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Purple Phoenix Games (2266 KP) rated Villagers in Tabletop Games
Jan 16, 2020
The saying is, “It takes a village…” but that village didn’t just magically appear overnight. Creating a prosperous and thriving community takes not only time, but hard work, ingenuity, and a little bit of luck! Villagers is a game that takes you through that process, as you strive to create a village of renown.
Disclaimer: I do not intent to rehash the entire rulebook in this review, but rather provide an overview of the gameplay, and how it differs between multiplayer and solo play. -L
Villagers is a game of card drafting and tableau building in which players are competing to build the most prosperous village in the land. The game is played over a series of rounds, each broken up into the Draft Phase and the Build Phase. During the Draft Phase, players take turns drafting villagers from the available card stacks into their hands. During the Build Phase, players can add villagers from their hand to their tableau. Certain cards can be chained together, and provide more powers and/or end-game points – but they must be added to the village in chain order. At two points throughout the game, the First and Second Market Phases, all players will collect money depending on which cards they have in their villages. The game ends immediately after the Second Market Phase is completed, and the player with the most money is the winner!
As a solo game, Villagers plays very similarly to group play, with only a couple of differences. First, the solo player is battling against The Countess, an AI character, to create the best village. The Countess is incorporated into the game in a unique way. During the Draft Phase, whenever you draft a villager to your hand, you also select an available villager to go straight into the village of the Countess. The Build Phase is carried out as normal. At the end of every round, you blindly draw a face-down card from the Reserve (draw deck), and it automatically goes into the Countess’ village as well. The other twist to a solo game of Villagers is that there are Event cards in play each round. Events are resolved after the Build Phase, before beginning the next round, and are often detrimental to the player – like making you pay extra gold to unlock padlocks, for example. The First and Second Market Phases work the same as they do in a multiplayer game, and the game ends immediately after the Second Market Phase. If you have managed to accrue more money than the Countess, then you have won!
I want to start off by saying that I love Villagers. Card drafting and set collection are my JAM, and this is a game that highlights those really well without making it too complicated. Even when playing solo, those mechanics still feel balanced, and that makes the overall game enjoyable. From my previous Solo Chronicles, I have stated how much I dislike “Beat your own high score” solo modes, so I was extremely happy when I saw that Villagers pitted the solo player against an AI character – the Countess. For the most part, I think that the Countess works really well in this game. When you draft a card, the Countess gets a card as well. But the best part about that is that you get to choose which card goes to the Countess. That means that you are able to keep some semblance of strategy in your game, because you have the power to decide what cards go where, for the most part.
The other neat thing about solo play is the inclusion of Event cards in the game – which are not present in group play. The Events add an extra element that you have to take into account for the given round. Depending on the Event, it could compromise your strategy quite a bit, but that’s what keeps it interesting. You can’t just get into a groove and grind through the rounds, drafting everything you want, when you want. You have to adapt your strategy based upon the Event(s) in play, and the Countess’ village.
The only downside for me is that at the end of every round, the Countess gets the top face-down card from the Reserve, and depending on what card that is, it could throw a wrench into the strategy you’ve been working hard to set up. I guess that mimics a multiplayer game in a sense, though, because you can’t always control what your opponents will do. The biggest downside about solo play for me has nothing to do with actual gameplay, but rather table space. Every card that goes into the Countess’ village is a stand-alone, meaning that they do not chain together like cards in your village will. So depending on how long the game goes, the Countess’ village will get to be pretty large, and hog lots of the table. I think that just means I need a bigger table though…
All that being said – is Villagers a good game for solo play? I would say mostly yes. Strategy is still required for success, but adaptability of that strategy is what keeps the game engaging and entertaining. Nothing can quite replace the multiplayer experience, but playing against the AI character keeps the competitiveness alive in the game. As someone who does a lot of solo playing these days, I am glad that I have added Villagers to my collection. If you haven’t gotten a chance to play Villagers yet, I would highly recommend checking it out. Solo or multiplayer, it’s a great time!
Disclaimer: I do not intent to rehash the entire rulebook in this review, but rather provide an overview of the gameplay, and how it differs between multiplayer and solo play. -L
Villagers is a game of card drafting and tableau building in which players are competing to build the most prosperous village in the land. The game is played over a series of rounds, each broken up into the Draft Phase and the Build Phase. During the Draft Phase, players take turns drafting villagers from the available card stacks into their hands. During the Build Phase, players can add villagers from their hand to their tableau. Certain cards can be chained together, and provide more powers and/or end-game points – but they must be added to the village in chain order. At two points throughout the game, the First and Second Market Phases, all players will collect money depending on which cards they have in their villages. The game ends immediately after the Second Market Phase is completed, and the player with the most money is the winner!
As a solo game, Villagers plays very similarly to group play, with only a couple of differences. First, the solo player is battling against The Countess, an AI character, to create the best village. The Countess is incorporated into the game in a unique way. During the Draft Phase, whenever you draft a villager to your hand, you also select an available villager to go straight into the village of the Countess. The Build Phase is carried out as normal. At the end of every round, you blindly draw a face-down card from the Reserve (draw deck), and it automatically goes into the Countess’ village as well. The other twist to a solo game of Villagers is that there are Event cards in play each round. Events are resolved after the Build Phase, before beginning the next round, and are often detrimental to the player – like making you pay extra gold to unlock padlocks, for example. The First and Second Market Phases work the same as they do in a multiplayer game, and the game ends immediately after the Second Market Phase. If you have managed to accrue more money than the Countess, then you have won!
I want to start off by saying that I love Villagers. Card drafting and set collection are my JAM, and this is a game that highlights those really well without making it too complicated. Even when playing solo, those mechanics still feel balanced, and that makes the overall game enjoyable. From my previous Solo Chronicles, I have stated how much I dislike “Beat your own high score” solo modes, so I was extremely happy when I saw that Villagers pitted the solo player against an AI character – the Countess. For the most part, I think that the Countess works really well in this game. When you draft a card, the Countess gets a card as well. But the best part about that is that you get to choose which card goes to the Countess. That means that you are able to keep some semblance of strategy in your game, because you have the power to decide what cards go where, for the most part.
The other neat thing about solo play is the inclusion of Event cards in the game – which are not present in group play. The Events add an extra element that you have to take into account for the given round. Depending on the Event, it could compromise your strategy quite a bit, but that’s what keeps it interesting. You can’t just get into a groove and grind through the rounds, drafting everything you want, when you want. You have to adapt your strategy based upon the Event(s) in play, and the Countess’ village.
The only downside for me is that at the end of every round, the Countess gets the top face-down card from the Reserve, and depending on what card that is, it could throw a wrench into the strategy you’ve been working hard to set up. I guess that mimics a multiplayer game in a sense, though, because you can’t always control what your opponents will do. The biggest downside about solo play for me has nothing to do with actual gameplay, but rather table space. Every card that goes into the Countess’ village is a stand-alone, meaning that they do not chain together like cards in your village will. So depending on how long the game goes, the Countess’ village will get to be pretty large, and hog lots of the table. I think that just means I need a bigger table though…
All that being said – is Villagers a good game for solo play? I would say mostly yes. Strategy is still required for success, but adaptability of that strategy is what keeps the game engaging and entertaining. Nothing can quite replace the multiplayer experience, but playing against the AI character keeps the competitiveness alive in the game. As someone who does a lot of solo playing these days, I am glad that I have added Villagers to my collection. If you haven’t gotten a chance to play Villagers yet, I would highly recommend checking it out. Solo or multiplayer, it’s a great time!
Sarah (7799 KP) rated Overcooked Gourmet Edition in Video Games
Dec 22, 2017
So much fun
This is exactly the kind of game that I love and is reminiscent of games like Diner Dash, Cooking Craze etc available on portable devices.
It is possibly the most frustratingly fun game I've ever played. Although one player is possible and it's alright to try and play on your own, multiplayer/couch co-op is where this game excels. Playing this with your other half could be a risky move, but it provides hours of entertainment and an excuse to be able to boss them around in a kitchen! It isn't just a free for all, you have to work together and figure out a strategy as the game gets harder, so it really encouraged cooperation (Although could also result in arguments).
The graphics aren't the best but it more than makes up for it with hours of multiplayer fun.
It is possibly the most frustratingly fun game I've ever played. Although one player is possible and it's alright to try and play on your own, multiplayer/couch co-op is where this game excels. Playing this with your other half could be a risky move, but it provides hours of entertainment and an excuse to be able to boss them around in a kitchen! It isn't just a free for all, you have to work together and figure out a strategy as the game gets harder, so it really encouraged cooperation (Although could also result in arguments).
The graphics aren't the best but it more than makes up for it with hours of multiplayer fun.
Nick Friesen (96 KP) rated Sid Meier's Civilization V The Complete Edition in Video Games
Jul 19, 2017
Great Selection of Countries (4 more)
Streamlined Military Units
Beautiful Graphics and Art Design
Huge Science Research Tree
Just...One...More...Turn...
Civilization Building Strategy Perfection
I have yet to play Civilization VI, but Civilization V has been my favorite in the series so far. They switched tiles from being four-sided to five-sided, and that extra direction adds plenty of nuance to the game by itself. Military units are streamlined, cities get bigger and better looking as they grow, and it's always a joy to see the wonders you build appear in the landscape. I've sunk a lot of time into full length matches, and usually prefer to win through military action or science, but I have managed a few diplomatic victories as well. The religion system has never really interested me, but I'm sure winning that way appeals to some. It's a great and massive game to get lost in.
The Marinated Meeple (1853 KP) rated Blokus in Tabletop Games
Apr 23, 2018
Abstract thinking and spacial reasoning (3 more)
only touching the corners is a good puzzle aspect
no language dependancy
colorful and take that blocking.
Good Game for young kids....
it's a fun little game, doesn't take very long unless everyone is distracted. Which sometimes happens with young kids. The good news with this is that it's not hard to jump right in and take someone else's turn, so you can play teams, and the adults can play and let the kids sub in if you like. There is a very real strategy in placement, so the game goes deeper if you want it. There is a also a feeling of not being threatened for the first 5-10 turns. there's not much analysis paralysis until late in the game when options are low. so it's an ok game for Adults, but a very good game for kids.
The Marinated Meeple (1853 KP) rated Stockpile in Tabletop Games
Apr 9, 2018
Partial Knowledge in the situation (2 more)
Guessing other people's motives
Different traders have different powers.
Super Fun and Easy to be a day trader....
This is a really fun lightweight game, that has more depth and replayability than I first thought. I really enjoyed it every time I've played it so far (4 times) and look forward to owning it soon. I really like how distilled down the trading experience is. It's not over simplified, but really simplified to the right amount. Anyone can pick up and play this game. It takes the intimidation right out of it. plus the variable players that you can start the game with give you different powers and therefore change the strategy on how you play each game slightly. There is an expansion to the game I haven't tried yet but I expect it to be great as well.
Barbara (2 KP) rated Gloomhaven in Tabletop Games
May 25, 2018
Endless adventure (1 more)
Team work
The best ever up-to-4-player-Offline-Role-Playing-Game
This is easily one of the best tabletop games out there. Generally, I prefer games that does not heavily rely on the element of luck (Terra Mystica, Puerto Rico, etc), and rather rely on strategy. I find GloomHaven to be a good mix of both, it promotes good team work and understanding of players' strengths and weaknesses. The extensive content allows the game to go on and on and on for as long as you want to explore the world of GloomHaven. The scenario book makes me giddy with joy. The game also allows you to play any combination of 2, 3, or 4 player scenarios, so if you can't get all of your people together, fret not, level a character you want, or try a different one, the possibilities are endless!!
The Marinated Meeple (1853 KP) rated Kingdomino in Tabletop Games
Mar 21, 2018
Bright and colorful tiles (2 more)
Light stratagy easy for kids to pick up
Easy scoring.
Great for all ages, easy to learn, and fun to play with kids
This is a light quick game that we can actually play with kids and not be bored with. The premise is simple, you have 4 tiles to choose from, and then you must place your time and select the next one. The real strategy is not only where you place it, but also which one you pick and the level of quality will set up the selection order of the next round, maybe you can settle for the worst tile and get your choice of tiles next round, or maybe you need that top tile and will settle for what's leftover the next round. Great little game, we tend to play best two out of three as each game really only lasts 20 minutes.
Steph (468 KP) rated The Wall of Storms (The Dandelion Dynasty #2) in Books
Jul 9, 2018
I am incredibly impressed with the amount of research that must have gone into this book, for politics, military strategy, engineering, physics, and more. That being said, to me the most important thing is characters and I think they fell a little short on this one. Parts of the plot were a little confusing and hard to follow as well. Jia's struggle for power/efforts to unite the throne seemed silly and it was difficult to see the political accumen involved. I was also surprised at how cold and calculating she became. The plot started off rather slow and seemed to end too soon with a lot happening far too quickly at the end. Ultimately this book read more like the first in a series with The Grace of Kings as a prequel. Nevertheless, I still admire the work that went into this book and the brilliance behind the ideas.
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