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Male
U.S., United States
20. October
Joined: Jun 12, 2019

I have been board gaming all my life, but serious hobby gaming since Winter 2011. There was a game store that was temporarily in our mall and we just walked in once and spoke with the owner. I asked for suggestions and he threw three at me: Munchkin, Dominion, Colosseum. Of course, as a noob gamer I went for Munchkin. And so began my steady plummet into the hobby.

https://purplephoenixgames.com/
Interests
Action
Adventure
Dice Game
Fantasy
Medieval
Roleplaying
Last Rated Items
Cytress
Tabletop Games
Cytress
9.0 (1 Ratings)
Forbidden Bridge
Tabletop Games
Forbidden Bridge
6.0 (3 Ratings)
Hunters of the Lost Creatures
Tabletop Games
Hunters of the Lost Creatures
7.0 (1 Ratings)
Dungeons & Dragons Roleplaying Game Starter Set
Tabletop Games
Dungeons & Dragons Roleplaying Game Starter Set
8.5 (6 Ratings)
Betrayal at House on the Hill
Tabletop Games
Betrayal at House on the Hill
8.3 (56 Ratings)
Holi: Festival of Colors
Tabletop Games
Holi: Festival of Colors
10.0 (2 Ratings)
Spartacus: A Game of Blood and Treachery
Tabletop Games
Spartacus: A Game of Blood and Treachery
8.8 (6 Ratings)
Matryoshka
Tabletop Games
Matryoshka
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Kim-Joy's Magic Bakery
Tabletop Games
Kim-Joy's Magic Bakery
9.0 (1 Ratings)
Dungeon Scrawlers: Heroes of Undermountain
Tabletop Games
Dungeon Scrawlers: Heroes of Undermountain
7.0 (1 Ratings)
Deep Blue
Tabletop Games
Deep Blue
7.0 (1 Ratings)
Cubitos
Tabletop Games
Cubitos
9.0 (1 Ratings)
Mutants
Tabletop Games
Mutants
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Exit: The Game – The Polar Station
Tabletop Games
Exit: The Game – The Polar Station
7.0 (1 Ratings)
Similo: Spookies
Tabletop Games
Similo: Spookies
8.0 (2 Ratings)
Tiny Epic Galaxies: Beyond the Black
Tabletop Games
Tiny Epic Galaxies: Beyond the Black
8.0 (1 Ratings)
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Purple Phoenix Games (2266 KP) rated Cytress in Tabletop Games

May 13, 2022  
Cytress
Cytress
2023 | Economic, Science Fiction
9
9.0 (1 Ratings)
Tabletop Game Rating
You ever play a game where you feel completely overwhelmed at first, but then slowly figure everything out just to fall in love with it? I really hadn’t… until Cytress. This thing is beastly, huge, and like 4 main games crammed into one experience and one box. I really wasn’t planning on letting on to my final thoughts so quickly, but here we are.

So like I mentioned, this game is an utter beast. I mean this lovingly, but for many different purposes. First, it will take some time to fully read the rulebook and understand everything mentioned within. Secondly, it will take way more time than you think to setup for the first game. Just stick with it – I promise it is worth it. Thirdly, players who are familiar with the game have a giant advantage over those who do not, so my immediate suggestion is to make a commitment to play with the same players as often as possible.

DISCLAIMER: We were provided a prototype copy of this game for the purposes of this review. These are preview copy components, and I do not know for sure if the final components will be any different from these shown. Also, it is not my intention to detail every rule in the game, as there are just too many. You are invited to download the rulebook, back the game through the Kickstarter campaign, or through any retailers stocking it after fulfillment. -T


Typically in my reviews I like to explain the setup and paraphrase the rules to give a great idea of how the game looks and plays. This time, however, I just don’t think I can paraphrase the rules well enough to do anything justice. That said, I will provide a link to the designer explaining the game and provide photos and my final thoughts at the end as normal.

I should get back to normal format now.

Components. Just as a reminder, we were sent a preview copy of the game. That said, we were sent a box just FULL of components. There are about a billion cards of different types and sizes, translucent tracking cubes, tunnel/tube pieces, standees, boards, chits, and even DeLorean-looking ships. Everything in my box was really great quality, especially for a prototype preview copy. It is difficult to tell from the Kickstarter campaign page what the final game will look like (with final components and all), but even if it came to backers the same quality as what I was forwarded, I imagine backers would be decently satisfied.

Okay, I know I did not explain the game at all, but if you watched the video, you will understand why. Essentially, players are trying to score the most points and get their team into the floating city of Stratos. They accomplish this by building tall tubes on the main board. Influence in each subsection (or neighborhood I guess) on the main board allows players to build these tubes, and completing missions for different crime bosses allows influence over the different neighborhoods. Throughout the game players are able to leverage their resources at several locations, and even increase effectiveness of their characters through different means of leveling up. It’s a great combination of mechanics and design choices that Laura would more than likely give it a chef’s kiss.

I will always have extreme fondness for games that allow me to level up my character. Years and years of playing RPGs both digitally and tabletopally have fed my love of character development. Cytress allows me to indulge that part of my gaming preferences and really create characters that are interesting for me to play. I mean, if I am playing a character in a game, I would prefer to have some say in how they are built. Immediately Cytress scores big points from me for this factor alone.

Playing a game on different levels is also a really big enjoyment factor for me. I mean this as being able to concentrate my turns to specific but different areas of the board/game, but also that incredible 3D Stratos board creation is simply divine. I really appreciate when designers think in that third dimension and are able to create meaningful design choices to incorporate it (like in Everdell), instead of just throwing a random element for coolness factor. Playing my cards and pushing my cubes to climb ever higher is not only something I enjoy in games, but also in life… if that can be a metaphor for life.

I really could write for hours on what I love about Cytress, but I don’t want to beleaguer the point. This is a game that, if it sounds even remotely interesting to you, should be backed immediately. The campaign ends May 24 so you have some time still, but don’t wait. You certainly don’t want it to slip away. I have had such a blast with Cytress with all the play counts, and I cannot decide which I like best, so I won’t decide – it is great with all play counts! Purple Phoenix Games enthusiastically recommends Cytress to any and all lovers of games. The theme is amazing, presentation is through the roof (almost literally), and the gameplay is surprisingly interesting from a first-time designer. You can thank me for enticing you to back it when you see me at the next convention by buying me a delicious beverage. Then we can play a game of Cytress and school some randos.
  
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Purple Phoenix Games (2266 KP) rated Forbidden Bridge in Tabletop Games

May 13, 2022  
Forbidden Bridge
Forbidden Bridge
1992 | Action, Adventure, Kids Game, Exploration, Fantasy
6
6.0 (3 Ratings)
Tabletop Game Rating
  
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Purple Phoenix Games (2266 KP) rated Hunters of the Lost Creatures in Tabletop Games

May 8, 2022  
Hunters of the Lost Creatures
Hunters of the Lost Creatures
2022 | Animals, Card Game, Environmental
7
7.0 (1 Ratings)
Tabletop Game Rating
If you are reading this, then we can agree on a few things: board games are cool and interesting, silly themes are usually fun, and we are all kids at heart. I appreciate other gamers so much because we all share a common bond of experiencing good and bad games, good and bad rules, as well as good and bad explanations of these rules. I would spoil it up top here if I let on which of these categories our featured game falls into, right? So keep reading.

Hunters of the Lost Creatures is a silly set collection card game for three to four players. In it, players assume the roles of zoological park curators charged with collecting unique creatures for their parks. They do this by bidding on and drafting creature cards, playing take-that style cards on their opponents, and blocking their cards from being manipulated by others.

DISCLAIMER: We were provided a prototype copy of this game for the purposes of this review. These are preview copy components, and I do not know for sure if the final components will be any different from these shown. Also, it is not my intention to detail every rule in the game, as there are just too many. You are invited to download the rulebook, back the game through the Kickstarter campaign, or through any retailers stocking it after fulfillment. -T


To setup, players choose one hunter card from each of the four hunting zones: Sea, Forest, Plains, and Air, as well as three “Park Closed” cards. The creature cards are to be split by zone and shuffled, with one special card (Turnado and Cat-a-Pult) added. These shuffled decks are then placed on the table and the top card revealed from each deck. Players decide turn order and the game may begin!
Hands are mostly played simultaneously, with players choosing either a hunter or special card from their hand and placing it face-down in front of themselves. All cards are revealed simultaneously and the card effects are applied. If a player has revealed a hunter, and no other players have the same-colored background/terrain type, that player receives the matching card from those on offer and places it in their park (tableau), or ANY OTHER PLAYER’S park. If ALL players have chosen the same terrain type hunters, the card on offer is removed from the game entirely. However, if not all hunters match, but at least one matches, the matching hunters’ players receive no cards.

Should a player choose to play a special card, their effects are triggered once per game. These include Turnado (switch any two creatures in any two parks), Cat-a-Pult (discards any creature from any player’s park), Thieves (steal any one terrain-matching creature and places it in the Thieves player’s park) and Closed Park (protects the player from the effects of aforementioned special cards). Again, these special cards may only be played once per game, so special consideration is needed as part of their strategy.


The game continues in this fashion of players throwing cards, messing with each other using special cards, and protecting themselves from said special cards until only one stack of creature cards remains. The game ends and points are tallied per the scoring table in the rulebook. The winner is promoted to Head Creature Park Guy and is carried around by the other players. Okay, that’s not at all true. They just win the game.
Components. Again, this is a prototype copy of Hunters of the Lost Creatures, so all components shown here are subject to change at any time. That said, I received a huge deck of cards in a cute black cloth bag. The cards are all decent quality, and not super glossy, which I appreciate. The art on these cards are all whimsical and silly, which match the silly and punny titles for each. Some of these punny titles can be seen in our photos, with my favorites being the Dandylion (a well-“dressed” weed with a cane and lion face) and the Cougar (which is subtle, but portrays an adult apex big cat with a smaller and younger cat hanging on it). If you enjoy these somewhat intellectual, and sometimes visual, puns you will enjoy these cards.

What I have found in playing through this several times is that it is best when all players are taught the game backwards…ly. I mean to say that players need to know the premise, but most importantly, the scoring system before even the setup. Points are scored for having a run of 1-2-3, a straight of 0-1-2-3-10, at least one card from each terrain type, and for the printed value on the cards. It is more than simply collecting all the favorite cards or even highest value 10 cards. So there is strategy in collecting the best assortment of creatures for scoring purposes, which is great because otherwise this game is not really a game at all.

As players play their hunters to draft creatures, I have found that many players choose to chase the same cards over and over. It becomes obvious that most players will be vying for the value 10 cards, so the players who figure this out and grab the second best card is usually happier with the hand. Of course, more strategy is employed once the special cards are played, as they each mess with opponents in different ways. So even though I may not have acquired that 10 of Forest, I might grab the Turnado and switch out a value 0 or -10 card for that sparkling value 10. Wait, negative 10? Yep. Sometimes life just smacks you around and you get stuck with a -10 card to really punish your great play. Not that it ever happened to me, and not that I would be bitter about it.

The real game hinges on the usage of the special cards. When do you play them? Whom do you target? Turnabout is fair play, after all, and no alliances can be formed whilst playing Hunters of the Lost Creatures. Now, it is hinted at in the rulebook that preview copies ship with entry-level rules, which mean (to me) that more advanced rules may be coming in the final game, or at least some variants to spice up the gameplay. If true, then this game becomes much more interesting to me. Don’t get me wrong. I have enjoyed almost all of my plays, but be warned that playing with spiteful gamers may end poorly for a fun-filled game night.

All in all, I am excited to see how the campaign for Hunters of the Lost Creatures fares, as I believe many gamers and non-gamers alike will enjoy it. I would be super jazzed to grab a final copy if it does in fact ship with alternate or advanced rules, or if the creatures of the same value had unique names and art. That would really satisfy. Keep the bag or go traditional cardboard box, it matters not to me. Just beef up the card quality, add even more uniqueness and fanciful art and you’ve got a fan in me. Grab your copy during the Kickstarter campaign launching May 10, 2022!
  
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Purple Phoenix Games (2266 KP) rated Dungeons & Dragons Roleplaying Game Starter Set in Tabletop Games

May 8, 2022  
Dungeons & Dragons Roleplaying Game Starter Set
Dungeons & Dragons Roleplaying Game Starter Set
2008 | Adventure, Fantasy
8
8.5 (6 Ratings)
Tabletop Game Rating