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Mickeydubz (4 KP) rated Dark Souls: The card game in Tabletop Games
Apr 29, 2019
Really captures the atmosphere of Dark Souls (3 more)
Forces players to work together if they want to survive
The deck building allows you to customise your play style
A fun and replayable solo mode
The rulebook is confusing to say the least (3 more)
The setup and take down of the game is time consuming
This is not a game for those with short attention spans
Boss fights feel anticlimactic
Great idea, bad execution
The Dark Souls card game is a deep card game that has good replay value and a customisable deck building system that really feels like it exists in the Souls universe. If you enjoy the video game series and deck building games, then you're going to love the Dark Souls board game.
If you are planning on playing it though, you're going to need a few hours free to clear a full game. Most of the games I've played have been 3 hours from setup to takedown, though I have had games as short as 2 hours and as long as 4, it really depends on the skill and experience of your play group. Fortunately, DS is a mostly skill based game with elements of luck that you'd expect from any card game. Build your deck right and play as a team and you shouldn't have too many problems though.
In short, this is a great way to spend an evening, but it's definitely not a game you'll want to play every week. Pick it up and bring it out when you fancy a challenge, you won't regret having it in your collection.
If you are planning on playing it though, you're going to need a few hours free to clear a full game. Most of the games I've played have been 3 hours from setup to takedown, though I have had games as short as 2 hours and as long as 4, it really depends on the skill and experience of your play group. Fortunately, DS is a mostly skill based game with elements of luck that you'd expect from any card game. Build your deck right and play as a team and you shouldn't have too many problems though.
In short, this is a great way to spend an evening, but it's definitely not a game you'll want to play every week. Pick it up and bring it out when you fancy a challenge, you won't regret having it in your collection.
Paul Kellett (118 KP) created a post in Solo Gamers
May 9, 2019
Gareth von Kallenbach (965 KP) rated the PC version of Titanfall 2 in Video Games
Jun 19, 2019
Respawn and EA have returned with TitanFall 2 which is the rare sequel
that improves upon the original in almost every way.
The game now features a solo campaign which is a solid and gripping
adventure which adds greater depth to the TitanFall Universe and contains
some great level designs as well as graphics.
Cast as a Rifle Corps member who is suddenly forced into the coveted role of
Titan Pilot by fate, players must embark on a series of missions both
inside and outside of their massive Titan in order to save the Resistance.
Players have numerous weapon loadouts for themselves and their Titan at
their disposals and everything from ballistic to energy based weapons are
available as well as some brutal melee options.
The story was very engrossing and entertaining and presented plenty of
challenges, my biggest frustration was with the numerous timed jumps that
are required to complete segments of a chapter.
I have never been a fan of precision leaps and although I know it is a
part of the game, it does get frustrating at times. Most were able to be
resolved in a couple of efforts but one had me frustrated after numerous
attempts, until I figured out that it required a temporal phase during a
leap in order to complete it successfully.
The solo campaign gives the series a greater depth than the previous game
offered and it is filled with some very solid action and characters that
will compel you throughout the game.
Of course Multiplayer is a big part of the game and that has continued
with TitanFall 2 offering new modes such as a bank where players must cash
in money they have earned or risk losing it should they be taken down by
enemy units.
Enemies are a mix of bots and online players which offers differing
degrees of difficulty. It was frustrating at first to be trying to learn a
map and the new grapple hook when players who had powered leveled since
launch were able to pick me off with vastly superior weapons and power ups
before I had ventured into the battle.
Calling in your Titan is still as big a thrill as ever and some of the new
abilities such as the devastating energy weapon that can be emitted from
your unit once your timer has been reached is a real game changer.
It is still tricky to take down a Titan on foot as anyone who has
attempted to collect a Bounty in the game will attest to.
The level design stays true to what players have expected from the first
game and the developers have promised that all DLC for the game will be
offered free of charge to all players.
I did not find the online play as compelling as the solo mode, but that is
largely due to the fact that I had some lag and balance issues at launch
which hampered my online experience. I can say that recent updates have
made online play significantly better and more enjoyable and I look
forward to seeing what the future DLC will bring to the game.
I played the game on a 1060 Legacy Edition by NVIDIA and on the highest
settings the game looked amazing and ran very smoothly. Reports have said
that the sales for the game were slower than for the previous game which
is a shame as TitanFall 2 is a very solid and enjoyable game that deftly
combines a First Person Shooter with a Mech combat game to create a
visually impressive and very entertaining game which I hope will spawn
further chapters in the series.
http://sknr.net/2016/12/06/titanfall-2/
that improves upon the original in almost every way.
The game now features a solo campaign which is a solid and gripping
adventure which adds greater depth to the TitanFall Universe and contains
some great level designs as well as graphics.
Cast as a Rifle Corps member who is suddenly forced into the coveted role of
Titan Pilot by fate, players must embark on a series of missions both
inside and outside of their massive Titan in order to save the Resistance.
Players have numerous weapon loadouts for themselves and their Titan at
their disposals and everything from ballistic to energy based weapons are
available as well as some brutal melee options.
The story was very engrossing and entertaining and presented plenty of
challenges, my biggest frustration was with the numerous timed jumps that
are required to complete segments of a chapter.
I have never been a fan of precision leaps and although I know it is a
part of the game, it does get frustrating at times. Most were able to be
resolved in a couple of efforts but one had me frustrated after numerous
attempts, until I figured out that it required a temporal phase during a
leap in order to complete it successfully.
The solo campaign gives the series a greater depth than the previous game
offered and it is filled with some very solid action and characters that
will compel you throughout the game.
Of course Multiplayer is a big part of the game and that has continued
with TitanFall 2 offering new modes such as a bank where players must cash
in money they have earned or risk losing it should they be taken down by
enemy units.
Enemies are a mix of bots and online players which offers differing
degrees of difficulty. It was frustrating at first to be trying to learn a
map and the new grapple hook when players who had powered leveled since
launch were able to pick me off with vastly superior weapons and power ups
before I had ventured into the battle.
Calling in your Titan is still as big a thrill as ever and some of the new
abilities such as the devastating energy weapon that can be emitted from
your unit once your timer has been reached is a real game changer.
It is still tricky to take down a Titan on foot as anyone who has
attempted to collect a Bounty in the game will attest to.
The level design stays true to what players have expected from the first
game and the developers have promised that all DLC for the game will be
offered free of charge to all players.
I did not find the online play as compelling as the solo mode, but that is
largely due to the fact that I had some lag and balance issues at launch
which hampered my online experience. I can say that recent updates have
made online play significantly better and more enjoyable and I look
forward to seeing what the future DLC will bring to the game.
I played the game on a 1060 Legacy Edition by NVIDIA and on the highest
settings the game looked amazing and ran very smoothly. Reports have said
that the sales for the game were slower than for the previous game which
is a shame as TitanFall 2 is a very solid and enjoyable game that deftly
combines a First Person Shooter with a Mech combat game to create a
visually impressive and very entertaining game which I hope will spawn
further chapters in the series.
http://sknr.net/2016/12/06/titanfall-2/
Fred (860 KP) rated Terraforming Mars in Tabletop Games
Mar 6, 2018
Good game, with one major flaw. The victory points on the cards. See, I've played 4 games of this so far (and one solo) & each time, the victory came due to whoever had the most victory points with their cards. Nothing else mattered. No matter the strategy, no matter the milestones or awards. It was the cards. And here's the problem with that. Getting cards with victory points is luck. You either get them or you don't. First game I played, I didn't even pay attention. I was well ahead of one player, and a few behind the leader. Then, the player in last counted his victory points on the cards & zoomed ahead, winning by at least 10 points. Must have had near to 30 points in cards alone.
Second game, I played against my wife & went for the cards & easily won.
Third game, I played against 4 players & again went for the cards. I got a lot of them & won the game easily. My friend, who had won the first game, said, "I was trying to get the cards with victory points, but I hardly got any. I played every one I got & only got a few points."
Fourth game. Played with my brother, his wife & my wife. Everyone played well, & we were pretty much even along the TR line. I got 3 of the milestones, giving me 15 victory points at the end of the game, which made my brother exclaim that it wasn't fair because he was going to get them, but each time, I went before him in the generation & that those 15 points would win me the game. He grabbed 3 of the awards, but only scored 12 points, while I scored 2 more points & my wife scored 7 points. Scoring for greenery, I got another 7 points. I was well ahead & thought victory was mine. We then started to count the points on our cards. As I was counting, I glanced up to see my brother moving his score cube past mine...way past mine. I thought that he must be cheating & he assured me that he had all these points. I looked at his cards & he had indeed all the points he said. I counted my points. 4. 4 points. What happened to my friend last game, had happened to me. I played every card I got that gave victory points & got 4 points. Actually, I had one more card that would have given me 3 more points, but I needed to already have a card that had a bacteria tag on it. But again, with the luck of the draw, I never got one to play, the entire game.
Now, there's nothing wrong with luck in games. I mean, every dice game is all luck. Every card game, is mostly luck. There is some strategy to the game, but it's basically play what you can to improve. And most people can figure this out & keep the game even. But with this game, every winner has won by at least 10 points & each has won with the points on cards alone.
While this may break a game for some people, I still find the game fun to play. I like the theme & I like the components. Even though the cards are thin & the ME(money) cubes are already flaking, I still like them. The luck factor is good in a way, as it means that one person can't be ridiculously good at the game & win every time. But this is not for everyone. My friend is very competitive & only wants to win. He's the kind of guy that goes online to find strategies on how to win, uses them, wins every game & thus ruins the game for everyone but him.
My bottom line is I like the game. It is one of my current favorites. The solo game is very good too. It's fairly quick, compared to the multi-player game. Less than half the time of the full game. I do recommend it to players who don't care too much about winning every game. You're not going to. Get used to it. Even though this is a major flaw for some, I'm still giving it 7 out of 10 for fun.
Second game, I played against my wife & went for the cards & easily won.
Third game, I played against 4 players & again went for the cards. I got a lot of them & won the game easily. My friend, who had won the first game, said, "I was trying to get the cards with victory points, but I hardly got any. I played every one I got & only got a few points."
Fourth game. Played with my brother, his wife & my wife. Everyone played well, & we were pretty much even along the TR line. I got 3 of the milestones, giving me 15 victory points at the end of the game, which made my brother exclaim that it wasn't fair because he was going to get them, but each time, I went before him in the generation & that those 15 points would win me the game. He grabbed 3 of the awards, but only scored 12 points, while I scored 2 more points & my wife scored 7 points. Scoring for greenery, I got another 7 points. I was well ahead & thought victory was mine. We then started to count the points on our cards. As I was counting, I glanced up to see my brother moving his score cube past mine...way past mine. I thought that he must be cheating & he assured me that he had all these points. I looked at his cards & he had indeed all the points he said. I counted my points. 4. 4 points. What happened to my friend last game, had happened to me. I played every card I got that gave victory points & got 4 points. Actually, I had one more card that would have given me 3 more points, but I needed to already have a card that had a bacteria tag on it. But again, with the luck of the draw, I never got one to play, the entire game.
Now, there's nothing wrong with luck in games. I mean, every dice game is all luck. Every card game, is mostly luck. There is some strategy to the game, but it's basically play what you can to improve. And most people can figure this out & keep the game even. But with this game, every winner has won by at least 10 points & each has won with the points on cards alone.
While this may break a game for some people, I still find the game fun to play. I like the theme & I like the components. Even though the cards are thin & the ME(money) cubes are already flaking, I still like them. The luck factor is good in a way, as it means that one person can't be ridiculously good at the game & win every time. But this is not for everyone. My friend is very competitive & only wants to win. He's the kind of guy that goes online to find strategies on how to win, uses them, wins every game & thus ruins the game for everyone but him.
My bottom line is I like the game. It is one of my current favorites. The solo game is very good too. It's fairly quick, compared to the multi-player game. Less than half the time of the full game. I do recommend it to players who don't care too much about winning every game. You're not going to. Get used to it. Even though this is a major flaw for some, I'm still giving it 7 out of 10 for fun.
Purple Phoenix Games (2266 KP) rated ROVE in Tabletop Games
Nov 20, 2021
A few months back, I had the opportunity to sit down with Jason Tagmire (founder of ButtonShy Games) and talk about the company and the gaming industry. In that interview, Jason had hinted at a cute little solo game that was in the works. And guess what… IT’S HERE! Read on to find out more about ROVE: Results-Oriented Versatile Explorer, hitting the ButtonShy webstore on November 26, 2021!
Disclaimer: We were provided with a copy of this game for the purposes of this preview. This is a final production copy, so what you see pictured is what you would receive in a retail copy. -L
ROVE: Results-Oriented Versatile Explorer (referred to as just ROVE from hereon out) is a solo spatial puzzle game. In the game, you are a ROVE who has crash-landed on a foreign planet. You need to get all your Modules in order to accomplish various Missions, thus performing your programmed duties, before you run out of power! To setup for a game, shuffle the 6 Module cards and place them randomly in a 2×3 grid, ability-side up. Shuffle the remaining double-sided cards Mission-side up to form the Mission deck. Take the top card of the Mission deck and place it to the side to serve as the first Mission of the game. Draw a hand of 5 cards (Movement-side facing you), and the game is ready to begin! Pictured below is the setup for a normal game.
Since this is a solo game, there aren’t really ‘turns,’ but rather you are playing cards, moving Modules, matching patterns, and attempting to complete 7 Missions. At the beginning of the game, the 6 different Modules are setup in a 2×3 grid. Each Mission card has a pattern listed on the right-hand side: with one specific Module highlighted, and remaining locations where any other Modules may be placed. To complete a Mission, you are going to attempt to arrange the Modules in the specified pattern on the current Mission card. Easy, right? Well, yes. Except moving a Module costs Movement Points (MP), and the different Modules have restrictions/rules as to how they can move. For example, the Brain Module can only move orthogonally, while the Laser Module can move in any direction, orthogonally or diagonally. Pictured below are some of the game components for clarity of understanding.
After taking a look at the current Mission, you will begin this spatial puzzle. The cards in your hand will provide a number of MP. Each card offers 2 different amount of MP. The number on the upper half is the base MP for the card, the middle of the card shows an arrangement of Modules, and the lower half of the card also shows a number of MP. If your Modules match the pattern on the card when you play it, you gain the lower number of MP, which is usually substantially larger than the upper number. Select a card from your hand to play, and then move the Modules using the provided MP following their movement restrictions. When you have used all the MP of a card, check to see if the Mission has been completed. If it has been, then great! You now take the top card of the Mission deck and add it to the current Mission card, covering the completed pattern. The new card shows a pattern that is your new Mission goal. Draw a card from the deck to add to your hand, and start working towards the new pattern. If you did not yet complete the Mission, play another card from your hand for MP and continue attempting to complete the Mission pattern.
One unique twist to this game is that, along with specific movement restrictions, each Module provides a powerful one-time ability to be used in the game. These abilities vary from allowing you to draw cards, to even swapping two different Modules. Time their use wisely, because once it’s been used, it’s gone for the rest of the game. The game continues in this fashion, of playing cards, moving Modules, and arranging them in specific patterns, until you have successfully completed 7 Missions. When you do so, you win the game! If, however, you run out of MP, cards in hand, or Module abilities before completing your 7th Mission, the game is lost and your ROVE is stuck on this lost planet FOREVER.
If you’ve ready any of my (p)reviews of ButtonShy Games before, you will know that I’m a big fan. Not all of them are complete winners in my eyes, but ROVE is one that exceeded my expectations. When Jason teased this little solo game, I was intrigued. I was expecting just a light little filler-type game with cute artwork. After having played it now, I can assure you that it is so much more. First, let’s talk gameplay. Yes, it’s a solo game, but it is quite challenging for consisting of only 18 cards. This game is a spatial puzzle, and that is the perfect way to describe it. You are trying to visualize your movements, seeing how you can best use your MP to complete the Mission, while not making unnecessary moves. Each Module moves in specific ways, and although a move may seem like the right choice at first, it might not pay off in the long run. You’ve got to be able to think ‘turns’ in advance with placements, and decide which Module to move when and where.
Along with the strategy for completing Missions, your cards in hand can provide bonus MP if your Modules match the printed pattern. So not only are you wanting to match the Mission cards with your Module placements, but you want to also maximize your number of MP by matching Modules to your cards. And let’s touch on the variability of gameplay. With the Modules randomly setup every game, and the deck of Mission cards shuffled, you’re sure to get a different game with every play. You are working towards the active Mission, but you can also see what Mission comes next. Can you complete one while also setting up some placements for the next? Maybe the luck of the shuffle is against you, putting 2 completely opposite Missions back-to-back. Or maybe the cosmos are with you, allowing you to chain together several Missions in a row with minimal movement. There is not a second that you will be disengaged in this game, and it truly is a testament to its design. Along with my copy, I also received a copy of the Fascinating Flora expansion – which adds new Missions and card abilities to the gameplay. No spoilers on that here, but just trust me that the strategic elements are elevated even more.
Components. Obviously, this is a game of 18 cards in one of the famous ButtonShy wallets. Quality of production is excellent, as to be expected from ButtonShy. The layout of the cards is pretty interesting and thematic. When you complete a Mission, the completed pattern is covered by the next Mission card. As the game progresses, this creates a cute little scene of your ROVE traversing the planet while completing its tasks. And on the movement cards themselves, the layout is logical and clear. The artwork is adorable, and I honestly just like looking at the scenes themselves sometimes. All in all, excellent components.
ROVE is quickly climbing the ranks towards being my favorite ButtonShy game. The gameplay is so seemingly simple, yet extremely strategic. That being said, the game plays in about 15 minutes, so it’s not going to take up your night of solo gaming. I guess I would consider this a filler-type game, but don’t let that categorization fool you. There is way more to this game than meets the eye. Also, the theming and artwork are unique and cute – think Wall-E as a solo card game! One of the best parts of this game? It’s coming straight to retail – no waiting for a Kickstarter! Check out the ButtonShy store to grab a copy for yourself. Are you up to the puzzle-y challenge that is ROVE? Try it to find out. I cannot rave about this game enough. (See what I did there?)
Disclaimer: We were provided with a copy of this game for the purposes of this preview. This is a final production copy, so what you see pictured is what you would receive in a retail copy. -L
ROVE: Results-Oriented Versatile Explorer (referred to as just ROVE from hereon out) is a solo spatial puzzle game. In the game, you are a ROVE who has crash-landed on a foreign planet. You need to get all your Modules in order to accomplish various Missions, thus performing your programmed duties, before you run out of power! To setup for a game, shuffle the 6 Module cards and place them randomly in a 2×3 grid, ability-side up. Shuffle the remaining double-sided cards Mission-side up to form the Mission deck. Take the top card of the Mission deck and place it to the side to serve as the first Mission of the game. Draw a hand of 5 cards (Movement-side facing you), and the game is ready to begin! Pictured below is the setup for a normal game.
Since this is a solo game, there aren’t really ‘turns,’ but rather you are playing cards, moving Modules, matching patterns, and attempting to complete 7 Missions. At the beginning of the game, the 6 different Modules are setup in a 2×3 grid. Each Mission card has a pattern listed on the right-hand side: with one specific Module highlighted, and remaining locations where any other Modules may be placed. To complete a Mission, you are going to attempt to arrange the Modules in the specified pattern on the current Mission card. Easy, right? Well, yes. Except moving a Module costs Movement Points (MP), and the different Modules have restrictions/rules as to how they can move. For example, the Brain Module can only move orthogonally, while the Laser Module can move in any direction, orthogonally or diagonally. Pictured below are some of the game components for clarity of understanding.
After taking a look at the current Mission, you will begin this spatial puzzle. The cards in your hand will provide a number of MP. Each card offers 2 different amount of MP. The number on the upper half is the base MP for the card, the middle of the card shows an arrangement of Modules, and the lower half of the card also shows a number of MP. If your Modules match the pattern on the card when you play it, you gain the lower number of MP, which is usually substantially larger than the upper number. Select a card from your hand to play, and then move the Modules using the provided MP following their movement restrictions. When you have used all the MP of a card, check to see if the Mission has been completed. If it has been, then great! You now take the top card of the Mission deck and add it to the current Mission card, covering the completed pattern. The new card shows a pattern that is your new Mission goal. Draw a card from the deck to add to your hand, and start working towards the new pattern. If you did not yet complete the Mission, play another card from your hand for MP and continue attempting to complete the Mission pattern.
One unique twist to this game is that, along with specific movement restrictions, each Module provides a powerful one-time ability to be used in the game. These abilities vary from allowing you to draw cards, to even swapping two different Modules. Time their use wisely, because once it’s been used, it’s gone for the rest of the game. The game continues in this fashion, of playing cards, moving Modules, and arranging them in specific patterns, until you have successfully completed 7 Missions. When you do so, you win the game! If, however, you run out of MP, cards in hand, or Module abilities before completing your 7th Mission, the game is lost and your ROVE is stuck on this lost planet FOREVER.
If you’ve ready any of my (p)reviews of ButtonShy Games before, you will know that I’m a big fan. Not all of them are complete winners in my eyes, but ROVE is one that exceeded my expectations. When Jason teased this little solo game, I was intrigued. I was expecting just a light little filler-type game with cute artwork. After having played it now, I can assure you that it is so much more. First, let’s talk gameplay. Yes, it’s a solo game, but it is quite challenging for consisting of only 18 cards. This game is a spatial puzzle, and that is the perfect way to describe it. You are trying to visualize your movements, seeing how you can best use your MP to complete the Mission, while not making unnecessary moves. Each Module moves in specific ways, and although a move may seem like the right choice at first, it might not pay off in the long run. You’ve got to be able to think ‘turns’ in advance with placements, and decide which Module to move when and where.
Along with the strategy for completing Missions, your cards in hand can provide bonus MP if your Modules match the printed pattern. So not only are you wanting to match the Mission cards with your Module placements, but you want to also maximize your number of MP by matching Modules to your cards. And let’s touch on the variability of gameplay. With the Modules randomly setup every game, and the deck of Mission cards shuffled, you’re sure to get a different game with every play. You are working towards the active Mission, but you can also see what Mission comes next. Can you complete one while also setting up some placements for the next? Maybe the luck of the shuffle is against you, putting 2 completely opposite Missions back-to-back. Or maybe the cosmos are with you, allowing you to chain together several Missions in a row with minimal movement. There is not a second that you will be disengaged in this game, and it truly is a testament to its design. Along with my copy, I also received a copy of the Fascinating Flora expansion – which adds new Missions and card abilities to the gameplay. No spoilers on that here, but just trust me that the strategic elements are elevated even more.
Components. Obviously, this is a game of 18 cards in one of the famous ButtonShy wallets. Quality of production is excellent, as to be expected from ButtonShy. The layout of the cards is pretty interesting and thematic. When you complete a Mission, the completed pattern is covered by the next Mission card. As the game progresses, this creates a cute little scene of your ROVE traversing the planet while completing its tasks. And on the movement cards themselves, the layout is logical and clear. The artwork is adorable, and I honestly just like looking at the scenes themselves sometimes. All in all, excellent components.
ROVE is quickly climbing the ranks towards being my favorite ButtonShy game. The gameplay is so seemingly simple, yet extremely strategic. That being said, the game plays in about 15 minutes, so it’s not going to take up your night of solo gaming. I guess I would consider this a filler-type game, but don’t let that categorization fool you. There is way more to this game than meets the eye. Also, the theming and artwork are unique and cute – think Wall-E as a solo card game! One of the best parts of this game? It’s coming straight to retail – no waiting for a Kickstarter! Check out the ButtonShy store to grab a copy for yourself. Are you up to the puzzle-y challenge that is ROVE? Try it to find out. I cannot rave about this game enough. (See what I did there?)
Peter Shephard (2821 KP) rated Terraforming Mars in Tabletop Games
May 28, 2019
Quite simply, my favourite game. Being able to play from solo, to five players, with hundreds of different technologies and businesses, means you will never have the same game twice. If I go away with work, I pack this before my clothes.
While the game can be a little difficult to play in the first game, the second, third etc games will be played much quicker, easier, and more enjoyable. Every one will be different, too. It typically takes about 90mins to 2h to play, in our experience, but there have been longer games - there is an element of luck with both the cards drawn, and what everyone else does! Holding on to a card because it needs the Temperature below -8 degrees, then seeing everyone else pumping the temperature from -12 to -6 means the card is (probably) worthless.
The science is obviously science-fiction but is based heavily in reality, albeit simplified, and very interesting on it's own right.
Expansions do add further flavours and variations, but the base game is absolutely able to stand on it's own two feet.
While the game can be a little difficult to play in the first game, the second, third etc games will be played much quicker, easier, and more enjoyable. Every one will be different, too. It typically takes about 90mins to 2h to play, in our experience, but there have been longer games - there is an element of luck with both the cards drawn, and what everyone else does! Holding on to a card because it needs the Temperature below -8 degrees, then seeing everyone else pumping the temperature from -12 to -6 means the card is (probably) worthless.
The science is obviously science-fiction but is based heavily in reality, albeit simplified, and very interesting on it's own right.
Expansions do add further flavours and variations, but the base game is absolutely able to stand on it's own two feet.
Helen (25 KP) rated the Xbox One version of Fortnite in Video Games
Jul 17, 2018
Good gameplay (3 more)
Different play modes
Can edit your character
Battlepass challenges
This is a simple yet genius format for a game. It is a PvP battle were the last one standing claims the Victory Royale. There are different modes available so should be something to suit everyone. You can play solo or buddy up with friends in duos or squads. If you want a battle on a bigger scale there is a 50 v 50 challenge. The game can be quite glitchy at times but bare in mind it is still a Beta version so there are always updates from Epic Games to improve the gameplay.
Purple Phoenix Games (2266 KP) rated Cindr in Tabletop Games
Oct 29, 2020
Finally! A game to simulate dating dragons. I have been waiting for this theme all my life and it’s now a reality!! Well, okay, I have never really considered dating a dragon. But I know I would be signing up for a service app like Cindr to find my true dragon mate FO SHO if it were real. So how does a card game dragon sim play?
Cindr has players taking on the persona of a lonely fantasy creature looking for dragon love on a dating app. Players will be building their character by making choices and then swiping left or right to attempt going on dates with dragons that may be a great match. Roll the dice well and things may go to the Next Step, or even the Next Level. Roll poorly and your dear dragon date may send you home aflame.
DISCLAIMER: We were provided a copy of this game for the purposes of this review. This is a retail copy of the game, so what you see in these photos is exactly what would be received in your box. I do not intend to cover every single rule included in the rulebook, but will describe the overall game flow and major rule set so that our readers may get a sense of how the game plays. Furthermore I will be covering the game using the Solo rules (which are no different than the multiplayer rules). For more in depth rules, you may purchase a copy online or from your FLGS. -T
To setup, each player (or just yourself if playing the solo rules as I am) will choose a Character Profile card, filling in the blanks and circling choices to build their new fantasy persona. Each player will take one Try Again card that is useful during game play. Shuffle each Cindr App Dragon Profile and Whelp App Location card deck and place near each other. The dice will be placed near all the cards as well and the game is ready to begin!
On a turn a player will do each of these steps in order: Choose a Dragon to Date, Assemble the Dice Pool, Draw a Location Card, Check Dragon Powers & Location Bonuses, The Date / Roll Dice, Burned by a Dragon, and End of Turn. In the solo game players will be playing long enough to complete five dragon dates.
Choosing a Dragon to Date consists of reading the profile on the top of the deck and deciding whether to date or not. If not, swipe the profile into The Dating Pool below the deck. Players may swipe twice for free, and pay for additional swipes. After a dragon has been chosen, players will Assemble the Dice Pool by flipping the profile card and comparing with the stats they had made for their character at the beginning of the game. For each match players will receive a green die. For each value one space away a blue die, and for two spaces away a red die. Each die color has a different value of faces, but all have hearts and fires. Next the player(s) will Draw a Location Card from the top of the deck, read the front, then flip to the back. The back of the card will list any die up/downgrades and bonuses that may activate at different times during the date. Checking Dragon Powers & Location Bonuses will happen next and are self-explanatory.
Now that a dragon date has been procured and a location chosen, The Date may occur! When on the date, players will roll the four dice up to three times. The first time they are rolled is considered the Meet Up. The Next Step and The Next Level are the second and third rolls respectively. To be considered a full date, players will need to at least roll a second time. It is during The Date that players will be collecting hearts and trying to avoid fires. Three fires and the hearts are lost and the turn over. Players may stop rolling any time they wish and bank the hearts they have won to that point. The hearts then transfer to Love Points that are tracked at the bottom of the Character Profile card.
Should a player roll three flames and have no way to mitigate them, they lose all earned hearts for that round and their turn is over. They were, after all, Burned by a Dragon. The End of Turn is a cleanup phase to setup for the next player (or next round if playing solo). Play continues in this fashion until a player reaches 21+ Love Points in a multiplayer game or after the solo player has gone on five complete dates. Total the points to see who is the winner, or compare against the Love Meter card to see where you stack up.
Components. I’m just going to come out and say it now: I love everything about the components in this game. The dice are excellent and feature GOOD colors (not just boring primary colors). The app cards look like a phone’s screen and that’s brilliant. The Location cards are using a review service named Whelp, and also a stroke of brilliance. The art is amazing, save for the somewhat boring Second Chance cards, and one of the fonts is the same as my favorite game of all time – Valeria: Card Kingdoms, so I am fan for sure.
It’s no use hiding the fact that I am giddy playing this game. Even solo! Yes, I missed out on being able to date dragons from other players’ Dating Pools, but I have access to all the dragons anyway! Being able to adjust your choices during the game as a result of dragon powers or location powers is a neat twist that I wasn’t expecting. Those powers and bonuses are great and can really change the game, and contribute to an already large replayability score from me. It’s just a superb game that I love more and more every time I play it.
Cindr will probably never make my Top 10 Games of All Time, but it will most certainly remain in my Top 100 for years. Again, I wish I had not missed out on the Kickstarter for this one as I am gluttonous for KS stretch goal extras, but I am quite happy with where this game is at retail level. If you are looking for a great game with a hilarious and wonderful theme, plays quickly, and is excellent as a solo game too, then check out Cindr. You will never look at dragon dating sites the same way again. I promise.
Cindr has players taking on the persona of a lonely fantasy creature looking for dragon love on a dating app. Players will be building their character by making choices and then swiping left or right to attempt going on dates with dragons that may be a great match. Roll the dice well and things may go to the Next Step, or even the Next Level. Roll poorly and your dear dragon date may send you home aflame.
DISCLAIMER: We were provided a copy of this game for the purposes of this review. This is a retail copy of the game, so what you see in these photos is exactly what would be received in your box. I do not intend to cover every single rule included in the rulebook, but will describe the overall game flow and major rule set so that our readers may get a sense of how the game plays. Furthermore I will be covering the game using the Solo rules (which are no different than the multiplayer rules). For more in depth rules, you may purchase a copy online or from your FLGS. -T
To setup, each player (or just yourself if playing the solo rules as I am) will choose a Character Profile card, filling in the blanks and circling choices to build their new fantasy persona. Each player will take one Try Again card that is useful during game play. Shuffle each Cindr App Dragon Profile and Whelp App Location card deck and place near each other. The dice will be placed near all the cards as well and the game is ready to begin!
On a turn a player will do each of these steps in order: Choose a Dragon to Date, Assemble the Dice Pool, Draw a Location Card, Check Dragon Powers & Location Bonuses, The Date / Roll Dice, Burned by a Dragon, and End of Turn. In the solo game players will be playing long enough to complete five dragon dates.
Choosing a Dragon to Date consists of reading the profile on the top of the deck and deciding whether to date or not. If not, swipe the profile into The Dating Pool below the deck. Players may swipe twice for free, and pay for additional swipes. After a dragon has been chosen, players will Assemble the Dice Pool by flipping the profile card and comparing with the stats they had made for their character at the beginning of the game. For each match players will receive a green die. For each value one space away a blue die, and for two spaces away a red die. Each die color has a different value of faces, but all have hearts and fires. Next the player(s) will Draw a Location Card from the top of the deck, read the front, then flip to the back. The back of the card will list any die up/downgrades and bonuses that may activate at different times during the date. Checking Dragon Powers & Location Bonuses will happen next and are self-explanatory.
Now that a dragon date has been procured and a location chosen, The Date may occur! When on the date, players will roll the four dice up to three times. The first time they are rolled is considered the Meet Up. The Next Step and The Next Level are the second and third rolls respectively. To be considered a full date, players will need to at least roll a second time. It is during The Date that players will be collecting hearts and trying to avoid fires. Three fires and the hearts are lost and the turn over. Players may stop rolling any time they wish and bank the hearts they have won to that point. The hearts then transfer to Love Points that are tracked at the bottom of the Character Profile card.
Should a player roll three flames and have no way to mitigate them, they lose all earned hearts for that round and their turn is over. They were, after all, Burned by a Dragon. The End of Turn is a cleanup phase to setup for the next player (or next round if playing solo). Play continues in this fashion until a player reaches 21+ Love Points in a multiplayer game or after the solo player has gone on five complete dates. Total the points to see who is the winner, or compare against the Love Meter card to see where you stack up.
Components. I’m just going to come out and say it now: I love everything about the components in this game. The dice are excellent and feature GOOD colors (not just boring primary colors). The app cards look like a phone’s screen and that’s brilliant. The Location cards are using a review service named Whelp, and also a stroke of brilliance. The art is amazing, save for the somewhat boring Second Chance cards, and one of the fonts is the same as my favorite game of all time – Valeria: Card Kingdoms, so I am fan for sure.
It’s no use hiding the fact that I am giddy playing this game. Even solo! Yes, I missed out on being able to date dragons from other players’ Dating Pools, but I have access to all the dragons anyway! Being able to adjust your choices during the game as a result of dragon powers or location powers is a neat twist that I wasn’t expecting. Those powers and bonuses are great and can really change the game, and contribute to an already large replayability score from me. It’s just a superb game that I love more and more every time I play it.
Cindr will probably never make my Top 10 Games of All Time, but it will most certainly remain in my Top 100 for years. Again, I wish I had not missed out on the Kickstarter for this one as I am gluttonous for KS stretch goal extras, but I am quite happy with where this game is at retail level. If you are looking for a great game with a hilarious and wonderful theme, plays quickly, and is excellent as a solo game too, then check out Cindr. You will never look at dragon dating sites the same way again. I promise.
Purple Phoenix Games (2266 KP) rated Please Fix the Teleporter in Tabletop Games
Jan 25, 2021
Captain Gerf and Emperor Korlax are trapped inside the teleportation beam? Again? Who forgot to install the upgrade module? Uh oh, it was me… Well now I need to get to work fixing this infernal teleporter because my captain and his captured enemy keep coming aboard all different. They are all shouting at me, “PLEASE FIX THE TELEPORTER!”
Please Fix the Teleporter is a quick real-time action/dexterity card game for 1-4 players, but in this preview I will be tackling it as a solo experience. In it players are teleportation specialists charged with repairing a malfunctioning teleportation beam that is displaying strange mix-and-match features of the two persons attempting to board the craft. By matching the images on the display six times the Captain and his quarry can board safely and in one piece.
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. You are invited to back the game through the Kickstarter campaign,or through any retailers stocking it after fulfillment. -T
To setup for a solo game choose one color of body part tiles and place them in front of the player. Shuffle the deck of scrambled cards and deal six face-down. Have a timer handy (Alexa, Siri, or Google also work well) and the game may begin!
Gameplay is simple: flip over one card, match the card with the body tiles to recreate the image and then flip over the next card. Repeat these steps until all six cards have been matched and then stop the timer. Based on the table on the back of the rulesheet the player may determine how well they fared. For example, the highest score that may be achieved is five stars, which is earned by completing the game in under 30 seconds.
Once the game is over, the player will most certainly wish to play again, so multiple games may be played in order to earn that glorious five star rating.
Multiplayer rules are almost exactly the same except instead of dealing six cards at the beginning, the first player to match and claim five cards will be the winner.
Components. This game is a bunch of cards and four tiles per player. The cards are nice squares and the tiles are chunky cardboard. What sets this game apart for me is the art style. The art here, as you have seen, is so crazy and wonky and I just love it! The colors used are some of my favorites and it just looks amazing on the table. I have zero complaints for components and art.
Gameplay is similarly loved. This one is so quick and easy that anyone can play and be great at it. It takes mere seconds to teach and each player will want to play more and more, even the solo player. I cannot really comment on strategy, as this game really doesn’t lend itself to any sort of strategic play. It is a free-for-all to match the cards and move on to the next. I like being frantic.
So if you are at all like me and love these little “refreshers,” as I like to call them, check this one out. It will fit perfectly between two heavy hitters to refresh the players for the next game. Or will perfectly balance your night of solo play. Are you into theme nights? I am. What a great addition to an outer space themed game night! Quick and easy with excellent art. This one is a winner, even if I never manage to actually fix the dang teleporter.
Please Fix the Teleporter is a quick real-time action/dexterity card game for 1-4 players, but in this preview I will be tackling it as a solo experience. In it players are teleportation specialists charged with repairing a malfunctioning teleportation beam that is displaying strange mix-and-match features of the two persons attempting to board the craft. By matching the images on the display six times the Captain and his quarry can board safely and in one piece.
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. You are invited to back the game through the Kickstarter campaign,or through any retailers stocking it after fulfillment. -T
To setup for a solo game choose one color of body part tiles and place them in front of the player. Shuffle the deck of scrambled cards and deal six face-down. Have a timer handy (Alexa, Siri, or Google also work well) and the game may begin!
Gameplay is simple: flip over one card, match the card with the body tiles to recreate the image and then flip over the next card. Repeat these steps until all six cards have been matched and then stop the timer. Based on the table on the back of the rulesheet the player may determine how well they fared. For example, the highest score that may be achieved is five stars, which is earned by completing the game in under 30 seconds.
Once the game is over, the player will most certainly wish to play again, so multiple games may be played in order to earn that glorious five star rating.
Multiplayer rules are almost exactly the same except instead of dealing six cards at the beginning, the first player to match and claim five cards will be the winner.
Components. This game is a bunch of cards and four tiles per player. The cards are nice squares and the tiles are chunky cardboard. What sets this game apart for me is the art style. The art here, as you have seen, is so crazy and wonky and I just love it! The colors used are some of my favorites and it just looks amazing on the table. I have zero complaints for components and art.
Gameplay is similarly loved. This one is so quick and easy that anyone can play and be great at it. It takes mere seconds to teach and each player will want to play more and more, even the solo player. I cannot really comment on strategy, as this game really doesn’t lend itself to any sort of strategic play. It is a free-for-all to match the cards and move on to the next. I like being frantic.
So if you are at all like me and love these little “refreshers,” as I like to call them, check this one out. It will fit perfectly between two heavy hitters to refresh the players for the next game. Or will perfectly balance your night of solo play. Are you into theme nights? I am. What a great addition to an outer space themed game night! Quick and easy with excellent art. This one is a winner, even if I never manage to actually fix the dang teleporter.
Dillon Jacoby-Rankin (202 KP) rated Everdell in Tabletop Games
Jan 18, 2020
Components (6 more)
Quality
Price
Game is expandable in future
Replayability
Theme
Artwork
Small text on special event cards because the card themselves are already small. (1 more)
Time can be alot if you have to teach new players.
My Favorite Game!
This game is hands down my favorite. Let's start there.
Players 1-4 Expands to 5-6 with future expansion
Ages 14+
Time 40-80 minutes. Definitely longer with more players especially if they are new to the game or worker placement in general. I played with 4 players and it took easily 150 minutes. Not complaining just with teaching and all it took longer than expected.
Components: These are full 3d pieces made of various materials. They all feel wonderful to hold and play with making collecting them for the game very satisfying.
Quality: The game is amazing in general and you can see the work that was put into the game. It was kick-started but you can tell there was a passion behind the game.
Price: The quality is worth it. And if you were ever unsure. Get the higher priced edition if possible. It will have more features like I believe metal coins for victory points as well as other content that are not in the base game like workers and cards for the solo game variant.
Expandable: The game has Pearlbrooke already out as well as 2 other Expansions being funded and at least a fourth one in the works because I read that they will not make a big box to put everything in, until the line is complete. And no big box yet. So a fourth expansion the look forward to for sure.
Replayability: Easily replayable as forest locations and special event cards will be different every time you play especially if you add some of the Expansions to your base game.
Theme: The idea of little woodland creatures collecting resources and building their own tiny cities is absolutely adorable and makes this game 100 times for fun and cute for me.
Artwork: The cards and board are fanominal. The art is so nice and cute.
Players 1-4 Expands to 5-6 with future expansion
Ages 14+
Time 40-80 minutes. Definitely longer with more players especially if they are new to the game or worker placement in general. I played with 4 players and it took easily 150 minutes. Not complaining just with teaching and all it took longer than expected.
Components: These are full 3d pieces made of various materials. They all feel wonderful to hold and play with making collecting them for the game very satisfying.
Quality: The game is amazing in general and you can see the work that was put into the game. It was kick-started but you can tell there was a passion behind the game.
Price: The quality is worth it. And if you were ever unsure. Get the higher priced edition if possible. It will have more features like I believe metal coins for victory points as well as other content that are not in the base game like workers and cards for the solo game variant.
Expandable: The game has Pearlbrooke already out as well as 2 other Expansions being funded and at least a fourth one in the works because I read that they will not make a big box to put everything in, until the line is complete. And no big box yet. So a fourth expansion the look forward to for sure.
Replayability: Easily replayable as forest locations and special event cards will be different every time you play especially if you add some of the Expansions to your base game.
Theme: The idea of little woodland creatures collecting resources and building their own tiny cities is absolutely adorable and makes this game 100 times for fun and cute for me.
Artwork: The cards and board are fanominal. The art is so nice and cute.