, but I gifted Germany and UK to my mother & I yet to play those ), but that's not because it's my favorite, but because it's one which work with pretty much everyone, from 8 to 70, which is a strength in itself. Battlecon is the opposite, it is a personal favorite, but at the same time it's also the hardest to get on the table and I play it like 2 times a year.
If you're interested in putting together a list of your top board games, Tom or Eric or someone else on the Dice Tower crew mentioned their use of this Ranking Engine on pubmeeple that's neat for making up your top 10/100/ns! It repeatedly gives you two of your listed games and you choose which of the two you like more (or equally like), then it spits out the rankings.