Thanks for the very detailed review, Zee. You are spot on when you say we favoured the thematic. As someone who is working on IPs lately (Narcos, God of War and Trudvang) I really value respecting the source material and trying to translate it as best as possible to the boardgame landscape. Mechanically, we are really proud of Narcos in the sense of finding a new angle to approach the hidden movement as opposed to the usual "keep running" that makes the player who is alone have less wiggle room to be creative.
Hi Zee, Great job on the review. I appreciate that you took the elements of the game (mechanisms, etc) and made your decision for approval of the game based on those things. Yes the content might be adult in nature, but that doesn't necessarily mean that the gameplay itself is bad. Looks like something I might need to check out.
Good review Zee! I’ve played it a few times and love it as a fan of the show. Also enjoy it being a unique spin on hidden movement... cause the one hiding doesn’t move. Very tense experience playing Pablo especially when the net tightens around you. But yes this is strictly a 2 or 3 player game for me.
I understand why you feel the blockade tokens could be boring with how they work mechanically. But after my third play, we found that it was useful in the meta game. Like wondering if Patron put a blockade where he was hiding, or maybe he did that on purpose to throw suspicion. So I actually liked that mechanic. I agree the game could be long. We have some game end conditions for after the third season. You win if this and that, if you are patron etc. In order to prevent the overtime for reaching the game ending conditions in the actual rules.
Andean Abyss is a historical board game with the same theme but mostly set after the events of Narcos. It's more crunchy and historical. It focuses on the internal conflict between the drug cartels, government, AUC and FARC.
It is odd to have a game with such a heavy theme, particularly such a contemporary theme in that the cartel killed many innocent Colombians who had nothing to do with drug smuggling. The cartel blew up buildings, killed police officers, journalists, politicians, and innocent bystanders. That is like having 9-11 board game. People would be up in arms if that happened. But maybe it is hypocrisy on my part for enjoying movies and TV series with such subject matter.
Or imagine having a game where you could play on the side of a regime that slaughtered millions of people, soldiers and civilians alike. Why is that ok but narcos is classed as "odd" in your eyes?
@@akadam90 I never said that the theme of war (I think you are referring to WW2 and Nazis.) was not disturbing. Pablo Escobar and his henchmen were in full operation during the 80s and I think he was killed in the early 90s. That is rather recent compared to WW2. Family and friends of the victims of the drug war are mostly alive today. The drug war is STILL going on today though Escobar is no longer alive. More Mexican citizens have died in drug war than American soldiers had died in Vietnam War. Also, Nazi soldiers fighting on the battlefield and concentration guards are a different thing. If there is a game where the winner kills the most Jews, that is a different matter than Nazis fighting Americans or Russians on battlefield. Though I am aware that their ideology is evil (though the U.S. was segregated by race at this time). Moreover even a lowly member of the cartel was involved in terrorism and torture against his own citizens in a way that is different from a soldier in the battlefield fighting other armed soldiers from another country. I think Americans think of the drug war as a bit of a joke because its Latin Americans dying, and Latin Americans crossing the border to get away from gang violence, and Latin Americans locked in detention centers that are overpopulated, where they have no access to soap and toothpaste, where families are being separated. Drug war has its hand in all that.. not totally but a part in it.
It's fine to explore heavy themes. They can be fascinating. Andean Abyss is a board game about the same subject matter but it's mostly set after the events of Narcos so it's EVEN more recent! I was very much ignorant about the history of internal conflict in Colombia before I played Andean Abyss and later watched Narcos. I don't take it lightly at all but it's interesting. Especially historical wargames tend to take their themes very seriously in a mature way. A lot of research goes into these games. The reason why people get offended about serious themes in games is because they think games are something childish and fun. They don't think games as an artform capable of exploring mature subjects.
So in a five player game, four people get three turns the whole game? Am I understanding that right? And the fifth gets 12? Edit: I realize the comment of being best with 2 takes care of that, but it would almost have been better if they didn't even mention 4 or 5 players...
Some Random Dude - I would say this works well as a 2 or 3 player game where the factions are all controlled by one person or in the 3 player game, players 2 and 3 each control two factions.
Sounds interesting. I would want the inherent risks of the trade to be represented though. So it's not just a perfect information, no randomness kinda game.
Thanks for the very detailed review, Zee. You are spot on when you say we favoured the thematic. As someone who is working on IPs lately (Narcos, God of War and Trudvang) I really value respecting the source material and trying to translate it as best as possible to the boardgame landscape. Mechanically, we are really proud of Narcos in the sense of finding a new angle to approach the hidden movement as opposed to the usual "keep running" that makes the player who is alone have less wiggle room to be creative.
I wouldn’t mind it in grand theft auto game form. GTA 6 narcos. Ideas?
The game is amazing. I like it alot. A different take on a hidden "movement" game 😁
Hi Zee, Great job on the review. I appreciate that you took the elements of the game (mechanisms, etc) and made your decision for approval of the game based on those things. Yes the content might be adult in nature, but that doesn't necessarily mean that the gameplay itself is bad. Looks like something I might need to check out.
Good review Zee! I’ve played it a few times and love it as a fan of the show. Also enjoy it being a unique spin on hidden movement... cause the one hiding doesn’t move. Very tense experience playing Pablo especially when the net tightens around you. But yes this is strictly a 2 or 3 player game for me.
Zee's reviews are far more useful and professional than Tom Vasel's.
I understand why you feel the blockade tokens could be boring with how they work mechanically. But after my third play, we found that it was useful in the meta game. Like wondering if Patron put a blockade where he was hiding, or maybe he did that on purpose to throw suspicion. So I actually liked that mechanic.
I agree the game could be long. We have some game end conditions for after the third season. You win if this and that, if you are patron etc. In order to prevent the overtime for reaching the game ending conditions in the actual rules.
Andean Abyss is a historical board game with the same theme but mostly set after the events of Narcos. It's more crunchy and historical. It focuses on the internal conflict between the drug cartels, government, AUC and FARC.
Great review. Yeah it is odd that the game is designed where one player gets to play more than other players.
Excellent review, thanks a lot!
How does it compare with other hidden movement games?
This would be great information, how comparison with Fury of Dracula, Letters from Whitechapel, etc.
A lot of people compare it to Star Wars Rebellion, although a lighter version.
This video got a thumbs up from me, it's a game I'd love to try, just not with my child.
I love this game, does anyone know another one similarr??
I'd give it shot- looks more fun/interesting than Hunt for the Ring, which I sold.
It is odd to have a game with such a heavy theme, particularly such a contemporary theme in that the cartel killed many innocent Colombians who had nothing to do with drug smuggling. The cartel blew up buildings, killed police officers, journalists, politicians, and innocent bystanders. That is like having 9-11 board game. People would be up in arms if that happened. But maybe it is hypocrisy on my part for enjoying movies and TV series with such subject matter.
Or imagine having a game where you could play on the side of a regime that slaughtered millions of people, soldiers and civilians alike. Why is that ok but narcos is classed as "odd" in your eyes?
@@akadam90 I never said that the theme of war (I think you are referring to WW2 and Nazis.) was not disturbing.
Pablo Escobar and his henchmen were in full operation during the 80s and I think he was killed in the early 90s. That is rather recent compared to WW2. Family and friends of the victims of the drug war are mostly alive today. The drug war is STILL going on today though Escobar is no longer alive. More Mexican citizens have died in drug war than American soldiers had died in Vietnam War.
Also, Nazi soldiers fighting on the battlefield and concentration guards are a different thing. If there is a game where the winner kills the most Jews, that is a different matter than Nazis fighting Americans or Russians on battlefield. Though I am aware that their ideology is evil (though the U.S. was segregated by race at this time).
Moreover even a lowly member of the cartel was involved in terrorism and torture against his own citizens in a way that is different from a soldier in the battlefield fighting other armed soldiers from another country.
I think Americans think of the drug war as a bit of a joke because its Latin Americans dying, and Latin Americans crossing the border to get away from gang violence, and Latin Americans locked in detention centers that are overpopulated, where they have no access to soap and toothpaste, where families are being separated. Drug war has its hand in all that.. not totally but a part in it.
It's fine to explore heavy themes. They can be fascinating. Andean Abyss is a board game about the same subject matter but it's mostly set after the events of Narcos so it's EVEN more recent! I was very much ignorant about the history of internal conflict in Colombia before I played Andean Abyss and later watched Narcos. I don't take it lightly at all but it's interesting. Especially historical wargames tend to take their themes very seriously in a mature way. A lot of research goes into these games. The reason why people get offended about serious themes in games is because they think games are something childish and fun. They don't think games as an artform capable of exploring mature subjects.
so with 5 players the players won’t have enough to do?
So in a five player game, four people get three turns the whole game? Am I understanding that right?
And the fifth gets 12?
Edit: I realize the comment of being best with 2 takes care of that, but it would almost have been better if they didn't even mention 4 or 5 players...
Some Random Dude - I would say this works well as a 2 or 3 player game where the factions are all controlled by one person or in the 3 player game, players 2 and 3 each control two factions.
Thank u for the video
You know, for a guy whose parents only speak Chinese, you have the Latin trill down pat.
His parents are chinese?
@ Nah. It goes way back to the start of the Q&As when people asked Zee something about his parents and he joked off-handedly that they were Chinese.
What I really want is a big and beefy eurogame about the drug trade.
Sounds interesting. I would want the inherent risks of the trade to be represented though. So it's not just a perfect information, no randomness kinda game.
One of the most ugliest boards I've ever seen