[Imperial Historian]

Really good games everyone tends to know about. Have you tried paperback? It's good with people who like deck builders and scrabble.

[Morgoth]

Gorefest, on 18 November 2020 - 08:11 AM, said:

Agree with all recommends, sadly already got those covered apart from Spirit Island, which I'll definitely check out. Been eyeing Gloomhaven for some time now, but the price tag put me off as I wasn't sure if it would be good in a two-player setting. Maybe it is an interesting punt for Christmas. Thanks!

I think Gloomhaven is absurdly cheap for the amount of playtime it offers. It's a great game, and I recommend it wholeheartedly.

[Gorefest]

Imperial Historian, on 18 November 2020 - 08:26 AM, said:

Really good games everyone tends to know about. Have you tried paperback? It's good with people who like deck builders and scrabble.

Ooh, never heard of that one. Looks interesting. Thanks for the tip!

[edit]Currently sold out through all UK vendors by the looks of it. Hrm.

This post has been edited by Gorefest: 20 November 2020 - 12:44 PM

[Imperial Historian]

Gorefest, on 20 November 2020 - 12:37 PM, said:

Imperial Historian, on 18 November 2020 - 08:26 AM, said:

Really good games everyone tends to know about. Have you tried paperback? It's good with people who like deck builders and scrabble.

Ooh, never heard of that one. Looks interesting. Thanks for the tip!

[edit]Currently sold out through all UK vendors by the looks of it. Hrm.

It was reimplemented as HardBack a couple of years ago, I've never played that version but as far as I'm aware not much changed. Also seems to be mostly sold out but these guys have a copy.

https://athenagames....IxoC-nQQAvD_BwE

[Imperial Historian]

Actually a quick read of some reviews suggests it's only sort of similar to paperback, but retains some of the deckbuilding and scrabble elements

[Tattersail_]

I'll read this thread later, I'll be looking for family board games to play over Christmas new year, 7 adults playing. Any recommendations?

We enjoyed codenames last year, have many games banked as well like balderdash, ticket to ride, Ramble etc

[Imperial Historian]

Tattersail_, on 20 November 2020 - 02:13 PM, said:

I'll read this thread later, I'll be looking for family board games to play over Christmas new year, 7 adults playing. Any recommendations?

We enjoyed codenames last year, have many games banked as well like balderdash, ticket to ride, Ramble etc

There's nothing quite like Secret Hitler with the right group.

Accusing your nearest and dearest of being Hitler never gets old.

It's basically a simple version of Mafia without the need for a mod.

Secret Hitler and Codenames are my go to games for larger groups these days.

[Traveller]

Don't know if anyone here has played it, but I've bought Mice and Mystics for my daughter for christmas.

Looks interesting anyway, sort of story/game where you play through chapters of a book using the characters.

[Morgoth]

I played War of Whispers last week-end. You play as one of four, uhm, powers behind the throne so to speak. I was the Endless Serpent, my friends The Suplicant Spider and Cult of the Rat. We struggle to make sure that our favored kingdoms do well, and that our disfavoured ones do poorly. Alas, we do not know what kingdoms are favoured by the others. Maybe we all want the same one to win, or maybe two of us want a kingdom to lose while another want them to win. It creates a delightful kind of dynamic where all choices have to be considered as a potential distraction, or as a step in a plan to benefit a specific kingdom. I helped the Elephant Clan to invade the Lion Clan, and in doing so made my fellow schemers believe I favoured the Elephants over the Lions. They banded together to crush the invasion force. Unfortunately for them, I used the new army of the Lions to invade the Horse Clan and vastly expand the Lion's territory. It netted med a solid collection of points at the end of the game.

The particularly neat thing about this game is that, as you are removed from the fates of the kingdoms in a way, there is no reason to take attacks or surprises personally. You are still there, just as present in the conflict as you always were. The eternal power hiding in the shadows.

[Slow Ben]

The wife and I picked up Betrayal At House On The Hill over the holidays. Ended up playing it with some friends in New Years from 6-3. Really enjoyed.

3-6 people start out exploring a haunted house, then eventually you trigger the Haunt and one of you is the traitor. There’s 50 different haunts depending on the trigger. Either the traitor or the heros accomplish their objective first and win.

The first one we did the traitor turned into a hulking mass who couldn’t take damage. The only way to kill him was to find the boiler in the basement, which we hadn’t found yet, and rig it to explode before he kills everyone.

Good fun.

[Imperial Historian]

Morgoth, on 06 January 2021 - 06:57 AM, said:

I played War of Whispers last week-end. You play as one of four, uhm, powers behind the throne so to speak. I was the Endless Serpent, my friends The Suplicant Spider and Cult of the Rat. We struggle to make sure that our favored kingdoms do well, and that our disfavoured ones do poorly. Alas, we do not know what kingdoms are favoured by the others. Maybe we all want the same one to win, or maybe two of us want a kingdom to lose while another want them to win. It creates a delightful kind of dynamic where all choices have to be considered as a potential distraction, or as a step in a plan to benefit a specific kingdom. I helped the Elephant Clan to invade the Lion Clan, and in doing so made my fellow schemers believe I favoured the Elephants over the Lions. They banded together to crush the invasion force. Unfortunately for them, I used the new army of the Lions to invade the Horse Clan and vastly expand the Lion's territory. It netted med a solid collection of points at the end of the game.

The particularly neat thing about this game is that, as you are removed from the fates of the kingdoms in a way, there is no reason to take attacks or surprises personally. You are still there, just as present in the conflict as you always were. The eternal power hiding in the shadows.

This sounds like exactly my sort of game. Boardgame geek says about an hour to play, is that accurate?

I am missing physical boardgames in these days of lockdown.

[Morgoth]

Imperial Historian, on 06 January 2021 - 02:33 PM, said:

Morgoth, on 06 January 2021 - 06:57 AM, said:

I played War of Whispers last week-end. You play as one of four, uhm, powers behind the throne so to speak. I was the Endless Serpent, my friends The Suplicant Spider and Cult of the Rat. We struggle to make sure that our favored kingdoms do well, and that our disfavoured ones do poorly. Alas, we do not know what kingdoms are favoured by the others. Maybe we all want the same one to win, or maybe two of us want a kingdom to lose while another want them to win. It creates a delightful kind of dynamic where all choices have to be considered as a potential distraction, or as a step in a plan to benefit a specific kingdom. I helped the Elephant Clan to invade the Lion Clan, and in doing so made my fellow schemers believe I favoured the Elephants over the Lions. They banded together to crush the invasion force. Unfortunately for them, I used the new army of the Lions to invade the Horse Clan and vastly expand the Lion's territory. It netted med a solid collection of points at the end of the game.

The particularly neat thing about this game is that, as you are removed from the fates of the kingdoms in a way, there is no reason to take attacks or surprises personally. You are still there, just as present in the conflict as you always were. The eternal power hiding in the shadows.

This sounds like exactly my sort of game. Boardgame geek says about an hour to play, is that accurate?

I am missing physical boardgames in these days of lockdown.

it took us roughly two hours, but it was our first time, and I had no idea even as to how to play the game before we started. So yeah, I can see roughly an hour with three players. Maybe a little more with four.

[amphibian]

We played Spyfall 2. It seems like an interesting game, but there's real problems with having to ask vague questions without immediate familiarity with the scenes. The spy gets identified every time and it's just not a fun game that way.

We switched to other games after about 6 rounds of Spyfall.

[Coltaine -]

Slow Ben, on 06 January 2021 - 02:12 PM, said:

The wife and I picked up Betrayal At House On The Hill over the holidays. Ended up playing it with some friends in New Years from 6-3. Really enjoyed.

3-6 people start out exploring a haunted house, then eventually you trigger the Haunt and one of you is the traitor. There's 50 different haunts depending on the trigger. Either the traitor or the heros accomplish their objective first and win.

The first one we did the traitor turned into a hulking mass who couldn't take damage. The only way to kill him was to find the boiler in the basement, which we hadn't found yet, and rig it to explode before he kills everyone.

Good fun.

Great game. There is also and expansion pack with I think 50 additional haunts and more rooms, items, etc. And all the haunts are really different.

[Morgoth]

amphibian, on 06 January 2021 - 02:50 PM, said:

We played Spyfall 2. It seems like an interesting game, but there's real problems with having to ask vague questions without immediate familiarity with the scenes. The spy gets identified every time and it's just not a fun game that way.

We switched to other games after about 6 rounds of Spyfall.

We've played some Spyfall, and I'm not a big fan, though that's partially because I am terrible at it. Lying was never my strength.

If you're looking for a better social deduction game, I'd very much recommend Skulls. It's an elegant, easy deduction game that every table I've introduced it to falls in love with almost instantly.

[amphibian]

I have Skulls! But the group didn't like the first try it out experience. How did you handle bringing it out, Morgy?

[Morgoth]

amphibian, on 07 January 2021 - 01:52 PM, said:

I have Skulls! But the group didn't like the first try it out experience. How did you handle bringing it out, Morgy?

Basically by selling it as incredibly easy to play, and quick to finish, and that it's all about figuring out what the others think, and tricking them. I even got my GF's family to join in and play several rounds in succession, despite them never playing anything other than the occasional round of cards before. It was a huge success. I love skulls, it always works well in my experience, and everyone seems to enjoy themselves. Very much an evening and a glass of wine or two game though.

[Morgoth]

If all goes according to the promises of Fedex, I'm getting Tainted Grail today. Very exited, even though I can't actually open it until Sunday.

[Tapper]

Morgoth, on 14 January 2021 - 08:06 AM, said:

If all goes according to the promises of Fedex, I'm getting Tainted Grail today. Very exited, even though I can't actually open it until Sunday.

I am curious how you find it. Mine sits unpacked in a cabinet since I received (and opened) etherfields just before christmas, and I think one game I will play solo is for now enough - am half of a mind to sell TG on.

[Morgoth]

Tapper, on 14 January 2021 - 11:03 AM, said:

Morgoth, on 14 January 2021 - 08:06 AM, said:

If all goes according to the promises of Fedex, I'm getting Tainted Grail today. Very exited, even though I can't actually open it until Sunday.

I am curious how you find it. Mine sits unpacked in a cabinet since I received (and opened) etherfields just before christmas, and I think one game I will play solo is for now enough - am half of a mind to sell TG on.

From what I understand, Tainted Grail is a much more rewarding and focused gaming experience than Etherfields. The reviews I saw made me steer well clear of Etherfields, which seems to have a number of features that merely - or so it seems to me - makes the experience of playing the game more frustrating, without offering anything positive in return.