This reminds me of what expansions often used to be, before the world of 5 expansions launched with the base game on KS. They waited about a year to get some feedback on the base game, and then did an expansion that improved some of the areas that weren't getting positive reviews, and then added some things to flesh out the game.
One thing that I appreciate is that Stonemaier expansions usually fix criticisms or imbalances. They are great at listening to player feedback, and make it easy to provide. Wish more publishers would do this.
Excellent review. Pumped on this expansion. Always appreciate an expansion that comes out AFTER the game has hit the public and addresses complaints. That's what an expansion should do! Cheers SM!
I love this idea! I have the ironclad edition, so I wouldn’t need to paint one - but I still love this idea. If the mechs in Rise of Fenris were metal, that would be my choice because they really stand out from the others. The playmat really adds to the beauty of this game too.
Very helpful review! I have yet to open my copy of Expeditions and now will probably wait to get the expansion before playing, just for the map tokens and dual layer boards.
To add to this, the silicone rings weren't very good in the Ironclad edition. They would slip off constantly. These new ones are said to be better and replace the previous ones. Also no metal coins :)
From what I am understanding is if someone who already really enjoyed Expeditions (ie Alex) do not necessarily think this expansion is essential. However, for someone who thought the game was missing something then this may be a great expansion for those people. 👌
Honestly I'm in just for the dual layered boards. Surprised they aren't giving us new map tiles to explore but I guess that means there is still another expansion to come.
There are no current plans for another expansion. There were no initial plans for this one either. Jamey does not plan for expansions upon release of games.
@@jasonmadden5085 I mean he has stated over and over that he wants the game to be the best game they put out and only starts thinking about expansions once the release and he starts getting feedback.
Alex, I always appreciate you taking the time to explain the reasoning behind your scoring system. For me, I drew the opposite conclusion- Expeditions was a 3.5 to 4 for me because of the things I felt it lacked. Ir sounds like the expansion has addressed those minor flaws and added a couple of features, which elevates it to a 4-ish score. I always felt Expeditions was a very good game that needed an expansion to hopefully make it great, and perhaps GoC will help it do just that. 🖖
Thanks for reviewing this! Looking at the sum of all the parts, this sounds like a must-have for me. I do love Expeditions already with no complaints, yet all this sounds like I'll enjoy it even more, especially the 'quality of life' additions.
Great review. I get why you would rate a 3.5, but this from what you showed deserves a 5/5 from me. SM Games totally listened to the community on a lot of these changes. Yes, it seems more of a upgrade pack, but that is a lot of what people wanted. Hell, the dual layer boards are worth it for me. I will instant buy for what this expansion does....adds more content, without complexity. I could care less about the corrupt mech, but I will for sure try it to see. Bravo to SMG.
I find base game exploration boring. Does this expansion make it more fun? I feel like the base could have only been cards, without the tiles and we would not lose anything substantial.
how does the free worker change the achievement for workers if at all? also, did you find yourself still getting a second worker turn 1 or did you find yourself feeling more free to pursue a card, if you liked one available, instead?
This doesn't bother me if it counts towards that star. That is always a for sure one to get, might as well get it done faster. But...they could have easily just said in rules that gold doesn't count. Either way I am fine.
I think the AI mech looks like a great addition for especially small player counts where the board was a little too loose to be enjoyable for some people. It introduces a bit of risk and reward, which sounds like an excellent feature to me! I can only join the choir of SM fanboyism here regarding their approach to this expansion. It doesn’t add bloat just to sell more. It’s about listening to the players and addressing their concerns, ultimately making the product better by taking your community seriously. This is a must have for me, almost just to support that healthy business strategy!
bought expeditions 2 weeks ago. i love it but even i knew there were things that could be improved on. and this expansion fixes the small problems i had with it.
For your reviews of expansions, have you considered instead using a multidimensional rating scale? For example, you could reiterate the base game only rating (as you did in this video, which was a 5/5), then give a rating for the updated overall experience of the base game with the new expansion (which seems to me would be 5/5 for this video) before finally giving the rating of what the expansion adds to the base game experience (which you rated a 3.5/5 in this video).
Alex - Question on expansions in general and this one specifically. If you own the expansion, is it the kind of expansion you will always play with? Maybe not all the modules like the AI mech. But, the player boards, the map tiles, the new mechs (not always play as, but have available). It sounds like the mechanics don't really elevate the game to must have, but this expansion falls more into the deluxify your game with "more content". Does that factor into your review rating?
Yes, I would always use the new content and rules adjustment, but I don't think I'd use the ai mech. Overall I like it, will use it, but am also not super impressed by it.
I think the Scythe theme is awesome, but mostly I play 2 player games with my wife and we don't play direct conflict sort of games... I wish they would make a Euro style game with this theme and player mats, etc
In base game the map tokens (and cards) were the easiest glory tokens to get , why would you let others have thes easy star? The new tokens are great but they don't fix a problem as there was no problem.
why would they need to reprint player boards if they add more mechs??? wouldn't the new mechs just have the dual layer to go with what is already upgraded?
The old player boards weren't dual layered. So Stonemaier is upgrading all the old player boards to the newer standard and including them in the expansion. Win for us!
@@robertjanisch3324 So that they wouldnt have to force people to buy both expansions if they didnt want to. Stonemier tries to avoid dark patterns where possible.
This reminds me of what expansions often used to be, before the world of 5 expansions launched with the base game on KS. They waited about a year to get some feedback on the base game, and then did an expansion that improved some of the areas that weren't getting positive reviews, and then added some things to flesh out the game.
What‘s funny is that Expeditions will need another 2-3 expansions before it really comes to its own (in my view).
One thing that I appreciate is that Stonemaier expansions usually fix criticisms or imbalances. They are great at listening to player feedback, and make it easy to provide.
Wish more publishers would do this.
Excellent review. Pumped on this expansion. Always appreciate an expansion that comes out AFTER the game has hit the public and addresses complaints. That's what an expansion should do! Cheers SM!
Exactly. Expansions like this should come after feedback.
Being a painter and having painted the plastic mechs. I really wish we had a corrupted mech figure 🙁 would have been nice to paint a purple one!
they have an edition of the base game with metal mech...but it pricey
@@PaolaPalermo-go9lw no I mean corrupted mech,
I love this idea! I have the ironclad edition, so I wouldn’t need to paint one - but I still love this idea. If the mechs in Rise of Fenris were metal, that would be my choice because they really stand out from the others. The playmat really adds to the beauty of this game too.
Very helpful review! I have yet to open my copy of Expeditions and now will probably wait to get the expansion before playing, just for the map tokens and dual layer boards.
The silicon bases are only for the ironclad edition. The retail just have one green base to match with the base game.
To add to this, the silicone rings weren't very good in the Ironclad edition. They would slip off constantly. These new ones are said to be better and replace the previous ones. Also no metal coins :)
Thank you!
Iron Clad doesn't include metal coins. Can buy Scythe metal coins to use for the game.
From what I am understanding is if someone who already really enjoyed Expeditions (ie Alex) do not necessarily think this expansion is essential. However, for someone who thought the game was missing something then this may be a great expansion for those people. 👌
Honestly I'm in just for the dual layered boards. Surprised they aren't giving us new map tiles to explore but I guess that means there is still another expansion to come.
There are no current plans for another expansion. There were no initial plans for this one either. Jamey does not plan for expansions upon release of games.
I think he definitely does...
@@jasonmadden5085 I mean he has stated over and over that he wants the game to be the best game they put out and only starts thinking about expansions once the release and he starts getting feedback.
Alex, I always appreciate you taking the time to explain the reasoning behind your scoring system. For me, I drew the opposite conclusion- Expeditions was a 3.5 to 4 for me because of the things I felt it lacked. Ir sounds like the expansion has addressed those minor flaws and added a couple of features, which elevates it to a 4-ish score. I always felt Expeditions was a very good game that needed an expansion to hopefully make it great, and perhaps GoC will help it do just that. 🖖
Thanks for reviewing this! Looking at the sum of all the parts, this sounds like a must-have for me. I do love Expeditions already with no complaints, yet all this sounds like I'll enjoy it even more, especially the 'quality of life' additions.
Go for it :)
Great review. I get why you would rate a 3.5, but this from what you showed deserves a 5/5 from me. SM Games totally listened to the community on a lot of these changes. Yes, it seems more of a upgrade pack, but that is a lot of what people wanted. Hell, the dual layer boards are worth it for me. I will instant buy for what this expansion does....adds more content, without complexity. I could care less about the corrupt mech, but I will for sure try it to see. Bravo to SMG.
I find base game exploration boring. Does this expansion make it more fun? I feel like the base could have only been cards, without the tiles and we would not lose anything substantial.
i'm a sucker for dual layer player boards.... add to cart.
how does the free worker change the achievement for workers if at all? also, did you find yourself still getting a second worker turn 1 or did you find yourself feeling more free to pursue a card, if you liked one available, instead?
This doesn't bother me if it counts towards that star. That is always a for sure one to get, might as well get it done faster. But...they could have easily just said in rules that gold doesn't count. Either way I am fine.
Thanks for all your hard work Alex!
Definitely seems like enough improvements to make it a day one buy for me!
Enjoy it :)
I think you forgot to talk about the "prelude" cards that gives you some resources before the start of the game depending of the mech selected.
I can’t believe there is an expansion and I haven’t gotten Expeditions to the table yet. The shame!!!!
I think the AI mech looks like a great addition for especially small player counts where the board was a little too loose to be enjoyable for some people. It introduces a bit of risk and reward, which sounds like an excellent feature to me!
I can only join the choir of SM fanboyism here regarding their approach to this expansion. It doesn’t add bloat just to sell more. It’s about listening to the players and addressing their concerns, ultimately making the product better by taking your community seriously. This is a must have for me, almost just to support that healthy business strategy!
Thanks Alex! I don't see your rating for Expeditions on BGG. Did you forget to post?
bought expeditions 2 weeks ago. i love it but even i knew there were things that could be improved on. and this expansion fixes the small problems i had with it.
For your reviews of expansions, have you considered instead using a multidimensional rating scale? For example, you could reiterate the base game only rating (as you did in this video, which was a 5/5), then give a rating for the updated overall experience of the base game with the new expansion (which seems to me would be 5/5 for this video) before finally giving the rating of what the expansion adds to the base game experience (which you rated a 3.5/5 in this video).
Alex - Question on expansions in general and this one specifically. If you own the expansion, is it the kind of expansion you will always play with? Maybe not all the modules like the AI mech. But, the player boards, the map tiles, the new mechs (not always play as, but have available). It sounds like the mechanics don't really elevate the game to must have, but this expansion falls more into the deluxify your game with "more content". Does that factor into your review rating?
Yes, I would always use the new content and rules adjustment, but I don't think I'd use the ai mech. Overall I like it, will use it, but am also not super impressed by it.
I think the Scythe theme is awesome, but mostly I play 2 player games with my wife and we don't play direct conflict sort of games... I wish they would make a Euro style game with this theme and player mats, etc
there is no conflict in this game
This IS a Euro style game. No direct conflict.
In base game the map tokens (and cards) were the easiest glory tokens to get , why would you let others have thes easy star?
The new tokens are great but they don't fix a problem as there was no problem.
Is there any other game with those gaps mechanic between tiles?
I played if four players, never again. Too long with significant downtime. Three player is the sweet spot in my opinion.
why would they need to reprint player boards if they add more mechs??? wouldn't the new mechs just have the dual layer to go with what is already upgraded?
The old player boards weren't dual layered. So Stonemaier is upgrading all the old player boards to the newer standard and including them in the expansion. Win for us!
@KGeegs I know but he was referring to if they add more mechs in the future beyond this...
@@robertjanisch3324 So that they wouldnt have to force people to buy both expansions if they didnt want to. Stonemier tries to avoid dark patterns where possible.
Does all of the new content fit in the base box? There is SOOOO much room inside.
Jamey has confirmed it will all fit inside the base box over on the bgg forums
Yes it dies and The Mill did an unboxing video to show everything and also how they repacked it.