What is the best alternative to Betrayal at House on the Hill?

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score 49 · Answer 1

Catan

Top Pro

Fun social experience

This is a game that promotes casual conversation during gameplay. You can haggle for resources with other players. You can create drama by intervening in your opponents plans, for example, by breaking their chain of roads, or building a town in their way to the port. You can also make alliances with other players and then betray them when a better offer comes along. See More

Top Con

Not a good game for a younger audience

Success is heavily dependent on thinking ahead and planning. Even though the recommended age is 10+, it is not a good game for children who may lack the skills needed to get the most out of the game. See More

Top Pro

Teaches you about basic economic principles

This game teaches how to bargain, the meaning of scarcity, and how free markets work by forcing players to experience these firsthand. You can play without bargaining, but it is more fun to embrace the economy aspect of this game as it's a great learning tool. See More

Top Con

Chaotic expansions

Due to the game's popularity, there have been quite a lot of expansions over the years. While you can combine some of them easily, others not so much. It can be quite messy to figure it all out by yourself. There is a guide on the Catan website containing rules for combining expansions. See More

Top Pro

An intellectually rewarding strategy game

This game allows you to try different, rewarding strategies. For example, you can create a monopoly over one resource, use the ports to trade with the bank for cheaper or try to buy the majority of victory points using the special abilities cards. There are a lot of options, and you can adapt and switch things up as the game goes on. You also have to think ahead and pay attention to what your opponents are up to. For example, if you've decided to go for the 2 victory points for having built the longest road, you have to watch if anyone else is doing the same thing, because there can only be one longest road. See More

Top Con

Constant haggling

One of the more prominent characteristics of Settlers of Catan is haggling, which can get tiresome if you're not into that sort of thing. You can expect to be bargaining for resources throughout the whole game, since your placement of villages does not guarantee getting a constant supply of a particular resource. See More

Top Pro

Players have control over the pace of the game

A game of Catan can take around 2 hours in a 4-player game. It's not a frantic game, there is no penalty for taking a while to figure out how you want to play your cards. You can keep it leisurely, or speed it up if you want to. See More

Top Con

No official two-player rules

There are no official two- player rules thought there are some two-player rules that users have created and can be found online. See More

Top Pro

You can increase replayability with different expansions

There are expansions for Catan such as Explorers & Pirates, Cities & Knights, Seafarers, and many more. Each one expands on the base game by adding extra mechanics. For example, the expansion Cities & Knights introduces city improvements that give various benefits to the player, and knights that protect them from invading barbarians. Expansion packs usually add game length and tactical complexity, which in turn greatly improves replayability. See More

Top Pro

Allows for multiple strategies in a single game

There are distinct stages in the game (early, middle and end-game), which have different strategies. For example, when the game has just started out, you won't have much other options except rolling the dice to gather more resources. In contrast, the end-game is a lot more alert, because multiple players at a time can be just 1 or 2 points away from victory. The game changes between these stages fluidly, and you have to be present and engaged at all times to stay ahead. See More

Top Pro

Suitable for 2-6 players

Catan is relatively flexible in terms of the amount of players. It's recommended to be played with at least 3 players, but it is possible to work around that. There are no official rules for a 2 player game, but you can go around that by each playing two colors. The base game has 4 player slots, but people can team up, thereby increasing the number of possible players. There is also an expansion pack available, which allows for two more players to join the game without having to team up. See More

Specs

# Players:2 to 4

Play Time:45–90 Minutes

Age:10+

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49 6

score 39 · Answer 2

Ticket to Ride

Top Pro

Easy to learn

The core mechanics of the game are pretty simple to learn in under 15 minutes. Each player is given a destination ticket with the route they are tasked to build. Each turn they simply decide whether to draw a train card that represents the train cars, claim a section of a route using one of their train cards, or get another destination ticket to begin a new route. Whoever builds the longest route wins. See More

Top Con

Very basic

The "North American" Ticket to Ride (original game) is fun but has very low complexity. Regular players will tire quickly from this lack of depth. The variants like Europe or India bring some new maps and more gameplay elements, which is sorely needed after the first few games. See More

Top Pro

No direct conflict

Most players will be solely focused on building their own train routes, and as such, there is no direct conflict against opponents. This makes it a good game not only for beginners, but also players who do not like the cutthroat tactics of games like Monopoly. It also makes for a good game for couples to play as there will be no arguments or moves that may slight another player. See More

Top Con

Very luck-based

The original destination ticket and the cards you draw during game play are random. This can make some routes easier or harder to connect, and it boils down to literally just being the luck of the draw. See More

Top Pro

Great presentation

The board, train pieces, and cards all come together to create a pleasing and functional experience. The game board is a colorful, thick cardboard map of North America. It's large enough so the game board never feels crowded with game pieces. There are also 225 custom-molded train car game pieces of various solid colors. The game cards themselves are nicely illustrated and feature pictures of trains that take front and center - they contain no text overlay. See More

Top Con

Sometimes blocking routes for opponents hurts you instead

When preventing an opponent from completing their train route, you have to use your own trains to block them. This means less trains to complete your own route. It seems like this design is self-defeating at times. See More

Top Pro

A great gateway game

Thanks to its intuitive nature and easy to grasp rules, Ticket to Ride is great for newcomers to the game or those unfamiliar with board games in general, or even kids. It is widely considered to be an excellent gateway game. See More

Top Con

Expensive

The game generally retails for $50, which is quite high for a cardboard board game. See More

Top Pro

Satisfying to build routes, regardless of winning

Even if you don't win the game, it's often satisfying to watch your train routes slowly get bigger as you connect cities. There are also bonus points you can achieve for connecting especially long or tricky routes, which you gives you additional goals to work towards aside from the main victory. See More

Top Pro

Tense gameplay each turn

Each turn, you will have to decide whether you want to draw another train card or connect more routes on the board. Since you can only choose one of these options, this is a highly important decision that may have you on the edge of your seat. By drawing more cards, you'll have more trains to place later, but you may be leaving an empty route open up for your opponent to steal. See More

Top Pro

High detail design

Both the game board and playing cards have a very distinct style. The game board has an almost faded background of the landscape featuring mountains, rivers, and forests with the routes intertwining around the map in colorful patterns. This strong contrast really gives the board an intricate appearance. The game cards come in a variety of colors and all feature hand drawn artwork of all sorts of train parts - engines, locomotives, coal carts, storage carts, and more. See More

Top Pro

Great expansions

Ticket to Ride offers numerous expansion packs that build on the base game in fun new ways. For starters, there's all new maps for places such as Europe, Asia, India, Africa, and more. This means you can play the game you enjoy on an a fresh board with new routes to learn. Each expansion also adds its fair share of new gameplay elements (such as tunnels, boats, and train stations) and has new train cards. See More

Specs

# Players:2 to 5

Play Time:30-60 Minutes

Age:8+

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39 6

score 38 · Answer 3

Pandemic

Top Pro

One of the first games to implement full co-op gameplay, Pandemic remains one of the defining examples of the genre

When it was first released, Pandemic's co-op gameplay was a pretty unique aspect to boardgames and made for a different and fun experience where either all players won or lost as a team. As the board gaming hobby has grown over the years, fully co-operative games have become an entire genre, and yet Pandemic remains one of the defining examples of the style. With a base game that is consistently difficult--even for veteran players--and an engaging and interesting theme to draw players in, this is a game where working together to achieve victory is almost an art form. See More

Top Con

Can suffer from Alpha-gamer / quarterbacking issues

Due to the nature of co-op games like Pandemic, a strong willed or loud player can end up dictating everyone else's turns for them, especially in situations where there are clearly better decisions to be made. This can lead some people to feel like they aren't actually 'playing' so much as being told what to do. See More

Top Pro

Lots of replayability thanks to each playthrough being unique

With multiple player roles (Pilot, Scientist, Doctor, etc) to choose from and the card draw that infects areas at random, each playthrough is an entirely different experience. Pandemic also has multiple expansions adding more player roles and even a traitor mechanic which can turn the game from fully co-op to 1 vs many, adding an additional challenge for the good guys to overcome. See More

Top Con

Won't appeal to competitive PvP players

Everyone works together in Pandemic, so there is no dominating or crushing your opponents in this game. This may not appeal to some competitive gamers who would prefer to play games that allow them to best other players. See More

Top Pro

Easy to learn but still provides a challenge

Learning the rules doesn't take long at all, and within a few rounds, most players will be able to pick up what's going on. Even though the general game flow and rules are quick to understand, there is still plenty of nuances to gameplay, little tricks you'll be learning along the way, and plenty of different roles to choose from which allow room for in-depth strategies. See More

Top Con

Difficult

Pandemic is a pretty difficult game, there will be a lot of losses compared to wins. Though when there is a win it does feel righteously earned. See More

Top Pro

Creates a sense of urgency thanks to the Infection Deck

One of Pandemic's greatest mechanisms is the way the Infection Deck is managed. Each turn players reveal a number of city cards from this deck equal to the current infection level (2-4), this determines where new infections will appear. Players also draw 2 cards each turn from the Player Deck, which has a variable number of Epidemic Cards mixed in based on the difficulty level. The brilliance of the infection deck is how it interacts with Epidemic cards; when one is drawn from the player deck the Infection Deck's discard pile is shuffled, and then placed on top of the current Infection Deck, making it more likely that cities that have previously had outbreaks will have them again. This creates a very real sense of urgency as the first draw after an Epidemic Card can often result in outbreaks and a rapidly accelerating spread of diseases. See More

Top Pro

The different editions/expansions stay true to the Pandemic experience yet offer something fresh each time

For example, in Pandemic Iberia, your movement is much more limited therefore you have to invest in building railways and the diseases cannot be cured, only researched. They will continue to infect even after being researched. Each expansion is easy to pick up and play as it offers something new while keeping the base game familiar. See More

Specs

38 5

score 15 · Answer 4

7 Wonders

Top Pro

Easy to learn

No matter the player's skill level, 7 Wonders makes for an easy to learn and play game. See More

Top Con

Most player interaction is limited

Most player interactions can only be conducted with the people directly sitting next to you. This can include passing cards, borrowing resources from your neighbors, etc. These kinds of actions can only be taken with the person to your immediate right or left. As a result, it sometimes feels like some of the players (especially those across the table) have no direct impact on each other, especially in larger games. See More

Top Pro

Player scalable

7 Wonders easily adjusts to support anywhere from 2-7 players, making it great for both small and large groups. See More

Top Con

Iconography can be tough to learn

There are many different symbols to learn and keep track of, and this is the source of most learning woes for newer players. See More

Top Pro

All players play until the end

Points aren't added up until the end of the game, so even if you are losing badly, you won't be ejected from the game or forced to sit out. Everyone can participate for the full duration. See More

Top Con

Mistakes compound over time

In 7 Wonders you can really hurt yourself in the early game. Mistakes tend to be overly punishing and may be difficult to fully recover from. A long term strategy is necessary from turn one onward if you want to succeed. See More

Top Pro

Requires planning and strategy

When choosing your card for play that round, you may pick a card that will benefit you directly (such as one that will give you a building upgrade or money), or you can simply pick a card that you know your opponent wants to prevent them from bringing it into play. Additionally, if you want to play a card that requires resources you don't have, you can "borrow" resources from your opponent. In exchange for using their resources to play your card, you give them valuable currency to use later. You'll have to weigh whether it's worth giving them currency to use their resources knowing it could come back to hurt you later. This constant trade off of helping and hindering creates some interesting situations among players where you have to determine what the best possible long term move will be while also considering the moves of those around you. See More

Top Pro

Stays exciting thanks to 3 different card decks

Each of the three ages has its own unique deck of cards. Each time you pass into a new age, a brand new set of cards come into play. These new cards build on the progress you made in the previous age. For example, resources earned in the first age can be used to build new buildings in the other ages. This helps gameplay feel exciting and fresh as the game progresses, with lots of new options becoming available for expanding your city. See More

Top Pro

Highly replayable

There's always an opportunity to try something new every game Each player has their own game board which represents one of the Seven Wonders of the World. These boards clearly lay out the production resource and benefits of each Wonder. You can also choose to play the game using the board's A side or B side. Whichever side you choose drastically changes how that particular Wonder can play certain cards. Additionally, since this a card game with resources and other variables, no two play sessions will ever be alike. Cards will always be dealt and played in a random order, and how you play these cards will vary based on your Wonder and your personal resources/currency situation. See More

Top Pro

Super quick gaming sessions

This is an excellent choice for a quick gaming session, as most games only take around 30 minutes. This remains true even if there are seven players. See More

Specs

15 1

score 13 · Answer 5

Gloomhaven

Top Pro

Character classes are distinctly unique

Each and every class represented in-game has their own deck of cards. These cards feature skills and abilities that are entirely unique to that specific class. Whether you're attacking, moving, or looting - each class carries out these actions with their own distinct style. Thanks to the sheer amount of variety offered between the classes, no two ever feel alike, and you're guaranteed to get a unique game experience based on the class you select. See More

Top Con

Takes a long time to set up

Setting up the board between each scenario is very time consuming as pieces have to be carefully arranged according to diagrams, cards have to be shuffled and placed into multiple piles, and character boards have to be configured. This process tends to take much longer than other similar board games. See More

Top Pro

Intense card management

Cards in Gloomhaven represent all of your attacks and movements, as well as determine the order these actions will take place. Furthermore, every class in the game has their own unique deck of cards. Most of the cards have unique and complex mechanics, but they all follow a simple rule when brought into play: you must choose whether to play the top action (attack) or the bottom action (movement). Once a card is played, it goes into a discard pile. However, by "resting" a few turns and sitting out of the action, you can put them back in your hand. Managing your cards each round and trying to get a victory in every scenario can be a very intense experience. Knowing when and how to use an card in your hand results in some really tense play where some tough, on-the-fly decisions have to be made. Do you attack or move? Do you save this attack for a tougher enemy later? Is this card worth playing now? Is it worth resting to retrieve cards?, etc. See More

Top Con

Cumbersome game box

The game box is huge and all the pieces don't always fit neatly back inside. This could make transporting the game a hassle. It's heavy, large, and has many various parts and pieces. See More

Top Pro

Exciting enemy encounter variations

There are a whopping 45 different enemies and 12 bosses. Each enemy in the game has their own unique stats along with combat modifiers such as additional damage. As such, each enemy acts and performs differently. Additionally, monsters can be set to various difficulty levels and scale based on how many players are in the encounter. All of this combined allows for a huge amount of variation, and keeps each encounter feeling fresh and exciting throughout numerous game sessions. See More

Top Con

Expensive due to being out of print

This game, while popular, is no longer in print. If you're looking to add it to your collection, you should be able to find it on Amazon or various board game hobby sites, but it normally carries a high price tag. See More

Top Pro

Heavy immersion in the world thanks to events

Outside of the dungeon crawling, there are Road Events and City Events that can occur. Road Events take place when traveling to a new location, whereas City Events happen when you visit the city of Gloomhaven. These events present players with unique and interesting situations and choices, such as meeting a traveler, running into monsters, or finding a new quest. The choices you make during events also influence the course of the story and may provide you with a buff (or debuff) for your upcoming dungeon crawl. These additional story elements help the world-building along, as they take place during what would be otherwise mundane things (such as traveling a road, or visiting town) and make it easy to stay connected and feel like you're a part of the game world at all times. See More

Top Con

Not good for short gaming sessions

While it's possible to play one scenario at a time, the story and encounters are best appreciated and experienced as a full campaign which will play out over several long sessions. Additionally, the board takes quite a while to set up between scenarios, which isn't great when you only have limited time to play. See More

Top Pro

Easy to understand

Although the sheer size of the board, tons of cards, and numerous game pieces/tokens make the game appear intimidating, it is quite easy to understand the basics after a short amount of time spent playing. This is due to its clearly defined rules, detailed cards/iconography, and the clean visual presentation of the game board. See More

Top Pro

Players can join and leave at will

A game can still run at maximum efficiency, even with a "revolving door" of players. Monsters can be set to scale based on the number of players, so if your friend suddenly has to leave mid-game, it won't be a huge detriment to the group. Players can also drop in or leave the game at any point, as it's easy to add or subtract players to the party between scenarios. It's all the little details like this that make it a great game to play with a group of friends who all have varying amounts of availability. See More

Top Pro

Can play solo

Even if you can't find anyone to play with, the game is able to be played solo. You can still tackle events and dungeons solo, progress your character, and enjoy the story without the need for a game master or even a group to play with. This makes it a great choice when the the urge to dungeon crawl strikes, but nobody is available for a long play session. See More

Specs

# Players:1 to 4

Play Time:60-120 minutes (per scenario)

Age:12+

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13 0

score 9 · Answer 6

Lords of Waterdeep

Top Pro

Gameplay grows more complex over time

Limited options are available at the beginning of the game. There's only a few pieces in play along with quest cards that give simple, concrete goals. However, gameplay grows more complex as buildings are added and new quests become available. For example, where to move your agents, which opponent to interrupt by playing intrigue cards, and which kind of quests you focus on are goals that will shift and evolve as the game progresses. See More

Top Con

Not enough winning strategies

The main objective is to gain as many points as possible by having your agents/workers complete quests. There's not much in the way of strategy due to this one win condition. In almost all cases, the game will simply be won by the player who can tackle quests the most efficiently while dealing with anything their opponents throw at them. See More

Top Pro

Quick gaming sessions

Each game is only eight rounds and can be played in an hour or two. See More

Top Con

Might not appeal to veteran gamers

The game systems are rather plain and basic, and it doesn't bring much new to the genre. It may not be appealing to veteran gamers as the gameplay is not very deep when compared to other similar games. See More

Top Pro

Dungeons and Dragons in reverse

Based on DnD lore, but you're the one setting quests instead of going on them. It's fun to feel like a powerful Lord ordering your agents around and making them complete quests for your own benefit. See More

Top Con

Can cause arguments

Having to plead with your friends not to interrupt your quest flow can result in many arguments. Having an opponent play an intrigue card on you, especially the mandatory quest card, can completely ruin your chance at winning. It's easy to get frustrated with other players, especially if you feel like you're being unfairly targeted or teamed up against repeatedly. See More

Top Pro

Easy to teach new players how to play

Within a few turns, even new players should be able to understand the basic mechanics. You move your agents around the board, complete quests with them, and get points based on the difficulty of the quest. Whoever is able to gain the most points by the end of the 8th round wins. Thanks to the simple rules and the game's easy-to-understand nature, this makes it very approachable for all skill levels. See More

Top Pro

Intrigue cards add a huge element of player interaction

The player interaction aspects of Lords of Waterdeep stem from the aptly named Intrigue cards. By moving your agents to a special area of the game board, you are able to bring one of these cards into play. They let you do such things as steal money or resources from other players, force your opponents onto a mandatory quest, sabotage their current quest in progress, or even temporarily bend the rules of the game. Choosing which opponent you're going to sabotage and how you're going to do it can result in plenty of in-game interactions with your fellow players. See More

Top Pro

Fun to mess with your friends

While completing your own quests, you have the opportunity to sabotage your opponents' quests with disruption cards. This makes it harder for them to complete their quests and even steal their money/resources. There are also mandatory quests that can be forced onto your opponents, which means they must complete that quest before they can take on any new ones. These can lead to many humorous and interesting moments with your friends as you attempt to prevent each other from progressing in devious and devastating ways. See More

Top Pro

Great presentation

The game board is sturdy and the pieces are colorful. Even the currency comes in the form of cardboard Waterdeep coins which really help sell the D&D theme. The rule book is loaded with pictures and illustrations. Overall, everything is presented very nicely. There's even a handy plastic mold to neatly put everything away when you're finished playing and keep everything in good shape. See More

Specs

# Players:2-5

Play Time:60-120 Minutes

Age Range:12+

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9 2

score 11 · Answer 7

Arkham Horror

Top Con

Very unaproachable

Arkham Horror has a lot of moving parts, its rules are difficult to follow, and the gameplay itself is pretty difficult. This all adds up to a game that is very unapproachable and will take the most dedicated of players to really understand the whole concept put forth. See More

Top Pro

Lots of expansion boards available

Currently there are 8 licensed expansions on the manufacturer's site. There are also many fan made expansions available online as well thanks to the games large and friendly community. Both the manufacturer's and community expansions add plenty of new content to the game including cards, investigators, board addons, Heralds (mini-bosses), Ancient Ones, spells, and items. See More

Top Con

Huge rules

24+ pages of rules. Though they are well-written, highly illustrated, enriched with small data tables, it is easy to forget small details, especially when some critical rule is applied, e.g., for just one type of bosses. See More

Top Pro

Scales well from solo to large groups

The game supports up to 8 players, which is something of a feat for a game of its size and components. Makes for a great party game due to the size of players it allows. However, at the lower end it can also be enjoyed with one or two players, making it great for intimate gaming session. No matter how few players you have available, you'll be able to enjoy the game. See More

Top Con

Long

The game is very long (several hours). See More

Top Pro

Great challenge for those that enjoy difficult games

The win conditions of the game are quite slim and require one to know the rules ins and outs, so while not a game for casual players it is a game for the hardcore who enjoy a challenge. See More

Top Con

Playing alone or in small team (2-3) is usually easy and boring

Arkham is best enjoyed when played by teams of 4 and more. See More

Top Pro

Well-crafted

Big map, lots of items and heroes with their own graphics, player figures on plastic stands; lots of tokens and monster cards made of firm cardboard. See More

Top Con

Long preparation time

Laying out all the things may eat up to 30 minutes (without extensions). See More

Top Pro

Lots of choices

Each location offers you different opportunities to trade for and to explore. The imaginary hero class (like tank, mage, support, stealth) is up to you and usually not well-tied to hero abilities. Even when apocalypse comes, you still (might) have a chance to defeat the planetary evil. See More

Top Con

Hard to find

It was actually released in 2005 and currently out of stock at official page. See More

Top Pro

Great atmosphere of Lovecraft tales

Your weak heroes have to dive into parallel realities, use magic, defeat unknown guests and apply unique artifacts. Each game's location has its own secrets and 'contacts' with various outcomes — good and bad. See More

Top Pro

Role-oriented

You either choose by yourself or get a random hero, and play with them the whole party (if you were not killed, of course). You and your hero have skills, items, unique qualities and effects, and their story. The game itself encourages role-playing elements to dive into the Lovecraftian environment. See More

Top Pro

Highly cooperative

Though the rules do highlight "best players of the game" via basic calculations, the game itself is aimed towards collaboration. To win, everyone must commit to the victory, and you often forget about the existence of a "best player". The game allows players to exchange items or help other players via skills, special abilities and magic. In practice, players often compete their tasks in pairs and more, e.g. they close gates in pairs, where one has to clean the entrance from monsters, and the other seals the gates. See More

Top Pro

Each game is unique

The game starts by choosing a random boss and/or heroes. Each turn begins with the myth phase, whose effects apply from a random card in the deck. These effects include monster movement, game-wide buffs and de-buffs, quests, monster gate breaches, etc. You will never know if you will be able to win the game. Items and skills are usually taken randomly too. See More

Specs

Languages:English, Russian, …

# Players:1-8

Playing time:120-240 mins

Age range:12+

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11 5

score 7 · Answer 8

Pandemic Legacy

Top Pro

Very high short-term replayability due to the persistent story in the game

With individual plays regularly ending in teasers and cliffhangers players will be eager to play the next round in order to move the story forward and find out what happens next. See More

Top Con

No long-term replayability

After the main campaign is finished (12-24 games) the game is mostly finished. Technically you can play the final mission over and over, but permanent changes made over the course of the playthrough, such as stickers added to the rules, board, and player sheets as well as components that are physically destroyed make the game less fun to replay after the main story concludes. See More

Top Pro

A persistent campaign means that your descisions have consequences, both good and bad, in future games

Pandemic Legacy is the latest in the Legacy line of games where things that happen in one game can, and often do, have affects in later games. The characters you use can gain new abilities and or flaws, components can be added and/or destroyed and rules can be added, amended, or removed, all based on the things that you do from game to game. This helps players feel invested in the game and makes their decisions even more meaningful than they already were. This ongoing change also means that your experiences may very well be unique to your group and that other campaigns of the same game will go drastically different, with only main plot points in common. See More

Top Con

Requires a commited group to play and experience the full extent of the game

Pandemic: Legacy games are meant to be experienced over 12-24 games with the same players so that everyone involved can share in the overarching story of the game. Unfortunately, many gamers may struggle to find 2-4 players that can regularly meet up to play the game, making it difficult to finish the main story. See More

Specs

# Players:2 to 4

Play Time:~60 min

Age:13+

7 1

score 10 · Answer 9

Space Alert

Top Con

Steep learning curve

Space Alert is not very beginner friendly, and if you don’t properly understand how the game works when you start it up, then you’ll have visible difficulty keeping up with what’s happening in the frantic 10-minute action phase. You’ll also be dragging down the other players because there really isn’t enough time to explain rules when the game is already in progress. It’s worth reserving an hour to play through the well-designed tutorial book that slowly introduces the complex aspects, so you’ll be ready for the real deal. See More

Top Pro

Each game is unique

The combination of several CD tracks along with variant card combos and action options ensures that no two games will be the same, making the game widely replayable. If you run out of the official CD tracks, then you can also download the Space Alert Mission Generator to get some random scenarios, or you can browse the internet for custom missions. See More

Top Con

Requires CD player with speakers

Space Alert is only playable with the included audio CD or downloadable MP3's, without them the game is impossible to play. See More

Top Pro

Cooperative

Space Alert is a cooperative based game, something that is not always the case for board games and can be a refreshing change. See More

Top Con

Unforgiving

Every action you take highly impacts what happens to the rest of the crew, and one tiny misstep can make the whole plan fall apart, which can be frustrating to some. Teamwork and good communication is completely necessary to win. See More

Top Pro

Varying difficulty

Various options can be selected to alter the difficulty level of the game, such as the power of internal and external common threats and serious threats. This makes, for example, the monsters you encounter much stronger, adding a whole new level of required teamwork. See More

Top Con

A lot of setup

Space Alert has a lot of pieces to sort through, cards and decks to shuffle and place on the gameboard. It’s not so bad if you decide to play more than one game, but the actual games are very quick in comparison to the amount of setup/takedown time. See More

Top Pro

Strong theme

Space Alert has a sci-fi theme to it, and the game executes it perfectly. From the aesthetic look of the game to the actions you take, there’s plenty of science fiction – aliens, spaceships, robots, etc. The soundtrack playing in the background during the planning phase also adds a lot to the immersion. For those that are into more of a science fiction game, Space Alert could easily fit that bill. See More

Top Con

Can’t be stopped once in progress

Once you press “play” on the 10-minute soundtrack, there’s no interrupting it – no pauses, no rewinds, etc. It’s important to stay focused, not engage in casual banter, and make sure there are no distractions in the background, which can be difficult to manage sometimes. See More

Top Pro

Good humor

While slightly morbid, the humor contained in the game and gameplay is quite amusing. The resolution phase is also full of humorous moments as the players watch their actions unfold or fall apart. For example, the tutorial book states that the captain must remember to do the “C” action that represents pressing the spacebar on the ship’s computer to keep the lights on. See More

Top Pro

1 - 5 players

Can be played as a single player game, or with up to 4 friends, dividing roles accordingly. If you don’t have a full group of 5 players, then the missing characters are androids, which can be controlled by any player. See More

Top Pro

Simple rules

The very basics of the game are quite simple. Every player has a role assigned to them – the captain, the communications officer, and the security officer. The players take 12 turns in 10 minutes pre-planning actions while listening to a soundtrack that explains all incoming threats. The action phase is divided into three further parts, each of which has a separate deck of action cards. The soundtrack calls out the threats, the endings of phases, data transfers, and communication disruptions, and you must act accordingly. After the 10-minute soundtrack is over, all the actions the players planned and coordinated are resolved. If the ship is still alive after that, then the game is won. See More

Top Pro

Fast gameplay

The game takes around 30 minutes to play through, 10 minutes of which is the intense planning phase with the soundtrack blasting in the background. See More

Top Pro

No analysis paralysis

Turn speed is dictated by the CD, avoiding some players procrastinating on their turns / keeping the gameplay flowing. See More

Top Pro

Ranked highly on board game geek

With an average score of 7.5 out of 10 and a rank of 155, Space Alert is a positively reviewed board game. See More

Top Pro

No alpha-gamer issue

Space Alert effectively evades the popular quarterbacking issue of cooperative board games. There’s simply no way to communicate enough useful information to other players in the 10-minute timeframe, so nobody can control absolutely everything. Everyone must efficiently work together and say what they’ll be doing to take care of the looming threats. See More

Top Pro

Good components

The components of the game should hold up to multiple plays and regular wear and tear. There are a lot of good quality wooden tokens, and the cards are made of durable cardstock. The gameboard and the tracking boards are also quite thick and should endure well. See More

Specs

10 2

score 4 · Answer 10

Zombicide

Top Pro

Lots of expansions

There are additional sets available ranging from new survivor cards to different enemy miniatures, more game tiles, etc. There is also a medieval version - Black Plague - which offers an alternate settings and slight rule/weapon changes. See More

Top Con

Error filled rulebook

The packaged rulebook is not only filled with errors and typos but is also missing a lot of pertinent information to the gameplay. Luckily there is an updated version as a PDF download on the publishers site that has the extra content the printed version is missing. See More

Top Pro

Replayability

Prison Outbreak, Toxic City Mall, and Angry Neighbors are all expansion packs you can add to the base game. Extras such as Dog Companions, Zombie Dogz, and VIP (very infected people) add new figures, figures, and equipment. There is also a new version: Black Plague which takes place in a medieval setting (expansion coming in June) See More

Top Pro

Quality components

The game comes with a bunch of miniatures, all molded out of plastic and have nice detailing as well as individual looks. The cardboard game cards, etc also have a solid think feel to them as well as colorful and illustrative art printed on them with the cards even being double sided. The amount of pieces and the quality of there craftsmanship definitely give a feeling of robustness that earns the game its high price ($89 retail). See More

Top Pro

Co-op play

Teamwork is essential to completing your objectives - some players will level up towards ranged combat, while others move about quickly. Not all players will be able to open the required doors, and you level up individually but don't let one player level up much faster than the others - zombies seem to thrive off success. See More

4 1

score 11 · Answer 11

A Game of Thrones: The Board Game (Second Edition)

Top Pro

Excellent game design

Like Risk, but with more planned strategy in stead of luck by throwing dice. Tactics are planned out ahead of time (instead of turn by turn in Risk) and then they are laid out turn by turn depending on placement. See More

Top Con

Takes a long time to learn and play

The gameplay is very deep and interesting, but it involves a lot of mechanics and rules. You only have a certain amount of action tokens, and you can't always use the more powerful actions (you need to be a certain rank on the track), and there's a bunch of other things you need to think about constantly. There are tons of little mechanics you need to learn first before you can actually enjoy the game (and that will probably take a playthrough or 2, which is about 5 hours...especially if you're reading the rulebook). See More

Top Pro

Nerve-racking

The game is extremely intense. Shouldn't be played on an empty stomach! See More

Top Con

Flares can be fustrating

As one of your action tokens, you can use a flare, which interrupts another action token of an opposing player. While useful, they do nothing besides slow down the game (for example, if the Lannisters keep flaring the Greyjoy's ships then they're stuck where they are and the Greyjoys can't do anything about it, essentially rendering them useless). See More

Top Pro

Good replayability

Every time it is different, more or less players matters a lot in the gameplay which effects how the game plays each time. See More

11 0

score 9 · Answer 12

Chess

Top Pro

Classic

It's been an important mode of entertainment and education for more than a thousand years. See More

Top Con

Chess serves no real purpose outside itself

Top Pro

Improves decision making ability

Top Pro

Boosts memory

You are constantly forced to come up with new offensive strategies or defencive strategies, based on what your opponent is doing. Since there are practically infinite ways to play any situation, you will have to think several moves ahead and remember various possible scenarios that might play out in any possible strategy. See More

Top Pro

Chess can be an enjoyable obsession

Top Pro

Widely available

And if you can't find a chess board, pieces, and even another player, you can make your own. See More

9 0

score 8 · Answer 13

The Resistance

Top Pro

Unlimited replayability

While there is little variation game-to-game (for example, there will always be two spies when five or six people play the game, and the mission sizes are always based on group size), it's the circumstances, such as which missions are chosen and who participates in them, that change each time. This allows it to be played over and over and over again without losing any excitement. See More

Top Con

Requires at least five people to play

Due to its design, a bare minimum of five players is required to play. This is especially unfortunate in situations where you have three or four people together who really want to play this. See More

Top Pro

Great social experience

Even though logic is very useful when determining whose a spy, The Resistance is more about being able to bluff, trick, and sway others. As such, players are always actively engaged in discussions and trying to outplay and outsmart each other. This creates a very social environment which allows the game to thrive. See More

Top Con

Not great for shy or quiet gamers

The very nature of The Resistance often sparks loud debates with accusations and bluffs at every turn. If you are the quiet type, you may feel uncomfortable or overwhelmed in this kind of environment. See More

Top Pro

Creates a boisterous and entertaining atmosphere

Players are often very loud and active during gameplay. When everyone gets into the game and starts trying to figure out who the spies are, things can get really fun with theories and accusations flying everywhere. Overall, The Resistance creates a very exciting and entertaining atmosphere full of suspense and bluffing. See More

Top Pro

Short game sessions

It's designed to be played in three to five rounds, with the entire session lasting about 30 minutes. See More

Top Pro

Rules are incredibly easy to understand

There are zero complex rules or systems weighing this game down. It's incredibly easy to pick up and play, and new players will understand it immediately. This makes it an excellent game for everyone. See More

Top Pro

No one excluded until the end

All players remain active and get to participate until the game ends. This is great since there's no way to mess up or have to sit out and watch your friends play. See More

Top Pro

Perfect for large parties

While The Resistance is flexible and able to be played with as little as five people, the best results are achieved when played with six or more players. Each and every player is engaged and working together to determine who the spies are, which means all members of the group will be able to participate from start to finish. This makes it an excellent game for parties when you want to include everyone. See More

Specs

8 0

score 7 · Answer 14

Agricola

Top Pro

Easy to explain, but very difficult to master

The basic premise in Agricola is simple: players take one of their two starting people and, in turn order, use it to select an action. Once an action is selected, it can not be chosen by other players. After everyone has placed their first worker players place their second, again in turn order, followed by 3rd, 4th, and 5th, if applicable. However, the difficulty in Agricola comes from the relatively limited number of action slots available and the sheer number of things players are trying to accomplish over the 14 rounds of the game. See More

Top Con

Can be a very punishing game for new players

Even players who love Agricola regularly joke that its name should be Misery Farm. This is because everything that you fail to do will cost you points, yet it is very difficult to do some of everything. This means that new players have a very low chance of beating someone experienced since they won't fully now what to expect as the game goes on and how to plan for it. See More

Top Pro

Has expansions that can add more depth and variety to the game

Players can purchase the expansion, Farmers on the Moor, to add more gameplay options and strategic depth or they can purchase additional card packs to add variety to the minor improvement and occupation decks. This helps keep the game from getting stale and encourages multiple plays to try and experience everything this game has to offer. See More

Top Pro

High player interaction for this type of game

The very limited number of actions available to take each round, combined with most resources only being available at 1 or 2 spots means that players are regularly interfering with eachother's plans and constantly being forced to reevaluate their strategy after an opponent blocks them. This leads to high amounts of player interaction and keep you very engaged in the game instead of focusing solely on your player board. See More

Specs

Weight:3.63/5

# Players:1-5 (Newer edition -up to 4, All Creatures Big & Small - 2)

Play Time:30-150 minutes

7 0

score 7 · Answer 15

Dead of Winter Crossroads

Top Pro

Exciting risk-reward system

Sometimes performing an action can be risky. Typically, when moving or attacking you need to roll the 'exposure die' (you could get frostbite, receive a zombie bite, or have nothing happen). This means that it can be risky moving around to different locations. Each location has its own strengths and weaknesses, with some being very rewarding. Deciding whether or not the move is worth the risk makes it a very exciting system where you'll always be weighing the benefits and drawbacks of every single movement. See More

Top Con

It may be long and slow, with unexperienced players

As with many board games, new players may have trouble comprehending all the rules. Additionally, sometimes tough decisions need to be made. Newer players won't be aware of the nuances behind every choice and may need things explained to them. See More

Top Pro

Lots of tough choices to make on a personal level

All players attempt to survive together, fending off zombies, gathering supplies, and working towards a common goal. However, each player also has their own secret side-objective ranging from saving the most survivors to hoarding certain items and even betraying the group. Playing for the survival of the group while also juggling your own secret goals can result in many tough personal choices. Do you share resources with the group or keep them for yourself? Do you go off and scavenge supplies for personal gains even it means leaving the group weakened? Do you save that survivor or just let them die because it's one more mouth to feed? See More

Top Con

Limited actions, especially towards end game

Some of the rules and effects completely discourage movement, such as an unlucky exposure roll that could cost you the game. Near the end game, zombies may fill up in an area and make it very difficult to clear them out, effectively reducing the map size and your access to resources. See More

Top Pro

Survivalist theme of the game is very well integrated

The survivalist theme shines through in each and every tough decision, gameplay system, and objective the game throws at you. Most of the world is dead, the environment is extremely hostile, there are zombies everywhere, and one wrong move can be the difference between survival and death for you and/or your group. Do you work towards the goal of the group, or do you sabotage them for personal gains? Do you hoard resources or share? There is an endless list of choices that have to be made. Overall, it really feels like a true survival situation that sucks you in. See More

Top Con

Predictable enemies

The zombies are very predictable. You know when and where they will spawn, as well as who they will attack. See More

Top Pro

Random scenarios and decisions add replayability

There are a couple of gameplay mechanics that add a very random and deadly element to the game that really affect how the game plays out. Since they are completely random card draws, each game session will be unique its own way. At the start of each player's turn, another player draws a 'crossroads' card for that player. Each crossroads card has a trigger - sometimes it is triggered by an action that they player could take, where they are located, or which players are in the game. These cards typically offer a choice between two options, and can drastically sway the game for better or worse. Also, each turn a 'crisis card' is flipped, showing the current crisis for that turn. If the players can't work together to overcome the crisis (or the betrayer sabotages it) really bad things happen which put the whole group in immediate danger. See More

Top Pro

Unpredictable actions help keep things exciting

Most actions (searching, moving, etc) are based on a random dice roll, making it very difficult to plan ahead. Instead of a set number of actions per turn, you get one dice plus one additional dice for each character you control. Based on what you roll on the dice, you will be able to perform various actions. Since you're working within the constraints of each roll, each turn will present new opportunities or setbacks. This helps things stay exciting throughout. See More

Top Pro

Great for quick games

Each game lasts about one to two hours, making it a great game for when you want to get involved in deep game that doesn't overstay its welcome. See More

Specs

# Players:2 to 5

Play Time:60 - 120 minutes

Age:13+

See All Experiences

7 0

score 6 · Answer 16

Stratego

Top Pro

Simple to learn but utilizes much strategy

Stratego's rules are pretty easy to learn but the beauty is there is so much strategy involved that each game can have wildly different outcomes. Being that there is so much choice in how to strategize every game there is truly a limitless amount of fun to be had. See More

Top Con

Character pictures have to be manually placed

The character pictures have to be manually placed on each individual plastic board piece, which is time consuming and really should have just been done at the factory. See More

Top Pro

Creative thinking and playing the other player take a large role

Players can arrange their troops however they like which begins a game of strategy but also a game of playing your opponent. By trying to trick or manipulate the other player the game becomes more in depth as a match of will. See More

Specs

# Players:2

Play Time:45 Minutes

Age:8+

6 0

score 5 · Answer 17

Heroscape

Top Pro

Good design

The game includes all kinds of well-designed figures, a various terrain tiles, and a bunch of different terrain accessories that make up the big 3D landscape. The characters are a blend of fantasy, sci-fi, history, mythology and all kinds of other genres. Terrain tiles can range from grass to swamp, to lava, to snow and other types. What’s more, they can be stacked on top of one another to create hills. See More

Top Con

Takes up a lot of room

The landscapes tend to get quite big and, unfortunately, there is no convenient way to store the tiles and character figures unless you spend some extra cash on boxes or other forms of storage. See More

Top Pro

Play time decided by the players

The play time highly depends on the scenario chosen and the size of the playing surface, but since the game encourages customization, players are free to choose a scenario that's easy and quick to play through and construct a smaller battlefield to accommodate it, for example, "last team standing " on a small surface. See More

Top Con

Long set up and take down times

Depending on the scenario, the setup might take as long as the scenario itself. A basic setup could take anywhere between 20 and 40 minutes. This is because of how big the playing surface can be and how many pieces and accessories it consists of. See More

Top Pro

Can be built to fit any group

Heroscape can make both a decent 1v1 or 2v2 tournament and a massive party attraction. Although the game is best balanced to be a game for 2-4 players, if you have more sets you can create a map that can potentially scale up to any group. Moreover, all ages are welcome, so it can be a great family game as well. See More

Top Con

Expensive

The sets, expansions and accessories tend to cost a lot of money mostly due to the game being out of print since 2010. See More

Top Pro

Simple rules

This is one of the games that fits the description of “Easy to learn, hard to master” quite well. The basic gist is quite simple - in their turn the player chooses an army card, moves the pictured figures and attacks with the figures. Movement is done based on the “Move number” on the card and attacking is done by rolling the attack dice based on the “Attack number” on the card. Players alternate turns until the game is over. The win condition is chosen by the players There are a few more detailed mechanics, but they are very easy to understand, because they link to the physical aspect of the game. For example, an enemy is in line of sight if the figure is "able to see it" from its position - if there's a huge dragon figure behind a mountain and its head is poking out, then the soldier further back on the hill has line of sight. Another example - if a figure physically can't fit somewhere, then it can't move to that tile - a dinosaur figurine won't fit under a small bridge over a river, so it can't go there. The basics of the game are not hard at all, the rules are simple enough even for children, it’s suited for ages 8+. See More

Top Con

Out of print

The game has been out of print since 2010. See More

Top Pro

Great customization possibilities

The game offers a lot of customizability both in terms of playing surface and the game itself. Since the playing surface is fully customizable, you can either create it from instructions (found in the game guide or online) or arrange the construction pieces however you want. Because of this every game can be different in some way – you can, for example, relocate a hill, place a river and do much more. Though the game offers a scenario booklet with some basic scenarios, that doesn’t mean you can’t get creative and make up your own objectives, manipulate some of the rules or add house rules. See More

Top Con

Inconsistent theme

The terrain is customizable enough to create a running theme, but units are more difficult. Some people might enjoy the idea of heroes from all kinds of genres clashing in one big game, others might be thrown off by historical characters like samurai and cowboys battling alongside werewolves, robots or vampires. See More

Top Pro

Well-made materials

The game materials have a relatively high production quality. There’s no need to worry about game components not being able to sustain normal wear and tear or an accidental drop here or there - the hexagonal pieces and the painted character figurines are made out of durable plastic. The character figures are also quite flexible - bending swords, legs and hands of figures doesn't leave a lasting problem. The paint job of the pieces is also well done and paint won't wear off even when rigorously scraped. See More

Top Pro

Active community

Despite the printing of the game being discontinued in 2010, there’s still a very active community at https://www.heroscapers.com/ that are keeping the game alive. There are forums for custom units, local gaming events, online Heroscape games and more. Since sets and accessories tend to cost a lot of money, some dedicated fans even banded together to create https://www.allthingsheroscape.com/, offering a selection of, as the name suggests, all things related to Heroscape – figures, terrain sets, expansions, etc. See More

Top Pro

Can be visually impressive

Some fans of the game have even gone out of their way to design huge and beautiful battlefields, spanning many tables. A lot of great creations can be found on the internet - some examples. See More

Top Pro

Fun to set up

The setting up of the game is another game itself and it makes for a good family / friend activity. It could be compared to LEGO construction – you attach the hexagonal pieces together to create whatever playing surface you want or just follow an instruction. The pieces smoothly link together and don’t accidentally come apart, so there's no need to worry about a small accident ruining your hard work. Since the playfield is quite big, everyone can join in creating the landscape. Some people could even get more excited to play while seeing the battlefield grow and imagining how fun the nearing game could be. See More

Specs

# Players:2+

Play Time:15min - 1h+ (per scenario)

Age:8+

Setup Time:20-40 min

See All Experiences

5 0

score 4 · Answer 18

Spyfall 2

Top Pro

Can be mixed with Spyfall 1

It will add more locations and make the game harder for experienced spies. See More

Top Con

Heavily dependant on the team's playfullness

Not talkative or extremely serious people will definitely make the game an ordinary mafia challenge. See More

Top Pro

Allows for really big parties (12 players max)

Top Con

Highly trivial if played in 3 or 4

It is very easy to reveal the spy in small teams. See More

Top Pro

An interesting twist on a Mafia-style game

The spy doesn't try to kill everyone, but to find out where he or she is and to blend with others. This unleashes the player's creativity in asking and answering in that way that only villains will understand it See More

Specs

# Players:3-12

Playing time:5-12 mins for a round

Setup time:3 mins

4 0

score 13 · Answer 19

Cosmic Encounter

Top Pro

Every game is unique

The basic rules of the game are background noise. The alien powers, both individually and as they interact with each other, determine the dynamic of each game you play, and each dynamic is radically different. For example, you can try different races and alien powers each time you play, and the way to mix and match them is almost limitless. This makes every game feel different than the one before it. See More

Top Con

Can cause arguments

Due to the nature of the game, which has you working with others and then turning against them in the same breath, it can create some situations where people are going to feel used or mistreated. This can result in a lot of fighting or arguments, especially when playing with easily offended people. See More

Top Pro

The social component of the game requires you to strategize with other players

It's almost impossible to win on your own. When attacking or defending, you will get the chance to ask for allies on your turn, or assist others when they are engaged. Allies can help you win the attack or defense, but they will also gain benefits if successful. It is a team-based game, although each player is out for themselves in the end. One of the neatest parts of the game are the negotiate cards - instead of laying down an attack card you can try to negotiate. If you both play negotiate cards, you have 1 minute to come to an agreement which can include creating new colonies, trading cards, or virtually anything. If the players don't come to agreeable terms within a minute, they both suffer a hefty penalty (4 of their ships are sent to the warp). See More

Top Con

Unbalanced

In situations where all players gang up on just one single player. See More

Top Pro

Potential for very satisfying, creative plays

With so many unique combinations of alien powers and the fact you can form unstable alliances with other players, there's so many ways to get creative. For example, knowing when and where to pick your battles. Perhaps two other players just had an epic battle and now they're down a few ships - it would be the perfect time to swoop in and try to colonize their planets when they're weakened. Perhaps you have a special power that will give you an edge in a certain fight against another player. By paying attention to what's going on around you at all times, skillful tacticians will find all kinds of extremely clever or amusing plays to be possible. See More

Top Con

Some alien powers are difficult to parse

Some of the cards have walls of text that look intimidating at first, and may take a slow read and group discussion to really figure out. Thankfully, the alien powers are divided into three sets based on "difficulty" which translates roughly to "difficulty to understand, and how much it disrupts basic gameplay." Green (easy) cards are usually simple enough that a child of 12 or so can understand them. See More

Top Pro

Great illustrations on the cards

Illustrations on Alien Power cards are beautifully rendered and imaginative. Each one features full color, hand drawn creatures that are distinctly unique and look like something out of a sci-fi movie. See More

Top Con

Might be hard to teach

This is one of those games that has to be played to be fully understood. As such, it can be hard to teach someone. It will take new players a few rounds to start understanding. See More

Top Pro

You have some influence over the theme of each game

At the beginning of each game, players are given 3-4 alien powers to choose from, usually taken at random. However, if you were trying to put together a specific theme - for example, a war between certain aliens races, or a battle using only certain powers - you can manually select the set of powers available to each player. This allows you to generate personalized games that have specific story to them or heavily revolve around a particular strategy or resource. See More

Top Pro

This is an exercise in social dynamics as much as a board game

Working with or against other players, forming unstable alliances, and negotiating with other players creates some situations which will test your real world social skills. See More

Top Pro

Excellent expansions

There are six expansions which not only add a minimum of 20 new alien races with new powers each, but they also brings unique gameplay mechanics to the table. For example, Cosmic Conflict adds space quake hazards, and Cosmic Alliance adds new rules for teams and expands the game to 7 players. See More

Top Pro

Not as complicated as it might sound

After you play one or two games, the basic mechanics become trivial to work with. Additionally, you only have to worry about learning as many alien powers as you have players in the game, so your personal knowledge and experience with the powers can grow slowly over time. Most alien powers take a minute or two to really understand, then the fun begins of finding creative or unique ways to develop strategies around them. See More

Specs

# Players:3 to 5

Play Time:60-120 Minutes

Age:12+

See All Experiences

13 1

score 3 · Answer 20

Eclipse

Top Pro

Design encourages replayability

You will never play the same game of Eclipse due to randomness of the tiles you and your opponents draw, the various strategies you can use, and the seven possible player races. The map will be different every time. The gameboard is made of multiple hexagonal tiles and it’s built out as the game progresses when players choose the “explore” action. There are three decks of hexes, the one you draw from depends on the direction you’re exploring in. For example. if you move away from the galaxy center, then you draw from the third-level hex pile, which contains less goodies than the second and first level tiles. The closer you go to the center, the bigger are your chances for loot. If you don’t like the tile you draw, you can discard it, but this’ll still make you lose an action. See More

Top Con

Luck-based combat

The combat is based on rolling dice and drawing tiles after the combat is over. While the luck element of rolling dice is sort of taken care of because of the customizable battleships, the tile drawing part can be very unfair. Basically, once the battle is finished both parties draw a number of tiles that depends on the amount of destroyed ships. These tiles all have different victory point values, but you can only claim one. What this means is that you can lose a battle and still claim more victory points than your opponent from the single tile you draw. See More

Top Pro

Amazing blend of Euro and Ameritrash mechanics

Eclipse is a "best of both worlds" mix of two different boardgaming genres. The game has a strong theme, player combat, unique factions, and some elements of luck that define the American style while still having plenty of the European-like resource gathering, individual development, and possibilities of no player conflict. See More

Top Con

Not very accessible to new players

The game isn’t too difficult, but it’s a long game that requires a lot of explaining and a lot of setup, which can be a huge turn-off for beginners. Running over the rules and the various situations will take around 20 minutes, and you will still need to explain a lot during the game itself because there’s a lot of stuff that requires managing. New players will have a noticeable disadvantage. See More

Top Pro

Allows for many different playstyles

There are many possible ways to get points and win the game. Some players choose to take the militaristic approach and win by defeating the other players in combat, others choose to stray away from trouble and gain points by developing technologies. You can also earn points from exploration, colonization, diplomacy, and more. Players can choose to play a human (Terran) faction or choose one of the six unique alien races. All six Terran factions share traits, but the aliens differ from one another. Race-specific traits give bonuses in specific actions, for example, trading for different rates, more movement flexibility, science or colonization bonuses, etc. See More

Top Con

Art style won’t suit everyone

Eclipse has a sci-fi space theme that features aliens, technologies, spaceships, and everything in between. Since this is a pretty popular theme almost anywhere, be it books, games, or movies, to some people this might appear generic, bland, and kind of uninteresting. See More

Top Pro

Customizable battleships

Unlike other similar games, Eclipse offers players an innovative battleship customization feature. At the start everyone’s ships are basically the same, they can move, shoot, and have one health point. After you’ve amassed some of the “materials” and “science” resources, you can start upgrading them to different types and adding new components either in empty spaces or by overwriting existing ones. There are many types of components – reactors, weapons, shields, hull, targeting computers, and engines. By mixing these you can create any ship you want, be it a well-balanced one or something completely ridiculous. You can make your ships into flying tanks able to sustain tons of damage and slowly chunk away the enemy, or instant death machines able to one-shot anything. See More

Top Con

Expensive

The cost of a new copy of Eclipse ranges from $80 to $130 dollars. See More

Top Pro

Surprisingly simple

Eclipse looks a lot harder than it actually is. The structure of the game is quite straightforward, and the combat is easy to understand. The game lasts nine rounds, each round has four phases – action, combat, upkeep, and cleanup. Most of the game is spent in the action phase, where players exchange turns performing one action until they’ve all passed. At the cost of an influence disc you can explore, influence, research, upgrade, build, or move. You can do as many actions as you want, but you’ll have to pay upkeep for every influence disc after the first one in the upkeep phase. The combat phase consists of dice rolling to resolve any battles, be it player vs player or player vs NPC. Combat is initiated if two characters are on the same hex during combat phase. It is done by rolling a six-sided dice. Every 6 is a guaranteed hit, ever 1 is a miss. Whether the rest of the numbers deal damage is influenced by characteristics and equipment of battleships, which can also decide which ship attacks first, how many dice are rolled per ship, and how much victory-point tiles will the participants be able to draw after combat. See More

Top Con

Can easily make a mess

Even the tiniest shuffle of the gameboard will displace the tiny cubes and influence discs used to keep track of resources and actions. This is not only annoying but can also mess up the game because someone might place the cubes back incorrectly and give themselves an advantage. See More

Top Pro

Satisfying to see progression

At the start all players are spread out on their own tiles one tile away from the galaxy center. As the game progresses they take actions and discover new tiles around them with planets to colonize that get filled up with the respective player’s colors. Moments later the players are overlooking a big, colorful gameboard filled with colonies and battleships of all sizes. See More

Top Con

Long setup and takedown times

Eclipse is already a relatively long game, but a lot of extra time is required just to prepare the game and to tidy everything up after you’re done. This is mostly since there is no official way to store the huge number of components. Setting up for the first time can easily take around 30 minutes, and if you don’t have some sort of convenient storage then it can still take 20-30 minutes for the next matches. After you’ve set up and played your game, you still must calculate in approximately 10 minutes just to put everything back in its place. See More

Specs

# Players:2 to 6

Play Time:60 - 180 Minutes

Age:14+

See All Experiences

3 0