My hot take: People are saying their getting burnt out on 'consumerism' in board games, but what they're really getting burnt out on is that a lot of modern game design is focused around mechanisms, puzzles, and making the individual player feel smart, not interactions. Those mechanisms and puzzles, once figured out have nothing to keep that game going post initial hype. When you then begin to look up from your personal player board onto the game...you realize there isn't much there. The game then becomes stale and you either sell it or buy the next expansion which 'breathes new life' into the game...until that puzzle has become solved. The great games that we (or at least I) continue to bring to game night typically have player interaction. But games like Earth, Calico, Lacrimosa, etc. have a shorter shelf life and will be moved on from sooner than a game that features meaningful player interaction. In the case of games like Earth (or 'stack of unique card' games), they extend the shelf life by throwing quantity at the problem, but it will run out and they'll need to throw more quantity at it later, which you'll need to buy to avoid becoming bored of the game. Hot take 2: Related to hot take 1, while many say we're in a golden age of board games, I believe we've been in the guilded age for a while now.
@Neon_Gorilla
2 ай бұрын
Really wonderful take, I think you are spot on here…I am pinning this…interaction breeds infinite possibilities while puzzle driven has finite shelf life and holds significant less value…I will say I imagine there are many out there including myself that loves figuring out the puzzle and are ok with a game not living on indefinitely.
@EngMadison
2 ай бұрын
@@Neon_Gorilla yeah, I don't mean puzzle games or 'multi player solitaire' games are bad. But they seem to be way more prevalent now than 10 or 20 years ago. I've nearly completely given up on following what the new hotness is, and rather looked back to games from the 90's and 00's and found some excellent games that feel very different than what gets attention these days. I think if you design a 'puzzle' game, the puzzle needs to be top notch or have tons of expansions to stay relevant for decades (Dominion is a good example of the latter). There's a lot of 'good' puzzle games out there now, but I don't think they'll be relevant down the line.
@ShadowParalyzer
2 ай бұрын
@@EngMadison Based on your comment, I just looked up "multi-player solitaire" because I was unfamiliar with the term, but it seems like it might describe my dislike of many Euro games. To me, a lot of games are effectively "multiplayer solo games" which (at best) compete over a shared pool of resources. While the lack of direct interaction has the advantage of being scalable across player counts, paradoxically, these "multiplayer" games feel like solo games to me. I generally like games where my actions affect my opponent's decision-making process. But Euro games seem to lack conflict or tension, and many seem to be like points-salad, just arbitrary ways to get victory points. Scoring can also be a pain in the end, having to do a lot of arithmetic to figure out one's own score.
@EngMadison
2 ай бұрын
@ShadowParalyzer what's funny is by today's standards many of the euro games from the 90s and 00s are "too mean" due to their interaction. Which is also funny because they were marketed as euro games to differentiate themselves from American style games which involved direct conflict.
@ShadowParalyzer
2 ай бұрын
@@EngMadisonI don't think I like American games either. I like games like Crokinole (Canadian), Go (China), Chess (India?), Wandering Towers (Germany), YINSH (Belgium), Kiri-ai (Japan), Kelp (Belgium). All of them have player interaction without being "Euro" or American. I wonder if abstract-strategy games are considered too mean as well.
@lordgrok
2 ай бұрын
Great list. I agree with almost all of your points :). The gate keeping one resonated with me. I strongly believe that as board game enthusiasts we should welcome people into our hobby and never tell anyone how to have fun. But it can be hard sometimes.. this is an actual conversation I had with colleagues recently after they learned that I liked board games: Colleague 1: I played Monopoly for the first time last week, it was so good I can’t wait to play it again Me: that’s great. There are a lot of good newer games too. Colleague 2: For sure. I played cards against humanity with my friends on the weekend and it was amazing I’m glad they had fun playing those games. Those games were perfect for them. And I’d be lying if I said I approved of their choices, or that either of those games belonged in the same category as the games I enjoy (which they would hate). So I guess I am a snob despite my best efforts, and that’s something I’ll have to continue to work on in myself.
@Neon_Gorilla
2 ай бұрын
I tend to agree there. I suppose snobbery is a spectrum:)
@jacobwoods9024
2 ай бұрын
1. 2 hours is not too long to play a good game. 2. Big boxes are fun from time to time
@Neon_Gorilla
2 ай бұрын
If 2 hours flies by and the game gets you in the zone I’m all for it. Ark Nova, dead reckoning come to mind and enjoyable long experiences.
@mirankramar3111
19 сағат бұрын
"Pineapple does have a place on pizza.." say no more, subscribed! :D
@Neon_Gorilla
18 сағат бұрын
🍍 🎉
@tteshera
2 ай бұрын
My unpopular hot takes: 1) cooperative gaming is legit, and 2) cooperative games don't need to be crazy-challenging to be fun. More cooperative games should have difficulty modifiers to be more accessible for those of us who play games for the experience and not the punishing challenge. As for yours... totally agree with your comments on Wingspan, Heat, Azul, Unmatched, giant miniatures-focused campaign games AND deck-builders! If you haven't played them, check out the Imperium games from Osprey (Classics, Legends, Horizons) - I haven't found another deck-builder that runs through the deck and offers opportunities to cull/optimize the deck more.
@Neon_Gorilla
2 ай бұрын
Horizons is punched sleeved and organized….i need to find time!!!!
@tteshera
2 ай бұрын
@@Neon_Gorilla Be patient at first. The Horizons rulebook is better than the first two, but the system still takes a play or two to get used to. Good luck!
@Neon_Gorilla
2 ай бұрын
Co op has grown on me and appreciate when both players really contribute to the puzzle and don’t fall victim to the quarterbacking paradigm.
@lordgrok
2 ай бұрын
I wish there were more good cooperative games!
@tteshera
2 ай бұрын
@@lordgrok Same, although we do have 43 in our collection we actively play, and finding new hidden gems all the time (2 ordered in the last couple weeks and a handful crowdfunded that should come in over the next year). What's tough for us is that we're not too keen on dungeon-crawlers or boss-battlers, and that seems to be where most of the cooperative design energy is spent in the industry.
@ncc1701jv
2 ай бұрын
Hot take especially for you: Too Many Bones isn't great. All the work put into different gear locks and most of the time you just pump level ups into stats. The amount of money you have to spend to get variety in play is insane. The game is barely a 5 or 6 out of ten, but is a 1/10 in price
@Neon_Gorilla
2 ай бұрын
I would say you train about half of you points into stat upgrades and the other half into skill dice. I can see this being a 5 for some and 10 for others. Vast majority of my gaming is not in the boss battle genre this one presents a different and punishing puzzle I enjoy. Bad game probably has 50 hours of game play if you enjoy it. Price is ridiculous 👍
@florjangjolaj4436
2 ай бұрын
This is a stellar video idea with excellent execution. Do more of these gaming hot takes. I guarantee these will pop off. You got this dude!!! Im loving the engagement in the comments too. (Make a react section of the next hottakes video so we can hear your response to the comments!)
@Neon_Gorilla
2 ай бұрын
Great idea in the reaction follow up video!!!
@Naledgeizpwr
2 ай бұрын
Designer matters a lot more than publisher. There are many videos that do not even mention who the designer is, but they mention the publisher. There are some publishers who are more involved in the design process, or who pick up games that have a similar “feel” to where it may be useful to talk about the publisher, but the designers should be front and center.
@Neon_Gorilla
2 ай бұрын
I am guilty but agree
@rolling.reggie
2 ай бұрын
Huge agree on hot take number 4. Wingspan really gets a bad rap within the sweaty gamer atmosphere. No food 100%! Too many gatekeepers! This was a fun video, I had just seen the comment in the thumbnail the other day so this is perfect lol. Edit: I am a very frugal Marvel Champions enjoyer. I basically only buy stuff on sale or especially ding n dent. I’ve only got a third of the content, I get FOMO sometimes but I’m v happy with what I do have.
@Neon_Gorilla
2 ай бұрын
you did marvel champs the right way! that is hilarious you saw the comment lol. Sometimes I wonder if others read the comments talking smack to me :)
@formsMostBeautiful
2 ай бұрын
1. AI Art is an amazing innovation that will become the majority of board game art, bring down prices, and help the artists who embrace the technology succeed even more. I wish people would stop being Luddites. 2. Crowdfunding has been a huge positive for the hobby.
@Neon_Gorilla
2 ай бұрын
Those are both great hot takes….i really hope this comment pops off 😈
@phk975
2 ай бұрын
#2 isn't a hot take though, it's just plain true.
@Neon_Gorilla
2 ай бұрын
@@phk975 but consumerism :)
@kidney-vitoratio9312
2 ай бұрын
Perfectly correct takes. In particular, crowdfunding (CMON et al) has gotten so many more people into modern board games that this channel wouldn't exist and I would have one tenth the players at local meetups without it. A rising tide lifts all boats or whatever. It's not just consumerism; there are very positive knock-on effects of having more people in a hobby for the people in the hobby. Here's my hot take: 3) There is not enough gatekeeping in board gaming, and it's actually HURTING the hobby. People who play Monopoly or CAH should be informed that those titles are substandard to modern tastes. You would not tolerate this in any other form of media/consumption. If someone told you they read Dr. Seuss to relax, or that their favorite song was 'Wheels on the Bus' you would not react positively and ask others to respect their preferences. I have read COUNTLESS accounts of "I had no idea board games could be more", at some point someone was nice enough to give these people the push that they needed.
@Neon_Gorilla
2 ай бұрын
@@kidney-vitoratio9312 re: gatekeeping, I think you are making the point in the extreme…sure if somebody is a die hard monopoly player they should be told about food chain magnate…however if somebody love catan or wingspan have at it….i said this earlier but I suppose gatekeeping is a spectrum :) thanks for sharing….
@donriddle6392
2 ай бұрын
My unpopular opinion is that I don’t care for asymmetry in board games, at all. I rather we all play by the same rules while trying to solve the same puzzle.
@Neon_Gorilla
2 ай бұрын
I think that might be a 50/50 split but yeah I do disagree:)
@wabi-hz1be
2 ай бұрын
I think board games are a social activity so the complains about downtime are not important in games reviews, as much as I understand them and I could see a clock like in chess being used so that adds a little bit of spice to the whole experience, but come on during downtime u just enjoy the moment the presence of others or just think about ur own strategy u got that time to think and solve the variable puzzles in ur head it’s still playing I don’t know I’m new to the hobby so I might be underestimating I can see that being true too
@Neon_Gorilla
2 ай бұрын
Interesting take, I find the most frustrating down time are in games like castles of burgundy where the game state completely changed so you really can’t plan your turn. I tend to go heads down win mode in puzzly euros but really enjoy a game like root where table talk is a feature and your are “playing” by commenting on others moves.
@EngMadison
2 ай бұрын
@@Neon_Gorilla one you play enough, you learn that you aren't playing that game turn to turn, but rather round to round. The majority of my decisions and evaluations are made at the initial round draw of tiles. Once you see them, and evaluate each others players boards, you can assign value to the tiles and the round sort of plays itself out. It's one of the few 'take and make' games I enjoy because you can both evaluate each others boards fairly easily and the game gives you the ability to 'hate draft' if necessary without it feeling like you've sacrificed your whole game to do so.
@lordgrok
2 ай бұрын
I love the idea of this but agree with neon that (for me) it depends on the type of game. In Root I’m invested in what other players are doing. In a party game it’s more about the lols and group experience so time to talk between turns is the experience. But in Ark Nova adding more players just adds downtime without making the game better. 2-3 is often the sweet spot for euros. There are plenty of games that I’d enjoy if they played in 20-40m, but won’t play if they take 1.5h, especially if there is a lot of downtime. Games with high levels of luck particularly fall into this category.
@ionutsandu2830
2 ай бұрын
Many interesting thoughts and a great video! I agree with some points and disagree with others. For example: Calico feels less chill because of all the restrictions for tile placement while Cascadia feels more chill because of fewer restrictions, but I can see why you consider Calico more chill, it most likely feels so after repeated plays. GWT 1st ed board does look better than 2nd ed, but the 2nd ed box cover is a huge upgrade and gameplay is improved, more balanced with the small changes as well as the Simmental module. Regarding Wingspan, I believe that the majority of boardgamers love and appreciate it, while the elitist haters are just a vocal minority. Root is definitely a better design than Wingspan, but the top bgg games is not the same thing as the best designs. Due to asymmetry and the conflict-based gameplay, Root is actually more of a niche game so from this angle its overall ranking is actually really high. On the player count hot take, I think that you might not be picking the right games for a high player count situation. There are some amazing games that only play well at 4+ players and are kinda trash with 2 or 3. Some examples: Hansa Teutonica, El Grande, Barrage, Scythe, Architects of the West Kingdom, Caylus, Puerto Rico, Coloma, Western Legends, Kemet, Cyclades, Blood Rage, Dominant Species, Power Grid, 18xx games, Heat, Downforce, Nemesis, The King's Dilemma, Smartphone Inc, Libertalia, Chinatown, Captain Sonar, Euphoria, King of Tokyo, Adrenaline, Challengers; then you have hidden traitor, word and party games like Monikers, Secret H, Feed the Kraken, Decrypto, Codenames, Just One, Wavelength and then the auction games like Ra, Modern Art, High Society, Amun Re, The Princes of Florence, For Sale, Lancaster, Tammany Hall.. there is a LOT of high player count goodness :) I have not even mentioned Dune Imperium or Brass Birmingham which both shine with 4 in my opinion. There are also games that work well with few players and are just as good with a larger group; these are the games with a follow mechanic, like Earth, Planet Unknown, Race/Roll for the Galaxy, Carnegie or Raising Robots. Azul is quick enough that I can pull it out from time to time and enjoy an abstract with some great decisions. 2p only though. And btw, Azul is best when players play as mean as possible. I don't mind it at all, but that's just me. One final observation, I have also noticed that the elitist gatekeeping snobs are also the ones who hate coop games. Many coop games are fantastic! Some suck, but no need to play those.
@Neon_Gorilla
2 ай бұрын
I think you might need your own channel lots of great content here. I have played calico a ton and that certainly led to that observation. I do agree there are plenty of good game at 4 but my requisite is player interaction not just game state changes. Brass is a great example where the 4th player might be a worthwhile addition even though it adds about 20 minutes to the game. While it ticks the box of game state change which happens in many euros the market dynamics and beer make it a highly interactive and engaging experience. But if a game is simply altering the choices you can possibly make like castles or burgundy the difference in 3 and 4 players is not worth the extra time spent. I did a few videos on BGG rankings and their flaws so I understand why ROOT isn’t there just saying if actually was a best games list of all time rather than an aggregate of scores all built off of different value systems and not often updated then ROOT should be higher. I do think accessibility holds it back which one could argue should be considered as part of the ranking and in that case wingspan is rightfully above it. Thanks for watching.
@MarkBlasco
2 ай бұрын
Pineapple + pepperoni + garlic on pizza. Delicious. It's even a standard menu item at the local music themed pizza joint.
@Neon_Gorilla
2 ай бұрын
Music themed? Why am I blanking
@douglestarge5865
2 ай бұрын
I used to enjoy Wingspan and Catan. I didn’t stop because they are not cool. I stopped because I enjoy learning to improve at games competitively. And those two have serious problems when viewed competitively.
@Neon_Gorilla
2 ай бұрын
Hot take #21 the black birds are fun
@douglestarge5865
2 ай бұрын
@@Neon_Gorilla haha. If only the ravens were the only competitive problem.
@Neon_Gorilla
2 ай бұрын
@@douglestarge5865#22 broken games are fun ;)
@stormburns
2 ай бұрын
Ark Nova is a random tactic card game luck fest that takes twice as long as it should! If it were as quick as Forrest Shuffle that would be fine! Everdell is the best tableau builder in existance! Dice worker placement/action selection is the best mechanic! Euro games generally being better at 3 and lower is not a hot take! That's consensus xD Catan/Carcasonne/TTR are criminally underrated, agreed! The problem with pineapple on pizza is that its always canned pinnaple. Fresh pineapple I would try! ooooh you have not played Azul with me. 2p azul is tense and cut-throat! Great Vid as always!
@Neon_Gorilla
2 ай бұрын
Best dice worker placement game? I need to dig everdell out if the refrigerator box I have it in and play, I actually need to play all the expansions I know I do enjoy spirecrest but my wife hates it when I bolt new stuff on to a game she already enjoyed. I am actually excited to play 12 games of ticket to ride in a row for the campaign.
@stormburns
2 ай бұрын
@@Neon_Gorilla Castles of Burgundy. Followed by Scholars or any 3 of the South Tigris series, the white castle , Bora bora/Cuzco and then there is Perseverance Castaway. Have not tried Circadians yet but only heard good stuff! Played Newleaf already? It's on auto include for us, Bellfair too. The extended meadow alone and the new cards and golden doors from Newleaf plus the player powers make for such a good game. Doesn't feel bolted on either! Never tried spirecrest but Pearlbrook is the one I would try next.
@stormburns
2 ай бұрын
@@Neon_GorillaDinosaur island rawr and write would be another
@BillyIndiana
2 ай бұрын
I agree with you on Heat, Azul, Catan, Gatekeepers and pineapple 🍍 My hot take is the original 7 Wonders 2-player version is better than 7 Wonders Duel & Unforgiven: The Lincoln Assassination Trial is better than both!
@Neon_Gorilla
2 ай бұрын
Looks like I need to play Lincoln’s assassination!!!
@daveheasman3680
Ай бұрын
Totally agree about Heat…and racing games are one of my favourite genres
@Neon_Gorilla
Ай бұрын
@@daveheasman3680 what’s your favorite?
@daveheasman3680
Ай бұрын
@@Neon_Gorilla 1. Rallyman Dirt is my no.1 game (of all not just racing) 2. Rallyman GT 3. Thunder Rolls
@Neon_Gorilla
Ай бұрын
@@daveheasman3680 I have to try rallyman then
@daveheasman3680
Ай бұрын
@@Neon_Gorilla both are on BGA. The RMGT implementation is incredible. Let me know what you think. I really like your channel by the way. Only just discovered you. Thanks for all your efforts
@Neon_Gorilla
Ай бұрын
@@daveheasman3680 hey thanks for the kinds words, making my day. It’s m going to try and play tonight.
@ten_oclock_scholar4690
2 ай бұрын
Completely agree with your 7th Citadel, HEAT, and Azul takes.
@Neon_Gorilla
2 ай бұрын
Doh they are supposed to be unpopular opinions!!! :)
@junyanliu3621
2 ай бұрын
My hot take : Everdell , flamecraft and canvas are three beautiful garbage games .
@Neon_Gorilla
2 ай бұрын
Ooo I would have to disagree as I use everdell and Flamecraft to introduce people to the hobby. I’m down to play both right now in fact, but can definitely respect your opinion on it.
@junyanliu3621
2 ай бұрын
@@Neon_Gorilla I believe you could find games with better mechanics and more interesting decisions to introduce people to board games.
@FBracht
2 ай бұрын
As someone who just bought Iceman not even 1h ago mostly to “keep current” on Marvel Champions, I… well, let’s put it like this: I don’t regret any of my Marvel Purchases, but that’s because I tend to be controlled with my “lifestyle games”. I never got into Too Many Bones, for example, because it just seems to occupy an overlapping space with MC, and I already have and love MC. I was even playing it last night. I do take it out and play it often enough that, even though I have a ton of still unplayed content, I don’t regret any money spent on it. That said, you do have to “marry” that game for it to be worth it. With Marvel Champions you basically have three options: stay away from it; buy the base game and enjoy it for what it is without expansions (which is also pretty awesome); or commit to getting everything and admit you now have a Marvel Champions hobby in parallel to your board gaming hobby. But it’s worth it.
@FBracht
2 ай бұрын
This concern I have with not getting overlapping games is also the reason I didn’t care for games like Harmonies and Hegemony. They’re so similar to games I already own that whether or not they’re good is almost besides the point. I already have Cascadia and Root.
@Neon_Gorilla
2 ай бұрын
Agreed and it’s tough to know if it will stand the rest of time before you fall down the rabbit hole
@FBracht
2 ай бұрын
@@Neon_Gorilla For sure. At least for me and my group, I was pretty confident it would be a hit when I went in. And the game already had almost a couple of years of content behind it, a dedicated following, and glowing reviews. It felt very safe to jump in.
@halforange1
2 ай бұрын
1. Nobody (in North America) plays board games. I say this to mean to that board gaming is still a very niche hobby that has very little penetration into the greater culture. I saw a German regular average store (in 2019) advertise that they would soon be getting more stock of Wingspan. I only see US stores do similar things for Call of Duty and the like. 2. Uwe Rosenberg’s first name is pronounced oo-vah, not oo-vay. 3. Board gaming is an inexpensive hobby. Spending $100USD per month is a lot for board gaming (though not uncommon) and that’s still an amount that qualifies as a moderately priced hobby.
@Neon_Gorilla
2 ай бұрын
definitely a tiny hobby niche. It is interesting that D&D alone eclipses all other board games in KZitem popularity. I wish #3 was a true statement for me, this certainly can be an expensive hobby but doesn't have to be...
@Heavycardboard
2 ай бұрын
Unsure which is more chill, but I'm a big fan of Cascadia!
@Neon_Gorilla
2 ай бұрын
Cascadia is wonderful. Landmarks is a nice addition.
@Heavycardboard
2 ай бұрын
@@Neon_Gorilla I've only played the base game, but really was quite smitten with it. Want to try the expansion for sure!
@gregmahler9506
2 ай бұрын
Interesting take on Heat: Pedal to the Metal. It's not great at all solo or 2 player though which might be why you thought it was boring. I agree about the deck-building (although hand-management usually pairs with it). In fact most of my top 10 games are deck-builders (or hand management). And the 3 games I've designed use it to boot.
@Neon_Gorilla
2 ай бұрын
Hand management is certainly adjacent. I really enjoy that aspect in a game like Brass…the deck building is simply the power fantasy full filled when you build great combos and they draw and pay off…Heat felt hollow like there weren’t enough dimensions at play to make in interesting. To be fair I did not give it the benefit of playing it past 3 or so times before I traded it.
@aldarez13
2 ай бұрын
Calico is probably more chill if you're not an over-competitive jerk (like me) and can be happy just going with the flow and seeing what happens. I feel more relaxed playing Cascadia because the "none of the options are good for me" scenario comes up less often. Wingspan's detractors are totally the same as rock/metal fans turning on a band when they get too popular. It's too mainstream for the cool kids now 😆 I got super hyped for TMB thanks to SUSD and NPI a couple of years back and bought a pile of stuff in the Unbreakable campaign. I really want to love it - and it is *good* - but the time and focus it demands is rarely what I'm looking for. I'd rather just get out a good euro and be finished within a couple of hours. I'm not much of a solo gamer so maybe I'm missing some of the appeal there. Heat sits in a weird spot for me. I have no interest in the basic mode, but quite enjoy it with everything thrown in. The upgrade cards are fun, and having bonus objectives on the track and encouragement to speed through the corners adds to the drama. The problem is that to play the good version of the game you're now doing 3-4 races which tends to be overstaying its welcome... A single race variant with a couple of upgrade cards and the championship rules would probably be my preferred way to play. Completely agree on Unmatched! The art is fantastic but the gameplay is so very dull. I thought I was going to come out feeling the same about Dice Throne as well, but I really dig that one. 🤷♂
@Neon_Gorilla
Ай бұрын
TMB is one of my favorites of all time but I have to admit it does not come out of the chest often enough to justify that statement.
@kirbyma4068
2 ай бұрын
Pineapple is great on pizza, especially if there's any heat/spice with it. People will gatekeep the crap out of pineapple on pizza, then go ahead and add hot honey and act like nobody has ever done sweet and savoury before. But my hot take: Sandwiches are infinitely more versatile and better than pizza (and I love pizza). Hot take #2: The more rules a game has, the worse it is. The more a player has to do on their turn, the worse the game is.
@Neon_Gorilla
2 ай бұрын
I have been crushing a Sicilian hot honey, pep, sausage and ricotta and local joint, I did not believe in the hot honey and now I do! I do think #2 is a bit of a hot take as I enjoy complex games but I do feel stressed when playing them for sure and am unlikely to get them back out if I go for a while not playing them and then try to go back.
@kirbyma4068
2 ай бұрын
@Neon_Gorilla I am adding some spice to my take for the sake of adding spice, but I believe the best games are games you actually play. I find it too hard to find the time and mental energy to get the big games played. The only time big games have a good chance of happening is if I'm playing at 2P with my partner. But honestly, I love learning new systems and learning how different gears spin together in new board games, and heavy games usually provide that satisfying, yet difficult puzzle to solve. I've seen my parents' and grandparents' generation develop mental issues and I know constantly learning is the best way to exercise the mind. So will I use that as a reason to keep buying new board games and video games? You bet I will.
@danielshanks8297
2 ай бұрын
Lol at #20, perfect!
@Neon_Gorilla
2 ай бұрын
🍍
@stenolebrretzen675
2 ай бұрын
This was a fun and snappy video. Unfortunately there is nothing I disagree with you too much on. GWT 1ed is nicer to look at. Root is fantastic. My own hot take would be that the best expansion for Terraforming Mars is Turmoil. Gatekeeping could probably be fleshed out a bit. If we're just insulting each other's preferences, I agree that that is just outright bad. But we also have to acknowledge that board gaming isn't really a unified hobby. There are sub-preferences in there and some people have preferences that just aren't compatible. Maintaining gaming groups with incompatible players is challenging, and although not outright keeping people fenced out, there will be a certain need to make fences to make sure some optimal state of group happiness is reached.
@Neon_Gorilla
2 ай бұрын
Game group composition is critical…thanks for watching and sorry you don’t disagree with anything:)
@riven688
2 ай бұрын
Lol this video talked me out of backing Grimcoven. The minis are sooo cool, but I do find this sort of game too fiddly and would almost always reach for something else
@Neon_Gorilla
2 ай бұрын
idk man you just made me look at the campaign and I might back it :) lol I agree those look amazing and AR does it right
@riven688
2 ай бұрын
@@Neon_Gorilla haha don't tell me that! I don't think my gaming group would like the theme, and I don't really like my solo games to be fiddly
@kidney-vitoratio9312
2 ай бұрын
Hot take There is not enough gatekeeping in board gaming, and it's actually HURTING the hobby. People who play Monopoly or CAH should be informed that those titles are substandard to modern tastes. You would not tolerate this in any other form of media/consumption. If someone told you they read Dr. Seuss to relax, or that their favorite song was 'Wheels on the Bus' you would not react positively and ask others to respect their preferences. I have read COUNTLESS accounts of "I had no idea board games could be more", at some point someone was nice enough to give these people the push that they needed.
@Neon_Gorilla
2 ай бұрын
:)
@buisgolalas
2 ай бұрын
Co-op >>>>> competitive
@Neon_Gorilla
2 ай бұрын
Whaaaaaaaaaaa
@Neon_Gorilla
2 ай бұрын
Best co op game?
@ten_oclock_scholar4690
2 ай бұрын
Completely agree. And thankfully, there are too many games in this category now to be able to crown a best co-op game, since there are so many different styles of co-op. But here are my favorites: Best LCG: Arkham Horror The Card Game Best dice chucker: Cthulhu Death May Die Best crisis management game: Spirit Island Best co-op deduction game: Letter Jam Best co-op trick-taker: The Crew: Mission Deep Sea
@buisgolalas
2 ай бұрын
@@Neon_Gorilla agree with @ten_oclock_scholar4690 there are so many different varieties that provide so much fun. From, long campaigns like Gloomhaven to short but brilliant games like Sail & Sky Team. Clever word games like So Clover and Sides. To straight up silliness of Mountains of Madness. My top 100 had 75 co-op games lol.
@junyanliu3621
2 ай бұрын
azul is fun if you could get your opponent to score several negative points ( it is an evil game ) . i lost almost all the time .
@Neon_Gorilla
2 ай бұрын
It definitely is
@Yauchy
2 ай бұрын
Wingspan is dope (Wrymspan is dope-r). Gloomhaven is indeed better digital but with a full 4 in-person is crazy good too (especially with Frosthaven as the only option). Deck Building is the absolute best - that's not outlandish, that's just factual. Most of your takes aren't too outlandish, though I'd say Heat is absolutely fantastic at high player counts (not 2) and with the better cards in use but it depends on the group. My hot take additions: • Wonderland's War is overrated due to nice art and components - far too much of the game is RNG and it overstays its welcome. • Bitoku is terribly balanced and overrated, with a multitude of point salad games that are better but just not as pretty. I'd rather play Azul 4x than a single game of that nonsense again. • My Father's Work is lovely except for its required application is absolute trash that messes up every. single. play. and ruins the experience. • Resistance: Avalon (now Quest) is peak social deduction gaming and with a few more homebrewed roles is neigh perfection. • Tanto Cuore is better than Dominion. They are essentially identical except Tanto adds more and gets crapped on due to theme. • $1 Pre Pledges are a scourge on board gaming and they need to cut the crap and stop trying to "reservation funnel" us or use something not backerkit. • AI Art fans need to stop using the word Luddite(s); There is nuance for folks who don't have beef with AI Art in design or construction of a game or usage with no intent to sell an asset with the art on it. I'd argue a majority of people anti-AI are not against the technological advancement but how it usually is not paying for rights of images/data to feed the engine/models.
@Neon_Gorilla
2 ай бұрын
Im getting the most heat for Heat...maybe I need to play a few games on bga to make sure I hate it...
@robinsmith6847
2 ай бұрын
My hot take: Martin Wallace games can get in the bin! 😂
@Neon_Gorilla
2 ай бұрын
But brass is the best game ever made!!!!
@robinsmith6847
2 ай бұрын
@@Neon_Gorilla I only tried it once and really didn't enjoy it. Much preferred nucleum 😳
@Neon_Gorilla
2 ай бұрын
@@robinsmith6847 fair, nucleum to me had more bells and whistles, basically just more complex. The rails as an action mechanism is very interesting but there is something about brass and its simplistic beauty that I keep coming back to. This comes from someone who really wanted to make a video about how all these other games are better than the #1 game on bgg, and frankly I am having a hard time doing so. I have played it mostly online which allows you to get a ton of plays in very quickly so that has helped the appreciation as well.
@robinsmith6847
2 ай бұрын
Yeah I think I'll need to pick up the app. The app is what hooked me on Root. I think the first and only experience with brass is what put me off a bit. The teach was quite stressful and felt pushed for time so we didn't even get to finish the full game. I've got tinners trail and it's just OK.
@robinsmith6847
2 ай бұрын
And really didn't enjoy a study in emerald 😅
@Wonderflonium
2 ай бұрын
1. I prefer LOTR LCG over Arkham LCG and Marvel Champions. 2. The best thing about Twilight Imperium 4th Edition is how much you can study the game when not playing it 3. For drafting games, Bunny Kingdom is better than 7 Wonders
@Neon_Gorilla
2 ай бұрын
Oooh shots fired on bunny kingdom. That is at the back of the closet right now but good….similar to minis games I suspect I like the idea of playing TI4 than the day I spend playing it.
@tteshera
2 ай бұрын
Yeah, I laughed (cringed) at the comments re: MC, as I'm also getting into and preferring LOTR LCG. So far I'm good w/the investments - hope it doesn't end up collecting dust.
@MarkBlasco
2 ай бұрын
Non pizza hot take : overpaying on ebay for a kickstarter you really want is cheaper than backing all of the games you think you want.
@Neon_Gorilla
2 ай бұрын
That is Yoda type knowledge there…I have largely ignored kickstarter for different reasons in that investing my game money in something I can’t cover now is not helpful but you just made me feel a bit better about overpaying for 7th citadel.
@andyliebermann5244
2 ай бұрын
Unpopular opinion... I don't like Quest for El Dorado. I've only played it at two and I know that's not the best but... meh. I agree with no food; hard candy like skittles are acceptable. Snacks will be found at another table, please wash your hands before returning to the game table. I like Azul, have you played Sagrada? Go even lighter than Dinosaur Rawr and Write and try Draftosaurus, real light, fun, and cute. I've played Unmatched once, love the art. Haven't got it back to the table because I certainly wasn't wowed. 100% on the pineapple pizza. It is a great side pie. I'll never turn down a slice of pineapple, pep, and jalepenos for sweet, salty, and spicy.
@Neon_Gorilla
2 ай бұрын
You hit it on the head with the toppings combo…I traded for quest and have yet to play…sagrada no but was interested artisans because it looked like a fun coloring book :) thanks for the recommend on draftasaurus.
@andyliebermann5244
2 ай бұрын
@@Neon_Gorilla Draftosaurus is a perfect welcoming game with drafting. Start with that and you'll have friends playing Arnak and Dune in no time.
@Frodo-
2 ай бұрын
Agreed with the minis comment, I think this is a reaction to board game companies and crowdfunding. Its that splashy pretty minis that sells alot of these games. Id much rather have a very solid play of a game, vs it look pretty. But then again I was brought into the boardgame world with ugly Euro games so I am showing my roots. For the most part I dont disagree with your Azul take, but I think it really shines with a higher player count. Its really cut throat if you are playing it right IMO, and trying to figure out what others are going to take and making decisions if you are going to be a jerk and hate draft or pick what you really need. Going along the same lines as the minis, the box sizes have gotten to be at an insane level. The amount of content that we as gamers are drawn to is terrible. The vast majority of everyone buying these huge sprawling games, with boxes that take up a stupid amount of shelf space will never play even a quarter of that content. As I look behind you at ISS and TMB. I 100% agree with your TMB take, but I love the game and still need to finish up my completionist once my Trove chest gets here in a couple of weeks.
@Neon_Gorilla
2 ай бұрын
Yeah my wife says she will often make an in optimal move on BGA just to be toxic lol. TMB is my weakness…sort of relieved they stopped making stuff for it. I say to myself every day “I really need to play it”
@Frodo-
2 ай бұрын
@@Neon_Gorilla Once the trove gets here, Im going to get it out and play it. I gotta get all of the content out to fill the chest, so might as well spend a week playing some games too :D.
@Neon_Gorilla
2 ай бұрын
@@Frodo- filling the chest is fun I have to admit:)
@Frodo-
2 ай бұрын
@@Neon_Gorilla I also had a friend 3d print the trove chest insert made by js500 on printables. Really looking forward to it.
@diamondmeeple
2 ай бұрын
1. "Tedious activities for Odin" is not a game! 2. You seem a little obsessed by controlling if you lose or win and/or HOW you lose (and you heavly dislike being owned by a really skilled player/s). When you play a 4-player game you "lose" control, right? ;-)
@Neon_Gorilla
2 ай бұрын
Not sure I follow 2 but can see 1 as it is not the most elegant design
@diamondmeeple
2 ай бұрын
@@Neon_Gorilla You dislike playing skill rewarding games vs really skilled players. Yes or no?
@oneysnyder2116
Ай бұрын
Hot Take: sausage or bacon and pineapple pizza is better than ham and pineapple.
@Neon_Gorilla
Ай бұрын
this is a fact, I would add pepperoni > ham as well
@Board_Halfling
2 ай бұрын
I agree with all of your opinions but that last one I just can’t pineapple has no place when it comes to pizza
@Neon_Gorilla
2 ай бұрын
lol, you are not supposed to agree with anything!!!!! Except maybe the pineapple 🍍
@lordgrok
2 ай бұрын
Guessing me substituting mango for pineapple on ham and pineapple with bbq base wouldn’t rock your world either ;) 😂
@Davidgm2002
2 ай бұрын
love it
@Neon_Gorilla
2 ай бұрын
Me too:)
@npckse8508
2 ай бұрын
Crazy, nah. Misguided, confused, silly? Lol just joking to each their own. Mine is Overboss. I think the 2nd edition art feels even further disconnected from the overall design and theme. Wingspan is where you lose me. It is just not a great game for me, or my gaming group. I would say that your stance on games with more than 3 players is 100% a facet of the people you play with. I routinely play 4 and 5 player games, often new ones with a teach and they don't wear out their welcome. The Broken Meeple feels the same was as you though. Definitely with you on the no food, although one player has started smuggling blueberries in, but he hasn't made a mess yet. The only Roll and Write I love is Hadrian's Wall. Heat is excellent and has zero in common with Candyland, but it is also a game that plays great at higher player counts, which you don't seem to like. I stopped Marvel Champions at the first bigger expansion and sold it off for a profit and never looked back. Just too much to keep getting all the new stuff. I will say that not all minis games have high rules overhead and really Aeon's Trespass Odyssey is its own animal. Certainly many are lifestyle games. My wife loves the Stain Glass Azul, which I do not mind, but I have sort of gotten enough out of Azul by this point. Agreed with Catan which is the victim of people pretending they are too good for Catan. Gatekeeping exists in nearly every hobby, so that is nothing new, but yeah the online board game community can be pretty hostile. I also agree about Unmatched which I just did not enjoy.
@Neon_Gorilla
2 ай бұрын
Now that is what I’m talking about, heat is candyland watch my video:) just joking sort of! Blueberries are low risk but still breaking the rules.highher player counts work when the game is incredibly engaging. With root I have such a high interest in other players moves that the engagement makes up for it. If it’s a euro that loses nothing at lows player counts I will pass on the large game group.
@thecuriousboardgamer
2 ай бұрын
My unpopular opinion: Chibi are not cute.
@Neon_Gorilla
2 ай бұрын
Fair
@MCJesse-hu4ru
Ай бұрын
Unpopular idea by me: Spirit Island is waaaayyyyyy overrated. Three players is the best player count.
@Neon_Gorilla
Ай бұрын
@@MCJesse-hu4ru spirit island is convoluted and needs a player to understand how all of the cards interact with a particular spirit. It’s is a bad experience if played only a couple times but a rewarding game if somebody takes the time to fall into it. So I guess I sort of agree. 3 players is the best player count. Having the third Balance creates a significant amount of unpredictable friction that is not present at two. A fourth player does not add much except for time.
@marcusp4278
2 ай бұрын
Scythe, Sleeping Gods, and Root are supremely overrated. All ok games that get to much love
@Neon_Gorilla
2 ай бұрын
🌶️ spicy…I love it
@tabletop_paradox
2 ай бұрын
1. Codenames is way overrated 2. Splendor is not as good of an engine builder as Century Golem or Project L 3. The Crew 1 is better than The Crew 2 4. If your game can't comfortably fit inside a single Kallax cube, then its too big 5. Board game reviewers shouldn't have personal connections to board game publishers or designers.
@Neon_Gorilla
2 ай бұрын
Idk an entire cube is generous:) 5 is a tough one I don’t have any relationships but that is likely because I am small. Do you watch any big channels and if you do are you conflicted taking their advice?
@tabletop_paradox
2 ай бұрын
@@Neon_Gorilla the board game youtubers that I watch each do a good job of disclaiming potential biases up front. I think #5 is a bigger issue among board game instagramers. As I get deeper into the hobby I am more critical of others advice. Some content creators seem like pegs on a marketing machine who's goal is to promote games regardless of their quality. Whereas I'd like to see reviews based on merit tested over time and not just the latest hotness.
@andyliebermann5244
2 ай бұрын
There are exceptions to #4 if there's a ton of exapansions or content, however, I think this is generally a great rule. Every effort should be made to limit game box size. Scythe legendary box, great. Wingspan Nesting Box, awful. It's too long to fit. I'll likely get everything for Wingspan as it comes out but I'll keep the important stuff in the base game box and an expansion box.
@smoogums89
2 ай бұрын
Here's my hot take solo gaming shouldn't exist. Developers need to abandon adding automata to their games and focus on the real experience of 2-4 player. I would rather play a video game or something if i had to resort to solo gaming. Luckily my playgroup is awesome and now the first thing i do when i buy a new game is toss out any solo material. I don't have a single solo mode card in my too many bones collection.
@Neon_Gorilla
2 ай бұрын
Many many many solo modes are obtuse Frankenstein autumas bolted on….some games are solo in nature which is fine but don’t totally disagree…
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