Dune: Imperium (ft. Jeremy Howard - MvM)
Today we discuss Dune Imperium designed by Paul Dennen and published by Dire Wolf featuring Jeremy Howard from Man Vs Meeple! Dune: Imperium is a game that finds inspiration from the Dune legacy, both the new film from Legendary Pictures and the seminal literary series from Frank Herbert, Brian Herbert, and Kevin J. Anderson. It uses deck-building to add a hidden-information angle to traditional worker placement. You start with a unique leader card and ability, and you’ll acquire cards and build your deck, your choices will define your strengths and weaknesses. Cards allow you to send your Agents to certain spaces on the game board, so how your deck evolves affects your strategy. Unlike many deck-building games, you don’t play your entire hand in one turn. The cards you play and keep in your hand will determine where you can go on the board, what you can purchase from the market and your strength in the conflict phase. Whoever reaches 10 points, and is able to keep them when the game ends, wins! (Description provided by the publisher.)
Root
Today we discuss Root by Leder Games, a game of woodland might and right, where you’ll command one of multiple asymmetric animal factions vying to take control of the region. It’s no secret that we are big fans of this dynamic war game with a deceptively welcoming exterior. However, in the spirit of Played It Once, we decided to jump back in time and retell our first experience with Root and how the game and our tastes have evolved with it. In addition, we give some advice on how to teach Root to potential new players and what pitfalls to avoid.
Viticulture Essential Edition
Today we discuss Viticulture Essential Edition by Stonemaier Games, a worker placement and hand management game for the wine aficionados. After inheriting a vineyard in pre-modern Tuscany; you take it upon yourself to make into a success. You’ll start the game off with some empty plots of land, an old crushpad, a tiny cellar and three workers. From there you’ll have to plan every season carefully allocating your workers to: harvest grapes, oversee curious tourists, assist talented contractors, train new employees and fulfil the most profitable contracts in order to earn the title of the best winery in Tuscany.
Isle of Cats
Here’s a question: are first impressions still valid after 6 months? Today, we find out! Isle of Cats is a tile laying, card drafting and variable scoring game, where 1-4 players travel to an island being enveloped in darkness. It’s your responsibility to save as many cats as you can before the dreaded Lord Vesh arrives. Collect precious treasures, learn valuable lessons and…JUST LOOK AT THOSE CATS, AREN’T THEY SO GOSH DARN CUTE?
In Too Deep (feat. BoardGameCo)
I don’t know about you, but I’ve always fantasized about living out some type of Hollywood crime (eg. bank robberies, heists, ect.). The level of planning, skill and sheer luck required seems electrifying. In Too Deep by Burnt Island Games let’s you do just that in order to save humanity from the insidious Syndicate. You’ll be hacking into criminals to try and gather enough evidence to bring the Syndicate down. Will you go deep undercover to maintain the peace or will you succumb to the power you’ve managed to acquire?
Kingdom Death: Monster
Today we talk about Kingdom Death: Monster, the horror boutique miniatures lifestyle game that just can't help but break Kickstarter every chance it gets. However, instead of rehashing our usual talking points, we revisit KDM with a new perspective: everyone's first experience; AKA it's tutorial system. We break down what make's it special and how it manages to claw it's way into gamer's hearts after just one play.
Marvel Champions
Today we don our capes and beaked masks and fight evildoers in Marvel Champions by Fantasy Flight Games! Part of the Living Card Game series, Marvel Champions is definitely not our first foray into the system. How does it compare? What does it do differently? Ultimately, is this the pinnacle of the living card game? We discuss all that and more in today’s episode!
Vindication
"Admit it: You're a wretched old fool! Your past transgressions will haunt you for an eternity. There's no hope for you here. Either jump now or be shuffled off this mortal coil." What an inviting premise, eh? This is how today's game, Vindication by Orange Nebula, begins! You've been thrown overboard and abandoned by your past friends and shipmates. You wake up stranded on a new land and saved by a kind soul that offers you a shot of redemption. Maybe a chance at a new life is exactly what you needed to better yourself...or is it?
Nemesis
Does waking up in a derelict ship on a crash course to an unknown planet sound like your perfect getaway? How about if that ship was also infested with ungodly aliens whose sole intent is to turn you into a walking incubator? Yeah, sounds like a great time for us too. Today we talk about Nemesis and Nemesis Lockdown from Awaken Realms, and discuss why this game is much more of an experience than a traditional board game.