Great video! I picked this up as a solo game, and thoroughly enjoyed it. Having said that, I want to get this to the Gaming Table as a coop using the solo elements for the Great Machine role.
I don't have much experience with hidden movement games. The only one I can recall is a single session of some sort of Dracula game. I can't recall anything about the gameplay, but I do remember that Dracula was found in the final round of the game (or maybe in the round where they were about to win), which made for a very exciting conclusion. Anyway, thanks for sharing your thoughts. This game sounds like something I might enjoy. Not interested yet to purchase it outright but will keep an eye out for it in the library of my local game store.
Tbf we don't have too much experience either, just MindMGMT and Jaws. We've been sent a copy of Sniper Elite though, which I'm interested to try out as I've heard good things from some camps, and bad things from others.
This has been in my radar since No Pun Included reviewed it. Seems to be quite fun game 😁 maybe I have to get it even I though I wouldn't get any new games this year... Did you happen to try the expansions or did I miss that part? Any thoughts about them?
Oh there certainty isn't a lack of decisions, just that you either do exactly as the event card says, or you raid (or maybe move a district far away if you're being cheeky) to get a point so it felt more on rails to us. Glad to hear you're enjoying it though, you can be our Great Machine ;)
@@BoardOfItReviews indeed you spotted me! I guess playing the social deduction game payed off :p I can't seem to find an email in your about section? Which email should I write to?
A very good review! This game has hit a sweet spot for me, surprisingly so. As such, it's quickly climbing into my top ten. Anyway, thanks for pointing out how it's NOT a hidden movement game. I think the incorrect billing as a HM game may've turned some people off. ... Also, regarding your assesment of how the Great Machine player has little power to upset the Revolutionaries, don't forget it can move Districts around. Doing so at the right time can really mess with the Revolutionaries' plans! (Such as preventing them from cancelling one of your Directive cards by making their movement to the action District too costly). ... Finally, don't underestimate the information which the event cards enable, about what the Revolutionary players will do on their turn.
Thanks so much! You're right with the movement! That is the one thing we didn't touch on too much in the review for time, but would have liked to. The only thing I would say as a counter-argument is that you'll have a fair few players completely ignore the movement aspect, or use it very sparingly. I think it's something that's easy to forget, or underestimate the huge value it can add. Also, because of the movement rules, sometimes you just can't use it effectively in the way you'd like. I had a game where I was the Great Machine, and probably could have detained 2 of the revolutionaries by a clever movement as they were on the same tile. However, we realized that almost none of the tiles in the sphere of importance for them could be moved, which ended it's use in that game. That said, I think it is a brilliant system that can be used quite effectively.
@@BoardOfItReviews Yeah, I agree that moving a District is a situational tactic and is best employed by experienced players who have it on their mind. This is a characteristic which seems to be common among all deep games... which is the availability of strong, specific actions which players can take, but don't really come to mind when the best opportunity arises due to their situational nature. I know when I read a rulebook, my brain glosses over all the rules which I consider to be for situational use only. I figure that I'll eventually learn and internalize them with experience. I'd say that the moving of Districts is one of those rules. ... Also, if you're ever given the green light to do a supplemental review of the expansions/modules, that would be very worthwhile to many players! They have the potential of adding so much more depth to the game (which quite frankly doesn't need the help)! Not to mention that some modules enhance the Great Machine's capabilities while some modules help the Revolutionaries. Thus, depending on which players need a boost in their game, there's a module for them!
@@Haladras How to the Heroes hide? They're not hiding at all. Their location at the start of their movement is known and is public info. Their location at the end of their movement is known and public is public info. There's absolutely zero hiding in this game. The same goes for the Servants. Even the Heroes' movement path is done in the open for all to see. So, let's sum this up... for both the Heroes and the Servants: - Their starting location is known to all. - Their movement path is not only known, but it must be shown. - Their ending location is also known to all. And somehow, you consider that a Hidden Movement game???????????? Hmmm.
If your movements are actually hidden (i.e. the choice of access cards/movement in the first part of a turn and then the reveal of said cards after the Great Machine has acted), then it's a hidden movement game. Your details about an open starting position and *the reveal* of an ending position are not pertinent. I reviewed this game in a published article, passed it by an editor for whom tabletop games is *their job,* and then got paid for it. I think I know what I'm talking about.
Great video! I picked this up as a solo game, and thoroughly enjoyed it. Having said that, I want to get this to the Gaming Table as a coop using the solo elements for the Great Machine role.
Thank you! Will hopefully be a lot of fun!
Ha! Doggos stealing the scene during Final Thoughts. 🐶🐕😄
Very wriggly doggos.
Interesting concept for a game. Thanks for the review.
No problem, thanks for watching!
I don't have much experience with hidden movement games. The only one I can recall is a single session of some sort of Dracula game. I can't recall anything about the gameplay, but I do remember that Dracula was found in the final round of the game (or maybe in the round where they were about to win), which made for a very exciting conclusion.
Anyway, thanks for sharing your thoughts. This game sounds like something I might enjoy. Not interested yet to purchase it outright but will keep an eye out for it in the library of my local game store.
Tbf we don't have too much experience either, just MindMGMT and Jaws. We've been sent a copy of Sniper Elite though, which I'm interested to try out as I've heard good things from some camps, and bad things from others.
Just keep in mind, like they explained up front, this is NOT a hidden movement game. The best description would be a "programmed movement" game.
This has been in my radar since No Pun Included reviewed it. Seems to be quite fun game 😁 maybe I have to get it even I though I wouldn't get any new games this year...
Did you happen to try the expansions or did I miss that part? Any thoughts about them?
We did not try the expansions! We have them, but the publisher was adamant we only show the retail version, so we couldn't include them in the video.
I sometimes feel Doggos don’t care about board games at all
I think they would prefer they didn't exist
The game is very fun. Maybe I'm odd but I don't feel limited in the AI overlord role. Ton of crunchy decisions to make 😁
Oh there certainty isn't a lack of decisions, just that you either do exactly as the event card says, or you raid (or maybe move a district far away if you're being cheeky) to get a point so it felt more on rails to us. Glad to hear you're enjoying it though, you can be our Great Machine ;)
@@BoardOfItReviews hehe your on! I would definitely be up for a game. I still have not tried all the expansion content yet 😁
@@mathiasjensen2841 Neither have we! Your name sounds as Danish as they come so if you're in Copenhagen just email us :)
@@BoardOfItReviews indeed you spotted me! I guess playing the social deduction game payed off :p
I can't seem to find an email in your about section? Which email should I write to?
@@mathiasjensen2841 It's boardofitreviews@gmail.com (I think you have to click show email somewhere, it isn't just there)
A very good review! This game has hit a sweet spot for me, surprisingly so. As such, it's quickly climbing into my top ten. Anyway, thanks for pointing out how it's NOT a hidden movement game. I think the incorrect billing as a HM game may've turned some people off.
...
Also, regarding your assesment of how the Great Machine player has little power to upset the Revolutionaries, don't forget it can move Districts around. Doing so at the right time can really mess with the Revolutionaries' plans! (Such as preventing them from cancelling one of your Directive cards by making their movement to the action District too costly).
...
Finally, don't underestimate the information which the event cards enable, about what the Revolutionary players will do on their turn.
Thanks so much!
You're right with the movement! That is the one thing we didn't touch on too much in the review for time, but would have liked to. The only thing I would say as a counter-argument is that you'll have a fair few players completely ignore the movement aspect, or use it very sparingly. I think it's something that's easy to forget, or underestimate the huge value it can add. Also, because of the movement rules, sometimes you just can't use it effectively in the way you'd like. I had a game where I was the Great Machine, and probably could have detained 2 of the revolutionaries by a clever movement as they were on the same tile. However, we realized that almost none of the tiles in the sphere of importance for them could be moved, which ended it's use in that game. That said, I think it is a brilliant system that can be used quite effectively.
@@BoardOfItReviews Yeah, I agree that moving a District is a situational tactic and is best employed by experienced players who have it on their mind. This is a characteristic which seems to be common among all deep games... which is the availability of strong, specific actions which players can take, but don't really come to mind when the best opportunity arises due to their situational nature. I know when I read a rulebook, my brain glosses over all the rules which I consider to be for situational use only. I figure that I'll eventually learn and internalize them with experience. I'd say that the moving of Districts is one of those rules.
...
Also, if you're ever given the green light to do a supplemental review of the expansions/modules, that would be very worthwhile to many players! They have the potential of adding so much more depth to the game (which quite frankly doesn't need the help)! Not to mention that some modules enhance the Great Machine's capabilities while some modules help the Revolutionaries. Thus, depending on which players need a boost in their game, there's a module for them!
It's still a HM game, but the many get to hide.
Not sure how that means it's not a hidden movement game.
@@Haladras How to the Heroes hide? They're not hiding at all. Their location at the start of their movement is known and is public info. Their location at the end of their movement is known and public is public info. There's absolutely zero hiding in this game. The same goes for the Servants. Even the Heroes' movement path is done in the open for all to see.
So, let's sum this up... for both the Heroes and the Servants:
- Their starting location is known to all.
- Their movement path is not only known, but it must be shown.
- Their ending location is also known to all.
And somehow, you consider that a Hidden Movement game????????????
Hmmm.
If your movements are actually hidden (i.e. the choice of access cards/movement in the first part of a turn and then the reveal of said cards after the Great Machine has acted), then it's a hidden movement game.
Your details about an open starting position and *the reveal* of an ending position are not pertinent.
I reviewed this game in a published article, passed it by an editor for whom tabletop games is *their job,* and then got paid for it. I think I know what I'm talking about.
How does it play solo; the "AI" playing the Machine may leave the best part to the player?
Correct, the player or players (as I think solo is the same as Co-op) play against the GM. I think there are also different scenarios.