Sleeping Gods
Today we discuss Sleeping Gods by Red Raven Games, a game that combines campaign, rich narrative, worker placement, tableau building and action efficiency! In Sleeping Gods, you and up to 3 players become Captain Sofi Odessa and her crew, lost in a strange world in 1929 on your steamship, the Manticore.
Skytear (ft. Team Covenant)
Today we discuss our favorite tabletop MOBA with Steven Wooley from Team Covenant. Skytear is a competitive card-driven miniatures skirmish game published and designed by PVP Geeks. In the game players uses a draft system that supplements regular deckbuilding, where players pick heroes from four factions.
Yura Yura Penguin and Ghost Blitz
Today we discuss two unique party games: Yura Yura Penguin designed and published by Ryoko Yabuchi and Ghost Blitz designed by Jacques Zeimet and published by Zoch Verlag! Yura Yura Penguin is what you’d expect if you’d put Uno, Jenga and adorable penguin artwork in a blender.
Great Western Trail (ft. Before You Play)
Today we discuss Great Western Trail designed by Alexander Pfister and published by eggertspiele featuring Monique and Naveen from Before You Play. In GWT you are rival cattlemen in 19th century America, herding cattle from Texas to Kansas city in a circular trail. Through a combination of rondel movement, hand management and tableau building you’ll move your cattleman down the trail. Along the way you will hire new staff, construct buildings and purchase new cattle before reaching your destination, all while avoiding hazards and taxes. Once in Kansas your cattle are then shipped by train, earning you money, opportunities to evolve your player board and victory points. The winner is the player who manages their herd best and exhibits the best timing within the trail.
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.