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Purple Phoenix Games (2266 KP) rated Hunters of the Lost Creatures in Tabletop Games
May 8, 2022
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!
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!
KalJ95 (25 KP) rated Pokémon Shield in Video Games
Jan 5, 2020
New Pokemon! (2 more)
New feature when battling mixes up the formula.
Exploration is fun.
Feels all too familiar with previous entries. (2 more)
Missing tonnes of original Pokemon.
Nothing new to excite fans.
Pokemon is no doubt a global phenomenon in both its television series, books, merchandise and especially in its games, both card and electronically. I started my Gameboy life with Pokemon Yellow, and it still remains my favourite. Over the years, I drifted in and out of the various entries, but with the Nintendo Switch, I gladly bought Pokemon: Let's Go Pikachu, as its technically a remaster of Pokemon Yellow. However, I realised at the time that Game Freak had never moved on and created anything new with their Pokemon games, that being ever so more correct with Pokemon Shield and Sword, which as usual is exactly the same game with about five percent difference.
The good? Well it's the same Pokemon games that everyone knows and loves. Turn based battles, exploring and catching Pokemon, and collecting Gym Badges to become the greatest Pokemon trainer. The formula does work though, as they still remain as relevant and popular with their fans. I did genuinely have fun with Shield within my first fifteen hours. The variations of Pokemon (Four hundred altogether) is enough to keep you playing to catch them all, the locations are detailed brimming with vibrancy, and even the battles with new abilities to make your Pokemon become a giant, is really cool concept.
Yet, once I looked back at my time playing both games, they are incredibly disappointing. Game Freak doesn't seem to want to expand and create new ideas with their games, as they are the same games made over twenty years ago. The different areas look stunning, taking much inspiration from British locations, but there's nothing to do apart from battle the Gym leader. The whole game feels hollow and bare. Yes, Four hundred Pokemon is a roster to make any fan jump for joy, but the brand has been going for over twenty years. Where is the original one hundred and fifty? Theres only fifty three. The promise of a new Pokemon experience, a next generation experience even, is just not true.
The sales of both games speak for themselves with Pokemon Shield and Sword, they are an astounding success. Both games however, as a fan of the original games on Gameboy, are dense and lacking new ideas. I would much rather pull out my Gameboy Advance SP, and play Pokemon Yellow.
The good? Well it's the same Pokemon games that everyone knows and loves. Turn based battles, exploring and catching Pokemon, and collecting Gym Badges to become the greatest Pokemon trainer. The formula does work though, as they still remain as relevant and popular with their fans. I did genuinely have fun with Shield within my first fifteen hours. The variations of Pokemon (Four hundred altogether) is enough to keep you playing to catch them all, the locations are detailed brimming with vibrancy, and even the battles with new abilities to make your Pokemon become a giant, is really cool concept.
Yet, once I looked back at my time playing both games, they are incredibly disappointing. Game Freak doesn't seem to want to expand and create new ideas with their games, as they are the same games made over twenty years ago. The different areas look stunning, taking much inspiration from British locations, but there's nothing to do apart from battle the Gym leader. The whole game feels hollow and bare. Yes, Four hundred Pokemon is a roster to make any fan jump for joy, but the brand has been going for over twenty years. Where is the original one hundred and fifty? Theres only fifty three. The promise of a new Pokemon experience, a next generation experience even, is just not true.
The sales of both games speak for themselves with Pokemon Shield and Sword, they are an astounding success. Both games however, as a fan of the original games on Gameboy, are dense and lacking new ideas. I would much rather pull out my Gameboy Advance SP, and play Pokemon Yellow.
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Charlie Cobra Reviews (1840 KP) rated Here Alone (2017) in Movies
Jul 7, 2020 (Updated Oct 29, 2020)
Unexpectedly Engaging But Ultimately Disappointing For A Zombie
Contains spoilers, click to show
Man, I can't believe what a let down this movie wound up being when it had so much potential. It started off really strong and I like Ann (Lucy Walters) and thought she was a strong female lead/protagonist. She demonstrated early on the extremes she puts herself through to ensure her survival such as covering her naked body with a mixture of scat and mud to cover her scent, cutting herself to collect blood and use as bait to lure zombies away, and collecting her urine to douse herself with incase any zombies follow her back to her camp. She's shown rationing her food and scavenging maggots for protein, and keeping two camp sites incase one is lost. Even when she ventures out to get supplies, the moment she hears zombies, she doesn't wait to see them, she stops what she's doing and gets moving. What killed me with this film was that it was so slow building and wound up being nothing but dialogue. The flashbacks intrigued me, because I was interested in her backstory since it showed she wasn't always alone and had a husband and baby. But nothing ever happened even when she chose to help these strangers who she didn't know and house them in her camp and give them food. For more than an hours of the film there is probably only 1 minute of zombies. It's not until the last 15-20 minutes of the movie does it get good when Chris's daughter Olivia betrays her on a raid and knocks her out and ties her up, and screams to attract zombies before leaving her to die. It was already hinted at that Olvia didn't really like Ann as much as she was pretending to or that she was getting jealous of Chris and her relationship so this wasn't even a big of surprise as it shoud have been but it was a little shocking. I did like how when Ann goes to help them when she gets free that she forgets to grab more ammunition and has to chose who she will help survive. I thought that was very believable and a good final twist especially since she chooses Olivia who tried to kill her. Still everything in this movie could have been summed up in an epsiode of The Walking Dead and been better action wise if not as good drama wise but close. I still give this movie a 3/10.